What are Jimmy's SmartStix?
To put it plain and simple, Jimmy's SmartStix (patent pending!) are a knitting needle and tape measure in one! There's plenty of other stuff you can use them for too, but we'll get to that in a little bit!
How did these get so smart?!
Laura, aka Jimmy, and Shannon were in India when Laura realized she forgot her tape measure. Luckily with a sharpie, a ruler app on Jimmy's phone and a brilliant idea from Shannon, they turned Jimmy's knitting needles into a tape measure with marks at every inch and that's when Jimmy said, "Dang! That's smart!" And so SmartStix was born!
What makes SmartStix so smart, anyway?
S. SmartStix will Save Time!
We've all been there. You're knitting and knitting and then suddenly need your tape measure. "Rats," you think to yourself. It's not in your project bag, it's not in your regular bag, and it's defi-knit-ly not in your back pocket. With that 10-20 minutes you spent looking for your tape measure, you probably could've knit an extra few rows.
Luckily, with Jimmy's SmartStix, you'll never have to look for your tape measure because it's right on your needles! So you can forget about being forgetful...Just don't forget the yarn!
M. You can Measure Stuff!
One of our favorite features of SmartStix is that you can measure stuff! Your sweaters, your cowls, or even when your toddler grows 2 inches. The options are endless!
A. Don't forget to Assess Your Gauge!
If you've heard it once, you've heard it a million times: CHECK YOUR GAUGE! Now, with SmartStix & markings at every inch, you have no excuse for not checking your gauge!
R. Reduce Clutter with one tool instead of five!
Because the less space our tools take up, the more space we have for yarn!
T. Did you know you can Test Yarn Weight with SmartStix?
Jimmy's SmartStix are also color coded by length so you never have to sift through your case! (Crochet Hooks are Purple, Double Points are Pink, 16" Circulars are Red, 24" Circulars are Blue and 32" Circulars are Green). Just grab n' go!
Need these needles?!
(Our first shipment arrives in August!)
FAQs
Q: Are these available in interchageables?
A: Not yet! But we will have them by the end of summer!
Q: Will you have a "lace" version available with sharper tips?
A: We hope so! We are working on that now. By nature, aluminum is a softer metal, so the tips can only be so sharp. So we are working on using harder metals (and a wooden version!) now! Stay tuned.
Q: Are there any other sizes available?
A: Not yet! We are working on it!
I love this idea but do you have plans to release them in plastic needles? My husband can't stand the sound of metal on metal.
ReplyDeleteHi Jessamine! As of right now we don't have any plans to release them in plastic. We're going to let our team know that there is a request :)
DeleteEarplugs. Just sayin’. ;-)
DeleteMake that two requests for plastic! Or wood/bamboo. I'm the knitter in the family, but I hate the sound and the feel of metal on metal. Fabulous invention, though! I especially like that you've included markings on the cable.
DeleteHa! Make that 3 requests for plastic ...or wood. I am not a fan of slippery metal needles and my gauge stays more true with the slight resistance from the wood and plastic.
DeleteThanks for taking the request into consideration. I LOVE the idea and would be ordering in a heartbeat if they were available in something other than metal.
Wood would be wonderful!
DeleteYet another for wood or acrylic. (Wood or acrylic interchangeable needles? Hey, a girl can dream....) Metal is very hard on my hands, but I can knit for hours with other materials.
DeleteExcellent idea! I would love to see this in wood too as I have severe arthritis!
DeleteI would also like to see them in wood!
DeleteHoping these will come in an interchangeable set soon!
ReplyDeleteHi! Yes, interchangeables are coming soon at the end of summer!
DeleteYay!
DeleteWe are excited too!!!
DeleteExcited about the interchangeables!
DeleteI agree that I would love to see them as interchangeables! What a great idea!
ReplyDeleteHi Nanci! Yes, you will be seeing them soon in interchageables at the end of summer :) We are so excited!
DeleteInterchangeables would be awesome!
ReplyDeleteHi Kathleen! Thank you for the comment! Interchangeables are coming soon at the end of summer :)
DeleteGreat idea and I've been in all the above situations so these are for me and why didn't I think of it. So how much are these super needles going to cost?
