Genius Tips
My Grab-and-Go Set: Tulip Interchangeable Needles
I’ve been using interchangeable needles pretty much since they first hit the market. You know I’m a big swatcher. It’s so practical to have lots of needle sizes all in the same package. Plus, with the case, there’s no need to figure out how to store them.
Over the years I’ve tried lots of materials: metal, aluminum, steel, plastic, wood, and bamboo.
When I abandon an interchangeable set it’s usually because it’s fiddly to change needle tips or they come unscrewed while I knit. Sometimes they are heavy, break easily, or the joins catch my yarn.
Once I started using Tulip interchangeable needles, I couldn’t believe how well they worked. It’s become harder and harder to find tools that just do what they advertise. For me, these needles do exactly that.
They come in an excellent set:
- 11 pairs of bamboo needle tips: US 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 10.5, 11, 13 in either the long (5″/12 cm) or short (3.75″/9.5 cm) needle tip length
- 3 cables: in the short set: 16″ (40 cm), 24″ (60 cm), 32″(80 cm). In the long set: 20″ (50 cm), 24″ (60 cm), 32″(80 cm)
- 1 needle gauge/ruler with a built-in yarn cutter
- 1 cable connector
- 4 cable stoppers (long set) or 6 cable stoppers (short set)
- 2 tapestry needles
They are light and smooth. The join doesn’t catch. The cord swivels perfectly. In the seven years I’ve had my set, I’ve only broken one needle. One! I can’t say that about any other bamboo needles I’ve used.
My set is so old that I don’t think they make this case color any more.
For those of you who will ask, “what’s that yarn?,” it’s North Bay Fiber Journey, 100% Romney. It has a soft ply twist, which would catch on the join of so many other needles I have, but I’ve had no snags. The stitches just flow over the join.
Remember when we used to steam or dunk our cords in hot water to get them to unkink? Tulip cords unfurl beautifully and the swivel keeps them from twisting when I knit.
The needle tips are polished and don’t tend to nick. I never really thought much about the weight of needles until I got this set. Because they are light, I hold them with less of a tight grip and my hands are less sore after an evening of movies and knitting.
The zipper pouch in the case has plenty of room to add in your own tools. I have snips, stitch markers, and a measuring tape. I can just grab my case to go out knitting and leave my bigger accessory bag at home.
The thing I have the most of in my zippered pouch is more needle tips and cords. When I say these are the only needles I use, I mean it. I have multiples of my most used needles sizes and at least two of each cord length, all in the pouch.
If you are a loose knitter and willing to do a little hunting, there is fine set that has needles in sizes US 0-2 and the cords that work with them. I have that set in my pouch too.
No tools are needed to change needle tips. They just screw on and stay on because of the fine threading and a thin, magical rubber gasket. Even knitting socks with Magic Loop or a heavy sweater, the tips do not come unscrewed.
The thing I don’t like about these needles is that the size printed on them rubs off very quickly. I’ve tried to think of ways they (and every knitting needle manufacturer) could fix this and can’t. I need to get out my Sharpie and re-label them. For now, I’m just thankful the set comes with a needle gauge.
The needle case is the perfect size and has the room to carry one of my other never-knit-without-it tools: my Akerworks swatch gauge.
Does it seem silly to have a separate tool to measure gauge when I have a measuring tape? Maybe, but this little tool helps to keep my swatch gauge from lying to me. It has little feet that hold it just above my knitting so I can’t press down on it and cause my stitches (and gauge) to spread out.
As a bonus: here’s a tip and a reason to buy more stationery supplies: I use Midori paper clips to hold my cords together when I’m not knitting to keep the needles from sliding out of my project. I got mine at Jet Pens—no affiliation, I just shop there for lots of bullet journal things.
If you needed another great thing about this set, Tulip is a family-owned business. They have been making knitting needles, crochet hooks, and hand sewing needles since 1953. Currently, the third generation is running the business.
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I love my tulips too. Also have abandoned my other sets.
For years I balked at buying these needles: they were expensive, they were wood (which I usually disliked), and they were expensive. But a friend told me how great they were—that they were totally worth it. So I bought a few singles—a pair of 4s and 6s and a cord—and I loved them too. The wood is quite slick and smooth, and they truly never come apart! Finally I splurged for the whole set and I’ve never looked back.
The Tulips are also my favorites. I bought the second set with the shorter tips as soon as I saw them on MDK. Coincidentally, I have the flower clips and never thought about using them for knitting. Thanks for more inspiration once again.
I’ve been back and forth about splurging on these needles for a while now. Jillian and others in the know, I’d love to know your thoughts about choosing the longer vs the shorter needle tips. Thanks for any and all advice…
What type of knitting do you do most often? If it’s hats or socks, then you’ll truly appreciate the shorter needle tip length (which is also easy to use for sweaters). If you’re doing large scale pieces and don’t plan to use the 16″ cord length often, then you may want the longer needle tip length. I’ve had Skacel Addi Turbo Square interchangeables for many, many years and absolutely love them. I began with the 5″ needle length and quickly discovered that I REALLY wanted the shorter tip length, however.
Will buy them all as I need them. Keep up the good work. Is there a pattern for ankle socks?
Thank you so much.
I love my tulips too!
Hmm. There might be another Christmas gift on my list!
I love my ChiaoGoo Twist interchangeable set. I also have multiple cords and tips of several sizes. And the sizes are engraved – no rubbing off. I also have a Knit Picks Dreamz set, but the cords aren’t as flexible. They engrave the size on the screw end of the needle. I wish more needle manufacturers would do that.
Also, those clips are adorable! I foresee the cat and flower sets in my near future. (Fellow stationery nerd here…) Another stationery product I love are Pilot Frixion erasable pens. They use thermal gel ink. They’re great for marking pattern repeats with tally marks and erasing when you’re done. They come in lots of colors, too. They’re all I use at work, because I can erase mistakes in important documents with no one the wiser. And of you accidentally leave your notes in a hot car as I did once, you can put them in the freezer and they become visible again. Invisible ink, upgraded!
I too have Chiaogoo interchangeable needles and love them. I am a tight knitter and find that I metal tips work the best for me. Nice pointed and long tips for increasing and decreasing too. In certain light I do sometimes I get a glare from the shiny metal.
Thanks for the tip on the Pilot Frixion easable pens. Adding them to my wish list along with the clips! 🙂
I love mine too! The Tulip needles quickly became my indispensable go to needle set soon after I got them from MDK. You won’t regret getting them.
I agree! These are the absolutely best needles I’ve ever owned!
I avoided interchangeable needles for years for the very reasons mentioned but finally decided try these, and I’m in love!
Grab them if you can!
I am so happy to hear I can find smaller needles (loose knitter seeks needle tips)
I do prefer my Tulips to the other bamboo interchangeable set I have. Thanks for the review. And the paper clip idea!
These really are the very best. The bamboo is SMOOTH and works well for all but the grippiest of yarns. I’ve been using these for several years now and haven’t encountered a single negative. I also have the Fine gauge set and have added extra cords and extra tips for my favorite needle sizes.
If you’re on the fence about these, trust the MDK team and the reviewers!
Kay had the most brilliant idea when it comes to this set! You can order needle tips and cords a la carte from the MDK shop. So, if you are on the fence about buying the whole set, it is very easy to try them out with minimal investment. I ordered the complete set after doing this and haven’t looked back. I love this set so much.