Hey, guys, it’s your old buddy here, back with another project that I’ve been messing around with. I’ve been seeing these Sentro knitting machines all over the internet, and my curiosity got the best of me. So, I decided to bite the bullet and ordered one from eBay. There were so many options, both new and used, but I managed to snag a used one for a pretty decent price. Gotta love a good deal, right?
The package arrived pretty quickly. It came with the Sentro knitting machine itself, which has 48 needles. There was also a crochet hook, a couple of yarn sewing needles, some kind of tension thingy, and a row counter. I spent an evening just fiddling with it, trying to figure out how everything works.
I’m not gonna lie, it took me a little while to get the hang of it. This thing is basically a hand-cranked circular knitting machine. The idea is that you can use it to quickly whip up things like hats, scarves, and other stuff. I’m a sucker for these types of DIY projects.
I started by trying to cast on, which is basically getting the yarn onto the needles. It was a bit awkward at first, but I watched a few videos online, and after a few tries, I managed to get it down. Once the yarn was on, it was just a matter of cranking the handle.
Round and Round We Go
- Cranking Away: I started turning the handle, and the needles started moving, picking up the yarn and creating stitches. It was actually pretty satisfying to watch it work. The row counter was also really helpful. I used it to keep track of how many rows I was knitting.
- Stitch Uniformity: One thing I noticed right away was how uniform the stitches were. I mean, when I knit by hand, my stitches can be all over the place in terms of size and tension. But with this machine, every stitch looked pretty much the same.
- Speedy Gonzales: This thing is fast! I was able to knit up a simple tube in no time at all. I’m imagining all the hats and scarves I can make with this.
After I got a decent-sized tube, I decided to try taking it off the machine. This was another tricky part, but I figured it out eventually. I followed the same videos I watched earlier. You basically have to use the crochet hook to transfer the stitches off the needles.
The finished product was a bit wonky since it was my first try, but it was still a knitted tube! I was pretty proud of myself, haha. I immediately started planning my next project. A simple beanie seemed like a good next step.
I’ve been playing around with different types of yarn, and it’s been interesting to see how they affect the finished product. Thicker yarns make for a chunkier fabric, while thinner yarns create a more delicate knit. It’s all about experimenting, I guess.
Overall, I’m really enjoying this used Sentro knitting machine. It’s a fun and efficient way to create knitted items, and it’s definitely faster than knitting by hand. There’s a learning curve, for sure. But once you get the hang of it, it’s pretty straightforward. If you’re looking for a new crafting hobby, I’d say give it a shot! Especially if you want to crank out hats and scarves. It might just be your cup of tea.
