May 28, 2025 • 37 mins
In this week's episode, we are excited to welcome Celeste Angello, known as the Cranky Spinster, about her journey into the world of circular sock knitting machines (CSM). They discuss the importance of community, the process of restoring antique machines, and tips for beginners looking to get started in sock knitting.
Celeste shares her experiences with crank-ins, the innovations in the CSM world, and the creative possibilities that come with using these machines. The conversation highlights the rich history of sock knitting and the excitement of exploring new techniques and ideas within the craft.
Takeaways:
- Celeste identifies as a maker, encompassing various crafts.
- Crank-ins are essential for learning and community building.
- The best sock machine is one that works, regardless of age.
- Budget and intended use are key factors in choosing a sock machine.
- Beginners should focus on mastering the basics of sock knitting.
- The online community for sock knitting is vast and varied.
- Innovations in sock knitting include 3D printed machines and accessories.
- Creativity in sock knitting is limited only by imagination.
- Restoration of antique machines can be a rewarding process.
- Celeste shares her journey and encourages others to explore the craft.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
UNKNOWN (00:00):
you
SPEAKER_02 (00:08):
All right, welcome to the Sweet Georgia Show.
This is a podcast about craft,creativity, and what compels us
to create.
I'm your host, Felicia Lowe fromSweet Georgia and also the
School of Sweet Georgia.
And today I am thrilled towelcome Celeste Angelo, known in
the fiber world as the crankyspinster.
Now, I met Celeste a few yearsago at the Earl Bakker
(00:28):
Homecoming and the Crank Inn inMissouri, and she was expertly
cranking socks and telling meabout how she was restoring
circular sock knitting machines.
And it seemed like very, veryintense work.
And so I wanted to ask her a lotabout that.
At that event, she alsointroduced me to the idea of
knitting with Kevlar yarn tomake super, super hard wearing
(00:49):
knitted socks.
And so I came home with a coneof Kevlar yarn.
And so since that time, sincethat day that we met, I found
that Celeste is awesome.
Also doing lots of veryinteresting things in this world
with these machine needles andthings like that and making a
very, very popular tool calledthe triple stitch I-cord tool.
And that really blew up andexploded on social media.
(01:11):
And so I have lots of questionsabout the circular sock knitting
machines, about the CSMcommunity and what is happening
in the world of CSM knitting.
So I'm looking forward toexploring all of that today.
Welcome to the show, Celeste.
Thanks for having me.
Very, very excited to have youhere.
So okay, first off, my firstquestion is, I am often very,
(01:34):
very challenged by what to callourselves, like when we are
doing the things that we'redoing.
I know like I...
spin and I weave and I knit andI dye and I do all these machine
things now.
And I often find like, I don'tknow what to call myself.
I call myself like knitter slashspinner slash weaver.
Or do you call yourself a fiberartist or maker or crafter?
(01:58):
Like what, what do you callyourself and how do you describe
all of the work that you do?
SPEAKER_00 (02:03):
I'm a maker, I think, because I do way more
than sock machines and knittingand spinning and I sew for a
living.
And I work on, I mean, I have awood shop.
We have a machine shop.
So we're makers.
I'm a maker.
That's what I would refer tomyself as.
(02:25):
But as far as sock machine goes,I think we're crankers.
Crankers.
You think all sock knittingmachine people call themselves
crankers, right?
SPEAKER_02 (02:32):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (02:33):
Yeah, we could be crankers or cranky.
SPEAKER_02 (02:36):
Or CSM knitters.
Does that come up as a thing?
SPEAKER_00 (02:41):
We could be knitters, sock machine knitters.
We're still knitters.
Knitters.
SPEAKER_02 (02:46):
Yeah.
Yeah.
UNKNOWN (02:49):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (02:49):
So can you share with me a little bit of a story
and background about like howyou came into this whole world
of circular sock knittingmachines and antique machines?
Because like you just said, youhave a wood shop and you're
sewing and you're doing allthese different things.
Like how did this one particularpart come into your life?
SPEAKER_00 (03:06):
You want the long story?
SPEAKER_02 (03:11):
The best version of the story.
SPEAKER_00 (03:13):
Okay.
I was sitting at an auction witha friend and she knits and I
knit.
And we were sitting theretalking about how socks were the
most functional knitting.
Like, I feel like if you givesomeone socks, they're going to
wear socks.
You give them a sweater, they'llsave it for a special occasion.
Hat, they'll probably wear.
But I felt socks were prettyfunctional and I was knitting
(03:34):
socks.
And she says to me, I think theyused to make this machine that
did that.
And I was very intrigued.
And...
started kind of looking into it.
And I had a job at the timewhere I got a tax return and
they said, you know, I kind ofwas looking for a machine and
thought that was the year I wasgoing to buy one.
