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New Circular Sock Machine Cookbook

New Circular Sock Machine Cookbook

My last blog post was over a year ago, near the beginning of the pandemic. Since then, a lot has happened. I had a stroke in April of 2020, I worked hard to recover, and then I went back to teaching full time. All the while, I’ve had patterns floating around that I wanted to make into a new CSM Cookbook. Finally, that time has arrived.

You can find The CSM Cookbook Volume Two: Fusion Recipes on Ravelry as an ebook or as individual patterns. Below is the introduction to Volume Two.

Introduction to The CSM Cookbook Volume Two: Fusion Recipes

Recipe checklists started out as a way to keep myself organized.  I noticed that as I learned of all the wonderful things I could make on my CSM that I would get confused or over confident and start skipping steps.  I made myself some checklists so that I wouldn’t forget all the important steps to making a given item but I kept them open ended so that I could use them over and over again.  From those lists came my first “cookbook” of recipes, The CSM Cookbook.  However, I still had a lot of checklists left over that didn’t quite fit in a basic sock book and many of them used hand knitting or crochet for finishing.  This book contains six of those patterns and includes two types of socks, mitts as well as mittens, headbands with four finishes, and a scarf with a crocheted trim.  All include hand knitting or crochet after the work on the sock machine is finished so I’ve termed them “fusion recipes” that combine more than one craft just as “fusion cooking” combines more than one cuisine!

There are some things I’m expecting you to know before using these patterns:

  • I’m assuming that you know how to set up your machine, adjust the tension, and get started on some waste yarn.  I refer to hanging a bonnet, but however you start a sock is fine.
  • I’m assuming that your cylinder is marked with half marks to divide the front and the back of the cylinder evenly and that both the front and the back half have target needles marked for making heels and toes.  
  • I’m assuming that you know how to do things like engage your heel spring and crank in both directions for heels and toes.
  • Since rehanging heel forks or v-hooks while making a heel or toe depends on your particular set up, there aren’t directions for when to do this.  Just move your weights when needed.
  • Finally, I’m assuming that you have learned how to clean your machine, time your ribber, and adjust your yarn carriage.

If you need help with any of those things, I’ve included some of the best online instructions and videos in the Resources section of my first book, The CSM Cookbook.  The first volume of the CSM Cookbook also contains directions for making gauge swatches, a worksheet to easily determine the rounds needed for a given person’s foot, and illustrations for techniques I mention in the patterns.  Once you have those basic skills, these checklists will help you put them together to make beautiful socks and accessories.  

I was introduced to circular sock machines as a hand knitter and knitwear designer, so you will see that I use hand knitting and US crochet terms within this book. The patterns are written in an open ended format so that you can customize the patterns to your liking.

There are many ways to accomplish a particular result on a sock machine.  I’ve outlined the methods that work well for me, but please explore other methods and find the ones that are right for you.  Part of the process of learning to use a sock machine is making mistakes.  These checklist style patterns will help keep you from making mistakes in completing all the steps of the process, but you’ll still have plenty of dropped stitches and other errors.  My advice is to take on a learner’s mindset.  Go slow at first, try new methods now and then, and enjoy the process of figuring things out!

Included in this book you will find six different recipes for socks and accessories.  Each recipe takes you through all the steps of making that particular item.  One recipe, the Afterthought Sock, contains reproducible directions that can be included with machine knitted tubes you sell or gift to friends.  This is the only pattern that you have permission to reproduce for others.  The rest you may reproduce for your personal use only.

Introduction to The CSM Cookbook

Introduction to The CSM Cookbook

You can purchase The CSM Cookbook through Ravelry. The following is the introduction to the book.

This project started out as a way to keep myself organized.  I noticed that as I learned more and more ways to make socks on my CSM that I would get confused or over confident and start skipping steps.  I made myself some checklists so that I wouldn’t forget all the important steps to making a given type of sock but I kept them open ended so that I could use them over and over again.  From those lists came this “cookbook” of recipes that you can use on your sock machine. Think of this as a basic first cookbook – it contains twelve recipes for all of the most common circular sock machine styles with six socks that are “top down” and start with the cuff or hem, and six socks that are “toe up” and start with an extended toe that can be stretched across the cylinder for a seamless design.

