The advantage of having the Red Twist Mini Kit for socks is with the 3 cables it comes with you can handily to heel flaps or afterthought heels or toe-up gussets. The advantage of using the 3 needles setup where they resemble Flexi-Flips is that they leave no gutters but also, if you are making ribbing whether toe up or cuff down, the small circulars are harder to purl for doing ribbing but not so with 3 needles assembled on the 2” cables. Did an experiment with assembling tips in a variety of ways. Yes, I’ve purchased some extra tips as it is nicer to have all of the tips you are knitting with to be the same length. I get on a sock kick and knit several pairs at one time then I can learn my pattern and just measure for length and veg while knitting. The needles are ideal to do socks.
I have a set for the Red Lace Minis for doing socks and thought to try out the needles in my set like Flexi-Flips or Crazy Trios. But what I found is that for use on the toe of a sock, the 2" in the middle is rather precarious. At the toe, it is okay but by the time you get up to knitting in the round for the tube for the foot, the stitches are barely hanging on. Whereas with the Red Mini Lace kit, comes with 5', 6' and 8" cables that to work with two circulars is more comfortable. It could be for longer needles they would work or if you were working the fingers of gloves, they would work. But the 2 circular methods and you can use the longer needle on one end and shorter needle on the other end, make up 2 needles in the same size or even your trailing tip in a size or two smaller and they work great. Your gauge is made with the working needle. The longer cable is good for working the gusset. I love making socks and have the larger set in 4" length and I really enjoy them. I knit for children a lot for the shorter lengths are practical for me. If I end up needing something longer, I can order those needles. I did find out that I prefer the two small circular to flexi-flips. I have a set in bamboo US size 1.5 as they were advertised as US size 1, really don't have a pattern which works for my feet in that size. They're well made and handsome needles, though. Either flexi-flips or 2 circulars work to try socks on whereas the 9" circular, I need to add in a needle which I do. I like them better than Magic Loop, all that pushing and pulling the cord actually isn't as fast as just knitting in the round -- at least for me. If one is doing two up, yes Magic Loop is great but then again 2 circulars would work, as when you try for yourself, find out what works as everyone has different size hands and fingers.
Actually, if you were doing sock toes and using size 2 needles, so long as the size you are knitting has a tip which could be the same or a size smaller, it will not make any difference for your knitting. Just have a 2 to knit with and a 1 to knit from and you can make it work. If you used with the set in the red pouch, you could make enough for doing something like the toes rather well. If you have the full-set and want to work with them with the small set in the red pouch, you just need an adapter to go from small to mini for the cable. Theoretically as I have not tried it. I have worked two circulars doing hats using a smaller needle for the end you are not actively knitting with. Makes no difference with the finished piece. Why should it matter? I prefer to spend wisely on tools if I am going to use them a lot, I don't mind spending to get good quality and extra cables to be able to do the two circulars would work as well, just have to experiment to see if I could make the circumference work next time I knit socks. Of course Magic Look works but having been spoiled with knitting on a 9" or 10" needle, I don't enjoy Magic Loop as much with all the extra cable. There are really a lot of options or investing in Addi Flexi-Flips but there aren't many socks we really need anymore as the socks last a long time vs. the ready made ones. Feel so much better and are warmer. I just don't like wearing store bought socks any longer.
This is a lot of great random knitting information but you didn't even mention or address the differences between the red & blue cables. All you talked about is the knitting function of smaller sized cables. Blue "X-Flex" cables are different from the red cables. They are designed, work & feel different. They behave differently, not everyone likes them.
She did in just one sentence! She said blue cables are for small - size and red are for mini - size. And it's true. I've got them and they're way pointierethan addi or, worse, addi bamboo! They are so blunt l hate them although l love wood and bamboo which is kinda grass. I never wanna knit with that addi's again since l bouoht the Chiaogoos. HiyaHiya is as well and a tiny bit pointier, nearly too pointy. I got both. Put the cables/cords of CG are so much better than all other cables! They don't curl when long, they don't make edges where needles begin, they are great! For this l prefer Chiaogoos! But l dremeled the first tiny step away the HiyaHiya - needles have . I used an adapter to not damage the needles. Since then l can use the HiyaHiya needles with the cables of Chiaogoo and l'm so happy! I have HH and CG from 2.00 mm to 10,00 mm and can create all l want!
Was looking for an actual demonstration of them in use.
