Books: Knock Your Socks Off of Your Circular Sock Machine

Christine Smith wrote a book and has self published. It's available here. The first 15 pages are available for a free preview.

Here's a quick screenshot of her table of contents.

Cone Sock Yarn Sources

From eirual :

Wool2Dye4 - sells really nice cones of sock yarn that are ready to be dyed. Also, skeins of pre-dyed sock yarn.

Webs - also sells cones of sock yarn, they are not nearly as nice and squishy as Wool2Dye4’s but - they are less expensive. $15 a lb plus shipping (if you order 4 lbs it’s $12 a lb). I find that the color is more cream, the spin is a bit loose.

Bartlett Yarns - lovely cones of sport weight yarn. I find that you really want to use a bit of woolly nylon with this to give the sock a little body. Very easy to knit, I use it to make socks on my 72 needle cylinder with no problems.

Sylvia’s Threads - Best price I have found for woolly nylon.

From sarahspins:

Lion Brand - 100% wool

I should add that one of my current favorite CSM yarns is Treadsoft from Henry’s Attic. The easiest way to buy it retail is likely from Catnip Yarns (just email them - very nice company and super easy to work with). Treadsoft is a smooth 2-ply superwash with a tight twist, it’s not only easy to knit with (it’s a 2/8 yarn, unlike most of the 2-ply sock yarns that are 2/6 and IMO a little on the heavy side), but it wears very well too.

If you have any more sources, please contact me so I can add it to this list.

Needle sizes & When to use large hook needles.

Typically, there are two different types of needles. Cylinder needles and ribber needles.

The cylinder needles are the long shank needles. This is a photo of a 12 gauge cylinder needle typically used in Auto Knitters, PT Legare's, most Creelman Brother's, Master Machines & Verdun's:

Cylinder needles essentially makes knit stitches.

The shorter needles are ribber needles and are used in a ribber dial. Ribber needles purl. Here's a photo of a 12 gauge ribber needle:
Pat Fly with Angora Valley is currently the resource most CSM'ers use.

Pat also sells needles called Large Hook needles. These needles are exactly that, larger hooks.

Why use a Large Hook needle? When you have a machine that can handle thicker yarns (I've heard some LeGare 400's can knit worsted) or if you find that your yarns keep splitting.

I personally have an Auto Knitter and my machine, while it can knit with the large hook needles, it's certainly not happy (i.e., it feels very different when I crank and tends to drop stitches more often).

On the other hand, I've heard from people who one LeGare's who LOVE the large hook needles.

Another CSM'er likes to use large hook cylinder needles and regular sized ribber needles.

So really, it's a matter of what you're machine is happiest with.

Bonnie Smola's CD

CSM Instructional CD

From Yellow River Station website:

This CD contains information about Circular Sock Machines. How to clean them, how to set them up, thread them, adjust them for knitting including adjusting tension for yarn and conditions, adjusting timeing, knitting waste yarn, placing the ribber and ribber adjustments are all shown in the first section of the CD.

The second section of the CD shows how to make sock tops of different styles: ribbed, hemmed, rolled, picot, and mock ribber tops are all explained and illustrated. Different types of heels and how to make them are shown. Knitting toes both wide and narrow, fashion or wedge and toe closing using Kitcheners or latching completes this section.

Fancy stitches including open work, polka dots and argyles fill the third section of the CD.

Information about various machines and machine pictures provide a short history of the Circular Sock Machine for the fourth and final section of the CD.

Click here for more info.

Roxana Baechle's Videos

Roxana has made several videos that are true standards within CSM circles. Here's the run down of what she has available. Ordering information is located at the bottom of this post.

Initial set--2 tapes, 2 hours each, $45 plus $6 shipping (includes written patterns)--

Contents: checking out parts, cleaning, sorting and testing needles, substituting parts, assembling, threading, using the set-up basket, making a knitted set-up/bonnet, re-hung selvedge on 54 slot cylinder, selvedge on other cylinders, sock with plain foot, sock with ribbed arch, kitchener stitch done from needles. Shows Gearhart, LeGare and Auto Knitter threadings. (Can be used with any brand of machine with exception of the ribbed arch sock section which cannot be done as described using a Gearhart due to absence of drive pin to take ribber out of work.)

Tape #3--over 1 1/2 hours, $25 plus $6 shipping (includes written patterns)--

Contents: mock ribbed sock, kitchener stitch variation when mock ribbing is used, hem-tops, pouches, tote-sampler-stool, embellishments/pockets/elbow patches, changing colors, reversible/double-layered sock; all items can be completed without using the ribber attachment. (Can be used with any brand of machine and any number of slots in the cylinder. Demonstrations on Gearhart, LeGare, Auto Knitter.)

Tape #4--approx 1 1/2 hours, $26 plus $6 shipping (includes written patterns)

Contents: mittens, gloves, special neck warmer; includes section on open fingers and inserting eyelet lace. All knitting is done on machine; finishing requires sewing one side of each finger and thumb. (Can be used with any brand of machine. Demonstration on 60 slot Auto Knitter.)

Tape #5--approx 1 1/4 hours, $21 plus $6 shipping (includes written patterns)

Contents: uses large-eye needles; mock rib sock with selvedge top, fast bootie for kids, sewing up toes from scrap yarn. (Can be used with any machine and regular needles using regular yarns. This video features use of four-ply worsted weight acrylic and heavy wool yarns. Demonstration on 60 slot auto knitter.)

Tape #6--approx 2 hours, $26 plus $6 shipping (includes written patterns)

Contents: knitting diamond patterns in contrasting colors, framing a diamond, putting the contrasting color across diamonds in argyle, finishing hints. (Demonstration on 60 slot auto knitter. Need to adapt pattern slightly for using other cylinders.)

Tape #7--about 1.5 hrs, $21 plus $6 shipping (includes written patterns)

Contents: knitting a sock in ten minutes by using mock ribbing technique and straight-up leg; rehung selvege (no bulky hem-top), exaggerating selvege row, heels/toes using end of row back to work, adding stripes and contrasting heels/toes, replacing needles for foot section. (Demonstration on 60 slot Auto Knitter; can use any working machine; no ribber or special tools needed.) Has a section featuring slotted yarn carrier; wool suggested for this pattern, but experimentation may prove it suitable in synthetics. Hints for speeding up the color changes are helpful in other patterns too.

Tapes will be sent using USPS priority mail packaging and services.

May be ordered via snailmail with check or money order to:
Roxana Baechle
3360 W. Saginaw Rd.
Coleman, MI 48618

Paypal payments are most welcome using baechler@mindnet.org address and "non-auction goods."

Sock Knitting Machine 101 Book One

Donna Peters has a new book out that is for brand new CSM owners.

History of the CSM

Dr. Richard Candee has written the definitive history of the hand-cranked sock machine.

Get your copy of the CD-Rom from Angora Valley