Knitch Magazine

Linda Krag of Denise Needles at the recent TNNA Show in Long BeachWhat would you do if, quite by accident, you learned that the company that makes one of your favorite knitting tools was for sale? Would you hope that a suitable buyer is found so that you can have continued access to the product? Perhaps you would daydream about becoming a “captain of industry” for a few days and then slowly forget the idea. If you were Linda Krag, you would “noodle” on the idea for several months while you write a business plan and learn more about running a business. Knitch Magazine talks with Linda Krag, who tells us how she came to be the owner of Denise Interchangeable Knitting and Crochet. Linda continues to innovate, adding crochet hooks and other accessories to the line. Once you hear about all the reasons why she was such a fan of the interchangeable system and the quality product she delivers, we think you will want to try Denise interchangeables, too. Linda recently spoke to Barbara Rottman of Knitch Magazine.

Knitch: First of all, what is the Denise Interchangeable system?

Linda: Denise Interchangeables are tools for knitters and crocheters that feature knitting needles and crochet hooks that connect to cords of varying length. Needles can be used as circular needles, for magic looping and moebius applications, or as flexible straight needles. Cords can be used as stitch holders by using end buttons to secure the stitches. Denise uses the original locking connection for a secure and stable contact.

Denise Interchangeable Knitting NeedlesKnitch: Your story is like the old Remington commercials that said, “I liked the product so much that I bought the company.” Can you tell us how you ended up owning Denise Needles?

Linda: The history of Denise could be a longer topic than you imagine! I'll try to stick to the short history.

Lorraine and Bob Linstead invented the Denise connection nearly 40 years ago. They continued to make and sell their interchangeable needles in kit form only until ill health forced them to reconsider.

My mother in law bought a set of Denise needles early on and raved about them. I bought a set in 1982 when I first learned to spin and was not sure what size needles would suit the yarn I was making. My daughter Emily acquired a set when she started to knit as a teenager.

Early in 2002 the Linstead and Krag families intersected. I phoned Denise to order some replacement needle sizes for my daughter's set, some of which had been lost in a college dorm move. At the end of our conversation about the order, Mrs. Linstead said off-handedly that the Denise company was also for sale. By August we had bought the company and moved it to Virginia. We changed some of the materials and methods used; technology had evolved substantially in 30 years. We have introduced new accessories, new packaging, and a whole line of crochet hooks. Change is constant, but our touchstone is the interchangeable knitting needle set that began in the 1970s.

Knitch: Why were you such a devoted fan of Denise needles?

Linda: For me the Denise set gave me tremendous versatility in one convenient and thrifty case. I could put my Denise set into my workbag when setting out to spin at a friend's house, and I knew that I would be able to knit the fabric I wanted. That concept is still powerful to me. I can change cord lengths and needle and hook heads as I need to. If I need to park a project, I put end buttons on the cords and move the needles where I need them. I prefer to keep clutter to a minimum, and my Denise set fits that practice perfectly while giving me ideal tools for my fiber crafting.

Knitch: American knitters are a huge market but so many yarns and products are imported. You are committed to manufacturing in the US. Why is that?

Linda: Sourcing our production in the US was among the first decisions I made, and I remain deeply committed to the mission. I believe strongly in supporting the local economy as much as possible. Since I go to the farmer's market and nearby farm stands for produce, choosing to have our knitting and crochet products made close to home was a natural extension of that belief.

Finding local sources for our products is not always the easiest way to proceed. US-produced material can be more expensive than imported material. We try to minimize the price premium that could be charged. Most days we hear from at least one customer who shares our commitment to US manufacturing, and that makes us smile.

Knitch: The Denise Interchangeable system can be used to remedy lots of flaws or problems in knitting, and you have many tips and tricks posted to your web site. Were these all your own innovations?

