Okay, here’s my story about trying out the Addi Express knitting machine to make some socks.
So, I’ve been seeing these circular knitting machines all over the place, and I finally caved and got myself an Addi Express. I’m not gonna lie, I was mostly curious about whether I could really crank out a pair of socks on this thing. I mean, I’ve knitted socks by hand before, and it’s not exactly a quick process. Plus it will be hard to knit some staff like scarves if you do it manually.
Getting Started
First off, this machine is pretty wild looking. It’s a big plastic circle with all these needles sticking out. The instructions were okay, but honestly, I ended up watching a bunch of videos online to figure out how to really use it. It also comes with a counter that can help count the laps for you so you don’t need to count by yourself which is pretty convenient for a lazy person like me!
Casting On
Casting on was a bit of a pain. You have to weave the yarn around these little hooks, and it took me a few tries to get it right. The key is to keep the tension nice and even. If you mess it up, the whole thing can unravel, which is super frustrating, trust me, I know from experience.
Cranking Away
Once I got the hang of casting on, the actual cranking was kind of fun. You just turn the handle, and the machine knits a tube. It’s surprisingly fast! I was watching TV and cranking away, and before I knew it, I had a pretty long tube.
Making the Heel
Here’s where things got tricky. To make the heel, you have to do some short rows, which means you only knit part of the way around. This part was definitely the hardest for me. I had to take out some needles, and then knit backwards to make the short rows. It was a bit confusing, but I muddled through.
Finishing the Sock
After the heel, it was back to cranking. I knitted the foot part, and then it was time to take the sock off the machine. This involved using a tapestry needle to thread the yarn through all the stitches. It’s a bit tedious, but not too bad.
The Result
Okay, so my first sock wasn’t perfect. It’s a little wonky in places, and the heel is definitely not pretty. But you know what? It’s a sock! And I made it on a machine! I’m actually pretty impressed with myself. Can you believe I said that??? Still.
My Thoughts
- The Addi Express is a fun little gadget, and it’s definitely faster than knitting socks by hand.
- There’s a learning curve, especially with the heel.
- The socks aren’t going to be perfect, but they’re definitely wearable.
- I’m excited to try making more socks and maybe even some other stuff like hats or scarves.
Overall, I’d say this was a pretty successful experiment. I feel a huge sense of accomplishment from making these socks. If you’re looking for a new crafting challenge, I’d definitely recommend giving the Addi Express a try. Just be prepared for a bit of trial and error!
