Metal or Bamboo...

I have been in a wool mood so have been doing a bit of knitting... My friend told me her Mum had started knitting again and that her Dad has bought her a new set of bamboo knitting needles. This piqued my interest as I had never used bamboo knitting needles and thought I would get a pair to see what they are like to compare.

4mm metal needles in the middle of making a cable neck warmer...

4.5mm Bamboo needles with the beginnings of a tension swatch....

so what do I think to them?

I had heard that they are quieter and this appears to be true. I have also heard they are good for people with arthritis – they are warmer and less rigid so I suspect this is also the case... They are much lighter to hold which is easier on my hands. Note - I knit using what Mum always said is the 'Yorkshire Method' with the right needle slung under my arm. This does ease up the tension in the hands a little but I still find myself gripping a bit too hard which can occaisionally give me cramp in my left hand. The lighter needles alleviated this a little I think.

However, being a tight knitter I also found that as I pull the stitch off of the left needle onto the right the tip of the right needle scrapes around the left – in metal needles this doesn't matter because they are durable enough to take it. In the Bamboo I found it resulted in grooves appearing on the needles! Oh no!!! here is a picture although it may not show up very well...

Having realised this and attempting to slacken off my tension a bit, this problem seems to have been averted... Hmm, so bamboo not as durable as the steel – which is not surprising when I think about it but still something to bear in mind when purchasing frequently used sizes.

I like the feel of the bamboo and they look very appealing and despite somehow expected them to have ridges as you can see the grain of the wood, they are of course completely smooth! I have found that Acrylic did seem to stick a little but having not tried real wool on them yet perhaps this is more to do with the quality of the yarn rather than the needle.

So a mixed experience but I like both and would select bamboo or steel depending on the project. Not sure what expert knitters think?

So what else have I been doing this weekend? I have started to make a miniature patchwork cover for a box...

and I have been cooking -

Goats cheese, cherry tomato, shallot with olive tapanade tarts... I concocted the recipe but I confess I didn't make the puff pastry, I just bought some ready made because it is quicker. Yum yum.