There are some things I’m expecting you to know before using these patterns:

  • I’m assuming that you know how to set up your machine, adjust the tension, and get started on some waste yarn.  I refer to hanging a bonnet, but however you start a sock is fine.
  • I’m assuming that your cylinder is marked with half marks to divide the front and the back of the cylinder evenly and that both the front and the back half have target needles marked for making heels and toes.  
  • I’m assuming that you know how to do things like engage your heel spring and crank in both directions for heels and toes.
  • Since rehanging heel forks or v-hooks while making a heel or toe depends on your particular set up, there aren’t directions for when to do this.  Just move your weights when needed.
  • Finally, I’m assuming that you have learned how to clean your machine, time your ribber, and adjust your yarn carriage.

If you need help with any of those things, I’ve included some of the best online instructions and videos in the back of this book in the Resources section.  Once you have those basic skills, these checklists will help you put them together to make beautiful socks.

Once I started working on these patterns, I realized that there were other things a new cranker (that’s a person who uses a hand crank sock machine) might like to have, like directions for making gauge swatches or a worksheet to easily determine the rounds needed for a given person’s foot or illustrations for techniques I mentioned in the patterns.  Suddenly, I had a whole book, not just patterns!

I was introduced to circular sock machines as a hand knitter and knitwear designer, so you will see that I use hand knitting terms within this book.  Many of my hand knitting skills transferred easily to working with the sock machine, so I used those conventions as I wrote. The patterns are written in an open ended format so that you can customize the pattern to make the type of sock you want in that style.  Every pattern can be used to make anything from an ankle sock to a knee sock and from the most petite foot length to an extra long foot, just fill in the blanks to adjust the leg and foot as needed.

As in hand knitting, there are many ways to accomplish a particular result on a sock machine.  I’ve illustrated the methods that work well for me, but please explore other methods and find the ones that are right for you.

One final comment:  Part of the process of learning to use a sock machine is making mistakes.  These checklist style patterns will help keep you from making mistakes in completing all the steps of the process, but you’ll still have plenty of dropped stitches and other mistakes.  The video channels listed in the Resource section show many examples of how to recover from mistakes. When something goes wrong, I usually try to estimate how long it will take me to repair the mistake compared to just scrapping the sock and starting over.  My advice is to take on a learner’s mindset. Go slow at first, try new methods now and then, and enjoy the process of figuring things out!

Anatomy of a Sock

Included in this book you will find six different socks that start at the cuff or top hem and six that start at the toe.  Each recipe takes you through all the steps of making a particular type of sock. Below is a diagram of the basic parts of a sock, whether you work the sock from the top down to the toe or from the toe up to the top.  

There are a few distinctions between parts depending on the type of sock.  The very top of the sock is referred to as the cuff when it is ribbed and as a Hung Hem if the edge is folded over and secured on the inside of the sock.  A pre-heel is a part of the sock that is worked in smooth stockinette for the back of the heel so that the sock fits better and is more comfortable inside a shoe.  If the sock doesn’t have ribbing or mock ribbing on the leg, there will not be a pre-heel.

Purchase the complete 72 page ebook today!

The CSM Cookbook

The CSM Cookbook

I’m so excited to announce a new ebook I’ve published called The CSM Cookbook! I’ve been working on this ebook for many months now and I consider it a basic first cookbook of checklist style patterns for the circular sock machine. The ebook contains twelve patterns for all of the most common circular sock machine styles with six socks that are “top down” and start with the cuff or hem, and six socks that are “toe up” and start with an extended toe that can be stretched across the cylinder for a seamless design.

You will also find chapters on making gauge swatches, sizing socks to fit your feet, an illustrated glossary of techniques, information on finishing socks, and a list of additional resources.

The twelve patterns included are:

Chapter 1 of the ebook is called Swatching for Gauge. I discuss all the things that can affect gauge, give directions for making a gauge swatch, explain how to do the math, and give you a worksheet for recording gauge information.

Chapter 2 is called sock sizing. I discuss the measurements you need to make great fitting socks, explain how to calculate how many rounds you need for each part of your sock, and provide a sock sizing worksheet you can use for each pair of socks you make.

Chapter 3 describes how to work the Quick and Easy Heels and Toes.

Chapter 4 is a ten page illustrated guide to common techniques and terms used in the patterns. If you are still learning about making socks, this chapter along with the resources in Chapter 7 will help you know what to do!