ReplyDeleteHi Joan! We knew we couldn't be the only ones that lose our tape measure ;) As for the price, DPNs, 16", 24", and 32" circulars are $12.50. And crochet hooks are $7.50. Hope this helps! Let us know if you have any other questions!
DeleteSounds Great! Love the idea of consolidating my knitting supplies especially when traveling!
ReplyDeleteHi Charis! Exactly! These are our new go-tos for traveling!
DeleteDo these come in a small tip length and how pointy are the tips. I prefer a 4"- 5" sharp tip.
ReplyDeleteI, too, want to know how pointy they are. I generally prefer extremely pointy (Addi lace) tips.
DeleteHi friends! Because these are made from aluminum, they aren't as sharp as lace tips. There might be room in the future for lace tips made from a harder metal though :)
DeleteAs far as tip length, the 16" have 4" tips while the 24" and 32" have 5" tips. Hope this helps!
DeleteIs it too forward of me to say I love you? LOL
ReplyDeleteHahaha, this made our day! We love you too!
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DeleteIn addition to telling you about my love for you, I showed it by buying all the crochet hooks :). Can't wait for the interchangeables to come out now :D
DeleteHaha! So glad you are excited about them! I particularly love the color of the hooks! I hope you love them!
DeleteWhy didn't I think of that?!?!? SUCH a brilliant idea! Hoping the tips are like Addi Rockets and that the cords are like ChiaoGoo Interchangeables...you know the red plastic coated wire ones...(a girl can dream)!
ReplyDeleteWe are REALLY excited about them, Tricia! The tips are on the blunter side since they are made from aluminum. But there might be room in the future for sharper tips with a harder metal!
DeleteExcellent! I read through more of the comments and especially liked the one about making the needle size be easily identifiable (or something more permanent than what Addi does). The ink wears off pretty quickly making it impossible to tell what size they are without a needle gauge (so frustrating). Looking forward to checking these out!
DeleteHere's another person asking about the tips!! I have to have pointy tips!!!!! These look blunt to me in the photo, can you confirm or deny that? ;-)
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DeleteHi Lisa! Thank you for the question! Because these are made out of aluminum, the tips can only be so sharp. These would be most comparable to Novas if you have used those before. Hope this helps!
DeleteThanks Nadia! That's what they looked like! It is seriously a wonderful concept, but I no longer buy needles that don't have sharp tips.... I'll be looking for these when you make them with a sharp tip (and you know you will!!!!) ;-)
DeleteFabulous idea! I love it!
ReplyDeleteA little more info on those tips, though, if you will...are they similar in sharpness/bluntness to Knitter's Pride Zing needles? That is the type of tip I'm seeing here.
Also, on the crochet hooks what sort of hook head is this? Inline like a Bates hook or is it more like Boye?
Thanks so much for the information, and congratulations on the super cool tool!
Hi Janice! Since we don't carry Zings, I'm not sure how similar the Smartstix to those. However, they are pretty comparable to the Knitter's Pride Nova Platinas! As for the crochet hooks, the head is very similar to the Knitter's Pride Aluminum Gold Crochet Hooks. Hope that helps!
DeleteThanks! This info helps a bunch. The tips on the KP Nova Platinas are very knittable, so this is good to hear. Thank you, also, for the comparison on the crochet hook head. ;-)
DeleteWhat type of metal are these needles made of?
ReplyDeleteHi there! They are made of aluminum. :)
DeleteAre you going to over these in seta in the future? Think that these are a creative and innovative idea.
ReplyDeleteHi Susan! I'm sorry, can you clarify your question? I'm not sure what "in seta" means. Thanks!
DeleteLove this idea! Does the cable stay tightly curled or is it more flexible/straighter like the ChiaoGoo red cables?
ReplyDeleteHi Shari! The cord is a flexible plastic, and doesn't stay tightly curled! Hope that helps!
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThe name is perfect. "Well that's smart!" flew out of my mouth when I saw the newsletter. I love this idea and will keep a lookout for the interchangeable sets later on. Great job!
ReplyDeleteThank you Lili! We are super excited about the interchangeable needles also :)
DeleteHow incredibly cool! I for one don't mind the metal and prefer it. If it bothers the cats they can move into the other room!!! Love the interchangeable idea!