Linda: Elizabeth Zimmerman said that she unvented most of her knitting techniques. We would say the same, that we unvented better strategies for knitting and crochet using Denise Interchangeables. Some we developed while knitting and without realizing it was an innovation, like using a smaller needle in the left hand. Some came about with further development of our products; once we had cords in more than one color -- there are seven colors now -- we used cords of two different colors for knitting in the round on two circulars. It’s a great way to see which needles to work together. Many strategies are from stitchers and designers who call us with reports of great ways to use Denise tools.

Denise offers a variety of needle and hook kitsKnitch: Do you have a memorable story or testimonial you can share with us?

Linda: There are far too many to choose just one! The most recent was from a woman who is recovering slowly from a massive stroke in May. She finds that knitting in general is helping her re-build mobility and dexterity, and knitting with her Denise needles in particular gives her hands the greatest ease. The warmth of the material and the lightweight needle reduce any stress to her wrists and hands.

One story we hear often is "the dog ate my needles!" At least once a week, a knitter calls to order replacements after a dog has chewed her or his knitting. Because of the interchangeability of our needles, all the knitter needs to do is buy replacements for the size chewed and slip them onto the cords or back into the case. Full return to normal, even for the dog; not one dog has suffered, we are glad to say.

Knitch: Even if they’re not entirely dog-proof, your products are designed for longevity.

Linda: Definitely! The needles and cords have amazing longevity. The products we make today remain interchangeable with needles and cords made more than 30 years ago. Many of the original knitting sets are going strong still; one of our staff still uses an original set. We hear from knitters who want to round out their original set, to fill in for a few lost items or to add cords in lengths or colors that were never part of the early knitting sets.

Many needles and cords have outlived their original cases. We have seen early cases taped together with electrical and duct tape, held shut with hair scrunchies, and otherwise made to keep going. We also sell empty cases once a knitter grows tired of the duct-tape look.

Knitch: We notice that you’re now promoting your crochet hooks. When were they added to your line?

Linda: Interchangeable crochet hooks were introduced in spring 2009. During the development phase, we worked with an amazing group of talented designers of crochet patterns. They helped us enormously to design the hooks for maximum usefulness.

Knitch: The knitting needles in the kit are size 5 to 15, and can be used as straight or circular needles. Cable lengths can be combined in an almost unlimited range.

Linda: In the knitting kit, needles range from US5/3.75mm up to US15/10mm. In the crochet kit, hooks range from F5/3.75mm up to 19/15mm. We also offer other needle sizes as accessories to the knitting kit. As an option, knitters can purchase needles in sizes 7mm (sometimes US10.75), US17/12mm, and US19/15mm. Cords in the knitting kit range from 5" up to 19"; cords in the crochet kit range from 3" up to 16." By using extenders for cord-to-cord connections, literally hundreds of cord lengths are possible. Circular needles are usually labeled by tip-to-tip measurement. With Denise knitting needles, the smallest size to use as a circular needle is a 9" cord plus a pair of needles, making a 17" circular needle. But with multiple cords, the lengths are immensely variable. By joining all the cords in the basic kit, knitters can make 58" circular needles. We also sell extra cables and parts, so even more combinations are possible. We have a customer who connected four (4!) 52" cords into one circular needle more than 18 feet long. This was to knit a wedding gown from the train up. Quite amazing! The project was knit on a large dining room table. All the knitting stayed on the table, and the knitter moved from chair to chair as the gigantic rounds progressed.

Knitch: Is US size 5 the smallest possible for the interchangeable kit?

Linda: A US5/3.75mm needle is the smallest in our interchangeable system because of the connection. The diameter of the connection is not much smaller than a US5 needle.

We and our customers value the strength of our connection. So with our connection mechanism and current materials, we cannot make smaller interchangeable needles at this time. We’re constantly looking at this issue. The University of Virginia and Charlottesville in general have engineers testing the boundaries; one of the recent winners of the Automotive X Prize is right here. There is hope for better materials that could allow us to make smaller sizes with interchangeable connections. And we regularly revisit the possibility of Denise needles that do not connect.

Knitch: Many knitters dream of going into business for themselves. How did you prepare yourself to be successful?

