Knitpicks Customer Service
Every time I have a question or occasional problem with Knitpicks and I write their customer service department, I always, always, always invariably get a response from Jasmine, and she is always, always, always invariably condescending and unhelpful. The last time I dealt with her was over the whole "just wanted to let you guys know that my package of yarn is going halfway around the world rather than being mailed to me" thing. I, in no way, blamed Knitpicks for the shipping mixup, I just thought they might like to know that their shipper was making a real mess of my ordering experience, etc.
Then there was also a time that I ordered some yarn from them and received a hank of laceweight yarn with a big ol' knot in the middle of it. Did I ask for a free replacement? No. I asked Customer Service if they could help me get another hank of the same color dye lot. Jasmine responded with some crap about how they have never had knots in their yarn (total lie, I know that, because I've heard other people say that they have found weird joins and knots in some yarn, too) and suggesting that, perhaps, I had wound it wrong. No joke. Over a $3 hank of yarn for which I didn't even request a free replacement hank.
So yesterday I emailed to ask them some questions about their Harmony interchangeable and fixed circular needles. I've got a set of the nickel plated Options interchangeable needles and, well, to be honest, I'm not really a fan of them. So I thought, "hey, maybe these problems I have with the metal needles don't happen with the wooden ones." Of course, before I spent from $30 to $70 on a selection of fixed circular needles or a set of the interchangeable ones, I emailed customer service to ask.
It should be noted that at no time did I request a refund for my current set, an exchange for my current set, or otherwise suggest that the manufacturing of my current set was faulty. I was merely asking if the new, wooden sets had the same characteristics that I found unpleasant about the metal ones.
Good morning!
Some time ago I purchased the Knitpicks Options Nickel Plated Circular Needle set. (It may have been last December, though I can't recall for sure). Overall I really enjoy the KP nickel plated needle tips. The joins and tips are as smooth as my Addi Turbos, and I really like having the large selection of circular sizes. Unfortunately, I've had two minor problems with my set. First, I find that the needle tips are extremely pointy and sharp, moreso than the other needles I'm used to using, and from this, after any lengthy period of knitting, my fingertips become sore from pushing the yarn toward the end of the needle.
Second, even though I tighten the needle tips onto the cords with the included tool, my needle tips seem to work their way off the cords after a lengthy bit of knitting, so I find that I have to periodically tighten the tips down again while I'm working or else the tip will come off the cord and I lose some of my work.
In the meantime, I've purchased a number of the Harmony Wood DPN needles, and I really enjoy working with these needles as well. Thus, I'm considering buying either some of the Harmony Fixed Circular needles or, perhaps, the entire interchangeable set. Before I do so, though, I have a couple of questions.
First, as I mentioned, the sharp metal tips of the Nickel-plated Options set hurt my fingers. Could you tell me if the wooden needle tips are as sharp as the metal tips?
Second, though I don't mind tightening down the cable occasionally while I'm knitting with my metal set, I'm hesitant to buy another set of Options Interchangeable Needles if I'd need to do the same thing. Do you know if the tips have a tendency to come undone with use on the Harmony Interchangeable set? If so, I'll probably opt for some of the fixed circulars instead.
Thank you so much for any help you can provide! I really appreciate the great products and service Knitpicks continues to provide!
Holly Jones
So, again, I didn't ask for a replacement. I just said "Ok, I bought these needles and you know, they're not really my thing. So I was looking at these other needles and thinking they might be more my style, but I'd rather ask you first. Can you tell me more about them?"
Lucky me. I got a response from Jasmine.
Dear Holly,
In regards to your questions and concerns...
The needle tips were intentionally made as sharp as they are to promote good knitting. The reason many knitters tend to push their needles while knitting is because their needles are a) not slick enough, or b) not sharp enough. You shouldn't have the need to push the Options needles, but you probably just do it out of habit. I was a pusher before I used the Options needle and found that they made my fingers sore too. I relearned to stop pushing the needles and I have been knitting comfortably ever since. Of course, you do not have to stop pushing the needles if you do not want to, but then the Options needles might not be the best choice for you. Knit Picks is pretty unapologetic for the sharpness of the needle tip. It was a key feature in their design. The Harmony needles are exactly the same, just made from laminated wood. They are not quite as slick as the Nickel Plated.
As for the cables coming loose while knitting, I am afraid there is not a lot that can be done for that. There is no locking mechanism to keep them locked together. Since they screw together, the natural motion of your knitting hands cause the joins to loosen. I find that knitting flat makes the needles come apart faster than knitting in the round. I would suggest getting a good, tight join every time you knit. Use the tightening key to help. Many knitters have also started using a piece of rubber (try a piece of cut rubber kitchen gloves) to help grip the needle shaft. This gets a good, tight join. Then check your join every couple of row and tighten as needed.
Sincerely,
Jasmine
Customer Service
So.
I asked you a question about a product and you instead took it as an opportunity to essentially tell me "Ur Doing it Rong." Wow.
1. Just FYI Jasmine, I don't push my working stitch off the needle, I push the left-hand needle that is holding my stitches so that I can get new, working stitches closer to the needle tip.