ReplyDeleteThanks Kendra! We love the metal too, it's so pretty :)
DeleteWhat a fantastic idea! I can't wait to try them. On the non-wood needles, there are many times I use these over wood or bamboo--depends on the yarn.
ReplyDeleteSame here...I have found that yarn plays a key role in what type of needle material I choose! We hope you love the Smartstix :)
DeleteIf pre-ordered, could these be shipped with the monthly subscription kit to save on shipping?
ReplyDeleteHi Vicky! Unfortunately the shipping system for subscriptions is different from our regular orders, so we are unable to combine them. So sorry about that!
DeleteWill there be a preorder for interchangeable sets, and will you do DPN sets?
ReplyDeleteHi there! As soon as we have a firm ship date we will make all the sets available for pre-order! This will include DPN sets as well :) Hope that helps!
DeleteI really like the idea of these needles but i found that i gravitate to my lace tip needles nowadays and anything less than that frustrates me. So i will be eagerly awaiting your lace tip version. I recently purchased addi flexiflips and I find the blunter end a waste. I love new technology to make my efforts more efficient and productive.
ReplyDeleteWe totally understand and appreciate the suggestion! We are gathering all this info and will keep it in mind for the future :)
DeleteThis is a very cool idea! My two thoughts - first, the circs only go up to 32"? That's a bummer - I almost always use longer than that unless I'm knitting a hat. Second, I prefer lace tips (love my Chiaogoo Red Lace), and these look fairly blunt. Perhaps there will be more options in the future for me, but in the meantime I'm sure there will be many people who will like these.
ReplyDeleteHi Melissa! We absolutely understand your preference for longer cords! It, along with sharper tips are on our list for future consideration! Thanks for the suggestion :)
DeleteSo here's my $0.02:
ReplyDeleteI also like a sharper point.
Plastic, eh. Wood/Bamboo: preferred. Are these powder coated (ie Bates)? Because that stuff comes off and then when they rub together it's like nails on a chalkboard.
Love the color coding idea!
Only up to 36"? Longer, please!
Beyond that, great ideas!
Hi Marti, the needles are coated, however, we have tested them pretty extensively and not had it wear off! And we definitely have longer cords and sharper tips on the list to consider for the future. Thanks for the suggestion :)
DeleteVery interesting, but color coding by needle size (eg, 2.5mm is color A, 3.0mm is color B) would be much more useful than different colors for different lengths. The difference between 16” and 24” can be easily spotted. The difference between 2.5mm and 3.0mm, or even 3.5mm and 3.75mm cannot.
ReplyDeleteI think that sounds like a good idea too!
DeleteI could see myself grabbing the wrong size, but the right length.
Hi Sophy and Jade! Thank you for your input! I will definitely let our team know!
Delete"Swiss Army" knitting needles! Brilliant!
ReplyDeleteYAY! So happy you like it!
Delete"Swiss Army" knitting needles! Brilliant!
ReplyDeleteDo these needles happen to have the size printed/engraved/whatever on them, as well as the various inch lengths? And if so, are both American and metric sizes shown? Thank you!
ReplyDeleteThis is a nice idea, but I have a concern: if one is knitting on the needle, let's say a sweater that is taking up most of the cord, wouldn't you have to remove the knitting from the needle and place it on a a lifeline (or have a second needle) available in order to actually be able to use the measuring tape feature? If so, doesn't that defeat the purpose?
ReplyDeleteWill the size of the needle be printed on the needle? It's nice to have the size marked on - - and in some manner that it doesn't wear off - I'm looking ar you Karbonz!
ReplyDeleteI noticed these are only up to 32 inches long. Will you be making them in 40 inch and 48 inch.
ReplyDeleteHello, thanks for sharing this with us. I am getting bored at home and because of this, I am thinking about crafting for time pass. I am glad I have found your post and while searching about crafting online, I also find this site in which I have found real money gaming site through which I can earn money. I will love to read more of your posts. Keep sharing.
ReplyDeleteMeet Jimmy's SmartStix—where innovation meets convenience, offering a groundbreaking solution that simplifies your daily routine. Elevate ||Multa Conducción Imprudente Nueva Jersey||Essex County reckless driving lawyer your efficiency with this cutting-edge product!
ReplyDelete