HiyaHiya Sharps Needles Sock Set Review

I jumped at the chance to review some HiyaHiya Sharps Needles. You remember my wedding shawl? I would not have been able to finish it without a set of HiyaHiyas Sharps.

Seriously. See how the nupps get bigger halfway through the hearts at the boarder? I knit the boarder on my regular HiyaHiyas, did a couple of rows of nupps, threw the thing in a corner and ordered new, sharp needles. My goodness HiyaHiya Sharps Needles are sharp. You wouldn’t want to step on one. The bigger nupps were made with my sharps, and you can imagine me saying: ‘This is so much easier now! Look how many more times I can wrap the yarn!’

It’s not a flaw in the finished knitting, it’s a fond memory.

But back to the review. I was invited to buy some HiyaHiya needles at a discount. (I have not been paid for this review, and all opinions are my own.) Since, being a HiyaHiya fan, I already had THREE sets of interchangables (I think of them as sharps, regular and bulky) I picked a 9″ Sharp Circular Sock Set to review.

It contains:

• 2 x 9″ 2.25mm Sharp Fixed Circulars
• 2 x 9″ 2.50mm Sharp Fixed Circulars
• 2 x 9″ 2.75mm Sharp Fixed Circulars
• 1 x 9″ 3.50mm Sharp Fixed Circulars

And a delightful project bag.

I think of this set as my teeny-tiny needles.

Okay, but why the teeny-tiny needles? I was speaking to a pal at knitting group about just this.

Pal At Knitting Group: “Oh you know how to knit socks, Rachel? You know, I would love to knit socks, but the idea of carrying around five double pointed needles on the bus – I just can’t do it!”

ME: “You know I’ve never used DPNs in my life? That’s what cable needles are for! Magic loop it, magic loop everything. But actually –”

PAKG: “Well no, I’ve checked, they don’t sell these needles *brandishes needles-of-choice* with the right length of cable – they’re all too long for socks.”

ME: *squints at needles* “But that’s literally what a magic loop is? Anyway, I have a better suggestion. Teeny-tiny needles.”

PAKG: “Teeny-tiny needles? What on earth are teeny-tiny needles?”

ME: “They’re wee circular needles, the exact circumference of a sock, so there’s no magic looping or dropping DPNs. You just knit round-and-round-and-round, and it’s my favourite way to knit socks!”

That’s it.

I feel like I could end this review there, but let’s back up a bit.

This is what magic looping socks looks like –

Cumbersome, right?The loop part of the magic loop is always getting in the way. For the record, those aren’t HiyaHiya needles – they’re cheapies I picked up somewhere, and have since trashed because I managed to bend one of the needles.

This is what knitting a pair of socks with little HiyaHiyas looks like.

Can you see the needle? Not really. It’s neatly tucked into the work – there’s no spare cables or anything flopping about, waiting to be tangled.

That’s because the needles are the exact same length as your average sock is round.

No magic loop because there’s no length to spare. No DPNs. Just you, and your sock, zooming through plain stockinette because you’re not stopping every minute to fiddle with your needles.

There is a learning curve. I’ve used teeny-tiny needles before, so I didn’t find this a problem, but for the first cuff of the first sock I worked, my hands cramped like anything before remembering the rhythm of it. You kind of need to balance them on your fingers, like chopsticks, rather than grip tightly like you hold a knife – if that makes sense. Take regular breaks as you adjust to them.

Texture wasn’t a problem. They handled the purl bumps on Hermione’s Everyday socks with no issues. I worked a heel flap with both of the 2.25mm needles on the first sock (using one as a holder as I worked the flap, then both together as I reduced away the excess stitches). Then, to prove it can be done, I worked the second heel with just one needle. It was a squash to get all the stitches on one needle, but totally doable!

The needles are beautifully presented in a carry case. It fits a ball of sock yarn, and slips over the wrist, so you can keep knitting wherever you are.

I took it to lunch, to prove it will sit flat anywhere.

The smaller size needles are perfect for knitting socks. (Well, they would be, wouldn’t they?) But the larger needles are great for other things.

I used the larger HiyaHiya Sharps Needles to work the icord on a set of Berry Baby Hats – and knit the little leaves too.

I say “larger”, but these needles are 3.50mm fixed circulars, and are just 9 inches long. They are not “large,” but they are “larger than the others in the set.

How cute did these turn out?? I’ve given these away to an expectant Mother-of-twins – she was delighted!

And the larger needles were also good for amigurumi.

Can anyone guess what this is going to be?

I knit an owl!

I’ve test-driven these HiyaHiya Sharps Needles on sock yarn with nylon, pure merino (sock and worsted weight) and  acrylic. The needles handled everything beautifully. There was no snagging on the needle join, and whatever fibre I threw at it, the needles carried it smoothly with very little friction. The cables are flexible, and remain un-kinked despite being twisted for amigurumi, and tossed in my bag.

Were there any downsides?

There is a learning curve, as I mentioned above.

HiyaHiya Sharps Needles are sharp. If you like yarn which tends to be splitty, these may drive you bonkers.

So: should you buy a set of HiyaHiya Sharps Needles for Socks? 

They are good for people who love knitting amigurumi and small motifs as well as sock knitters.

They are also great for those of us who hate magic looping and prefer to use DPNs on the tops of mittens and hats.

If you only knit bulky sweaters, these needles aren’t for you.

If you’re not sure, I would recommend picking up a single teeny-tiny needle and trying it out. You can often find the bamboo version of these needles pretty affordably (I used to have one once – I think I left it in a pub?). Or better yet, borrow one from a friend for a week before making the commitment of buying a new set of needles.

I love genuinely love these needles, and recommend them for frequent sock knitters. As you can see from these pictures, I’ve used them to knit socks, amigurumi, icord, motifs and more – they are a great addition to my knitting needle toolbox.

I picked up my set here, but you can also find them on Amazon, or ask at your local yarn store.

I was invited to purchase HiyaHiya needles at a discount for this review. I was not paid and all opinions are my own.