Knit Picks Rosewood Needle Set

     The holidays are winding down, I'm still recovering from the feasting and merry-making, and boy are there a lot of goodies to write about.  The fun thing about having knitting as a hobby is that many people get you knitting things for holidays.  Unlike receiving a snow globe from your Aunt Mildred every year since you were seven, you can never really have too many knitting gadgets and yarn.  If you start to run out of space...knit faster.  One such goodie I received from Santa this year was the Knit Picks Rosewood Edition Interchangeable Circular Needle Set.  Say that ten times real fast.  (For those of you who prefer straight needles, there is a set of those, too.)  The set includes 9 interchangeable needles ranging in size 4-11, including both 10 and 10.5.  There are two each of the 24" and 32" cables with eight cable ends and two cable keys.
     First, let's talk about the great and the good.  These needles are beautiful.  They are a rich rosewood, which is darker than most natural wood tips, with the grain beautifully swirling over each tip.  They are sturdy and smooth.  Unlike some wood needles, there really is not a lot of drag or snag to worry about with these.  (They still have the warm feel of knitting with wood needles, though.)  There is a nice size variety, most of the popular sizes for garment knitting are included.  If you want sock-sized needles, you may want to look into a different set.  I have always enjoyed knitting with wood needles and these really make the grade in quality.
     Alas, there are two sides to every coin, and there are just a few things in the "con" column of this review.  First, I wish the set came with a longer cable cord...perhaps four different sized cables instead of two of each size provided.  There aren't many things that require more than 32", but there are some.  Also, I have yet to find an interchangeable circular needle that did not, on occasion, start to unscrew from the cable during a project.  This makes interchangeable needles a little less desirable to me than their permanently cabled counterparts...though I'm definitely a circular needle type of girl.  However, I debated including this because it seems to be a problem inherent in interchangeable needles, not something specific to this product.  Having used the needles in this set, the problem is not pervasive as you work, it is an occasional annoyance.  The price of this product is a little high, at $80.99.  Though you are saving money over buying needles individually, it will set you back a bit to buy the whole set.
     The Bottom Line:  This is a very nice set.  I love the rosewood, it comes nicely packaged, and the needles really feel great while knitting.  It would make a wonderful gift for any knitter who enjoys circular needles and are a fun and worthwhile splurge for any knitter treating themselves.  The link to the product is found below.

http://www.knitpicks.com/needles/Options_Interchangeable_Rosewood_Circular_Knitting_Needle_Set___D41284.html

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