Slippery stuff...
Call me Gollum...I love shiny objects. Signature needles, with their jewelry-worthy ornamental ends and super-tidy stiletto tips, make me drool "my precious." I love to use them on projects because it makes me feel like such a knitting veteran. Why, yes ma’am, I do take my knitting seriously enough to drop some big-time cash on my tools.
But like any other tool, it pays to know which tool to use when. And it became evident--rather quickly, I might add--that I was using the wrong tool. The smooth, dare I say slick metal surface of the Signature needles made for high-anxiety lace knitting. Things were just sliding around during pass-overs and other complicated knitting maneuvers. Sometimes, you want the speed and ease a metal needle offers. Other times you need everything you can get to help you keep those stitches in their place.
I switched to Lantern Moon wooden needles. Sure, the points weren’t as sharp, but the texture of the wooden needles kept things where they ought to be. And the contrast should never be underestimated. Especially for lace, it’s best to knit light wools on dark needles (or vice versa). You don’t want to be guessing if you’ve picked up one or both strands when you’re passing the yarn over multiple stitches. And for goodness sake, suck it up and get out your reading glasses if you need them (and I do!).
In knitting, like in lots of life, the right tool can get you results.
Feel free to print this out and show it to your spouse if you hear things like “you spent HOW MUCH on YET ANOTHER set of needles?” I’m a professional, after all, you can trust my advice.
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