Okay, so I finally got my hands on one of these Addi King knitting machines. I’d seen people using them online, and I was super curious about how they worked. Honestly, I’m not the best at knitting by hand, it’s kind of slow and my stitches are always all over the place.
So, I found this machine online, and I ordered it. The package arrived, and I ripped it open like a kid on Christmas morning. It’s a pretty decent size, not too big, not too small. It’s got these needles, and you use a crank to make them go around. It’s kind of like those old-fashioned music boxes, but for knitting.
First, I had to figure out how to get the yarn on there, which they call “casting on.” It was a little tricky at first. The instructions that came with it weren’t the best. So I ended up watching a couple of videos on my phone, and that helped a lot. There’s this little tension thingy that you have to thread the yarn through, and then you start cranking.
- Casting On: This took me a minute to get the hang of.
- Cranking: Once the yarn was on, I started cranking, and the needles started moving.
- Watching the Magic Happen: It was so cool to see the yarn turn into a knitted tube right before my eyes!
You have to go kind of slow at first, to make sure the yarn catches on all the needles. If you go too fast, it can skip stitches, and then you have to go back and fix it, which is a pain. I definitely learned that the hard way a few times.
Once I got the hang of it, though, it was pretty smooth sailing. I made a few practice swatches, just to get a feel for the machine. I tried different kinds of yarn too, some thicker, some thinner. Turns out the thicker stuff is way easier to use on this machine because the needles are bigger. The stitches come out looking pretty nice and even, which is a huge improvement over my hand knitting.
The First Project
After some experimenting, I decided to make a simple scarf. I picked out some chunky, soft yarn, and got to work. It took me a couple of hours, which is way faster than it would have taken me by hand. It’s not perfect, there are a couple of dropped stitches here and there, but overall, I’m pretty happy with it.
I’m still learning, but I’m already thinking about all the things I can make with this thing. Hats, scarves, maybe even some little blankets. It’s a lot of fun, and it’s so satisfying to see something you made come to life. Plus, the cranking is kind of meditative. I can just put on some music and zone out while I knit.
So, yeah, that’s my experience with the Addi King knitting machine so far. If you’re thinking about getting one, I’d say go for it. It’s a fun little gadget, and it’s a great way to get into knitting without having to deal with all the fiddly bits of doing it by hand. Just be prepared to spend some time learning the ropes, and don’t be afraid to make mistakes. It’s all part of the process!
