Desperatly needing buying advice!

Isamar · 08-11-2005, 04:36 AM

Frustrating night. Two months ago I bought this beutiful red mohair and been wanting to knit a shrug for so long now... Any way, I couldnt begin because I cant find #8 neddles.. straigts, circular, plastic, nylon, metalic, I don't care what they are made of, I only care to find some.
WHY????
Remember, I live in the Third World. So... we dont have big yarn shops, and online shopping is reserved to department stores that can afford the web structure, and they don't sale knitting tools.

Ussually I can find anything in the yarnshop arround the corner (bless my luck), but they have been waiting for a package of needles since .. forever. They have all kinds of needles.. as long as you would like #1 to #5.

Problem 2: Most of the sites that sells interchangeable needles do not ship to Mexico... all of them as a matter of fact. BUT My husband is going to Miami on November to the Autoshow, and he offered to go to a yarnshop and by me a set.

Taking all this info, what do you think? Should I buy Boye or Denisse? I allready read the topic about them, and I'm worried about Denisses breakable tips, since I wil not be able to order replacements....

Please help this outcast knitter!!! hahaha...

And also.. I've been searching for knittinghelp users books reviews. Cause I buy my books on Amazon and there are relly few reviews... But I cant find them in the forum....

I will thank you soooooo much!!!

kimmie · 08-11-2005, 01:56 PM

Hi Isamar!
I'm a big fan of Denise needles, BUT since you have the shipping issue and some people have had a tip break, I'd go with the Boye needles. Lots of people really like those too.

kimmie

VickiIL · 08-11-2005, 02:22 PM

There is a long thread at the top of the forum comparing the two. However seeing that you are having difficulty with shipping, etc. I agree Boye would probably be a better choice. There are more sizes in the Boye kit so it would get you more needles.

I love my Boye set. I actually reach for those more than my Denises.

brendajos · 08-11-2005, 02:23 PM

i love my boyes enough that i bought a second set!

kemp · 08-11-2005, 05:43 PM

I have Denises and Boye and I really like the Denises much more. I've never had a problem, but they do have great customer service.

If you don't want to wait until November, what about ebay?

cheesiesmom · 08-11-2005, 07:04 PM

Just to weigh in on the interchangeables, I have Denise and love them. Kemp's idea about e-bay is a good one.

I was watching Knitty Gritty the other day on cable and couldn't believe that she recommended making your own straights using the appropriately sized wooden dowel and a pencil sharpener to make the points. I couldn't believe that is how they shaped the point. If you have a pencil sharpener and can get a dowel the size of a No. 8 you could give it a try.

Isamar · 08-11-2005, 08:43 PM

YOU ALL ARE SO GREAT!!! You don't have any idea how is being alone in this knitting thing. Yesterday in the shop arround the corner we were looking through a pair of magazines that someone's husband buy in a trip to the US. All of us want to start the magazines projects, unfortunatelly we will have to wait until the owners son (who is a fashion designer) travel to NY for work so he can import a box full of yarn for all of us.

EBAY, great idea. I will try that later. Seems like BOYE its my option, isn't it? I felt a little tempted to buy Denisse because of the story of the company (After all, I work writting leadership stories).. but I have to be practical.

SOOOOO... what about books reviews???? Is ther a topic here I can read? O should I start a pole on come titles????

Thank you so much!!!
M

SoapDoc · 08-11-2005, 09:51 PM

Originally Posted by cheesiesmom

I was watching Knitty Gritty the other day on cable and couldn't believe that she recommended making your own straights using the appropriately sized wooden dowel and a pencil sharpener to make the points. I couldn't believe that is how they shaped the point. If you have a pencil sharpener and can get a dowel the size of a No. 8 you could give it a try.

What I used was chop sticks (yes, really!) and I LOVE them! They are made of bamboo (which is my favorite needle material anyway) and are smooth as silk now. It did take a lot of sanding with a very fine grit sand paper, but I have a great set of needles now for free! And I sharpened the tips with a pencil sharpener too.

I just thought of something though. If you're knitting a shrug, they may not be long enough for your needs so this may not work for you, but it was still a fun project

HTH!

knitqueen · 08-11-2005, 10:00 PM

Here is a link to a post about knitting books from quite a ways back. Some useful info there.

Personally, I only own one knitting book, "The Knitter's Bible" by Claire Crompton. It is FANTASTIC!!! It has all of the basics, plus a huge stitch library, easy-advanced, and lots of nifty little original patterns. Highly recommended.

A note about the Stitch 'n Bitch books.....I really do like them, have borrowed both from the library quite a few times, but I have heard of quite a few errors in the patterns and have even found a few errors myself that weren't listed with the other pattern corrections on the stitch 'n bitch website. Just something to think about.

Isamar · 08-12-2005, 08:32 AM

I will do the do-it-yourself technique... Im only wainting for time to go to the art supllies store, where I think I'll find sticks of different sizes to pull a complete set. But I know I wont find enough sticks for all needle sizes.. so... I think I will buy some Boyes online.

Searched on ebay today and find some offers... so now is logistic that matters... shipping, costs...

Thanx for the link!! All my needs resolved then!!!

M

PD: Just in case someone is wondering... I bought the Boye set today on ebay. 34.90, includes shippment. My brother is goign to receive them and hopefully some one from his office will come to Mexico the next week.