Knitter’s Pride Mindful Collection Review

A close-up look at the Mindful knitting needles by Knitter’s Pride – my experience with the stainless steel tip & coated wire cables

Are you considering purchasing the Knitter’s pride mindful collection? You’ve heard all about their stainless steel tips, their coated wire cables that don’t curl, and their unique design approach? But now you are wondering if these knitting needles are truly worth it.

Well, this review includes tons of macro-shots of the tips, the joins, the cables, and so on. I want you to be in a position to make an educated buying decision. After all, the Mindful collection is very similar to the ChiaoGoo needles. When you want to commit that kind of money, you certainly want to make the right choice!

Let’s dive right into my review, eh?

Note: I earn a small commission for purchases made through links in this article. Also, I received this set as a review sample. Back then, these needles were not available in Europe yet (they are now).

The Knitter’s Pride Mindful interchangeable knitting needle set

The Mindful collection offers a broad range of different sets: one for every budget and need. And I do feel that is a very nice approach as not everyone wants to commit a hundred dollars or more right away. Since it contains the most accessories, etc, I am reviewing the 5″ Gratitude set in this article. Kindly check the description on Amazon to see what is included and what isn’t in the one you are looking at. Here are links to the most popular sets:

• Gratitude set (5″; 14 tips)
• Warmth set (4″; 14 tips)
• Believe set (5″, 7 tips)
• Kindness set (4″, 7 tips)

People with bigger hands will probably prefer the longer tips, while smaller hands will get away with the smaller (and thus more versatile and lighter) tips. I leave it up to you to decide if you really need all 14 tips. Some people just don’t knit with sizes 8-15 while others prefer exactly that.

The Gratitude and Warmth set come with US needle size: 2.5, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 10.5, 11, 13, 15, and 17.

You also get, and that’s what makes these sets super special: 3 normal cables AND 3 swivel cables in the same lengths (swivel cables can rotate around freely so you don’t end up with twists). I do feel that is a very nice touch. All other companies require you to purchase either additional normal cables or only swivel cables – at least if you want to have both.

All sets come in a rather attractive and sturdy pouch. The needle sizes are stitched into the various slots and the rubber keeps them from falling out. They are also roomy enough to fit in a little notion bag.

I really like that there are no further plastic bags but it’s all cotton and makes sense. Most of the accessories are, however, made from plastic. Still, I really like that all sets come with a wide range of different stitch markers. They are also very slim and light. So quite useful.

On the negative side, I am not sure if I would use a plastic tapestry needle. It’s also a bit too thick for smaller gauges. The needle gauge is, however, very compact and sturdy. I also like that the smaller accessories are stored in a tiny little cotton pouch. And those cord keys are also super nice.

The interchangeable knitting needle system

Every single needle tip has a little socket at its end and you can screw any cable into it. Even better: all screws have the same size so you can really combine every single cable with every single tip. You can even attach a smaller size on the left and a bigger one on the right (which comes in handy when knitting in the round). This is not possible if you are using the ChiaoGoo needles – at least not without further adaptors.

You can insert one of the keys into the little lifeline hole to screw things even tighter. If you use some rubber grips (not part of either set), the connection is super tight and, in my experience, doesn’t unscrew either. I would attribute that to the fact that the screws are rather long and this offers quite some friction.

The join itself is nice but not perfect. When you glide across it with your fingernail, you will notice a tiny little step. Mind you, nothing that will catch the yarn but still be noticeable. Chiaogoo, by contrast, is a bit smoother but also less tight.

The mindful needle tips

When it comes to the tips you get to choose between 4 and 5-inch tips. That’s the total length measured including the little metal bit at the start of each cable. Smaller needles are, of course, preferred for small circumference projects (like a hat), while people with bigger hands will benefit from longer tips.

Each needle has a sharp but not stiletto-sharp tip (so they are quite a bit blunter than the HiyaHiya needles and a tiny fraction sharper than the ChiaoGoo needles). I would say it’s quite perfect and versatile and fast to knit with but maybe not the best choice if you exclusively knit complicated lace or cable projects.

The taper is quite long and allows for comfortable knitting. In fact, it’s a bit longer than both ChiaooGoo and HiyaHiya. The overall transition toward the body of the needle is also very smooth and seamless.

