It Finally Happened ....

It finally happened to me today - I broke my first needle! :'(  I've read about others breaking needles by accidentally sitting on it or inadvertently sticking their needles in a funny angle in their couch and breaking it ... but, foolishly, I didn't think it would ever happen to me because in general, I'm very careful with my needles.  Heck, I even bought a needle keeper to protect them!

So, here's what happened:
I'm finally working on the cuff portion of my Rainbow Brite no Kutsunoshita (a post on this project will be forthcoming) and my KA interchangeable needles were showing some wear; in fact my left needle was actually bent (somehow).  I thought I could "fix" it by gently flexing it back to straighten it out and it worked for quite a while ... until today.  As I was gently flexing it back, it simply snapped:

I was so heartbroken!  It was my newest pair of needles from Japan and now, it's just a lifeline! :'(

Well, on the bright side, at least it's still usable (I'm so glad that I had purchased a pair of end caps!) and all I'll need is just another set of needles.  This time though, I'm going to pick up longer needles.  The KA's I had bought were 4 inches long and really wasn't as comfortable as my other needles which are 4.5 inches long (apparently that 1/2 inch really makes a difference!).  So, perhaps this was really a blessing in disguise. :P

Update: Interchangeable Sock Needle Set

In my last post, I recently bought Chiaogoo's new interchangeable sock needle set and I wanted to give y'all an update about it:

While I haven't used it for an actual pair of socks (yet), it's been a life saver as my sock lifeline.  The cables and the needles seem much thinner than any of my fixed circular needles.  For instance, the interchangeable US 0 needles seem significantly thinner than my fixed Chiaogoo's US 0; almost as if it's nearly a size smaller.  Now, this isn't a bad thing; actually, I love my new needle set - a lot! :)  Since it seems smaller and thinner, it's actually easier to use and maneuver/manipulate the needles and cable.  Here's a picture of what it looks like as a lifeline:

This particular set of needles seems to be one of the best buys I've gotten so far! :)

More New Toy(s): The Gleener

I stopped by my favorite yarn store over the weekend to pick up some elastic for a pair of socks I'm going to attempt to recreate (I currently have a machine-made version of it) and some extra Chiagoo sock end caps when I chanced upon this:

The Gleener

This is a sweater keeper; a sweater tool that keeps your sweaters (hand made or store bought) in prime condition.  Here's the low down on it (from the Gleener's website):
3 Fabric-Safe Edges: Each carefully designed edge targets a different kind of fuzz ball — from big and bulky to medium and super fine — reviving natural fibers, synthetics and blends.

• Edge #1: Ideal for big & bulky pills like those found on heavy woolens, blends and synthetics.
• Edge #2: Best for medium pilling like those found on cashmere, merino and finer wools. It also works great on fleece.
• Edge #3: Revitalizes your summer knits, t-shirts, silk blends and ultra delicates by removing fine pills.

Built-in Lint Brush: The Gleener Ultimate Fuzz Remover is 2 clever products in one. The integrated lint brush picks up pet hair in a flash, dusts away dandruff and can be used to beautifully finish any de-pilling job.

Ergonomic Design: The Ultimate Fuzz Remover's ergonomic handle with a soft over moulded grip, makes de-fuzzing a cinch. A strategically placed Quick Release Button lets you easily swap edges between projects.

Ready When You Are: Battery-free and easily portable thanks to the included travel pouch, you have all the tools necessary to save any fave.

Use it virtually anywhere, on anything!

The Gleener Ultimate Fuzz Remover is so much more than a sweater shaver. The possibilities are endless; and with easy peasy instructions, pills beware!  You can use it on:

Natural Fibers:                      Synthetic Fibers:

Wool                                      Acrylic

Merino                                   Rayon/Viscose

Angora                                  Polyester

Cashmere                             Nylon

Pashmina                             Spandex, Lycra & Elastane

Silk                                       Microfiber

Cotton                                  Polyamide

Interchangeable Sock Needle Set

Just when I started to think that KA was the only brand that I would be able to find sock needle sizes in an interchangeable set, Chiaogoo has come out with its own set of interchangeable sock size needles!  Being that making socks has become a staple for me, of course I just had to pick up a set from my favorite yarn shop:

The Twist Mini set includes:

• 5 sock needle sizes ranging from 1.5 mm to 2.5 mm (US 000 to US 1.5)
• 3 cable sizes (35 cm/4", 55 cm/22", & 75 cm/30")
• 2 end caps
• 2 connectors
• 6 tiny stitch markers
• a silicone heart-shapped gripper
• 2 tiny T-pins
• a cute little case to hold all the small things and
• a gauge/ruler

Here's what I ended up getting:

• The Twist Mini set
• 3 extra 75 cm cables (I use 4 cables to start my socks)
• 1 extra set of 2.0 mm (US 0) needles and
• another Chibi needle container with lace needles

I need to finish the pair of socks I'm working so I can start another pair with this set! :)