The advantage of having the Red Twist Mini Kit for socks is with the 3 cables it comes with you can handily to heel flaps or afterthought heels or toe-up gussets. The advantage of using the 3 needles setup where they resemble Flexi-Flips is that they leave no gutters but also, if you are making ribbing whether toe up or cuff down, the small circulars are harder to purl for doing ribbing but not so with 3 needles assembled on the 2” cables. Did an experiment with assembling tips in a variety of ways. Yes, I’ve purchased some extra tips as it is nicer to have all of the tips you are knitting with to be the same length. I get on a sock kick and knit several pairs at one time then I can learn my pattern and just measure for length and veg while knitting. The needles are ideal to do socks.
I have a set for the Red Lace Minis for doing socks and thought to try out the needles in my set like Flexi-Flips or Crazy Trios. But what I found is that for use on the toe of a sock, the 2" in the middle is rather precarious. At the toe, it is okay but by the time you get up to knitting in the round for the tube for the foot, the stitches are barely hanging on. Whereas with the Red Mini Lace kit, comes with 5', 6' and 8" cables that to work with two circulars is more comfortable. It could be for longer needles they would work or if you were working the fingers of gloves, they would work. But the 2 circular methods and you can use the longer needle on one end and shorter needle on the other end, make up 2 needles in the same size or even your trailing tip in a size or two smaller and they work great. Your gauge is made with the working needle.
The longer cable is good for working the gusset. I love making socks and have the larger set in 4" length and I really enjoy them. I knit for children a lot for the shorter lengths are practical for me. If I end up needing something longer, I can order those needles.
I did find out that I prefer the two small circular to flexi-flips. I have a set in bamboo US size 1.5 as they were advertised as US size 1, really don't have a pattern which works for my feet in that size. They're well made and handsome needles, though.
Either flexi-flips or 2 circulars work to try socks on whereas the 9" circular, I need to add in a needle which I do. I like them better than Magic Loop, all that pushing and pulling the cord actually isn't as fast as just knitting in the round -- at least for me.
If one is doing two up, yes Magic Loop is great but then again 2 circulars would work, as when you try for yourself, find out what works as everyone has different size hands and fingers.
Gosh that house in the back ground look like a NZ house
Actually, if you were doing sock toes and using size 2 needles, so long as the size you are knitting has a tip which could be the same or a size smaller, it will not make any difference for your knitting. Just have a 2 to knit with and a 1 to knit from and you can make it work. If you used with the set in the red pouch, you could make enough for doing something like the toes rather well. If you have the full-set and want to work with them with the small set in the red pouch, you just need an adapter to go from small to mini for the cable. Theoretically as I have not tried it. I have worked two circulars doing hats using a smaller needle for the end you are not actively knitting with. Makes no difference with the finished piece.
Why should it matter? I prefer to spend wisely on tools if I am going to use them a lot, I don't mind spending to get good quality and extra cables to be able to do the two circulars would work as well, just have to experiment to see if I could make the circumference work next time I knit socks.
Of course Magic Look works but having been spoiled with knitting on a 9" or 10" needle, I don't enjoy Magic Loop as much with all the extra cable.
There are really a lot of options or investing in Addi Flexi-Flips but there aren't many socks we really need anymore as the socks last a long time vs. the ready made ones. Feel so much better and are warmer. I just don't like wearing store bought socks any longer.
This is a lot of great random knitting information but you didn't even mention or address the differences between the red & blue cables. All you talked about is the knitting function of smaller sized cables. Blue "X-Flex" cables are different from the red cables. They are designed, work & feel different. They behave differently, not everyone likes them.
She did in just one sentence! She said blue cables are for small - size and red are for mini - size. And it's true. I've got them and they're way pointierethan addi or, worse, addi bamboo! They are so blunt l hate them although l love wood and bamboo which is kinda grass. I never wanna knit with that addi's again since l bouoht the Chiaogoos. HiyaHiya is as well and a tiny bit pointier, nearly too pointy. I got both. Put the cables/cords of CG are so much better than all other cables! They don't curl when long, they don't make edges where needles begin, they are great! For this l prefer Chiaogoos! But l dremeled the first tiny step away the HiyaHiya - needles have . I used an adapter to not damage the needles. Since then l can use the HiyaHiya needles with the cables of Chiaogoo and l'm so happy! I have HH and CG from 2.00 mm to 10,00 mm and can create all l want!