(03:55):
And I tell my spouse and hesays, let me ask around in the
junk world.
And sure enough, he found a guya mile from my house that had
one in his junk pile.
So I quickly went down there andI got it and taught myself how
to use it.
And it was a Steber, which is areally odd little machine.
(04:15):
But I learned how to use it andjoined, I think, a Yahoo group
at the time.
Yahoo used to have these groups.
I don't know.
There was a sock machine groupon Yahoo and kind of taught
myself, kind of found a coupleother people in my area and met
up with them.
(04:37):
We went to a couple of crack inswith them, met some more people,
got on Facebook when theystarted making groups for sock
machines.
And it just kind of blew up fromthere.
And I think I've been doing thissince 2010.
So I'm 15 years into this.
SPEAKER_02 (04:55):
That's amazing.
So like picking up this antiqueCSM machine out of out of a junk
pile?
How do you even know where tostart to A, fix it, and then B,
learn how to use it?
And this is like you're sayingin a day and age when people are
on Yahoo groups, this is beforeFacebook, right?
SPEAKER_00 (05:15):
Yes.
SPEAKER_02 (05:16):
Where is all the information about how to do
these things?
SPEAKER_00 (05:19):
Yeah, whatever you could find online from the
people in the Yahoo group orYouTube.
And YouTube was really limitedat the time as far as like there
was maybe five or six videos onYouTube of people making socks
and using a machine, but none ofthem were the machine I had.
So I kind of was in my own worldtrying to learn how to use it
(05:41):
until I got to a first crankingmachine.
And then I think I picked up alot of information.
Second crank in picked up a tonof information.
I feel like my socks improvedwith every crank in I went to.
I picked up something else fromsomebody else who was willing to
show me, you know, a tip ortrick.
And I really feel crank ins areneeded.
(06:02):
You need to go and be with yourpeople.
You have to do more than just avideo.
It's it's hands on.
SPEAKER_01 (06:09):
So,
SPEAKER_02 (06:10):
I mean, for anybody who's listening who doesn't
really know what a cranking is,can you describe a little bit
about what this event is?
SPEAKER_00 (06:16):
It's a group of people that have sock machines
and want to meet up and hang outand use their sock machines.
And sometimes there's classesand tutorials on how to do
things.
And Sometimes it's just a groupof people making socks, but it's
(06:36):
definitely someplace you can goand get help if you need it.
I mean, all levels are welcome.
SPEAKER_02 (06:43):
Yeah.
So, I mean, I have onlypersonally been to one crank in
ever since I started workingwith these machines.
And I mean, we're in Vancouverhere.
There hasn't been, I would liketo organize one.
I mean, I feel like it is greatand really, really helpful to
meet up with other people who dothis and then learn from them.
There just haven't been a lot ofopportunities for everybody to
(07:06):
get together.
But the one that I attended isthe one where I met you.
And I just remember how therewere so many experienced
crankers.
there who were teaching peoplelike how to take the machine out
of the box for the very firsttime, how to cast on for the
very first time.
And they were so incrediblygenerous with all of their
(07:26):
knowledge.
And it was just such like asharing, welcoming, encouraging
place to be.
I thought it was amazing.
So I've been encouragingeverybody to go.
But yeah, for somebody who wantsto organize ones, like what do
you feel like is the mostimportant thing about a crank
in?
SPEAKER_00 (07:47):
I don't know.
A good space.
Find a good space that'sconvenient for people to get to.
I have a crank in that I haveorganized in May and it's at a
fiber festival in centralPennsylvania.
And I get people from Ohio andVirginia and New Hampshire, New
York.
I mean, I get people from allover the area to come to this.
(08:11):
And so a good space with apositive atmosphere.
I don't know.
I mean, people are like, this isa great cranking.
You did such a great job.
And I said, I just make a spacefor you guys to come hang out
with your machines.
I don't know what makes it good.
I think the people make it good.
You have good people, you have agood cranking.
SPEAKER_02 (08:32):
Yeah, this is amazing.
So one of the places that ifpeople are looking for crank-ins
to attend, there is a calendarand a list that they can find
online,circularsockmachinesociety.org,
I believe it is.
I
SPEAKER_00 (08:47):
forget what the CSKM – there's a bunch of letters.
SPEAKER_02 (08:51):
Yeah, we'll put that link in the show notes for sure.
I'm really not good at that.
SPEAKER_00 (08:55):
Yes, definitely.
And they have an event calendarthere where you can post events
and– They're all a lot of fun,but they tend to be in the
Midwest a lot.
SPEAKER_02 (09:08):
Yeah.
And I mean, like this one that Iattended, the Earl, Earl Walker
one, I just found that there wasa lot of people who drove from
super far away, like driving for14 hours to come and attend this
crank in.
And so I feel like it is likethis, this great space where
everybody can kind of come andit becomes a bit of a
destination, right?
