- Support Your Local Knitting Shops!
- Ordering Information
- Ordering Extra Parts
- Different Cord Lengths
- How is everything in the Denise kit organized?
- Are other hooks and needles available besides what’s in the kit?
- A few notes on US needle sizing:
- Airline Safe
- Warranty Information and Problems
- What is the Denise Philosophy on Manufacturing?
“Support Your Local Knitting Shops!”
Where can I find Denise needles near me?
- Take a look at our shop list to find a yarn shop near you that carries Denise needles. If your local shops are not listed and you get a chance, please bring your kit in to show it to them. We’d appreciate it immensely – and so would other stitchers in your area!
Ordering Information
- There are a few ordering options. One is to order online using Visa or MasterCard. You can also print an order form by clicking here. You can mail the printed form to us with your credit card information or a check or money order made out to Denise Interchangeable Knitting Needles. You can also fax the form back to us. Our address and fax number are on the order form. If you’d prefer to order by phone you can call us at 888-831-8042. Our phone hours are 10:30am-4:30pm eastern time, but we do go out for errands sometimes, so if you don’t catch us, please leave a message with your phone number and what time zone you’re in so we can phone you back as soon as possible (and at a reasonable hour!).
When will my order be shipped?
- We will generally ship your order one business day after receiving it; we are closed for major holidays and weekends. If you need to ask a question about your order, please contact us by e-mail or phone (888-831-8042) with the following information: name the order was placed under, when and how the order was placed, and name and address shipped to if different from ordering name and address.
Ordering Accessories
- Looking at those gleaming rows of needles and hooks and their neatly placed cords, it’s easy to think, “What more could anyone possibly need?” Having a Denise kit is like having a wonderful toolbox full of possibilities…such as having multiple projects going at the same time. Ah, but we are stitchers! It’s impossible to have too many parts unless they are the wrong parts. Get to know your kit, and you may find you use one particular size more often than the others, or two cord lengths, or you may have so many projects going you need more end buttons to hold projects safe while they’re stashed in a basket waiting for that opportune moment. OR you may be interested in something new, like #17 and #19 needles or long cords (30," 40" or 52") in either the regular blue cording or our pink cords to raise funds for breast cancer research.
- You can order online with a Visa or MasterCard, or you can download our printable order form. If you are unable to print the form, please write us a note with a list of the parts you would like and enclose a check made out to Denise Interchangeable for the proper amount (remember to add 5% sales tax if you live in Virginia). Shipping to either the US or Canada is $2.50; shipping to anywhere else is $3.50. Our address is 1618 Miller School Rd., Charlottesville, VA 22903.
Will new accessories work with an old kit?
- All of the new accessories are completely interchangeable with the old. We have changed the colors and some of the materials, but all Denise tools will work together. If you have a kit that was made by the previous manufacturer and have ever had problems with the larger needle sizes being a bit loose on the cords, the #11s, #13s, and #15s are now as tight as the smaller sizes.
I’ve lost only one needle—do I need to order a pair?
- No! For simplicity’s sake online ordering is set up to accept orders for a pair of needles. If you’ve lost half of a pair, please use our printable form. On the form, where we have written a pair of needles for $4.50, please just cross that out, indicate that you only need one needle, and write in $2.25 instead. Or feel free to call us at 888-831-8042. We’re always glad to take custom orders over the phone.
I’ve lost the instructions that came with my kit.
- The current version of the instructional insert that comes with the kit is available for viewing, downloading, and printing at our downloads page.
Different Cord Lengths
- The 9" cord is now included in the kit! We had so many requests for this length that we did some research. With the length of the needle heads, a 16” circular doesn’t quite work, but a 17” works beautifully. If you have an older kit and would like to get a 9" cord, all of the cord lengths now in the kit are $2.50 each, plus shipping and handling. If you’d like to order one, you can order online or use our printable form.
- For stitchers of afghans and seamless sweaters and large garments and Christmas tree skirts and whatever else you can imagine to work on very long cords, we have now added longer cords. These are 30," 40” and 52.” They are so long they will not fit in the case, but they are flexible, and curl up nicely in your work bag. With two needle heads attached, these make 38," 48” and 60” circulars.
How is everything in the Denise kit organized?
- A place for everything and everything in it's place!
Where do all the cords fit in the case?
- Have half the parts of your kit wandered off for various projects? Want to get everything back where it belongs? Here is a diagram showing where everything in the case goes. And here are two videos, one showing the knitting kit and the other showing the crochet kit, each put back together neatly.
Are other hooks and needles available besides what’s in the kit?
Will smaller needle sizes ever be available?
- We wish the answer to this question were yes, since we’d like some ourselves, but unfortunately we have to say “NO.” The unique locking system that helps make Denise needles so enjoyable to use requires a diameter no smaller than the size 5 needles to maintain its strength. Sorry!
Will additional needle sizes ever be available?
- Denise also makes #17 and #19 needles for working with big yarns or for condo knitting. Another size not in the knitting set is 7mm. This is sometimes called US #10 3/4 because it falls between US #10 1/2 and US #11. Happy knitting!
What about interchangeable crochet hooks?
