The Bottom Line
The Denise Interchangeable knitting needle set is a favorite among many knitters because it offers a good variety of needle sizes without the annoying untwisting that is so common with other types of circular needles.
If you're looking for a good, inexpensive, general purpose knitting needle kit that's very light and portable, it's hard to go wrong with Denise.
- A good range of needles, from size 5 to 15.
- Cable joins are smooth and sturdy; they won't snag or come apart.
- Needles are very light and comfortable to work with.
- Cables can be joined for a variety of cable lengths.
- Needles are labeled with sizes for easy pairing.
- Smaller range of sizes than some other products, though larger needles may be ordered separately.
- Some people say the joins are not always smooth.
- Light-colored needles witht he size stamped on them can be difficult to read.
Description
- Kit contains needles from US size 5 to 15, plus cable lengths of 9, 13, 16, 20, 30 and 24 inches. Cables can be joined.
- Hard plastic carrying case has molded areas for needles and cables so everything can be put back in its place easily.
- The case itself and the needles are very light. The needles are warmer to the touch than metal and somewhat flexible.
- Cables lock into points with a flick of the wrist, so joins are tight without the need for a little metal tool to tighten.
Guide Review - Denise Interchangeable Needles
Denise Interchangeable knitting needles were originally developed by Lorraine and Robert Linstead, who were the designers behind the Needlemaster as well.
They weren't completely happy with the Needlemaster, particularly the tendency for the points to come untwisted from the cables, so they developed the special locking mechanism that is used on the Denise needles.
The needles are now sold by Linda Krag and family, and are available at many yarn shops around the world as well as online.
The needles come in a 7.5 by 8 inch hard plastic case, and because the needles are plastic as well the whole kit is airplane safe.
The locking mechanism that joins the needles to the cables is much more secure than the screw-in interchangeable method, though some people find that the joins are not always smooth and the mechanism may pull on the knitting. Many people have reported using the same kit for years without problems, and I have never had a needle come loose from a cable in the few years I've had my set.