SPEAKER_00 (09:27):
Like, yeah, I drove 14 hours there and 14 hours
back.
So yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (09:32):
It's an important thing to attend, right?
SPEAKER_00 (09:34):
Yeah.
It's a lot of fun.
SPEAKER_02 (09:37):
So in terms of like restoring all these machines, I
mean, that wasn't the firstmachine.
I mean, you restored the firstmachine and then after that, and
you've been doing this for 15years now, how many sort of
machines have you sort of seenand faced?
I
SPEAKER_00 (09:53):
have no, I have no count on the machines.
I mean, um, I ended up buying amachine.
I think during the pandemic iswhere I really got crazy on
fixing and repairing machinesand started talking to other
people who buy and sell machinesand parts.
(10:14):
I ended up buying one woman'scollection who lived in Iowa.
And that was a journey.
I drove to Iowa, picked up awhole bunch of parts, filled my
car, and drove it back.
And then I had a woman who wasan elder in sock machine
community call me last year.
And I think I made five trips toher house.
(10:35):
She had a heck of a collectionof machines.
And I ended up buying all of hermachines.
And I have just been, you know,finding machines at auctions or
flea markets.
I have a lot of friends that areclean-out crew of antique
dealers, so they all know whatI'm looking for.
And the trade is, I'll make yousocks.
(10:58):
So they get kind of excitedabout having socks.
So that's kind of cool.
But yeah, I can't really tellyou how many machines I've had
that have gone through mypossession, but I could give you
a my opinions on them.
(11:19):
But yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (11:20):
Yeah.
Do you have a favorite machine?
What's been, what's been afavorite machine?
SPEAKER_00 (11:26):
I really like Laguerre 400s and any version of
that.
I think if, when you saw me inMissouri, I had my sham board
with me, which is the newversion of the closed cam Legare
400 based, basically the samething.
I really like those.
Right now I'm on any base ofCreelman Moneymaker or any of
(11:50):
those machines that were made byCreelman.
I think they also made machinesfor Auto Knitter and Home
Profit, which I've had,currently I have a Home Profit
and I think I posted in the 3.0group, all the paperwork that
came with that machine, whichwas really interesting.
Finding a lot of paperwork withmachines is interesting.
(12:11):
But yeah, that style, yeah,that's an open cam cast iron
machine.
Those are kind of favorites ofmine.
What kind of paperwork comeswith them?
Sometimes you get, like, the onethat I just got came with
paperwork from the originalowner that she bought in 1922.
(12:33):
It was a contract for makingsocks for the company.
And also a lot of correspondencebetween her and the company on
things she was stuck on.
So imagine, you know, you'restuck on something.
Now you can go to the Internetand ask someone.
She had to write a letter andthen wait for a response.
SPEAKER_02 (12:54):
Were the responses good?
Were they
SPEAKER_00 (12:55):
helpful?
The responses were good.
And you know what?
When I started playing with thatmachine and getting it running,
I understood exactly what shewas talking about and where she
was stuck.
And I don't think she ever usedit.
I think she got frustrated andput it down, but it turned out
to be a really nice machine onceI worked on it a little bit.
SPEAKER_02 (13:14):
That's amazing.
It's like picking up thismachine from like the 1920s and
then going through theexperience of what someone else
had experienced back in the1920s.
It's almost like time travel,right?
Some of these machines are likeabout 100 years old.
Yeah.
I mean, I first heard about...
like machines and, um, CSM andcrankers back in about 2008,
(13:37):
2009, somebody had come to mystudio from back East in Canada
and said, Oh, you should jointhis group of people who they
all make socks.
We're all called crankers.
And I went online immediatelyand it was looking for, well,
where can I get one of thesemachines?
And at the time I couldn't findanything that was made new.
Um, I maybe was looking in thewrong place, but all I found was
antique machines and they wereall starting at about like$800
(14:00):
us.
And I was like, Oh, that'sThat's quite a lot.
That's more than I was willingto do at the time.
And then I also wasn't sure if Iknew how to use it or anything
like that.
So I know that since I startedgetting down into this path,
people email me a lot askingabout what CSM should I buy?
(14:20):
Like, where should I start?
If I want to do this, whereshould I start?
Should I get a used machine?
Should I get an antique restoredmachine?
Should I try to restore my own?
Should I buy a new machine?
Like what advice can you give tosomebody who wants to get
started?
SPEAKER_00 (14:32):
The best machine is the working machine.
And I tell that to everybody.
And then after that budget is,you know, what's your budget?
How much money do you have tothrow at this?
Because you could spendthousands.
And I think, I don't know whatthe average new machine is
probably close to$3,000.
(14:54):
And it really, you know, itdepends on what you want to do.
And I always ask people, youknow, do you knit socks?
