Videos like this one take me months and months of careful research. Consider supporting my on patreon so I can continue sharing my knitting knowledge with the world: www.patreon.com/nimbleneedlez
It's funny because I always keep a few safety pins in my knitting kit but never use them,I just THINK I might need them someday for something~! Now,,thanks to Norman,I have some very useful things to use them for🤣
I don't even use interchangeable needles, but I do enjoy listening to your knowledge that I watched the entire video. Thank you for being you and sharing.
Schade du verpasst viel ,denn du brauchst dann verschiedene Längen und so wechselt du nur das Seil. Mal überlegen ob du dir eine kleine Sammlung zulegst. Mit einem Set sparst du viel Platz und Geld und hast immer die richtige Nadel dabei. Knitt Pro ist für Anfänger am günstigsten. Der Hit ist aber ChiaoGoo
I had one of the first interchangeable systems (by boye) in the usa, designed horribly, with plastic, the connectors would break at the worst times. Trauma! So I use multiple circular and dps in all sizes.
I also had trauma from a bad interchangeable set and was convinced that since no interchangeable set is perfect, to just stick with multiple circulars.. now I see the many benefits! Thank you!
Oh my goodness - slightly smaller needle in the left hand. I had to try this as I was watching the video because I am knitting with a beautiful but non-stretchy yarn and getting the stitches onto the left hand needle was painful. Changed to just .25mm smaller and everything is easy again. THANK YOU :)
I had come to some of these tips on my own. Your posting them makes me feel incredibly smart. I love your channel. Please, please tell us what shawl you're wearing, it almost distracts from your content, it's so beautiful.
It never crossed my mind that the left needle is a’holder’ and to make it a smaller needle to push the yarn easier off the needle to the right needle! This alone was the reason I joined your Patreon account. Thank you for magically making my knitting easier!!
I bought the anniversary set from Knit Picks. I broke both size 4 by sitting on them. As they were a special set, I couldn't just order replacements. So I wrote to customer service. They replaced them, and wouldn't let me pay -- even for shipping! I've never had a problem in all the years I've purchased from them, so had no idea how wonderful the company is to its customers!
I just wanted to leave a comment for the algorithm and take it as an opportunity to compliment your very lovely scarf. The colours and pattern stole a bit of my attention while watching the video. 🙂
I only have Knitpro (knitters pride) interchangeable needles/crochet hooks and sometimes they do loosen, but I tend to be able to feel a slight catch on the yarn as it slides over the join/screw so then I check. I have not lost stitches since I made an effort to notice the catch, now I do not think about it as i automatically notice the catch. I will not go back to straight needles now, so much better!
I was playing with crochet and knitting, using up some yarn that is very soft and too thin for me to use for much and quite by accident (i saw a video on Tunisian crochet pop up) and I took one of my Tunisian hooks and put it on my circular knitting needle and then just bound off by doing a simple reverse pass, regular Tunisian style. I loved it! I will definitely use this again in my knitting!
I hate to admit it but I broke my wooden US 2 Lykkes that I loved. I carefully sanded and polished them with manicure set, wiped them with a thin layer of nail polish and they are almost as good as new (except shorter 😂). Great tips- thank you!
Great video, safety pin tip was new for me, excellent. I love the shawl you are wearing, colours are so elegant. I played the video again to study the shawl. Thanks for
Thanks for the tip for using hair clips to secure the ends of yarn balls/skeins. I have been working on 3 different multi colored blankets. The ends were getting really tangled. i was beginning to think that much like in the movie “Toy Story” the yarn balls were coming alive and traveling around to meet other yarn balls and getting entangled!
yes. for flat knitting, you will always knit the wrong side with that smaller needle. and typically that is not very nice - except you only knit st st and your purls are too loose.
It depends on your personal needs. I sometimes use bigger needle on a purl side of flat knitting, as my purls sometimes come out a bit tighter than knit stitches.
