Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Now I can be Cranky & Happy at One Time

My CSM arrived yesterday. I was so excited I almost exploded! It took quite some time to get it all unpacked and last night I sat around watching YouTube videos and admiring my purchase. Since I didn't have a clue how to make a set-up bonnet (which is apparently how you start knitting on a CSM), I figured I'd just learn what YouTube had to offer. One of the videos offered a unique solution by using a shower scrubbie as a set-up bonnet. So tonight after work (and a quick trip to Target), I successfully knit on my CSM. It was just a simple tube -- in fact, a full skein of tubes! It was definitely harder as I increased the number of needles and harder yet when I increased the tension but all in all, I knit a tube!

I like the way it kind of poops the knitting out and to give you some perspective, I knit/cranked 6 feet of tubing in about 10-15 minutes. I don't know how fast you knit but that would have taken me till Labor Day!

Here's a shot of the scrubbie thing still attached to the knitting. I can't believe that I literally knit an entire skein of sock yarn in less than 15 minutes. I can't wait to get "waste" yarn so I can practice more, and then some more, and learn to knit perfect tubes, then master architecturally perfect heels, expertly stitch kitchener and then (insert booming voice, crescendo and superhero pose here) I will pronounce myself the CSM SOCK KING. I may have to change the name of my blog but before I order stationary, I can share one simple thing I've learned about CSM knitting. I'm gonna need a lot more yarn. I mean, I'M GONNA NEED A LOT MORE YARN ---- A LOT, A LOT!!!!

4 comments:

Dave Daniels said...

Congrats and good job on getting it up and running.
Now, you need to get yourself sock yarn on cones, and learn dyeing and you'll be ready to roll!
I'm wearing a pair of my own cranked socks right now. :) And, yes, they ARE extra special because *I* made them.

Melanie said...

Whoa. That's wild. Watch your fingers and toes around that thing.

Krystal said...

Woa!!! That is just way too cool! I want one!! Um, today is my birthday, do you think I could borrow it for a while to play with??? :p

And I'm right there with you on not getting that much knitted. It would take me to Christmas most likely to get all that completed that the machine did in 15 minutes!

And don't yell if this is a stupid question, but, can you knit other things besides socks on this machine or is it specifically just a sock machine? Maybe I need to go google this.

Edward said...

I was thinking the same thing when you first posted that you bought one. As Dave said, time to start buying cones.
Great job with your first piece, I tested one out at a wool mill and it was not easy!