Review and Giveaway: Chiaogoo Red Lace NEW Interchangeables!

I'm more excited than usual to share this post with you... in fact last night I was supposed to be writing this review and all I could do was knit with my new needles (on another exciting project for Adorn Anew)... Whoops!

Magic Looping with my new needles!

If you have taken classes with me you've heard me go on and on about the importance of using the right needle for the project.  When working lace, having a sharp tipped needle is KEY!  Last fall I was at a festival and didn't have the needle I needed. So I purchased a Chiaogoo Red Lace Needle to try.  At half the price of Addi Lace needles I was hopeful it would do the trick.  OH.MY.GOODNESS I feel in love.... within the week I placed a huge order for more in the sizes I use the most and my other needles began to collect dust.

While attending TNNA in June I heard that Chiaogoo was releasing a set of Interchangeables with their lace tip so I asked for a set to review, the worse that could happen is that they would say no, right?  I wouldn't want to talk up a product I hadn't tried!  Luckily Chiaogoo said yes and my full set got here last week.

LOVE is not a strong enough word!  LOVE I tell you!
I do think I will marry these needles... is that bad?

Let me tell you why:

The Tips: The tips are sharp and slim, but not so sharp that they "hurt" your finger tip when moving your stitches along the needle.  Needle size is laser imprinted on the tips so you can easily keep track of sizes.
The Finish: Chiaogoo uses stainless steel that they lightly brush so there is just a bit of grab.  This is key, as if they were too smooth they would be super slippery and your lace stitches would go all over the place.  If they were too brushed, on the other hand, your stitches would stick to the needles and not slide fast enough.  Chiaogoo found the perfect balance for their finishing!

The Join: For me this is most important element of an interchangeable needle.  If the join is not smooth then your stitches get caught as they are sliding from cord to tip and your knitting is slowed down every time you have to massage them along.  What I will tell you is that the join is so smooth I forgot I was knitting with interchangeables!  There is a key included for tightening down the join after you screw it together, don't skip this step as the tip and cord can start to loosen which you do not want!  The hole that is in the cord end for tightening also serves as a lifeline holder!  Have you ever placed a life line with an interchangeable needle?  I'm adding it to my list for video tutorials to be made!
The Cord: Chiaogoo uses a flexible cord that is made of a multi-strand, steel cable that is nylon coated.  My stitches slide gracefully over it!  (yes, I am feeling poetic about my needles....)
The Packaging: The needles come packed in a small graphically printed case that seems to be perfectly design for them!  I've had it open and closed and knocking around in the knitting basket and no tips have come sliding out on their own!  This is KEY!  There is nothing more annoying than having to replace all of your tips into their proper place every time you open a case!  All of the needle pockets are marked with the needle size so it's easy to replace the tip you are done using and find the one you need!  There is a zipper pocket on the outside for the stitch markers, key, and cord ends.
The Set: The sets are available in two sizes Small (US2 -US8 [2.75mm- 5mm]), and Large (US9 -US15 [5.5mm- 10mm].  Each set has a different set of cables as the connector on the end has to fit the needle tip.  Each set comes with a 14", 22" and 30" cable, there is a connector to join the cables to make a 60" long cord.  I didn't receive one of those connectors so I can't tell you about it, but if it's designed anything like the rest of this kit I know it will be excellent!

For YOU:  Chiaogoo has generously offered to a SMALL set for a GIVEAWAY!  So, do you want to win these awesome needles?  Just leave a comment letting me know why you want them (bonus points if you make me laugh) by Wednesday September 26th at midnight EST.  Leave a way to get in touch with you.  I'll let you know who the winner is the next day!

(If you can't want to wait to see if you win, I know that Grandma's Knit & Crochet has lots of these sets in stock, and even has a coupon code for the month of September (SEPT2012) that will give you 9% off your order!)