Norman! This is one of the most helpful videos of all time!! I learn so much from your content, and greatly appreciate you. I have been using 2 circulars for small circumferences and have a hard time finding 2 sets of the same size needle. Now I can use a smaller size as the stitch holder and not panic!!
I am working on a cardigan that started at the bottom, was divided into the two front panels and one back panels to form pockets, and joined back together. When it was divided, I had each section on shorter circulars and then used connectors to rejoin everything! It was so easy to knit across that next row - it felt as if I never divided at all!
Genius! Why didn't it occur to me to attach the tiny cable connectors to the case itself with a safety pin or bulb pin?!?!? I use 4" Chiao Goo interchangeables and love them. Sometimes, I need more length to prevent hand cramps. I will try putting a connector between the tip and cable for that tiny bit of extra length. Thank you, Norman.
well, i guess that's what makes these tips genius. haha. For most of them, I felt pretty much the same when I realized/learned them. It's these..."i was today years old when I learned..."moments. haha But hey, sharing is caring and if everyone does it the world will be a better place
Hi Norman, thank you so much for making really great and helpful videos! I like your charisma a lot and you are such a lovely person! Best wishes for you!
I use a nice trick when having to push the sharp needle point all the time. I put a small piece of thin band aid on my finger tip and it is much more comfortable than a thimble or whatever else and still makes my finger feel so much better!
Norman's channel is absolutely the best knitters info site on RU-vid. I have been a knitter now for 65 years and I still find some new usable tips. I adore the items he knits. That scarf, whatever is the correct name, around his neck is very beautiful. His stitches are so even that they look like machine made. I like tip #6. I do not like the magic needle method. To me that causes the stitches stretch in the loop area and I do not want to deal with that giving the extra attention it takes. I prefer using 2 circular needles. When tightening the cables to needles those small rubber patches easily get misplaced. As a retired critical care nurse I was always using latex or nitrile gloves, even at home cleaning. After COVID we all have gloves at home. Having those gloves on the hand will allow tightening better than the small rubber patches, just as opening tight jar lids. This video got my hands itching to knit. Since starting work in my garden here in Texas in late February, the planting and weeding has taken all my time. Soon I can knit in my garden. 😊 Thanks Norman for great tips once again.
that tip with the gloves is golden! thanks for sharing it and wishing you many hours of pleasant knitting in your garden. I too have a (very small) garden here and it's just such a joy
16:44 You can use a popped balloon 🎈 if your interchangeable kit is missing the rubber circle. It really makes a difference in tightening the tips. Some kitchen jar openers (big rubber circles) work as well. I am going to use safety pins in the needle tip holes from now on, that was new to me, thanks so much!
Love these tips! I utilize the safety pin w those tiny gizmos & attached to the inside of my interchangeable case (ChaioGoo). My 2 faves from this: 1) using an extender to change cord lengths (or needle tips). 2) using safety pin/lightbulb markers as stoppers. Brilliant! Thank you!
happy to hear! the funny thing is...the extender thing is only something i noticed myself like a month ago or so and I was like..why on earth did I never think about that?
@@NimbleNeedlesI know, right?!?! This is why I love internet/interwebs… so much easier to spread the word about nifty tips & tricks! It’s funny how a “thing” done by someone all the time, can turn into a “Wow, why didn’t I think if that…” moment… The tools are there. More people = more ideas/uses, right?
Thank you for a great video - and channel ❤ I use KnitPro. I am currently working on a Cumulus V neck, and it is my first time making icord. One round before, i put a thread in the hole for tighten the needle, and knit it in my work. If the icord is too tight, i can easily go back in my work, and try again. I use this every time i knit, and it has saved me a lot of work!
yeah, lifelines are so amazing. (btw, you can go up half a needle size for the icord if it's too tight. Or space out intermission rounds every 3-5 stitches where you do not knit the last stitch together but just knit it.)
