As you know, we use to sell the WEBS interchangeable bamboo needle set, but that set was discontinued when WEBS lost their supplier. There really wasn’t another set on the market that was comparable to the WEBS set in terms of quality, etc.
Awhile back I received a packet of materials from the nice people at Accessories Unlimited telling me about new bamboo needles that they distribute. These needles are KA Knitting Needles, made by Kinki Amibari, which is the oldest manufacturer of bamboo knitting needles in Japan.
KA bamboo knitting needles are made from select Japanese bamboo giving them a lightweight and warm feeling. KA uses only two kinds of the finest, aged bamboo, which are superior in density, flexibility, color and gloss for their knitting needles. With the passing of time and use, the needles’ satin finish becomes even smoother.
We received a sample of the circular needles. The quality is excellent. These needles have nice points, are very smooth and have a flawless transition from cord to needle tips. The cord also rotates, so as not to become tangled. What I think you will like best about these needles is the price. They are priced much lower than similar bamboo knitting needles on the market.
Well, when can you expect to see these needles at our store? We should have most, if not all, of the KA individual bamboo needles in stock in May. We did order, site unseen, several of the KA exchangeable circular bamboo knitting needle sets, called KA Switch. The KA Switch sets sold really quickly, and last time I looked, we only had two sets in stock. Don’t worry, they will be reordered this week.
The KA Switch set has all of the great qualities that the WEBS set had, but more. More cables, more needle size/length combinations, and a better fabric case. While we loved the WEBS cases, these cases are nicer. Things stay in place better, due to the elastic strip and a fold over fabric flap that helps hold the needles in place, in addition to the velcro pocket for the cords that keep them secure.
The set includes 10 pairs of bamboo needle tips, size 5-15, and eight cords to create 39 different knitting needles sizes/lengths.
39 Circular Knitting Needle Sets:
16″ – No. 5-10.5
24″ – No. 5-10.5
26″ – No. 11-15
29″ – No. 5-10.5
31″ – No. 11-15
36″ – No. 9-10.5
38″ – No. 11-15
50″ – No. 9-10.5
53″ – No. 11-15
Here are photos of the KA needle set in the floral fabric pattern. Pictured from left to right is the fabric case closed and opened (click on the photo for a larger view):
The picture on the left shows the KA Switch kit with the case opened, and the fold over flap opened. The picture on the right shows the kit with the case opened, and the cords placed on top of the case.
Here is a picture of the pocket for the cords, and the optional cord set that can be purchased to expand the kit:
The Optional Cord Set (pictured above) can be used to expand your KA Bamboo Exchangeable Circular Needle Set and make single point flex needles! This optional cord set has two stopper sets and eight additional cords. The optional cord set retails for $21.00, and we sell it for $18.90. The KA Switch set retails for $99.00, and we sell it for $89.10. Both prices reflect a 10% savings off the normal retail price.
If you purchased the set from us, let us know what you think, write a review! For those looking to purchase the set, you can find it in the knitting needle section of our online store.