Kind of like the owner of your company does in her You Tube Video demonstrating applied I-cord.
2. Just seeing the word "unapologetic" in correspondence from Customer Service is awkward, at best, but I don't recall ever suggesting that the design of the needles was flawed or needed to be changed just for little old me.
3. That said, if the "natural knitting motion of my hands" causes my needles to come unscrewed, then this is a design flaw that negatively affects the usability of the product. These are for knitting, and, thus, knitting shouldn't cause them to enter a state of malfunction.
I responded again with a little snark to it, but damn. Seriously. All I wanted to know was "do these come apart and are they as sharp as the others." And I got a lecture about "pushers."
Jasmine,
Thanks for your input on the KP needles. It's interesting that you note that I
shouldn't need to push the stitches off the Options needles, since I'm sitting
here watching a YouTube video of Kelley Petkun knitting applied i-cord onto her
Moderne Baby Blanket with Options nickel plated needles and she's pushing the
needle tips down exactly as I do. I don't push the working stitch off the
needle -- I'm certainly able to remove that stitch with the right needle with no
problem -- instead, I use my fingers to push the left hand needle down, bringing
the next stitch closer to the tip of the needle and ready to be worked. This is
enough to cause soreness after an extended period of knitting, something I've
never experienced with any other needles I've used in several years of knitting.
I never realized that this wasn't "good knitting."
Since you mentioned the slippery nature of the nickel-plated options being part
of the reason that knitters shouldn't need to push the stitches off, I thought
that the wooden Harmony needles might not be as sharp, since wooden needles will
generally be less slippery than metal ones. This is the reason I thought the
Harmony needles might be better for me. You note that the Harmony needles are
not as slick, but that the points are still sharp, which seems strange. I can,
however, see by looking closely at the needles on the website that they, too,
look like they'd hurt my fingers.
It's also interesting that you note that the cables on Options generally come
undone more with back and forth knitting, as I've only used mine to knit in the
round. I'm currently knitting the Ballet Camisole from MagKnits in Shine Sport
and am finding that the join comes loose every two to three rounds, despite
having used the key to tighten down the connection multiple times. Upon talking
to another of my knitter friends who uses the Harmony Options, she notes that
she's never had any difficulty with her join coming undone. I suppose this is
just one of the tradeoffs of my needle set.
I guess that it's unfortunate that I didn't know the Options tips were so
painfully sharp until I'd already purchased them and used them. Nonetheless, I
understand the "unapologetic" policy and certainly don't expect Knitpicks to
change the needle design for "pushers" like myself. I suppose Options just
aren't for me and that I'll have to save up for Addi Turbos. Perhaps I'll need
to use a thimble if I wish to continue using the Options needles, though I'll
likely just try to find a new home for them.
Thanks again for your honest input.
Holly
Then there was also a time that I ordered some yarn from them and received a hank of laceweight yarn with a big ol' knot in the middle of it. Did I ask for a free replacement? No. I asked Customer Service if they could help me get another hank of the same color dye lot. Jasmine responded with some crap about how they have never had knots in their yarn (total lie, I know that, because I've heard other people say that they have found weird joins and knots in some yarn, too) and suggesting that, perhaps, I had wound it wrong. No joke. Over a $3 hank of yarn for which I didn't even request a free replacement hank.
So yesterday I emailed to ask them some questions about their Harmony interchangeable and fixed circular needles. I've got a set of the nickel plated Options interchangeable needles and, well, to be honest, I'm not really a fan of them. So I thought, "hey, maybe these problems I have with the metal needles don't happen with the wooden ones." Of course, before I spent from $30 to $70 on a selection of fixed circular needles or a set of the interchangeable ones, I emailed customer service to ask.
It should be noted that at no time did I request a refund for my current set, an exchange for my current set, or otherwise suggest that the manufacturing of my current set was faulty. I was merely asking if the new, wooden sets had the same characteristics that I found unpleasant about the metal ones.
Good morning!
Some time ago I purchased the Knitpicks Options Nickel Plated Circular Needle set. (It may have been last December, though I can't recall for sure). Overall I really enjoy the KP nickel plated needle tips. The joins and tips are as smooth as my Addi Turbos, and I really like having the large selection of circular sizes. Unfortunately, I've had two minor problems with my set. First, I find that the needle tips are extremely pointy and sharp, moreso than the other needles I'm used to using, and from this, after any lengthy period of knitting, my fingertips become sore from pushing the yarn toward the end of the needle.
Second, even though I tighten the needle tips onto the cords with the included tool, my needle tips seem to work their way off the cords after a lengthy bit of knitting, so I find that I have to periodically tighten the tips down again while I'm working or else the tip will come off the cord and I lose some of my work.
In the meantime, I've purchased a number of the Harmony Wood DPN needles, and I really enjoy working with these needles as well. Thus, I'm considering buying either some of the Harmony Fixed Circular needles or, perhaps, the entire interchangeable set. Before I do so, though, I have a couple of questions.
First, as I mentioned, the sharp metal tips of the Nickel-plated Options set hurt my fingers. Could you tell me if the wooden needle tips are as sharp as the metal tips?