Do you hand knit socks?
How many stitches do you like tocast on for a sock?
And I go from there.
I'm like, there are people thatlike sport weight or heavier DK
(15:15):
weight somewhere on the thickerend.
I always suggest a 60 cylinder.
If they like fingering weight,you know, commercial sock yarn,
I always go with a 72.
If they are used to hand knitpatterns that that only cast on
64 stitches than I suggest a 64,but it's all about budget and
what you want that machine to doand what you want it to do down
(15:37):
the road.
You know?
I mean, you could buy a newmachine and it would make socks
really well.
You can buy an antique machinefor half the price that'll do
the same thing and it's just asnice.
And I have new and old in mycollection, in my personal
collection, and they all workreally, really well.
SPEAKER_01 (15:57):
So
SPEAKER_00 (15:58):
it's just, I think, what you want it to do and what
your budget is.
Do
SPEAKER_02 (16:03):
you think somebody has to have like a real
mechanical mindset in
SPEAKER_00 (16:07):
order to do this craft?
You have to be kind ofmechanical.
You have to understand how thatmachine works and how to take it
apart and not be afraid of it.
there are a lot of people thatlike, I don't know what to do.
Like you use it, you have ascrewdriver, everything is held
together.
You know, you take it apart, youcan put it back together.
It's not that hard to do.
(16:28):
I don't think it's that hard todo, but I, you know, used to
take apart cars.
So it's just a machine thatknits in a circle.
It's not that tough, but forpeople who don't, if you just
knit, um, It might be a littletoo much for you, but you have
to learn how to be your own sockmachine mechanic.
SPEAKER_02 (16:49):
Yeah, it's a bit like becoming a mechanic, right?
Like you come out of this,you're knitting a sock and all
of a sudden you're like, oh, myhands are covered in grease.
Yes, why are my hands black?
SPEAKER_00 (17:01):
Yeah, that's
SPEAKER_02 (17:03):
common.
UNKNOWN (17:07):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (17:08):
Okay, fantastic.
So now, you also mentioned the3.0 group.
Can you describe what thesethings are?
Because I know that when I triedto find the community of
circular sock knitting machinesonline, I did get pointed a lot
to Facebook groups.
But there's more than one, andthere's many, and there's
(17:28):
multiple versions of all theseFacebook groups.
So I'm wondering, how do younavigate all this?
Where are the sock...
knitters like where do they hangout uh online
SPEAKER_00 (17:39):
they're they're all over facebook uh there's you
know i i think a lot of the sockmachine groups started as one
group where somebody got angryand then started another group
and then that group got too bigand somebody started another
group and then there's groupsthat are you know regional
groups that are new england orum Pennsylvania, mid Atlantic
(18:02):
groups, and then there's, youknow, Minnesota groups.
And then there's groups thatare, you know, people in
glorious socks, the pigs group,the cows group, crankers of
wonderful socks.
And those are groups of peoplethat actually have crank ins
once a year and meet up.
And I mean, there's just somany, I think I just kind of go
with, there's the sock machinesociety group and yeah.
(18:26):
Yeah.
One's dedicated to specificmachines.
I mean, I don't know.
I don't know where the bestplace to find a group is.
Find the area you're in and joinsome of the groups and figure it
out because there's a lot of it.
SPEAKER_02 (18:42):
Yeah, I think that that was my end.
I mean, that's what I ended updoing is just ended up joining
all the groups, whichever groupI could find.
Yes, we're in all the groups.
Yeah, and they're all actuallyvery active on Facebook for
sure.
Are they...
you know, anywhere else, um,like where, where would you find
other sock knitters these daysbesides like online?
(19:04):
Probably
SPEAKER_00 (19:05):
Ravelry.
Ravelry has some crankers.
I know all the social mediaplatforms kind of have groups
that are dedicated to sockmachines, um, and people who
knit, but, um, yeah, Instagram,all the, the social media is
TikTok, all of them.
Blue Sky, whenever you havetheir sock machine people there.
SPEAKER_02 (19:28):
Now, in terms of like, you know, learning how to
make your own sock from scratch,do you have like.
tips or suggestions forbeginners who are wanting to get
started?
And, you know, like, likesomeone who, you know, from your
1920s contact who had sort ofstarted a sock and then gotten
(19:48):
frustrated, where do you findpeople like find the most
challenges and how do you getaround all of those?
SPEAKER_00 (19:56):
I always tell people that just get the basics down to
start.
make sure you can knit in acircle, adjust your tension,
tighten your stitch, loosen yourstitch, get a feel for that,
figure out how to turn a heeland a toe, get that organized.
Once you get that down and thenmake a hung hem sock, go from
(20:17):
there.
And then once you get good atthat and your tension's nice,
try to hook up your ribber andfigure out how your ribber works
properly.
And It is trial and error.
