A little while ago, I ordered a vintage Creelman Brothers Money Maker A circular sock machine off of Ebay. It got here! It appears to be in good shape, but is missing a couple of pieces that I need before I can give it a try. I need a yarn carrier to guide the yarn onto the hooks, a buckle to hang the weights from, and a pin on top of the ribber to make it go round properly. Eric found a piece of metal in the garage that can stand in for the ribber pin. I think I can jury rig a weight holder from a clamp from the hardware store. And hopefully I have a yarn carrier coming, from another seller off of Ebay. That carrier is made to fit a different make of machine, but the seller generously offered to take it back if it doesn't also work on mine. Crossing my fingers.
In the meantime, I'm starting to read a copy of the original instruction book that came with the machine, back in the 1920's. It is fairly dry reading, but every now and again the personality of the author zings through. Like this one, on how to wind the yarn onto the bobbins:
"Bobbin-winder Operators are like knitting-machines, good, bad, and worthless. The first are interested, cultivate good taste, and do their best; the second are careless, indifferent, and lack knowledge; the latter are good-for-nothings."
*giggle*
Can you imagine coming across something like that in contemporary instruction books?!
What a neat piece of classic chrome machinery. It should be happy to have an owner who can jury rig it's missing parts and make it useful again. Can't wait to see what the two of you make together.
ReplyDeleteI'm breathlessly waiting for the yarn carrier. I hope it works!!
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