Okay, folks, let’s talk about making socks. Not just any socks, but socks made with one of those Sentro knitting machines. I got my hands on one of these bad boys and figured, why not give it a shot? I’ve seen some folks whip up socks with these machines, and it looked kinda neat, so here’s how my little adventure went.
Getting Started
First off, I unboxed the Sentro and got all the bits and pieces sorted. There’s the machine itself, some yarn that came with it, a tension guide thingy, and a crochet hook. I laid everything out on my table so I could see what I was dealing with.
Setting Up
Next up, I threaded the yarn through the tension guide. This part was a bit fiddly, but I managed. You gotta make sure the yarn goes in smoothly, or else it’s gonna be a headache later. Then, I started cranking the handle to get the needles moving. I followed the instructions to cast on, which basically means getting the yarn onto the needles.
Knitting the Cuff
Once the yarn was on, I kept cranking. This part was kinda fun. The machine started knitting in a circle, and I could see the cuff of the sock taking shape. I went for a simple rib pattern, just to keep things straightforward for my first try. I cranked out about 20 rows for the cuff, which seemed like a decent length.
Making the Heel
Now, here’s where things got a bit tricky – the heel. I followed a tutorial I found. It involved knitting back and forth on just half of the needles. I marked the needles I needed to work with and started the short rows. It felt a bit weird at first, cranking back and forth instead of in a full circle. But, I trusted the process and kept going.
Turning the Heel
After doing the short rows, I had to turn the heel. This involved a few more steps, which I will try to explain. First, I knitted across half of the marked needles, then I slipped one stitch purlwise, knitted one, and passed the slipped stitch over(this is an operation to decrease one stitch). I then turned my work. Next, I slipped one stitch purlwise and purled across until one stitch remained before the gap, then purled two stitches together and turned my work again. I repeated these steps, knitting one stitch further each time on the knit side and purling one stitch further on the purl side until all the heel stitches were worked.
Knitting the Foot
With the heel done, I was back to knitting in the round. This was a relief! I just kept cranking until the foot part was long enough. I measured it against my own foot a few times to make sure it was going to fit.
Shaping the Toe
Once the foot was the right length, it was time to shape the toe. I basically did the opposite of what I did for the heel. I started by knitting across until the last two stitches on the needle, then knitted two stitches together, and turned my work. I repeated this process, decreasing stitches gradually, until I had just a few stitches left.
Finishing Up
Finally, I cut the yarn, leaving a long tail. I used a yarn needle to thread the tail through the remaining stitches and pulled it tight to close up the toe. I weaved in the ends to make everything neat and tidy. And there it was – a finished sock!
My Thoughts
Honestly, it wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be. Sure, the heel part was a bit confusing at first, but once I got the hang of it, it was pretty smooth sailing. The Sentro machine does most of the work for you, which is great. I ended up making a matching sock, and now I’ve got a pair of handmade socks. They’re not perfect, but I’m pretty proud of them. If you’re thinking about trying out a Sentro machine, I’d say go for it. It’s a fun little project, and you get some cozy socks out of the deal!
There you have it, folks. My sock-making journey. Hope you enjoyed the ride!