There's no right way to make asock.
Everyone does somethingdifferent.
And it still ends up in a sock.
(20:38):
So...
SPEAKER_02 (20:39):
Yeah, no, I think that that's where I found a lot
of the, you know, challengingopinions on on some of these
groups and conversations.
It's right, because there's somany different ways that you can
make a sock.
And I think that there was onewas like, Oh, I'm going to make
a sock with my heel spring onthe entire time.
I'm that that's good idea.
That's not a good idea.
It was just, there's a lot ofconflicting information.
(21:00):
So I guess in the end, it's justdepends on like, well, what do
you like?
How do you want your socks tofeel?
How do you want them to fit?
Right?
So it's kind of finding your waythrough all of that.
all of the different ways thatyou could do it.
SPEAKER_00 (21:12):
Yes, I think we call that your sock recipe.
Whatever your sock recipe
SPEAKER_02 (21:16):
is.
Do you have your own personalsock recipe?
I do kind of.
Like your favorite way ofknitting socks?
Yes.
Like a couple of techniques andthings like that?
I
SPEAKER_00 (21:25):
do.
I do like 40 rows of one-by-oneribbing, and then I switch to
stockinette.
And then sometimes I like to domy heel a little deeper.
some people like to turn heelson and uh so that the
stitching's on the bottom I domine with the top I'm kind of
old school that way but there'sa lot of new techniques out
(21:47):
there that are you know thatmake your sock better that make
your sock fit better that are uhjust you can get really into
making a sock your way andthere's no right or wrong way to
do it Are you making anythingelse with your sock machines
besides socks?
(22:08):
I've done a lot of fingerlessmittens.
I have a bumblebee that I didtoddler pants with.
Oh, cool.
Which I could only make a 2Twith because I'm limited.
But they turned out kind of neatand they were really popular.
And when I sold socks, I hungthem in my booth and it was
(22:28):
really a draw to get peopleinterested.
in my booth to look at socks.
So those were neat.
You can make all headbands.
I mean, it's stuffed animals.
People were making support, theemotional support chickens with
the machine.
Oh,
SPEAKER_02 (22:46):
really?
SPEAKER_00 (22:46):
I didn't see that.
I think somebody's doing that.
I mean, it's infinite.
Oh, we totally make that.
I think somebody was doing mylittle ponies that were really,
really cute.
Yeah.
You can do anything.
Teddy bears.
It's all about imagination.
SPEAKER_02 (23:07):
So you have to tell me about some of the other
things that you make.
I know that on the crankyspinster, you have a couple of
other things.
You have a lathe, like you havea woodworking shop.
You said you have a lathe andyou're making a bunch of things.
Can you tell us about what elseyou make?
SPEAKER_00 (23:23):
I was making an I-cord tool.
And I think that came from fall.
I think it was like September,October.
where somebody in South Americamade a video of three needles
stitching in a circle andeveryone went crazy for it.
(23:44):
What is this?
Where do I get it?
And I was asked by Lar Nelken tomake an iCord tool and I did.
And I sent it to her and shemade a video and I think it was
me and...
I forget all these names.
Another lady who made a 3Dprinted version and she posted a
(24:05):
video of both of them and talkedabout us.
And I think my Instagram jumpedfrom 900 people to over 3,000
overnight.
And people were sending memessages and I'm like, oh my,
what did I just do?
Okay, so I started making iCordtools, and I was trying to do it
(24:26):
as much as I could, and I needto get back to it because
everyone's sending me messagesasking for more iCord tools.
People still want them.
But yeah, I just haven't hadtime to get to my lathe, and the
amount of yarn I've purchased inthe past year, there's a folding
table full of yarn in front ofmy lathe that I need to sort
(24:48):
through.
So...
I will be getting back to thelathe soon.
It's just not right now.
I have to get it cleaned upfirst.
SPEAKER_02 (25:00):
I can only imagine.
There's so many, so many thingsto do.
The I-cord tool is basicallythree machine needles, and then
you lay the yarn over top, andthen you're basically just
machine knitting three stitchesat a time, which creates the
I-cord, which is basically whatwe do when we hand knit I-cord
as well.
I am so curious what everyone isdoing with all of their I-cord.
SPEAKER_00 (25:21):
People were making signs with wire.
That was one thing somebody wasdoing.
Somebody came up with a patternto put it on the bottom of a
sweater using the tool.
Because I've knit i-cord on thebottom of something.
That is time consuming.
So they figured out how to dothat.
(25:42):
Yeah, I was wondering whatpeople were doing with all the
i-cord as well.
SPEAKER_02 (25:47):
We've made...
like yards and yards and yardsof I-cord in the past as well.
But we used it for Christmasdecorations around the studio
because we used up all the scrapyarn that we had.
And then it was just became thisgiant garland.
I didn't make it.
