Okay, so, I got this Sentro 48 knitting machine a while back, and I’ve been meaning to try making socks with it. I finally got around to it, and let me tell you, it was a bit of a learning curve, but also pretty fun!
First off, I had to gather all my materials. I got some worsted-weight yarn that I thought would be good for socks. It has to be the right thickness, you know? Too thin, and it won’t catch the needles right. Too thick, and it’ll jam up the whole machine. I grabbed my scissors, a darning needle for weaving in ends, and, of course, the knitting machine itself.
Getting Started
I set up the machine on a stable table. I made sure I had enough space to work comfortably. Then, cast on! I’ll be honest, this took me a few tries. The instructions that came with the machine weren’t super clear, so I watched a couple of videos online to see how other folks were doing it. Basically, you just weave the yarn around the needles in a specific pattern. Once I got the hang of it, it was actually pretty easy.
After casting on, I started cranking! This is the fun part. You just turn the handle, and the machine knits the yarn into a tube. I made sure to go at a steady pace, not too fast, not too slow. It took about 45 mins for each one, I think. I cranked until the tube was long enough for the leg part of the sock.
Shaping the Heel
Now, here’s where it got a little tricky – the heel. I had to do some short rows, which means you only knit part of the way around, then turn the crank the other way. I had to mark the needles with some scrap yarn so I knew where to stop and turn. It was a bit fiddly, but I managed. This creates that little pocket for your heel.
Finishing Up
After the heel, I went back to cranking in the round until I had enough length for the foot part. For the toe, I did something similar to the heel, with some more short rows to shape it.
Finally, I cast off. This is where you take the stitches off the needles. I did this carefully, one stitch at a time, using a darning needle. I was so scared the stitches would drop! Then, I seamed up the toe using a mattress stitch. I’m not the best at sewing, but it looked okay.
Last thing, I wove in all the loose ends. This makes the inside of the sock look neater and more comfortable.
And there you have it! My first pair of machine-knitted socks. They’re not perfect, but I’m pretty proud of them. It was a fun project, and I definitely want to try making more. Maybe next time I’ll try a different yarn or a different pattern.
- First pair took a while.
- Heel is the hardest.
- I need better yarn.
Hope you guys get some inspiration from my little adventure! Go get your knitting on!
