Saturday, July 14, 2012

Circular Sock Machine

How is it that I didn't know about these vintage machines? Before I took up sewing I was an avid knitter. This was back in the early 1990s, before the knitting revival had taken hold. My love for knitting was absolute (I worked in a knitting shop, taught classes and could knit while reading a novel), but I developed dreadful tendonitis and had to find a new craft.

At a fiber arts fair today (my mother was demonstrating rug hooking with her club), I saw this wonderful contraption in use. Wow, so amazing. I love how it combines knitting socks (practical, beautiful, can never have too many) with an exotic 100-year-old machine.



The socks she was making were great, and I'm sorry I didn't get a photo. They have turned heels and toes and a mock ribbing pattern. Apparently ribbers are available with some of the models to make true ribbing. She made one sock in about an hour.

I want one of these machines!

2 comments:

  1. Wow, that is VERY cool. I used to knit socks like mad. I haven't made any in many years. But that gadget looks like fun.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Shams, it does look extremely fun, but after researching it a bit more I can see that it is expensive fun (as in, around $1,000 for a restored machine). It would totally be worth it if one were cranking out a lot of socks or selling them, but I figure I'd have to make at least 40 or 50 pair to break even on the initial investment. That would really cut into my sewing time, and after 100 socks probably wouldn't be that fun any more!

      Delete