Second, though I don't mind tightening down the cable occasionally while I'm knitting with my metal set, I'm hesitant to buy another set of Options Interchangeable Needles if I'd need to do the same thing. Do you know if the tips have a tendency to come undone with use on the Harmony Interchangeable set? If so, I'll probably opt for some of the fixed circulars instead.
Thank you so much for any help you can provide! I really appreciate the great products and service Knitpicks continues to provide!
Holly Jones
So, again, I didn't ask for a replacement. I just said "Ok, I bought these needles and you know, they're not really my thing. So I was looking at these other needles and thinking they might be more my style, but I'd rather ask you first. Can you tell me more about them?"
Lucky me. I got a response from Jasmine.
Dear Holly,
In regards to your questions and concerns...
The needle tips were intentionally made as sharp as they are to promote good knitting. The reason many knitters tend to push their needles while knitting is because their needles are a) not slick enough, or b) not sharp enough. You shouldn't have the need to push the Options needles, but you probably just do it out of habit. I was a pusher before I used the Options needle and found that they made my fingers sore too. I relearned to stop pushing the needles and I have been knitting comfortably ever since. Of course, you do not have to stop pushing the needles if you do not want to, but then the Options needles might not be the best choice for you. Knit Picks is pretty unapologetic for the sharpness of the needle tip. It was a key feature in their design. The Harmony needles are exactly the same, just made from laminated wood. They are not quite as slick as the Nickel Plated.
As for the cables coming loose while knitting, I am afraid there is not a lot that can be done for that. There is no locking mechanism to keep them locked together. Since they screw together, the natural motion of your knitting hands cause the joins to loosen. I find that knitting flat makes the needles come apart faster than knitting in the round. I would suggest getting a good, tight join every time you knit. Use the tightening key to help. Many knitters have also started using a piece of rubber (try a piece of cut rubber kitchen gloves) to help grip the needle shaft. This gets a good, tight join. Then check your join every couple of row and tighten as needed.
Sincerely,
Jasmine
Customer Service
So.
I asked you a question about a product and you instead took it as an opportunity to essentially tell me "Ur Doing it Rong." Wow.
1. Just FYI Jasmine, I don't push my working stitch off the needle, I push the left-hand needle that is holding my stitches so that I can get new, working stitches closer to the needle tip.
Kind of like the owner of your company does in her You Tube Video demonstrating applied I-cord.
2. Just seeing the word "unapologetic" in correspondence from Customer Service is awkward, at best, but I don't recall ever suggesting that the design of the needles was flawed or needed to be changed just for little old me.
3. That said, if the "natural knitting motion of my hands" causes my needles to come unscrewed, then this is a design flaw that negatively affects the usability of the product. These are for knitting, and, thus, knitting shouldn't cause them to enter a state of malfunction.
I responded again with a little snark to it, but damn. Seriously. All I wanted to know was "do these come apart and are they as sharp as the others." And I got a lecture about "pushers."
Jasmine,
Thanks for your input on the KP needles. It's interesting that you note that I
shouldn't need to push the stitches off the Options needles, since I'm sitting
here watching a YouTube video of Kelley Petkun knitting applied i-cord onto her
Moderne Baby Blanket with Options nickel plated needles and she's pushing the
needle tips down exactly as I do. I don't push the working stitch off the
needle -- I'm certainly able to remove that stitch with the right needle with no
problem -- instead, I use my fingers to push the left hand needle down, bringing
the next stitch closer to the tip of the needle and ready to be worked. This is
enough to cause soreness after an extended period of knitting, something I've
never experienced with any other needles I've used in several years of knitting.
I never realized that this wasn't "good knitting."
Since you mentioned the slippery nature of the nickel-plated options being part
of the reason that knitters shouldn't need to push the stitches off, I thought
that the wooden Harmony needles might not be as sharp, since wooden needles will
generally be less slippery than metal ones. This is the reason I thought the
Harmony needles might be better for me. You note that the Harmony needles are
not as slick, but that the points are still sharp, which seems strange. I can,
however, see by looking closely at the needles on the website that they, too,
look like they'd hurt my fingers.
It's also interesting that you note that the cables on Options generally come
undone more with back and forth knitting, as I've only used mine to knit in the
round. I'm currently knitting the Ballet Camisole from MagKnits in Shine Sport
and am finding that the join comes loose every two to three rounds, despite
having used the key to tighten down the connection multiple times. Upon talking
to another of my knitter friends who uses the Harmony Options, she notes that
she's never had any difficulty with her join coming undone. I suppose this is
just one of the tradeoffs of my needle set.
I guess that it's unfortunate that I didn't know the Options tips were so
painfully sharp until I'd already purchased them and used them. Nonetheless, I
understand the "unapologetic" policy and certainly don't expect Knitpicks to
change the needle design for "pushers" like myself. I suppose Options just
aren't for me and that I'll have to save up for Addi Turbos. Perhaps I'll need
to use a thimble if I wish to continue using the Options needles, though I'll
likely just try to find a new home for them.
Thanks again for your honest input.
Holly