Signature Performance

Last week, during a moment of total disregard for my finances, and in sheer terror, I clicked:

• Add to Cart
• Check Out (quickly before I change my mind)
• Confirm Payment

It was done.  No going back.  I was soon to be the proud Mummy of a Signature circular needle.  Why the terror?  Because it cost me $US40!  Can you believe it?  How frivolous!  How wildly reckless!  How insane!  See what happens when I'm chocolate deprived??

The postman delivered by new circular needle to me today.  First impressions:  it's so pretty!  I wonder whether red really is faster?

I immediately cast on a 20 stitch swatch with some worsted weight yarn.

Six rows of stockinette using addi turbo

Six rows of stockinette using signature

Close-up comparison

Can you see a difference in the knitted fabric? 

From my perspective, the addi turbo is smoother and dare I say it....a little faster for me.  The signature needle is fast, but the red coloured part is a "matt" finish and there is a slight resistance when knitting.  I felt like I was knitting a little tighter with it.  Perhaps I should have chosen the "stilhetto tip type"?

Comparing both needles....I like the longer needle length on the signature; it suits my hands and my continental style of knitting.  The signature circ has a slightly sharper point which I like for cabling and K2togs.  I really like its cable - there's a very smooth transition between the needle and the cable.  The cable is also very soft and flexible.  The addi turbo has a shorter needle length that sometimes results in my hands aching a little.  There's a slight kink between the cable and the needle, and sometimes that requires more effort on my part to move stitches along the cable.

Signature Pros:

Signature circulars let you pick your needle size, the point profile type, needle length to best fit your hand, needle length (overall point-to-point length) with cable, or even choose a custom cable length.

Signature circulars are hand crafted, hand polished, and have an incredibly smooth, flexible and memory resistant cable.

Signature Cons:

The cost.  $40 is a very high price for a circular needle.

Final Thoughts:

I'm glad I bought the signature needle in a 4.5mm size with a 32in cable and 8in needle length.  It'll get a whole lot of use from it. 

However, I would probably not buy a Signature needle again unless they go on sale.