I believe Charlotte made it.
So credit goes to Charlotte formaking all of that I-cord.
And then we keep it as Christmasdecorations.
It's been fun.
SPEAKER_00 (26:09):
You can do anything with it.
I don't know.
I think Laura Noken was addingbeads to hers.
She was doing all kinds of coolstuff with hers.
Putting beads on it, makingsomething to hold your glasses.
She was coming up with a lot ofcreative ideas for this.
SPEAKER_02 (26:28):
Yes, actually, you know, when I met Laura Nelken
years and years and years andyears ago, her first things that
she was doing was she wasknitting jewelry.
So she was putting beads on yarnand then knitting it into
bracelets and necklaces and allsorts of things like that.
So that makes a lot of sense,you know, being able to make
beaded knitted jewelry with anI-cord tool.
SPEAKER_00 (26:50):
Yes.
It's pretty innovative,actually,
SPEAKER_02 (26:52):
all the things you could do.
SPEAKER_00 (26:53):
You're limited by your imagination, I guess.
You can do whatever you wantwith it.
I was trying to come up with newideas of what I can do with
these.
I'm like, what can I do withthis?
I don't know.
I can make a lot of it though.
SPEAKER_02 (27:08):
But you can make them.
And there's obviously like await list for these, these
I-cords now, the I-cord toolnow.
So like looking ahead to, youknow, the rest of the year and
into the future, like what doyou get most excited about in
this sort of CSM world and whatis happening and are things
changing?
Are there new things coming?
What sort of gets you excitedabout more of this circular sock
(27:32):
knitting?
SPEAKER_00 (27:33):
I like to see what people are making that, you
know, come up with really crazyideas that are out of the box,
interesting things they're doingwith machines.
We have a local knitter in myPennsylvania group named Valerie
who is doing argyle.
She's doing pattern work.
She's doing really crazy handknit.
(27:55):
Her socks look like they're handknit.
She's doing, you know, crazythings, and I call her the rogue
knitter.
People are like, what is shedoing?
I'm like, just let her go.
She understands what she'sdoing.
I handed her a sweater that washalf finished, and she said,
well, it was 84 stitches in acircle, and I have an 84
cylinder for my machine, so Ijust knit the rest of that
(28:17):
sleeve on the machine.
I'm like, okay, you can do that.
You can totally do that.
So, yeah.
Yeah.
You can do a lot with it.
You just have to think of how todo it.
SPEAKER_02 (28:32):
Yeah, I'm seeing a lot of people starting to do
more stranded color work ontheir machines, which...
It does.
It like a little bit bogglesyour mind.
You're like, oh, it is strandedcolorwork knitting.
It's just another way of doingit.
Just the same as like knittingthe socks in the first place.
It's just the same as knittingsocks on needles.
It's just doing it in a slightlydifferent way.
(28:53):
So why wouldn't you be able todo stranded colorwork?
It's just figuring out how itworks.
I think it's a little bitendless, you know, using this
SPEAKER_00 (29:00):
tool.
I've been amused with the peoplethat are 3D printing and making
accessories for machines andcylinders for machines and just
machines fully 3d printedmachines i just got a hat
machine from belgium that thatis i think 135 130 stitches
(29:21):
around and it's just like cameout of his head he somehow made
this work it's very cool knit ina circle it's all neat i don't
know
SPEAKER_02 (29:33):
Do you have many 3D printed machines?
SPEAKER_00 (29:35):
I have one 3D printed machine and it's the hat
machine.
SPEAKER_02 (29:39):
Okay.
Okay.
Yeah.
I have never sort of had myhands on a 3D printed machine to
see how it would feel.
So I'm curious about all of thatand sort of seeing if I can get
my hands on one to try.
It's very loud.
SPEAKER_00 (29:54):
It's deafening loud.
Really loud, but still reallycool.
SPEAKER_02 (30:00):
Yeah, I tried.
I tried.
I found some plans for making a3D printed cylinder online.
And so I tried to print my owncylinder.
And I think I don't blame myprinter.
I think that each of thechannels of the cylinder were
too tight.
And so the needles wouldn't goup and down.
(30:21):
And it was it was a little bit.
Yeah, it was really sad.
So I'd have to probably try thatagain.
SPEAKER_00 (30:27):
We have a retired engineer in the 3.0 group that
makes some really coolaccessories for doing color
work.
And just some of his ideas Ithink are really interesting and
things that I wouldn't eventhink of to make for a machine
that is accessible and makesthings a little easier to do.
(30:49):
Is that Dave Hulster?
Yes.
You've met Dave?
SPEAKER_02 (30:53):
Yes.
SPEAKER_00 (30:54):
Yes.
Yes.
SPEAKER_02 (30:55):
I have bought several versions of his cone
winder, like multiple versions.
Really?
