What is a Sock Knitting Machine ?

One of the first things I often hear is I have never heard of a Sock Machine !  What does one of these machines do ?

The simple answer is,  it makes socks.  But much more then that, a sock machine is an antique,  these machines are about 80 to 100 + years old.  They are no longer being made,  so each one you find is old and has it's own history behind it.  Someone back in the late 1800's or early 1900's owned it, and worked at home to make socks for the men in the war, and earn some extra money.

You can also knit mittens, scarves, and various other items on them.

Another common question is can I make a heel and a toe with a sock machine ?  The answer is Yes, both can be made on the machine.  The size of the sock can be made to fit large feet and small feet.  You can make knee socks, ankle socks, dress socks, men's, ladies, ribbing, and you can even use the Fun Fur to make fancy cuffs. 

A sock can be knit in about an hour on a sock machine.  So if you have a large sock yarn stash, a sock knitting machine might be for you.  Or if you do not know how to knit, but like hand knit socks you will enjoy a machine.  Many people with the machines also sell the socks for $20 + a pair.

Another common question is what kind of yarn can I use on a machine ?  You can use any of the many self patterning sock yarns out now, which are a Sock weight, you can also use Sport weight yarns.  And on the the 54, 56, 60 slot cylinders you may also use Worsted weight yarns.  When using the thicker yarns you will have to loosen the tension.  Very nice mock ribbing can be done with worsted weight yarns.  Some of the popular sock yarn you can use are Opal, Regia, Lorna's Laces, Trekking XXL, Fortissima, and also Alpaca.

Follow along below and I will walk you though how a sock is made.  It does take some time working with a machine to get the hang of the process but after you learn, these machines are a joy to use.  There is a wealth of information also on the Yahoo SockKnittingMachines group with over 600 members you are sure to find the information you need. 

We even have a annual conference where you can attend classes, meet other people with sock machines, and 'crank' for a couple days and learn all you desire.  See the CSMSA page for more information about joining and attending.

This is one way to make a sock there are many patterns and ways to make socks on these machines.

Click on the photos to see the larger version

	The machines have a cylinder with slots for the needles,  the needles have latches on them and this is what produces the knitting as the needles travel in the cam shell path.  New needles are still being made and can be purchased see the Accessories page for a link for new needles.
	To make a sock on the machine you need start with a webbing or some sort of a setup basket on the needles to get them going.  I start all my machines with a setup bonnet, these are bonnets made on the machines with loops that go over every other needle.
	After you have the setup bonnet on you thread some scrap or waste yarn ( this can be any cheap yarn using a color that stands out helps  here you can see I am using a bright pink acrylic yarn. )  The use of a yarn ball winder helps keep the yarn at a even tension when knitting.  You can see from the photo on the left I am putting the setup bonnet on the machine.
	I knit about 2- 3 inches with the scrap yarn.  The main reason for the scrap yarn is so when you are done with your sock you can clip the yarn, rip it out and save your setup bonnet and have a hem on your sock. Then you tie on your sock yarn.
	On this sock I am making a hem top, so knit about 10 rows.  To knit on the machines you just turn the crank, and count as the carrier goes around cylinder the number of rows you need.
	To get a hem top, you take a stitch from the first row and hang that stitch on the needle.  Go around the cylinder doing this all the way around.
	Now it is time to put the ribber on the machine, a ribber produces the purl stitches.  Not all machines have a ribber, and very nice socks can be made without a ribber.
	The ribber has smaller needles that go in the slots on the ribber.  When you put the ribber on you transfer a cylinder stitch from a cylinder needle to a ribber needle.
	With the ribber on you then crank the machine to the desired length of the leg part of your sock.  You can see in the photo the setup bonnet, then the pink scrap yarn, and then the leg of the sock
	Now it is time to knit the ankle part of the sock.  To transfer half of the ribber needles out and put the stitches on the cylinder needles.  This will produce all knit stitches on the ankle.  The Red marks on the cylinder are there to mark the start and stop points for your heel and toes.
	When knitting a heel you raise the back half of the needles to out of work.  By raising the needles up you are then able to knit on just the front of the machine.
	With the back half of the needles out of work you raise a needle on one side of the machine, and crank around.  Then raise one on the other side and knit back.  You keep doing raising a needle or doing a decrease till you reach the red mark.  When you reach the red mark then you start to do your increases  by lowering a needle.
	After the heel is made now it is time to make the foot of the sock by cranking to the desired foot length.  With a sock machine you can make socks for the whole family.  Not matter what size shoes they wear.
	The sock is now almost done, the last thing to make is the toe.  To make the toe I have removed the ribber by transferring the ribber stitches to the cylinder needles,  so you can see inside the cylinder now.  Here you can see the ribber stitches which will be on the top of the foot, and the all knitting stitches on the other half of the machine which will be on the bottom of the foot.
	The toes are made the same way as the heels.  You raise the back half of the needles up  so they are out of work.  Then start raising needles one at a time, crank, raise a needle, crank. When you reach the red mark  then you start the increase by lowering needles.
	This raising and lower of the needles will produce a pouch in the sock that will be the toe (or heel)   Since you are knitting only on the front of the machine.
	When the toe is done, you then tie on scrap yarn, knit about 2-3 inches and you are now ready to start your next sock.  You can string the socks along, just place enough scrap yarn in-between them.
	Here is a completed sock, and you can see the setup bonnet still on, then scrap yarn, the sock and ending with more scrap yarn.
	Close up of the heel
	Close up of the toe.  The only thing left to do is sew up the top of the toe with a Kitchener stitch.  The socks made on a sock machine have a seam on the top of the toe, like a store bought sock.  Unlike a hand knit sock that has a seam at the end of the toe.