Linda: I am not sure I did as much preparation as I would have expected! I was a classroom teacher when the suggestion was made that I buy the Denise company. My husband and I noodled on the thought. After grading homework in the evening, I taught myself about things like building a business plan and many facets of operating a business. For the first six months of our owning Denise, I continued to teach full time and operate Denise part time, clearly with lots of help from my family. All in all, this was learning by immersion.

Knitch: Was it a baptism by fire?

Linda: There have been far more delightful lessons as an entrepreneur than difficult lessons. Perhaps the hardest has been to separate business and personal time. Since Denise was literally in our living room for the first few years and is still on the same property as our house, it is sometimes too easy to do a little business while in off-duty time. I work hard at this all the time, as I did when I was teaching. The school calendar has all those built-in holidays that a business like ours does not have, of course.

Knitch: Cat Bordhi a well-known teacher and designer is a devotee of Denise Interchangeable needles. Her knitting bag with a pouch for Denise kits is featured on your web site. What other kinds of specialized accessories have your customers shared with you?

Linda: I mentioned how much crochet luminaries helped us design our crochet hooks. For a taste of the sophisticated fabric made with Tunisian crochet, Barbara Kreuter designed a small project bag/purse. It can be completed in a few hours with a Denise Interchangeable Crochet Hook and only one skein of yarn.

Andrea Wong uses our needles and hooks for her Portuguese style of knitting, using one needle and one hook. This approach is unfamiliar to many stitchers. It has tremendous advantages, including making it easier for young children to learn to knit.

Then there are the hundreds of knitters and crocheters who write and call us with stories of how they have used our products to expand their skills.

Knitch: Tell us about the Denise Organizer.

Linda: The Organizer has two snap-in pages that are sturdy enough to be removed and taken with you for traveling light—to a knitting class, at the dentist, or on the subway. Everything zips shut for secure storage, and is sized just right for all the tools you need to have with you—stitch markers, scissors, measuring tape, whatever you want. The pockets in the inside covers are divided for easy organization of needles and hooks. All pockets have heavy duty fabric backings and extra-sturdy see-through vinyl fronts so you can always see where your stuff is. They’re big enough to hold a whole Denise kit (plus more), yet small enough to be unobtrusive.

Knitch: Can you tell us about your relationship with the S.D. Ireland fund for breast cancer research? To date, you’ve donated almost $150,000 to their cause.

Linda: Donations to breast cancer research are part of the price of several products, all of them pink. Pink knitting kit $5; pink companion sets $2; pink long cords $1; pink companion sets $2; pink Tunisian crochet hooks $1. These may seem to be small donations individually, but in aggregate it makes a huge difference!

At Denise we choose to purchase products that benefit the cause when there is a choice; I have a pink thumb drive in my drawer, for instance. From my own experience, I know that a positive, supportive, calming environment is paramount! Had I not had an amazing family and circle of spinning/knitting/crocheting friends to keep my spirits high, my recovery would have been longer.

Crocheters and knitters are immensely generous people. Many make prayer shawls and chemo caps and other warm and soothing garments for people experiencing cancer. Sometimes for people they know and love, just as often for people they do not know but want to support.

Knitch: Is there anything else you’d like to tell us about yourself or Denise Interchangeable Knitting and Crochet needles?

Linda: Yes. Our needles are a travel-wise choice! Having everything in one case means having lots of choice should a yarn shop tempt a knitter on vacation or a crocheter on a business trip. Our products have a wonderful track record of passing through airport security, letting knitters continue knitting during the travel itself.

Also, I’d like to mention that we love the many possibilities for interplay between knitting and crochet. Rather than keep these two crafts separated, we love combining them. This can be through embellishment, Tunisian crochet, or freeforming. Denise Interchangeables are wonderful for bridging knitting and crochet.

Knitch Magazine would like to thank Linda Krag for telling us about her business and her products. As for her comment about Denise needles being travel-wise, we never leave home without them! My own set has visited Italy, Germany, France, Canada and several different parts of the United States. -- Editor