Chapter 5 includes all twelve checklists. These checklists are written in a step by step style so that you’ll never forgot to release your heel spring or stop in the front! You provide your own numbers based on swatching to make the socks the length and height you want. An example is shown below.

Chapter 6 provides links and tips for finishing both toe up and top down socks.

Chapter 7 is a list of additional resources, including video channels, links to manuals, and more!

All in all you’ll get 72 pages of information to make you successful in making socks on your CSM! Purchase and download it today!

Happy New Year 2019

Happy New Year 2019

Happy new year!  If you are a regular reader of my blog, I apologize for the long period of silence this fall.  This year I started teaching again in a 50% teaching position which seems to take 70% of my time!  I have really enjoyed being back in the classroom and I’m lucky to be working at a small school where I get to spend time with both younger and older students!

Now that my routine has settled there, I’m hoping to get back to regular blogging.  So let me catch you up on the knit-worthy goings on in the last three months!

I’ve been continuing to teach classes at Knit Sew Make, a teaching studio I started in the spring of 2018 with two other fiber artists.  For January and February, I’m teaching a Knitter’s Workshop class for self directed projects and a Crochet Mandalas class.  Check out our class registration website for a list of all our classes.

I also used my Erlbacher Gearhart hand crank sock machine to make over 50 items for our local Homeless Garden Project Holiday Store that benefits programs for the homeless here in Santa Cruz, CA.  I learned even more about what my sock machine can do and I’m planning to release some checklist style patterns for circular sock machines this spring.

I was a participating designer for the Indie Design Gift-A-Long and I helped moderate the Hands forum this year.  If you don’t know about this great event on Ravelry, join the group and keep your eyes open in late November 2019 for the beginning of the sale and Gift-A-Long.  It’s full of friendly people and starts with a sale of patterns from literally hundreds of independent designers!  I managed to complete three great patterns by other indie designers this year:  I made several Sheep Tape Measure Covers by Justyna Kacprzak as gifts, I completed the Sunstone hat by Triona Murphy, and I made the Christmas Tree Wrap by handmade by SMINÉ.

I also have FOUR new patterns that came out this fall!

The Simple Colorwork Mitts are an easy to knit pattern in worsted weight yarn that have three choices of colorwork for the tops of the mitts.

Lernen is a fingering weight lace shawl.  It’s perfect for beginning lace knitters as it gradually adds new stitches as you work the shawl.

Drachen is a oversized fit drop shoulder sweater that was published in Knitty Magazine.  It features a colorwork dragon motif around the hem.

Finally, the Stripes of Many Colors Cowl is the perfect way to use up the mini-skeins from a yarn advent calendar or any collection of mini-skeins or leftover yarn.  You’ll need about 135 yards of a contrast color to use throughout the cowl, but I think you will love the results!

 

In addition to the Gift-a-Long projects I completed, I also finished my Spanish Bay Cardigan, a pair of shortie socks that I gave as a gift, and my convertible poncho.  I started the Judah Cardigan just last week.

So although I didn’t find time to write much here, it’s been a busy three months!  You can also follow me on Instagram and on Facebook, where I often find time to make some quick updates!

 

 

 

On and Off the Needles for September

On and Off the Needles for September

This last month’s report will be a little slim as I’ve been working on some secret projects to be revealed in 2019.  However, I do have one new pattern release!  The Simple Colorwork Mitts are now available on my Ravelry store.  These mitts are a great way to use leftover worsted weight yarn and they come in three sizes with three patterns for the palm.  If you are a reader of my blog, you can get the pattern for 50% off using the code BLOGREADER at checkout!  Enjoy!

I’ve also been spending quite a bit of time working at my sock machine this month.  I’ve made several pairs of socks for my daughter (she picked the yarn from my stash and also worked on some preemie hats and a pattern for a wine bottle cozy.  I’m starting to make socks to give away or sell for the holiday season.  I also made a whole string of fingerless mitts that now need to be finished and have the thumbs hand knit.

I put in a few rows on my Star Wars Scarf, my Japanese Poncho/Cardigan, and my Spanish Bay is just a few woven ends in from being done!

