CSM

This is Charlie, a Legare 400. He was my first circular sock machine (CSM). The paint is worn off in places, but he still knits like a dream! The slotted yarn carrier on the upper right of the photo is new.

Boot Camp

These socks are made with Claudia Hand Painted yarn in the Boot Camp colorway. They were made for the Socks for Soldiers yahoo group to be sent to a soldier serving in the Middle East. I received a donated skein of the yarn in sport weight, but needed more to complete a pair of socks. LindaGM on Ravelry generously swapped two skeins in fingering weight for some other yarn I had. Thank you Linda! The fingering weight was used for the legs and feet, while the sport weight was used for the heels and toes. The sock machine wasn't very happy going between the two weights and required loosening the tension on the heel spring when doing the heels and toes. Loosening the cylinder tension would have worked as well. The end result is great with thick heels and toes - and in such an appropriate colorway name (Boot Camp).

Sock machine yarn carrier

The adjustment of the yarn carrier is important, because if the yarn doesn't hit the needles at the right place, the machine won't knit. Here are some pictures of the yarn carrier on my Legare 400.
The yarn carrier should be at a height where the yarn is picked up by the needles after it goes through the carrier. The height of the yarn carrier is adjusted according to its relationship to the needles.

The needles should not rub against the yarn carrier.

Click on the photos if you want to have the photos be larger.

Using setup bonnet on circular sock machine (CSM)

The way I start to make a sock on my circular sock machine (CSM) is using a setup bonnet. The bonnet is a tube of knitting with loops on one end. The loops are placed over the cylinder needles, so there is something to knit from. The setup bonnet should have loops that number half or more the number of needles in the cylinder. I've tried to show the process through these pictures.

With the yarn carrier on the right ride, slip the setup bonnet inside the cylinder with the loops on the bonnet facing up. I am using a 72 loop bonnet on a CSM set up with a 54 slot cylinder.

Starting with the needles just ahead of the yarn carrier, slip a loop over one needle, then a loop over the next needle. Skip a needle. Slip a loop over the next needle following the skipped needle, then a loop over the next needle. There should be two needles in a row each with a loop, then a needle without a loop, then repeat, as pictured.

When you get approximately 3/4 of the way around putting on the loops, thread waste yarn through the yarn mast and the yarn carrier, leaving 6" or so hanging down inside the setup bonnet. Make certain all the latches on the needles are open. Reach up under the CSM and hold down on the setup bonnet so the stitches don't ride up and off the needles. Crank the machine about 1/4 of the way around the cylinder.


Put the remaining loops on the needles. Crank around. If a needle doesn't knit, use a crochet hook or similar tool to pick up the horizontal piece of yarn that is below the needle and put it on the needle.
Check to be sure there is a stitch on every needle, however, one doesn't knit just pick the stitch up again. This applies to the waste yarn. It is a bit more complicated when you are actually knitting a sock.

Crank around for several rows. I usually do about approximately 8 rows, stopping with the yarn carrier on the right side of the CSM. Cut the waste yarn 8-10 inches from the yarn carrier. Pull the waste yarn our of the yarn carrier and let it hang down into the center of the machine. Thread the machine with sock yarn, pulling an end down into the center of the machine like you did when you started the waste yarn. Overlap the sock yarn on the needles so it will knit along with the waste yarn on two needles. Knit according to the directions for your sock pattern. I have just knit several rows so you can see how it looks.


Note: if you were using a 72 slot cylinder and this setup bonnet with 36 loops, you would put a loop on every other needle.

Happy cranking!

Miss Rosi

This is our sweet Miss Rosi. She is a rose-breasted cockatoo (Galah), native to Australia. They are considered pests in Australia. She is from a breeder in the United States. Rosi is extremely tame. She talks a little, but if she talks or doesn't isn't important to us. She mostly just wants someone to scratch her on her head, cheeks, and under her beak.

Men are Rosi's favorite people, but she is friendly to women, too. She raises the crest on her head when she is excited. Rock and roll is a favorite and she bobs up and down to the music. Her rhythm isn't very good, but hey, she's a bird.

First ever blog entry

I can't believe I have actually created a blog. A couple of years ago the word "blog" would have elicited the question "What is that?". So, here goes.

In March I became the proud owner of an antique circular sock machine (CSM). It is a Legare 400, though I call him Charles Legare or Charlie, for short. Knitting socks by hand used to take me forever, that is, if the socks were ever completed. Now, if things are running smoothly, a pair of socks takes about 1-1/2 hours.

CSM's were used to knit socks for soldiers during WWI. Now, Charlie and I work together to make socks for soldiers through a wonderful group aptly named "Socks for Soldiers". The group welcomes any and all that are interested in knitting socks and beanies for our soldiers. You can join this great group at:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SOCKFORSOLDIERS/

Okay, that's enough learning for now. My brain can only handle so many new things in one day. :)