Okay, so, I gotta tell you about this cool thing I tried out recently – making a blanket using this addi knitting machine. I’ve seen some people talking about these machines online, and I was like, “What’s the deal with these?” So I got one. I grabbed the addi Express King Size because, well, I wanted a big blanket.
First off, I had to get the hang of this thing. I watched a bunch of videos online to figure out how to get started. It comes with some instructions, but let’s be real, videos are way easier to follow. It took me a bit of time to figure out how to cast on – that’s basically getting the yarn on the machine to start. I messed it up a few times, dropped some stitches, and the yarn tangled. You know, the usual beginner stuff. But I kept at it.
Once I got the yarn on there, it was pretty smooth sailing. You just turn the crank, and the machine does its thing. It’s actually kind of mesmerizing to watch it go. The needles grab the yarn, loop it around, and boom – you’re knitting. I started with a simple pattern, just a basic knit stitch for the whole thing, because I figured I should walk before I run.
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Getting the Yarn
I picked up a bunch of soft, chunky yarn from a local craft store. I went with a simple color for this time around.
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Cranking Away
I spent a few evenings just cranking away while watching TV. It’s super relaxing, honestly. You don’t have to think too hard about it once you get going.
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Casting off
Getting it off the machine was a little tricky, this is called “casting off”. I watched another video for that. You have to use a tapestry needle and weave the yarn through each loop. I found this to be a bit tedious, but I wanted to see the finished blanket and kept at it.
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Sewing it up
Since it makes a tube, I had to cut it and sew it together to make it flat. I used a simple whip stitch to sew up the end of the tube, after I cast off the stitches. Then I had to cut it to open it up into a flat piece and decided to hand sew the long ends together. I don’t have a sewing machine, so I just did it by hand.
It’s not perfect, of course. There are a few dropped stitches here and there, and the edges are a little wonky. But hey, it’s a handmade blanket! And I made it with a machine, which is pretty neat. I am happy with the results for my first attempt and how warm and cozy it is. I am already planning my next project – maybe something with stripes or a cool design!
