I was playing with the sock knitting machine again today. Normally, there are lots of little latch-hook looking needles sticking up out of it. When I crank the handle there on the right, the blue yarn carrier goes round and round, and the needles raise up and grab the yarn to make their individual stitch.
Right now though, I only have four needles in place, because I'm making knitted cording. The finished cording is hanging down below the machine there. The weights keep the yarn from riding up and off of the needles as I am working. And up top out of the picture where you can't see it, I have the heel spring engaged to keep tension on the yarn that is feeding in. That keeps the stitches from getting too big and loopy.
I cranked out two yards tonight, in next to no time at all. I'm thinking it might be useful for making cording to couch down onto garb, in all sorts of big bold heraldic patterns. Hmmm...I wonder how it would full down, if you used non superwash wool? Piping? Belts? All sorts of possibilities to play with!
love the sock machine, I'd love one!
ReplyDeleteAs far as I know, the only person who is manufacturing new machines is in New Zealand. Look up autoknitter.com. Other than that, you have to browse through Ebay and hope. :) They're not cheap, but they are lots and lots of fun once you get past the learning curve.
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