Gauge on a CSM

Gauge on a CSM

A while back, I really got into using the ribber on my CSM and I looked at all the factors that affected how the ribber worked.  One thing I did was reduce the amount of weight I was using on my socks and suddenly my socks were coming out in unexpected sizes.  It got me thinking about all the factors that affect gauge when making a sock.  Gauge included both stitch gauge and row/round gauge.  Stitch gauge determines how big around the sock is and is usually measured in stitches per inch/cm.  Row gauge (sometimes identified as round gauge) determines how long the sock will be and is usually measure in the number of rounds per inch/cm.   Although there are various charts on the internet that claim to list the number of stitches and rows you will need to make a give sized sock on a given cylinder, the only way to really know your gauge is to do a swatch yourself and measure.

Here are all the thing that will affect your gauge:

Cylinder size: All the cylinders for a given sock machine are the same diameter and circumference (different brands of machines will have different diameter cylinders).  The difference is in how far apart the slots are cut for the needles.   Fewer needles mean the needles are spaced farther apart.  More needles will mean they are spaced closer together.  The yarn will run a shorter distance from needle to needle when the needles are closer together and a longer distance when they are further apart creating smaller or larger stitches respectively.

Number of needles used in the cylinder: For mock rib or for patterns worked every other needle, removing needles creates short strands of yarn in the space where the needle is missing.  These aren’t as long as the path going around a needle, but they are longer than the usual path between side by side needles.  Removing needles for mock rib or other patterns will tend to tighten the stitch gauge but may lengthen the row/round gauge.

Two sock yarn samples on different cylinders with different cam nut settings every 30-40 rounds.

Tension as set on the cam nut: The position of the cam nut determines how far down the needle pulls the yarn as it creates a stitch and makes the stitches “tighter” or “looser,” affecting both stitch and row/round gauge.  The cam nut is the main thing we usually think about when adjusting gauge, but it works in tandem with all the other factors listed here.

Using the ribber:  Knit and purl stitches tend to draw in when combined, giving a tighter stitch gauge when measured in a relaxed state.  Ribbing does stretch, though, and a stretched ribbed fabric will have the same gauge as a plain knit fabric if all the conditions of making it are otherwise the same.

Amount of weight hanging on the sock: The amount of weight hanging on the sock will affect how large stitches become.  Less weight means less pull and less yarn in each stitch.  More weight means more yarn can be pulled into each stitch.

Heel spring use:  The heel spring puts drag on the yarn, meaning that less yarn can get to each stitch because it’s being pulled taut.  That means both stitch and row gauge are generally tighter with the heel spring on.

Yarn used:  All fingering weight yarns are not exactly the same.  They will be of slightly different diameters which can fill the space between stitches and affect both stitch and row gauge.  The amount of nylon in the yarn, the twist or springiness of the yarn, and if you add a thread of lycra to the yarn will all affect the size of the stitches.  In addition, different colors of the same yarn may produce slightly different gauges because the dye in the yarn takes up space and can make one color “plumper” than another.

Method for winding yarn: Yarn coming off a ball will have slightly more tension on it than yarn coming off a cone.  Whatever method you use to prepare your yarn will add or subtract tension, changing your gauge.

Special patterning:  Cables, Fair Isle patterning, and slipped stitches will all change the gauge of a sock.  Cables tend to affect stitch gauge more and slipped stitches will change row gauge more.

Resting and washing:  The gauge you measure when a sock is fresh off the machine will not be the same as the gauge after the same sock has rested and been washed.  When the yarn has been under tension, it is much more stretched.  In addition, some yarns will “bloom” after being washed, which also affects gauge.  For a true gauge check, the sock should at the very least rest until it has relaxed to it’s “normal” state and should usually be washed to determine how washing changes the yarn.

Knit fabric is stretchy, so there is some range in which a sock will fit comfortably.  For consistent results in gauge and sock width and length, all the above conditions should be the same from one sock to the next.

Making Mitts on the CSM

Making Mitts on the CSM

So far I’ve made two sets of mitts on my circular sock machine and they are quickly becoming my favorite project. There are no heels to turn and they are smaller than a sock so there is less cranking.  I make a hole for the thumb using this technique and do a bit of hand work to finish them with a hand knit thumb which is a comfortable thing for me to do as a hand knitter.  They have also taught me a lot about using my ribber.