- Done! They are great for knitting purposes like picking up stitches for a neckline or button band, and perfect for Tunisian/Afghan or double-ended crochet as well as traditional crochet. Add crochet to your knitting or knitting to your crochet (the Japanese do it all the time!). Denise crochet hooks and Denise knitting needles are fully interchangeable. More information is here
A few notes on US needle sizing:
Why are my new needles a different size than my old ones?
- The Denise kit dates to the early ’70s. Its needles were originally sized to the Boye US sizing standard, a dominant sizing standard at that time. Over the years certain US sizes have grown slightly larger. In 2007 we resized our #9, #10, #10.5, and #11 needles to be more consistent with current practices. They are now sized to exact metric dimensions which are the same no matter the country or the manufacturer. We hope more companies will follow suit, as there is still no definitive system for US numerical needle sizing—in fact the original US number sizing for knitting needles is based on piano wire and has varied over the years. So if you buy a new kit—or a new pair of one of those needle sizes—the needles will be slightly larger than an older pair of the same size. Again, this only applies to the #9, #10, #10.5, and #11 needles. The older, smaller versions of those sizes are no longer available.
Why do my needles not fit properly in my needle gauge?
- There are minor discrepancies between the needle dimensions that different companies produce. This is why knitting books and teachers recommend sticking with the same needles for an entire project, or doing a gauge swatch with new needles before switching mid-stride. This is also true of needle gauges. Needle gauges from Company A will be a perfect match for Company A’s needles but Company B’s needles might be a little too tight or loose in the same gauge. Further confusing things, US numerical sizing has changed over the years. A needle gauge that is 20 years old will most likely disagree with a needle gauge that is brand new.
Airline Safe
Are these needles really airline safe? Why?
- Yes, Denise needles are safe to take on flights. Because the needle heads are plastic and slightly shorter than a pen, they pose no threat. We do suggest that you pack the kit itself in checked luggage and only take the parts you’ll need for the flight as carry-on, since, as one friend commented when looking for the first time at an open kit, “this thing looks surgical!” The uninitiated may be slightly suspicious.
- A second recommendation is that you take along an extra pair of end buttons. When you are ready to go through the x-ray portion of security, remove the needle heads from your knitting and place them with your pens and pencils. Put the end buttons on the cords to secure your knitting, and through you go. We say this as an extra precaution, but we just take our knitting through “as is” and haven’t had trouble yet or heard of any from our customers. Then enjoy your knitting while you wait for your flight and all during flying time. Easy. This is how life should be.
- (Post Script as of Jan. 2008)…The TSA has now decided knitting needles are not such a big threat after all! Hooray! However, they give TSA screeners the option to say whether the needles look like a potential weapon or not, and to confiscate them. Here’s a link to their statement. It might be a good idea to print a copy and carry it with you when flying in case you run into a screener who doesn’t know the official stance.
Warranty Information and Problems
- The lifetime guarantee covers all knitting and crochet parts manufactured since 2002 when used for normal stitching. If a Denise needle, hook or cord covered by the guarantee should fail during stitching, we will replace it. If a part is not working correctly, please let us know. Manufacturing problems can occur, and we are grateful for any feedback to let us know what needs fixing.
- The guarantee does not cover the older kits (white needles, sky blue cords), but spare parts are available and quite affordable. Not covered are accidents like sitting on your knitting, closing a car door on a hook, or your dog's chewing on your needles or hooks; all dogs we know of have survived the experience, even when the needles have not. The warranty does not cover the case unless it arrives damaged; if this happens, please phone us with your receipt number and let us know what the damage is.
What do I do if I have a problem with one of my knitting parts?
- Please put the problem part in an envelope (small padded ones are best, but if you’d prefer to use a regular envelope, please wrap the part securely in strong paper first so it does not pop through the paper and disappear) with $1 to cover shipping and mail it to us at Denise Interchangeable Knitting Needles, 1618 Miller School Rd., Charlottesville, VA 22903. Please put in a short note explaining why you’re returning the part (though in most cases it’ll be pretty evident). If you have any questions regarding problem parts, please contact us us with the following information: when you got your kit, what the problem is, and specifically which parts the problem is occurring with (i.e. needle size, cord length, etc.). We may have questions for you, so if you phone, please have your kit handy.
What can I do if there’s roughness on one of the parts?
- Very occasionally the plastics manufacturing process can produce small rough spots on the needle/hook or connecting tips. We work with our manufacturer on reducing this. If you do find roughness on any of the parts, there’s a very simple solution. A fingernail buffing board works wonderfully to smooth any roughness without damaging the part. If you do not have a buffing board, a piece of very fine (600 grit) sandpaper also does a great job.
How long do I have to return my kit if I’m not happy with it?
- If you place an order directly from us, we have a 30-day return policy—no questions asked. Feel free to try things out for that length of time, and if you are not completely satisfied, please return your order to us, along with the receipt, for a full and prompt refund of the purchase price, less shipping.
What is the Denise Philosophy on Manufacturing?
- Denise products are made entirely in the US. In small towns in Virginia and Minnesota and in Chicago. Even molds used in manufacturing are made in the US. We believe in the great people who make Denise products and in their communities.
- Denise knitting and crochet tools are made in a zero-landfill environment. At the office we are keen recyclers, going well beyond what is standard. We do not want to add to landfills if we can possibly help it.
