bamboo knitting needles?

Shirley · Post: # 9197Post **Shirley** » Sun Jan 22, 2006 11:38 pm

I've not knitted anything for years.... but I've just started doing a scarf for Jonathan to ease me back into it... I bought a pair of bamboo knitting needles from the local wool shop but am finding them hard to use... is it just me? Has anyone else tried these?? Perhaps I've got the wrong size or the wrong wool to work with them... I picked up the wool from the oddments bit. It's actually cotton rather than wool so this might make it harder to knit with?

Any experienced knitters with any tips for using bamboo needles?

Shirlz - with SORE fingers

Guest · Post: # 9264Post **Guest** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 7:48 pm

I haven't done much knitting myself, but read a very cool book recently called "The Knitting Goddess" or something similar. The book said wooden or bamboo needles are best to start on, so I and my 7 year-old twins used them, and found them fine. I think it is more the cotton you are using, I remember my mum (an accomplished kniter) knitted with it once, and vowed never again, and I'm sure she came away with sore hands too. Can you do a bit with wool to see the difference?

Magpie · Post: # 9265Post **Magpie** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 7:50 pm

Sorry, that was me - still having trouble here!!

Shirley · Post: # 9270Post **Shirley** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 9:22 pm

Thanks magpie

I'll see if I can pick up some wool from the bargain bucket tomorrow - had minor disaster today after my spell of sore hands... Jonathan decided to play with my knitting and although he didn't pull the stitches off he did manage to tangle up the unknitted wool... Aren't children wonderful

It did get a bit easier with a few more rows knitted tho.

ina · Post: # 9274Post **ina** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 9:45 pm

I use bamboo (or wooden ones) whenever I can and find them much better for the hands than metal. (Unfortunately I do a lot with size 2mm needles, and they are a bit too fragile in bamboo!) It might be just that you haven't done it for so long and need to get your hands back into the rhythm; and yes, I find cotton (particularly the thick stuff) more difficult to work with, too.

Ina

nick · Post: # 9346Post **nick** » Tue Jan 24, 2006 9:41 pm

mum used to always knit with one metal and one plastic needle as did her sisters. said it gave a good tension. I only use metal as they were the only ones available. had all good intentions of knitting a jumper for myself and bought a heap of wool at end of season sale for 20cents each. a bit more economical than the $3.50 original price. when I was first a sahm I was going to knit a lot of the kids jumpers. just need a few more hours in the day.