What a helpful video, Norman! So many great tips; every idea very useful, but my favorites are straightening curly cables in boiling water, and using one needle as a needle holder in a slightly smaller size. Thank you so much for your presentation. 😊
Great tips, I'll definitely use some of them. Have you thought about releasing podcast episodes? You're always wearing beautiful knits and I'd really like to see and hear about what you're working on.
thank you Norman, your videos are professional, clear, interesting and fun to watch! And Ive been knitting for 50+ years- always something new to learn
It is that exact reason of interchangeable circular needle sets coming undone during use, that pushed me to us ONLY fixed circular needles! In my case, I eventually found the ChiaoGoo red cable needles, and I purchase the longest ones I can afford in the size I need. Using Magic and Travelling loop I can knit any dimension of tube or circular flat piece that I desire! So now I don't worry or have to check that something might go awry ... well, maybe my stitch count, but that's on me, not the needles!
Good tips as always. Never thought to use safety-pins as you showed but makes sense. Also will play with the blunt and sharp tips- I have Zings and a blunt set from Knitpicks that I think can use the same cables. My finger tips thank you 😊
As a new knitter i really appreciated KnitPro sampler sets which includes 3 pairs of different circular needle types and 2 cords. It’s an affordable way to find your favorite material; and with your wonderful ideas i have uses for the tips i’m not using as much! Thanks for the great content.
4:05 Thank you so much for this tip! I had to stop for a week because my skin layers were separating/fracturing. Had never had an injury like that before.
@@NimbleNeedles Yes I think I had very high tension so the needles didn't slide well at all either. Also I didn't put that right. I meant the finger lines were separating. Not vertical skin layers. Less severe but still bad.
thank you! I've just realized a couple of days before that I can use smaller left needle and it really blew my mind! And I realized it thanks to remembering your words that it's the right needle that's responsible for the size of the stitches.
Thank you for your wonderful tips. I have since started to use a size smaller for left needle, and my knitting tension has some how improved. I guess I was struggling with getting stitches off ...I use Chiaogoo metal and lykke driftwood interchangeable. I always wear a latex / rubber finger tip on right hand as i push needle tip. It does preventt injuries.lol.
Thank you so much Norman. I really enjoyed the tips you provided for us in this video. I especially like the idea of knitting in the round using two cable needles. Thank you. Also, I wanted to let you know that I learned how to knit gloves by watching your videos. Thank you again.
Hi Norman. This is such a wonderful video. These tips are amazing! Thank you for all of them. They are all so helpful! By the way, I am slowly making my way through your sweater video. As it is very long I don’t want to rush through it. Thanks again.❤
Funny you should say that Norman. Today, for the first time, I think it’s coming back a bit. I’ve been texting with my teacher and I think I am going to start a new pair of socks in class. It has me encouraged and we have a charity organization that we will be making baby blankets for. Thank you for your kind words. It’s definitely a very sad time for me but by God’s grace I hope that it will get better.❤️
I competed the best of the best set for me: absolutely adore needles by Knit Pro /Knitters Pride and I'm a big fan of Ginger line but I hate their cables so I bought cables from Lantern Moon and from now on I'm the owner of the PERFECT set :D
Dear Norman, I'll be using your trick with two pairs of cable needles to work on a hat crown, thank you so much! I am struggling with using 3-5 DPNs during decreasing, and I hesitate to try the magic loop. Having two pairs of cable needles looks very easy on the knitter and the yarn.
So many great tips! My only addiction would be when using a smaller size on the left hand needle and then putting stitches on a try on cord, put the needle back with the working needle on the correct side. I learned this the hard way but it only takes one round before you notice the smaller stitches don’t fit on the larger needle when it’s get around to the left🙁
I've been very lucky; I have literally had ONE instance where one of the screws loosened right off. Luckily I caught it before it actually came off and didn't drop any needles. I also have several swivel cables now, and they've been a godsend for knitting jumpers in the round. However, I have had two of the purple Knit Pro ones which had faulty screw threads on them, one of which slightly damaged the threading inside of the needles I use the most (my 7mm). I now have spare sets of both the 7mm and 5mm needles so I can knit both sleeves at once or knit the front and back of a one-piece jumper after separating at the base of the armhole. Never thought of using stitch markers to stop the yarn coming off the needles! If I'm going to unscrew the needles I just put the end caps on, but this way I can hold the stitches on if I'm using a shorter cable and just sliding the knitting to the cable part isn't sufficient. I do, however, use my 'light bulb' stitch markers to hold all my tighteners and connecting rods together in my Knit Pro case, fixing them to the inside spine (where there's plenty of space).
