For a while now, I had been considering buying an interchangeable knitting needle set. I finally made the decision to purchase, and I am so happy I did. Here’s my review of the ChiaoGoo Interchangeable Needle Set:
I have been loving getting more into knitting and creating new things. For every knitting project, I was buying whatever the required needles were piecemeal. Each individual circular needle was costing between $8 – $13, and once, I even bought a duplicate size/length needles. I was annoyed with the cost and was starting to feel like it was a waste to keep buying regular circular needles instead of just investing in a set of interchangeable needles.
I ordered the ChiaoGoo 4-inch Interchangeable Knitting Needle Set; the complete set version. This is a great gift for anyone who is just getting into knitting, or someone who just wants to be more efficient with their knitting supplies.
What Comes In The Set
- (Small) 4-inch (10 cm), surgical stainless steel needles (US sizes 2 – 8)
- (Small) Twist Red Cables: two (2) 8-inch, 14-inch, and 22-inch
- (Large) 4-inch (10 cm), surgical stainless steel needles (US sizes 9 – 15)
- (Large) Twist Red Cables: two (2) 8-inch, 14-inch, and 22-inch
- Two (2) cable connectors
- Two (2) small end stoppers
- Two (2) large end stoppers
- Two (2) T-pin tightening keys
- 24 Stitch Markers
- Needle Gauge
- Zip-around Fabric Organizer Case
ChiaoGoo Interchangeable Knitting Needle Set
The red ChiaoGoo cables are super nice; they don’t get creased or warped while stored. My very first set of circular needles that I bought from Michael’s were so strange; the cable was very light-weight and was always twisted in a weird way. I’ve heard that you can put those kinds of needles in boiling water to help fix the cables, but you don’t have to worry about any of that with ChiaoGoo. ChiaoGoo cables are memory-free, so they’ll be perfect every time you use them.
This set has almost everything you could need to do any kind of knitting project. I love that the needles come in their own, labeled section inside the case. That makes it super easy to see what you have and keep everything organized.
There’s a little zipper on the outside that’s perfect for knitting markers, scissors, your cables, and the other accessories that come with the set. I love having everything all in one place and organized.
Key Features
The needles are stainless steel and each one has the size printed on so you can easily identify. The cables also have the laser printing on the ends, so you can know the length and also if it has a small or large connector.
It’s so easy to assemble your needles. You just choose your needle size and cable size, and screw them together. Use the T-pin key to tighten the needles, and they won’t come undone while your knitting.
The join between cable and needle is very smooth, so you won’t have your stitches catching as you slide your work. I really love how smooth knitting is with these needles and how many combinations are available.
The needles are 4-inches long, so paired with the included cables, you can have 16-inch, 22-inch, and 30-inch circular needles. You can knit a lot with those lengths, from hats to sleeves to sweaters. But if you need longer needles, you can always buy a separate cable to go with your set. Right now, I am working on the Tundra Jumper by The Petite Knitter and I needed a little longer needles so I bought a 30-inch cable separately. I love that all the needles and cables work together.
What I Love So Far
So far, I’ve knit my first Fair Isle beanie with this set, and I’m starting the sweater I mentioned. Knitting with interchangeable is so cool because it’s so easy to switch needles mid-project — just un-twist, and put on the new ones!
Also, it’s simple to add in a lifeline by just looping it through the key hole in your needle and knitting like normal. This would have come in really handy for me when I was knitting my Flax Sweater! But now I can do it easily whenever I need to!
One thing I’m really excited about is just having multiple projects at once. It’s just nice to switch between a few things — different yarns and different patterns. With these interchangeable needles, I can put the stoppers on and use a set of needles for something else if I want. It’s great having more freedom than just being forced to finish a project just to get it off the needles.
Final Thoughts
Overall, I am so happy with this interchangeable needle set, and I am excited about what new projects I can knit. I definitely recommend investing in an interchangeable needle set versus buying needles individually.
