Introduction to Machine Knitting - Issue 5

Text and photos by Mika Kitahara

Hello, knitters around the world! I hope you have been productive and are having fun knitting. In the last amirisu issue, I introduced circular and flat knitting machines. 

This time I will show you how I use my circular knitting machine to make hand knitting easier and more enjoyable.

●Create I-Cord with Knit Mill 

As the name suggests, this machine has a handle that looks like the one on a coffee mill. It has 4 needles, and creates a string that is as thick as a common I-Cord. 

How can you use this cord?  You can create a bracelet or a necklace… what everyone can usually think of.  How can we use it for hand knitting?

By picking up stitches from this cord, I get results similar to the I-Cord Cast On.  

This helps you to knit something like a baby bib in no time.

(Photos ①②③)

●For Sock Knitters

One sunny morning, I did a little experiment.  I dyed a sock yarn with Kool Aid.

First of all, I knit a tube using a toy knitting machine (the key is to knit with two strands).  I washed it and then dyed it with food coloring at random,  then wrapped it up and put it in a microwave.  After that, I washed it again and let it dry. 

When unraveled, I had two matching skeins for socks.  

(Photos④⑤⑥)

① Knit with two strands using Knit Mill

② Pick up stitches from the cord 

③ It creates an I-Cord Cast On

④ Knit in the round with two strands together

⑤ A very colorful fabric

⑥ The socks look like this