I had problems with my interchangables separating while i was knitting (one specific set of needles more than others but it did happen with all of them.) The fix I came up with was thread tape. It's avaliable in every major automotove or hardware retailer and its cheap. It's made to seal threads on air compressors and such things. It is a bit fiddly to get such a tiny piece (all you really need is a teeny bit) but once you get past that, it works like magic. You can still change your needles, but it absolutely will NOT come off unless you intend it to.
Many thanks Norman I love to see your videos while I knit and fortunately for me In English since I am a native Spanish speaker, in German it would be not possible for me to
Thank you Norman. A little tip ( if not mentioned before) Instead of glue with the joint. Try a little bluetak. It not so permanent. But when twisted tight will create a suction between joint and needle. Nail vanish remover ( only a small amount) will soften it and help to wipe it of.
Eventually I will get some good interchangeable needles. I'm leaning towards ciaogoo (sp?) Because how the cables always look relaxed. Good to know I can try the knitter's pride tips on them😊
no, you misunderstood it then. those two are not interchangeable. only those I specifically mentioned and are produced by KnitPro in India. ChiaoGoo is a Chinese company that has a totally different system
Thank you for this video. I was thinking of getting the interchangeable cords but I already own every size of the fixed cords in all sizes so I think they’d be a headache for me. I’m old now. I’ll stick with what I’ve got. They still do the trick. 😹😹😹very interesting information though. I’ve learned so much from you even after knitting for over 50 years now. Thank you! 💝🥰🤗
I have Addi Click interchangeable sets and so I cannot use any needles from sets that screw on. I don't have the problem of having them unscrew though, so it is a good trade off for me. I cannot use the safety pin holder trick, but I do have the heart stoppers to put stitches/projects on hold as needed. I did get a set of short Addi Click needles so I could use the interchangeable sets for smaller circumferences, but I recently tried the FlexiFlips from Skacel in the squared style and LOVE them!
addi also has squared needles. But yeah, a lot of the tricks won't work for addi here...but then again they don't have the problems to begin with. and yeah, those heart stoppers are just
DEFINITELY like the idea of pinning the connectors to the carrying case, takes much less room than keeping original packaging. Love "life line hole", I've always called it "the tightening hole". 😉 I can honestly say, I've never had my needles come unscrewed.
mine literally never unscrew either. But hey, I don't doubt the many people that say they do for them either. So...that's why I said..it must be somewhere in the way they knit or touch the needles.
When the weather turns warm, my interests turn from knitting. Even the thought makes me sweat, lol. But I'll watch and save for when I start up again, usually October.
I have something else to add that might be helpful for some people~!! When it comes to nylon cables compared to the plastic coated steel cords,although I like the coated steel cables(such as the Chao Goo) I don't use them. I often knit with my phone in my lap,either watching a knitting tutorial,taking a call,,or watching a movie on Netflix. If the plastic coated steel cable touches my screen at all(and it ALWAYS does !!) it's as if I touched it with my finger and it disrupts what's on my screen,,sometimes even disconnecting my call🤣 The nylon cables won't do that~!!❤
@@NimbleNeedles Yep,,it sure does~!! It must be the type of metal,because it doesn't usually happen if the metal needles touch the screen,only the cord. It's the reason I stopped using the Chao Goo's😂 Turns out,,I like the pointy tips on the Hiyas better anyway,and I never would've tried them if not for the metal cords lol~!!
I have been using KnitPro interchangeable needles for years, and when they are 'blocked' when attached to the wire, they are never separated. You have to treat them carefully - they need to be screwed gently, without any force so the thread is not damaged.