Because they're all so cool.
So I talk about this cone winderall the time, that Sunfire cone
winder.
And I saw it at the crank in forthe first time.
I was like, Oh my gosh, that'sbeautiful.
But I was afraid to touch it.
And then I got one of the onesthat Christina printed for me.
(31:18):
And so we, I use that like allthe time.
And then they started makingmotorized versions of this or
ones that you can attach anelectric drill to.
And now there's like a motorizedversion of it.
So we're using it at the studioas well.
Like it's a great, beautifullyengineered cone winder.
SPEAKER_00 (31:35):
Absolutely.
And he really likes makingthings and I'm here for it.
Like keep making cool stuff.
I want to see more.
SPEAKER_02 (31:42):
Yeah.
And so I saw in one of thosechats somewhere that he had
started developing compoundcylinders for CSMs, but I
haven't yet had a chance to trythat out and go down that whole
path.
But the whole idea there, canyou kind of explain what a
compound cylinder would be
SPEAKER_00 (31:58):
for?
So compound cylinder is, say youwant to make children's socks,
you want to use...
a machine that has basically asmaller circumference.
So it fits in your machine likea regular cylinder, but the
circumference of the knitting issmaller.
So it makes a tighter knitand...
(32:20):
it's just a smaller sock takes adifferent needle and it's very
neat.
I have a couple of compoundcylinders.
I've used his, his is very nice.
He's, he's done a really nicejob with it, but yeah, compound
cylinders are cool.
And I think, I think Dave Lordmakes a compound for a couple of
machines as well.
SPEAKER_02 (32:43):
Like you mentioned Dave Lord from Shamboard.
Yes.
Yes.
Yes.
So I have one last questionbefore we go.
One of the last questions isthat that day that I met you, I
did come home with that cone ofKevlar yarn, but I...
kind of scared of using it.
You have a new thing and you'relike, oh, I only have limited
amount.
(33:03):
I don't know what I'm going todo with it.
Should I use it?
Should I not use it?
And this is how everybody'sstash ends up growing, right?
Because I have yarn that I'mjust too scared to use.
Can you talk a little bit aboutusing Kevlar in a hand-cranked
sock?
How does it work?
What does it do?
SPEAKER_00 (33:21):
That started as a gimmick to get men to buy socks.
I figured if I added Kevlar toit, they would be really like, I
must have this.
This is, you know, bulletproof.
And so I started with making thesocks with Kevlar and the heels
and toes and like reinforcedwith Kevlar and It worked.
People, they were the first onesthat would leave when I sold
(33:43):
socks.
That was a hot seller.
And so I started telling otherpeople about it.
And I started putting Kevlar oncones and selling it.
I should probably make a videoon how to put it in your heels
and toes so people understandhow you can use it better so
that you can use it and not beafraid to use it.
(34:04):
But I have tons more.
If you use it all, let me know.
I
SPEAKER_02 (34:10):
just need to do it.
I just need to try it.
I mean, I guess the idea is, Imean, I do have that extra
little accessory that, you know,people use to hold their Lycra
when they're carrying Lycraalong with their yarn.
I'll have to put a link in theshow notes to the accessory that
I'm talking about, but it's justlike this little metal bar.
You attach it to the stand, tothe mast, and then you run the
(34:33):
yarn up separate.
So I think the idea is that Iwould run my sock yarn through
the machine and I would run thisstrand of Kevlar yarn through
that little attachmentaccessory.
And then the two would knittogether and you would only hold
it together in the heels and thetoes.
Cause I don't think you wouldneed that for the rest of the
body of the
SPEAKER_00 (34:52):
sock.
I just put it in the heels andtoes and it seems to work really
well.
Although sometimes it makestheir, they become really
slippery.
So if you have hardwood floorsand you want to run and slide,
they're really good for that.
They make, They make them alittle slipperier, but I've not
had any of the heels and toeswear out in any of the socks
(35:13):
that I've put Kevlar in.
I've sold them to people andI've asked them how they don't
even notice that there's Kevlarin there.
I mean, it actually worked outfor me being trying to be funny
and make Kevlar-enforced socks.
It worked.
SPEAKER_02 (35:32):
That's awesome.
Okay, so by the time thisepisode goes live...
I will make some socks and putthe Kevlar in and see how it
goes.
Okay.
And I can let you know.
I will email you and let youknow how it all worked.
SPEAKER_00 (35:45):
Okay.
I want to see a picture.
Awesome.
Yeah, I have a lot of projectshere that need to be finished or
started.
I have a lot of tools that I'vepurchased that I need to use.
Yeah, there's a lot to do.
And I love the sock machines.
The mechanical parts of thathave not gotten old yet.
SPEAKER_02 (36:05):
Mm-hmm.
Well, been around for about like100 plus years, right?