For example, the US size 17 (12mm) needles only have around 2 inches in the middle where the barrel actually has that diameter. The remaining 3 inches are tip, taper, and cable join. Depending on your knitting style and technique this may feel a bit unusual in your hands. It might, however, also mean the stitches glide onto your needles a bit easier when knitting with bulky yarns. So, I guess it boils down to preferences.

One thing you do have to consider is the rear end of the needle. The needles taper off quite early. Now mind you, it’s a smooth transition that allows stitches to glide across effortlessly. Still, as a result, the actual body of the needle is quite short – especially if you look at the bigger sizes.

The material

The Mindful knitting needles are produced in stainless steel. SS 304 to be quite exact. This means it’s a chrome (10.5%) and nickel (19.5) alloy. Now don’t be scared – this is the kind of steel surgeons use for their equipment. It’s nothing the typical person with a nickel allergy will ever react to. And that’s the very reason all other brands (like ChiaoGoo or HiyaHiya) use a similar alloy. They all use nickel but it’s well embedded in the structure of the alloy.

The screws at the end of each needle are, however, made from a different material. These bits and pieces have a core of lead-free brass and then are coated with copper, followed by chrome. I am not sure why they do it but I would assume it has to do with production ease and compatibility (after all, both cables and needles are interchangeable with any other Knitter’s Pride set on the market).

In terms of durability, stainless steel is, of course, at the very top end of the spectrum. These needles, while hollow and comparably light, won’t ever end up crooked – except you apply brute force (like stepping on them). These could really last a lifetime if take good care of them.

The cables

As I said in the introduction, the mindful collection comes with two cables: Normal cables and swivel cables. Depending on your project and your preferences, you get to choose which ones you want to knit with.

Both cables have a flexible wire core that has been coated with some teal plastic. These cables have zero memory effect and will always lay flat. Combine that with the swivel technology and you really have the perfect solution for everyone who hates it when the cables curl into your face and all the places you don’t want it to go.

On the negative side, wire cables also are a lot stiffer. So, if you prefer to knit the traveling magic loop technique, then this might be a bit cumbersome. For socks two at a time or a big lace shawl, it might, however, be exactly the right thing.

Now, you might wonder how these cables compare to the Chiagoo red twist cables. They are a bit thinner than the size S cables yet, maybe a tiny fraction stiffer. But for all practical reasons, I would say that they are exactly the same.

Cable connectors

The big sets also come with cable connectors. You can use these to stitch to cables together for extra length (like when you are knitting a blanket or so). However, I do feel that they are a bit too long and stiff. The good news is that Knitter’s Pride also offers much smaller cable connectors (as part of their other sets). You will have to buy them separately but they work like a charm.

Final Verdict

So, let’s wrap things up. For your convenience, I added the Amazon shopping links. Often you can make a nice bargain there. Don’t shy away from comparing these prices with Etsy as well, though. Wouldn’t do if you paid more than you need to, right?

• Gratitude set (5″; 14 tips)
• Warmth set (4″; 14 tips)
• Believe set (5″, 7 tips)
• Kindness set (4″, 7 tips)

What I really appreciate is that the Knitter’s Pride Mindful collection is one cohesive product. A lot of other interchangeable knitting needle sets look a bit scrambled together and here everything is color-coordinated and fits seamlessly together.

I personally don’t care all that much about the “mindful” aspect. The fact that words like “breathe”, “relax”, etc are etched into the needles doesn’t really add any benefit for me. Then again, it doesn’t bother me either.

At the same time, it’s about high time that someone started thinking in terms of sustainability and transparency as well. Maybe in the future, Knitter’s Pride will exchange the various plastic pieces and use wood and other renewable materials. That would be, if you ask me, the icing on the cake.

I don’t think you will ever truly regret buying these needles – especially considering their overall price point. Do, also, consider that this set is compatible with all other Knitter’s Pride products (like the Karbonz). If you only enjoy the wire cables or the tips, you could combine these with your favorites from the other sets. And if you think in that direction, you can add an unparalleled amount of versatility to your needle collection.

Anyway, that was my Knitter’s Pride Mindful Collection review. Comment below if you still have any questions.