New Life for White Socks

[The Wizard of BC]

Well, I will admit that the learning curve on these machines is huge. I spent the first 6 weeks cranking every day before I got my first good sock. Then another three tries before I had a mate to that first one.

There are a lot of people who like to tell you how historically important these machines were and how many socks were made with them. In reality I suspect that the vast majority of the machines you can find on Ebay, even thought they are approaching 100 years old, have never successfully made a sock. That is why you can find them at farm auctions and in barns and attics all over N. America. They were put there after the frustration of not being able to make it work and forgotten.

Now however I can crank a pair of socks in just under 4 hours. I then spend another hour and a half closing the toes because that must be done manually.

But hey, a pair of kilt hose will send a hand knitter into fits. A full weeks worth of knitting at about 4 hours per day for hand knit socks.

Now, I find cranking to be very restful and soothing. I'll go down into the basement, put an old movie into the player and have a sock done before the movie ends.

But oh boy, in the beginning there were times when I was ready to toss that hunk of metal into the street and drive over it with a steam roller.

Now I am invited to teach others how to set up their machine and how to get it to make a good looking sock. We are even going to host what we call a "Crank-in" next year. We will invite anyone who found one of these machines in the back of grandma's closet to come and learn how to make a sock on it. We are going to bring in the representative of the company who made my machines in Cape Girardeau, MO. to come to Victoria and help out.
If you ever really wanted to know more about these incredible machines this would be a great time.

[MacGumerait]

There are a lot of people who like to tell you how historically important these machines were and how many socks were made with them. In reality I suspect that the vast majority of the machines you can find on Ebay, even thought they are approaching 100 years old, have never successfully made a sock. That is why you can find them at farm auctions and in barns and attics all over N. America. They were put there after the frustration of not being able to make it work and forgotten.

You have my greatest respect for mastering this device .

It conjures up memories of the old " Addressograph Machine " used to stamp out nameplates and dog tags .

I'm guessing that when one finds them in a barn or attic .... they are laying next to the old hand crank corn shellers and apple peelers .

[LKM]

A great improvement over the white. The picture with the bucket remind me of tie-dying t-shirts. I hope the dye you used will stay when the socks are washed better they the color did on the shirts I tie-dyed. Those shirts are almost white again but my life likes one of them.

[Hocfutue]

I absolutely love these for casual wear.

http://www.sportsmansguide.com/produ...ocks?a=1923513

Just pull them on over regular socks and I'm all set. No more wearing out the heels on expensive hose. Don't require spats/anklets/puttees, either.

Going to try hand knitting something similar in diced hose. The whole "turning the heel thing" is pure voodoo to me, but these make sense to me!

[bryanbott]

This looks amazing! Now I wonder where I can get one lol

[KMCMICHAEL]

Well, I will admit that the learning curve on these machines is huge. I spent the first 6 weeks cranking every day before I got my first good sock. Then another three tries before I had a mate to that first one.

There are a lot of people who like to tell you how historically important these machines were and how many socks were made with them. In reality I suspect that the vast majority of the machines you can find on Ebay, even thought they are approaching 100 years old, have never successfully made a sock. That is why you can find them at farm auctions and in barns and attics all over N. America. They were put there after the frustration of not being able to make it work and forgotten.



Now however I can crank a pair of socks in just under 4 hours. I then spend another hour and a half closing the toes because that must be done manually.

But hey, a pair of kilt hose will send a hand knitter into fits. A full weeks worth of knitting at about 4 hours per day for hand knit socks.

Now, I find cranking to be very restful and soothing. I'll go down into the basement, put an old movie into the player and have a sock done before the movie ends.

But oh boy, in the beginning there were times when I was ready to toss that hunk of metal into the street and drive over it with a steam roller.

Now I am invited to teach others how to set up their machine and how to get it to make a good looking sock. We are even going to host what we call a "Crank-in" next year. We will invite anyone who found one of these machines in the back of grandma's closet to come and learn how to make a sock on it. We are going to bring in the representative of the company who made my machines in Cape Girardeau, MO. to come to Victoria and help out.
If you ever really wanted to know more about these incredible machines this would be a great time.

How long would it take to make a pair of footless socks? Have you made any?

[Charline]

Okay, I'm just intruding on the topic here because, look, I'm going to knit these:
lordoftheisles2_medium2.jpg
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/libr...d-of-the-isles

And I think I will definitely go into fits at some point, but hey, they are so nice looking !

Regarding dyeing, I tend to use kool-aid a lot, it fixes quite nicely on 100% wool