Knitting machine query

[marydell]

Do any of you knitty types out there use a machine?  Are socks made on a different sort of machine than sweaters and scarves?

Charlie's prosthetic arm goes over a sock, and the only 100% cotton ones are big on him and sometimes get folds in them that translate into lines on his skin.  I'd like to be able to make him some that are fitted to him, and are in a really soft cotton, instead of relying on what's available.  Since they can't have seams I can't sew them out of existing tights or socks, and since they need to be really fine gauge I can't hand knit them (leaving aside that I barely knit).  I don't have a problem buying a machine to do this--after all, he'll be needing these socks for the rest of his life, and he may as well have them in fun colors if I can do that--but I don't want to get the wrong one.  There's this "ultimate sweater machine" thing that doesn't seem to be inclined to do socks, but I haven't seen an "ultimate sock machine" so maybe I'm just not getting it?

Comments

[girliejones.livejournal.com]

You can handknit socks to a pretty small gauge and honestly, they look harder than they are to knit.

[marydell.livejournal.com]

These would be about the gauge of girls' cotton tights or a men's tube sock...I'll have to see how small the handknit needles go. Although if it's possible to do them on a machine, that would be better, time-wise.

[slrose.livejournal.com]

Do any of these links help? (I'm a librarian, not a knitter.)

http://www.knittersreview.com/article_tool.asp?article=/review/product/050929_a.asp

http://www.decoraccentsinc.com/Sock_Knitting_Looms_for_Sock_Weight_Yarns_p/sk-002.htm

http://www.kaboodle.com/mar1annec/loom-knitting-patterns-and-sites.html

http://en.allexperts.com/q/Knitting-2228/Machine-knitting.htm

[carbonel]

Most of the commercially available knitting machines I've seen only produce flat output. There are probably also machines that produce a tube. But something like what you need, with a rounded end? That would be tricky.

[kalmn.livejournal.com]

sock knitting machine!

http://www.paradisefibers.net/Addi-Express-Knitting-Machine-p/4097.htm

http://www.meijer.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=45883&CAWELAID=317697996

i am not sure about the gauge that you need, but these will work with regular sock yarn. um, if you don't know what i mean by that i suggest a yarn store to see an actual example, because i am not good at describing it.

you can also get an antique one, but those, while fabulous in many ways, have the usual problems that antique anything has.

the singer one is dead cheap-- i'd try that one first and see if it does anything even close to what you want. if it does, the addi one might be worth a try-- still relatively cheap considering. you might also call local yarn stores and ask if they know anyone who has any of the addi machines, if you wanted to see one before you laid out the $200. (if you're not sure about which ones are your local yarn stores, email me at kalmn at lj with your zip code and i'll find them for you.)

yay sockses!

[marydell.livejournal.com]

Thanks, I will check them out!

[marydell.livejournal.com]

Ooo, the Addi Express looks like what I'm looking for. I saw the singer at Amazon, but it got bad reviews and since it's a hand-crank quasi-toy the odds of me getting frustrated and throwing it against the wall are high (I just did away with a tiny "convenient" sewing machine, because using it was way more of a pain than hauling out and setting up my regular one as needed). But I may try it out to see if the concept is going to work.

The Addi has the advantage that I could also knit something besides socks on it, apparently, if I ever got the urge. So it wouldn't just be a $200 thing I use to make 10 socks a year.

ETA: hm, looks like the Addi is also a hand-crank, but I'm guessing that's normal for a round knitter...I will keep watching the little vids on the site, they are very helpful!

[girliejones.livejournal.com]

They go pretty small but yeah would probably take ages to knit. I don't know much about machine knitting, sorry!

I have a fair trade shop and ordered some organic ones that were COMPLETELY different

[(Anonymous)]

Maggie's organic cotton costs twice as much but GOSH THEY ARE REALLY REALLY SOFT!

Look up Maggies organic cottons and I THINK THEY HAVE TIGHTS! If so try some! Rox in OR