buying needles at salvation army

[salty]

what needles are worth buying used / cheap? in fact, what needles are worth buying new? what are the benefits and drawbacks of different materials for knitting needles or crochet hooks? all of my crochet hooks are aluminum, and i've never had any problems with them. i only have a couple of pairs of knitting needles, and they're all bamboo. i like them, but they're a little on the pricey side. i just saw that my local salvation army (which i don't really like, but we don't have a goodwill around here) has a little basket full of needles. next time i'm there, i plan on pawing through it, bt i thought i'd get some advice here first.

[cristeen]

If they're cheap, I'd get one of each size at the very least.

The differences between material are mainly personal preference. Although if you're knitting with a "sticky" yarn, or using particularly small needles, then metal tends to be the preference because the yarn slides easier.

[lilyka]

if the sizes on the needles ar not marked you may want to grab a needle sizer. these ar cheap (around $3 and will nable you to make sure you are getting pairs.

All preference in gneral i bamboo but if i were to find a good cheap stash i would tak bamboo, birch or aluminum. I am not fan of plasticy ones.

[phatchristy]

I'm a crazy fast crocheter (been crocheting as long as I can remember), and I've always preferred metal hooks here, though I do have some synthetic and carved wooden hooks as well.

I kick myself every time I start a crafting project. I donated SO many knitting needles a while back to make space. And, of course, someone now introduced me to a different style of knitting which is much faster...:.

[PJsmomma]

I was given some bamboo needles but I feel like the yarn catches on it and I don't like them! What types of yarn do you use on them?

[salty]

Originally Posted by PJsmomma

I was given some bamboo needles but I feel like the yarn catches on it and I don't like them! What types of yarn do you use on them?

well, i'm a brand spankin' new knitter with only one project under my belt (well, 2 now that i finished that cute gnome!), so my input may not be that valuable. i've used a wool yarn. knitting seems impossibly slow to me, but i don't think it has anything to do with the "stickiness" of the needles.

[flapjack]

The only hesitation I have is that aluminium needles will bend, and they're a bugger to bend back again. Other than that, relish in your environmentally friendly, thrifty stash acquisitionness

[SleeplessMommy]

I prefer circular needles for all my knitting - including "straight" knitting - it is just easier on the hands. The circulars at JoAnne are less than $10 (even lower with coupon!) They do show up used on occasion.

I really prefer not to use long aluminum needles!

[Mamax3]

I spent a fortune a few years ago, replacing all of my stash of aluminum needles that someone gave me (which I then passed along to someone else) for the bamboo or wooden needles and I have found that I don't like knitting on them, my hands get tired. I prefer aluminum. So whenever I see aluminum needles at goodwill, yard sales or rummage sales, I buy them.

I also prefer to knit EVERYTHING on circulars. Luckily someone gifted me all of her circular stash which are aluminum and plastic and I love them all.

[Twinklefae]

Originally Posted by flapjack

The only hesitation I have is that aluminium needles will bend, and they're a bugger to bend back again. Other than that, relish in your environmentally friendly, thrifty stash acquisitionness

Yeah. Make sure they are straight. A set of my needles got bent and it's annoying as heck to knit with them....

[Knittin' in the Shade]

I use circular needles for everything, even if I'm knitting flat back and forth. I'm not super picky on what the needle's made of, but I rarely see circ's at the thrift shops.

[JamesMama]

I would go ahead and pick them up if the price were right. I love thrift store finds.

I bought 5 pair of needles at a used store the other day, a dime a pair, can't beat that! They are all metal but the sizes are marked and they are straight. I haven't used them but I plan on it soon!

[spero]

Originally Posted by PJsmomma

I was given some bamboo needles but I feel like the yarn catches on it and I don't like them! What types of yarn do you use on them?

I prefer bamboo for socks/small/fussy projects and fingering weight yarns. Most of my bamboo needles are small sizes. I don't really care for them on larger projects.

I really like good heavyweight plastic needles for most projects. I have several pairs of larger plastic dpns that belonged to my mom & g'ma, and they are my favorites for general knitting. Aluminum is my least favorite, but I do own a decent stash b/c they are the least expensive and I like to have a variety of sizes on hand.

Originally Posted by JamesMama

I would go ahead and pick them up if the price were right. I love thrift store finds.

ITA! I can get needles at our local church thrift store. They don't typically have anything great, but I always check b/c once I got NIP circs for a dollar, and another time I got four full sets of sock dpns for a quarter. Another time I got sz 15 wooden needles for a quarter, and they were perfect for my 7-yo who wanted to learn to knit.

[sabrinat]

I would get them. You said you're new to knitting and I think preference of material is something you'll learn is very individualized. I've learned that as far as needles go I'm pretty indiscriminate, I do like wood and I do like metal...but don't like one more than the other. I like circs because I don't tend to drop stitches when I have WIP, but I also like the straights too and have a huge stash in every size that I've acquired here and there. I am however a bit of a yarn snob and will drop a wad on yummy yarn.

[cristeen]

Originally Posted by PJsmomma

I was given some bamboo needles but I feel like the yarn catches on it and I don't like them! What types of yarn do you use on them?

Some (most?) cheaper bamboo needles could stand a quick pass with a fine grit sandpaper upon purchase. That may resolve the problem you're having. But, yarns with a lot of halo can be finicky with bamboo needles, in which case something smoother may be in order.

[Malva]

Whenever I see circulars and dpns at the thrift store I buy them. The dpns I use but the circs I mostly use to swatch or as holders when needed. I don't use straights at all so I don't buy those.

I normally buy Addi Turbos circs for a project if I know I'll be knitting it for a long time (lace, blanket, that kind of stuff). I'm slowly building a collection of them.