Saturday, December 30, 2006

The Circular Sock Machine

My sock knitting obsession led me to other sock knitters online. In reading the posts I came across an answer to a query about antique sock knitting machines. As you can imagine, my interest was piqued. There I was, not the fastest knitter and knitting socks on size US 1 needles with two-inch 1x1 ribbed cuffs on seven- or eight-inch stockinette legs for long feet and owning a very, very enviable sock yarn stash. I'm not young. There are not enough years left. A sock machine? That could be the answer. Now don't get me wrong. Most of my love is for the process, the hand knitting. I have the 'Intermediate' and 'Advanced' sock patterns to prove it. But I was stuck in 'Easy' basic pattern mode in order to get many pairs made for me, my family, my friends and my gift list. If I could whip the basic ones out on a sock machine, I could devote my hand knitting of socks to those fabulous patterns obtained from the Internet and from all the books on sock knitting I bought. (I have them all!) I immediately clicked my way to the suggested sites and joined a Yahoo group to learn more. Hooked again! I could hardly wait to buy one.

After much research, fear and trepidation I bought my first circular sock machine, an Auto Knitter with a 60-slot cylinder and 30-slot ribber. I thought that set up would best duplicate my hand knitting pattern.

Would it, could it be that easy for me? Ohhhh no! It was just the beginning of another journey.

Bona Fide Knitter

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Hooray for you, you BFK, you! I'll be a faithful reader. Might just learn something, though I can't really promise.