You can take a look at the checklist I developed to make these mitts.  I’ve been using checklists like this for my projects because they help me remember to do all the steps for both items in a pair, and if I’m pulled away from the machine by family needs, I know where I am when I can return.

Since the mitts are ribbed from top to bottom and require starting with the ribber and then changing to less ribber needles and then back to more ribber needles, I had to really get more comfortable with my ribber.  In no particular order, here are some things that helped me:

  1. Slow down!  Stockinette on all cylinder needles pretty much behaves itself at all speeds as long as your tension is right and the yarn is feeding correctly.  At least on my machine, when the ribber and cylinder needles start working together, I need to slow down so the yarn feeds back and forth between those needles evenly.
  2. Watch the first round or two carefully after switching needle formations.  In addition to going more slowly, I carefully watched each needle close around the yarn after putting in the new needles.  Although I carefully check the latches to make sure they are open, by watching each needle, I can make sure each one is going to do its job and I didn’t accidentally brush a latch closed somewhere.
  3. Learn to do the needle transfers from cylinder to ribber as shown here.  At first I was using a pick tool to move the stitches and it stretches them out just enough that they were more prone to dropping.  This method leaves the stitch tight on the new needle.
  4. Watch the latches carefully when switching to and from waste yarn.  The other place I would drop stitches was when moving between waste yarn and project yarn because the knot would get in the way of a needle latch or the long tail pulled into the cylinder would change the angle of the yarn.  So I’ve learned to watch those areas carefully and help the yarn into a latch if it misses.

(Some of the links in this post are to Ravelry forums.  If you are working with a circular sock machine, there are several friendly and helpful groups on Ravelry– and joining Ravelry is free!)

First Adventures with a Hand Crank Circular Sock Machine

First Adventures with a Hand Crank Circular Sock Machine

As a combination Christmas/birthday present last week, my dear mother in law gave me an Erlbacher Gearhart Circular Sock Machine.  My machine is a Speedster, named so because it has a 1:1 gear ratio– one turn of the handle equals one turn of the carriage.

I started my adventures setting up the machine and doing lots of tubes and sample heels.

After I got comfortable with cranking out tubes and making heels and toes, I tried my first pair of socks.  I picked the simplest pattern possible– a shortie sock with no ribbing.  I used the socklet recipe given by Jocelyn in her fiberdev blog.  I used this video to learn how to make the hung hem and I used the manual that came with my machine and this video to make a quick and easy heel.  This video is a demonstration of this type of sock and it was really useful to watch although not meant as an instructional video.  Finally, this video helped me to Kitchener stitch the toes.

You can see more details for this sock on my Ravelry page.  These socks are loose around the ankles but comfortable in the foot.  I made them a little too long for my foot.

 

 

Next, I decided to make friends with my ribber.  For the most part, I used this video by Jenny Deters and followed it step by step.  I also watched the Erlbacher Gearhart videos specifically about using my ribber to get started.  I dropped a couple of stitches for a couple of rounds on one sock and didn’t notice till they had already repaired themselves, so I caught them with a safety pin and made a repair after the sock was off the machine.

This sock has ribbing on the top of the foot but is stockinette on the sole and it’s fully ribbed around the leg.  It fits really well and is surprisingly comfortable in a shoe.  I made these just a tad short.  You can see more details on my Ravelry project page.

 

My third pair of socks allowed me to try the final techniques I was interested in learning right away– toe up socks and mock rib stitch.  I used this video and this video to make the toe and then used the heel I’ve been using for the other projects.  I used this video to make the mock rib and this video to finish the hem.

These socks fit well in the foot (I finally found my magic number for rounds in the foot) and the mock rib held the socks up surprisingly well.  You can see my recipe for this sock on my Ravelry project page.

Learning to use a circular sock machine requires some detective work.  The manual that came with the machine has lots of the basics, but some things are better explained in the company’s videos and in videos by other “crankers”.  I found some great support in the Erlbacher Gearhart Ravelry Group, which is quite active, and also in the Circular Sock Machine Knitters 2.0 Facebook group.  I also started a Google Doc where I’ve been collecting names of methods with informational links as well hints and tips that seem useful.  There are a few things that I’ve read about but haven’t found a good explanation for yet.  You can see that document in view only format here— I’ll be adding to it and reorganizing it as I continue to learn.