Kilts and Circular Sock Machines!

**KiltedKnome** · 17th August 15, 12:39 PM

At Fibrations 2015, a Victoria celebration of fiber arts, The Wizard demonstrated the use of circular sock machines .... kilted, of course!

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**Profane James** · 17th August 15, 01:45 PM

Ah cool! Putting the 'spoke' in bespoke with that thing!

**IsaacW** · 17th August 15, 02:44 PM

OOooo.... I would love one of those machines!!

IW

**KiltedKnome** · 17th August 15, 03:56 PM

Originally Posted by IsaacW

OOooo.... I would love one of those machines!!

IW

Check out this website....http://stores.erlbachergearhart.com/

**IsaacW** · 17th August 15, 04:01 PM

Originally Posted by KiltedKnome

Check out this website....http://stores.erlbachergearhart.com/

Yes, I have seen that. My wife and I have considered getting one but have been waffling on it. They are a bit of an investment, but I do know there are less and less people making bespoke hose and especially tartan hose.

IW

**Steve Ashton** · 17th August 15, 09:12 PM

If I can throw some advice your way.

The learning curve with these machines is huge. Most are purchased and never used simply because their owners never seem to be able to make a sock on one.

I'm pretty mechanical. I mean I used to take apart multi-million dollar attack helicopters and put them back together.
But these machines almost drove me over the edge.
They are old world steam engine technology. You have to be able to adjust them, timing one gear to another, and they work best when you have an oil can handy.

I never was able to get a good sock out of my first machine which was an antique purchased about 6 years ago.

With these brand new machines at least you know that the machine works. That is simply not true of many of the EBay machines. Some EBay sellers have found that these machines have become popular and are buying old rusty ones from farm sales and bodgering two or three together then commanding prices that rival a new machine. Ravelry is full of horror stories about these EBay machines.

It took me about six weeks of nightly cranking, and about $300.00 worth of yarn to get my first good sock.

I am now seen as some sort of expert with these machines. I have been asked to teach classes and hold seminars on how to work them. And I am not yet able to make an argyle or Tartan sock. I can do ribbing and cables all day long but the secret of Argyles and Tartan patterns is still slightly beyond me. I WILL get there but I may go crazy doing so.

If you are seriously thinking about one of these sock machines I strongly suggest you find someone near you who has one. Go see them and crank on their working machine. Having a mentor can make all the difference between making a sock and having a couple thousand dollar door stop in your home.