Earlier this year KnitPro launched a comprehensive new range of coordinated knitting needles and accessories – The Mindful Collection.
The Mindful Collection includes fixed circular needles, interchangeable circular needles, double pointed needles and single pointed needles plus a selection of complimentary accessories. There are also six needle sets each of which comes with a set of coordinating accessories.
Back in August I shared an unboxing video for The Warmth Set from the new The Mindful Collection KnitPro kindly send me to review. Since then I’ve knitted several projects using the needles and accessories from the kit.
The Warmth Set includes 11 sizes of 10cm length stainless steel interchangeable needles and multiple accessories.
The 11 pairs of interchangeable tips, sizes 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5, 5.0, 5.5, 6.0, 7.0, 8.0, 9.0 & 10.0mm, are packaged in a specially designed fabric case. Each pair of tips is has their size in both millimetres and US sizing etched on one side and an inspirational word on the other. Sizes are also marked on the case which makes it nice and easy to pick the right pair of tips and put them back when you’re done.
The tips in this particular set are shorter than regular interchangeable knitting needle tips but have a longer smoother point. I have found this quite handy as I can work more easily on a shorter cable when knitting in the round, perfect for popping in my pocket so I can knit while waiting outside the school gates which I seem to spend a lot of time doing. The inspirational words etched on the side are a nice touch but I don’t find they enhance the mindfulness of my knitting anywhere near as much as having smooth needles and a flexible cable.
The kit includes 3 swivel cables (cables to make 40, 48 and 56cms) which are stored in a small coordinating fabric purse along with a needle gauge, 2 darning needles. In a zipped compartment there are 10 locking stitch markers, 10 split stitch markers and 30 round stitch markers and then in a smaller poppered pouch are 6 end caps, 4 beaded cable keys, 1 pair of cable connectors. This all fits inside the larger needle case.
I’ve been knitting mittens this week so when I’m travelling light I’ve popped the next size up of needle tips, needed for when I’m done with the ribbing, and a piece of waste yarn for the thumb stitches into the accessory pouch and been ready for almost anything!
The swivel cables were a first for me, I didn’t get into any tangles knitting with them but their newer fixed cables are very good in that respect too. If you get your magnifying glass out you’ll be able to spot that the type and length of cable has been printed on the side. I like this new feature but you need good light and decent eyesight to make use of it.
There are a whopping 50 stitch markers of varying sizes and styles in this set, I haven’t needed more than a couple at a time so far but I can imagine projects where more are handy. Having a set of markers which will fit on the biggest needle tip is a particularly good idea and the locking stitch markers have a multitude of uses – I managed to get 11 stitches for a thumb onto one when I forgot some waste yarn!
Given the needles and the cases are clearly size marked I don’t think this set needs the needle gauge, I don’t need quite so many stitch markers and I could live without the inspirational words but I love the concept, the colour scheme, the short needle tips and the fabric cases.
The Mindful Collection range is extensive and interchangeable, so if you’re into matching accessories, need more cables or longer tips you’ll be able to find what you’re looking for. I love that this set and the rest of the collection come without plastic packaging, not only is a more environmentally conscious, the fabric cases look, feel and work much better too.
Products from The Mindful Collection can be found at KnitPro stockists.
