Curious about why a hand knitter might want to own an addiExpress Kingsize knitting machine? Here are 10 reasons this useful tool belongs in every hand knitter's collection:
- When you want to see how a yarn will pattern, you can quickly run it through the machine and get a general idea. True, you cannot alter the gauge or needle size, but like we said, you will get a general idea – and if you don’t bind off, you can quickly photograph the fabric with your smartphone or camera, and then easily rip it out. You can even rewind the yarn into a cake directly from the piece you knitted. Easy peasy!
- You can use the addiExpress Kingsize to knit panels that can be combined to make a sweater. Since your machine has a row counter, this is most easily done by casting on and working in waste yarn for a few rows, then working the desired amount of rows in the main yarn, and then ending again with a few rows in the waste yarn. Once the desired amount of panels are created, take a circular needle and run it through the first row of stitches of the main yarn on the cast on end and bind off. Repeat this on the bind off end. Next, line up the stitches and match your panels row by row.
- You can do far more knitting for charity! Reversible hats especially, are very easy and quick to make on the addiExpress Kingsize. No hand knitting is necessary– but you can certainly add some flair by using your hand-knitting skills to create ribbing or other embellishments.
- Tubular scarves make scarf knitting easy! To give them more of a “hand-knitted” look, we recommend casting on and binding off using waste yarn, and finishing the ends of the scarf by transferring the stitches to a circular needle and either creating a ribbing in the round, or close the ends entirely by knitting two stitches together (one from each side of the fold), followed with ribbing. You can also add fringe!
- As a hand knitter you know how knit stitches are created, allowing you to manipulate stitches on the addiExpress Kingsize more easily than someone who does not hand knit. This knowledge offers the opportunity for so much more creativity, such as dropping stitches that can be picked up with another color, or from the reverse side, creating a more dimensional stitch pattern than simple Stockinette!
- It is a true stash buster ! You can hold finer yarns double (and triple) stranded on the addiExpress Kingsize, making it possible to create hats and scarves and panels by combining those lighter weight yarns to achieve the worsted gauge the machine creates.
- Creating felt that coordinates with your hand-knitted piece is super easy. Simply knit your non-superwash yarn in a tube and bind it off. Toss it in your washing machine to felt, cut the tube open, and you’ll have a great piece of felt to use in conjunction with your hand-knitted pieces. Create felted collars, button bands, front panels or patches that coordinate perfectly with your knitted piece.
- Twisted headbands are all the rage! They are quickly knit in stockinette stitch by hand. but imagine how quickly they are made on the addiExpress Kingsize! Adding special touches, like a cable, can be accomplished with practice, but only if you understand stitch construction, (which as a hand-knitter, you do)!
- It’s super fun! Once you get started combining your addiExpress Kingsize along with hand knitting techniques, you are certain to discover how pleasurable it is to create items for yourself, your family and friends, and for charity, using the two together. It truly is the best of both worlds!