And just glad to see that thewhole thing can just keep going,
right?
This is something that can bepreserved and then, yeah, taken
into the future.
I just think about the machinethat I have and I wonder, you
know, if my daughter will use itone day or, you know, it could
(36:25):
be passed down or something likethat.
Yeah, I think it's really neatto see all of the history of it
and where it's going into thefuture as well.
UNKNOWN (36:33):
Mm-hmm.
SPEAKER_02 (36:34):
So if people want to find you and your work and see
what you're doing about all yourmachine restorations, I know
I've seen some of your machinerestorations on TikTok, but
what's the best place wherepeople can come and find you?
SPEAKER_00 (36:47):
Probably the Cranky Spinster on TikTok and also the
Cranky Spinster on Instagram.
I think I post the most on thosetwo about sock machines and
restoration restorations.
It
SPEAKER_02 (36:58):
is really fun to watch.
Yeah, it's really, really fun towatch and see what you do with
all the machines because you cansee them.
You show how they like sometimesare all completely rusted or
they're falling apart and allthe things that you do in order
to make them run.
And then you show yourselfknitting them.
Of course.
Fantastic.
Thank you for taking the time tochat with me today.
(37:18):
It's really, really interestingto hear about all the things
that you're working on anddoing.
SPEAKER_00 (37:21):
Yeah.
Thanks for having me.
I was wondering what I was goingto have to say.
you
SPEAKER_02 (00:08):
All right, welcome to the Sweet Georgia Show.
This is a podcast about craft,creativity, and what compels us
to create.
I'm your host, Felicia Lowe fromSweet Georgia and also the
School of Sweet Georgia.
And today I am thrilled towelcome Celeste Angelo, known in
the fiber world as the crankyspinster.
Now, I met Celeste a few yearsago at the Earl Bakker
(00:28):
Homecoming and the Crank Inn inMissouri, and she was expertly
cranking socks and telling meabout how she was restoring
circular sock knitting machines.
And it seemed like very, veryintense work.
And so I wanted to ask her a lotabout that.
At that event, she alsointroduced me to the idea of
knitting with Kevlar yarn tomake super, super hard wearing
(00:49):
knitted socks.
And so I came home with a coneof Kevlar yarn.
And so since that time, sincethat day that we met, I found
that Celeste is awesome.
Also doing lots of veryinteresting things in this world
with these machine needles andthings like that and making a
very, very popular tool calledthe triple stitch I-cord tool.
And that really blew up andexploded on social media.
(01:11):
And so I have lots of questionsabout the circular sock knitting
machines, about the CSMcommunity and what is happening
in the world of CSM knitting.
So I'm looking forward toexploring all of that today.
Welcome to the show, Celeste.
Thanks for having me.
Very, very excited to have youhere.
So okay, first off, my firstquestion is, I am often very,
(01:34):
very challenged by what to callourselves, like when we are
doing the things that we'redoing.
I know like I...
spin and I weave and I knit andI dye and I do all these machine
things now.
And I often find like, I don'tknow what to call myself.
I call myself like knitter slashspinner slash weaver.
Or do you call yourself a fiberartist or maker or crafter?
(01:58):
Like what, what do you callyourself and how do you describe
all of the work that you do?
SPEAKER_00 (02:03):
I'm a maker, I think, because I do way more
than sock machines and knittingand spinning and I sew for a
living.
And I work on, I mean, I have awood shop.
We have a machine shop.
So we're makers.
I'm a maker.
That's what I would refer tomyself as.
(02:25):
But as far as sock machine goes,I think we're crankers.
Crankers.
You think all sock knittingmachine people call themselves
crankers, right?
SPEAKER_02 (02:32):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (02:33):
Yeah, we could be crankers or cranky.
SPEAKER_02 (02:36):
Or CSM knitters.
Does that come up as a thing?
SPEAKER_00 (02:41):
We could be knitters, sock machine knitters.
We're still knitters.
Knitters.
SPEAKER_02 (02:46):
Yeah.
Yeah.
UNKNOWN (02:49):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (02:49):
So can you share with me a little bit of a story
and background about like howyou came into this whole world
of circular sock knittingmachines and antique machines?
Because like you just said, youhave a wood shop and you're
sewing and you're doing allthese different things.
Like how did this one particularpart come into your life?
SPEAKER_00 (03:06):
You want the long story?
SPEAKER_02 (03:11):
The best version of the story.
SPEAKER_00 (03:13):
Okay.
I was sitting at an auction witha friend and she knits and I
knit.
And we were sitting theretalking about how socks were the
most functional knitting.
Like, I feel like if you givesomeone socks, they're going to
wear socks.
You give them a sweater, they'llsave it for a special occasion.
Hat, they'll probably wear.
But I felt socks were prettyfunctional and I was knitting
(03:34):
socks.
And she says to me, I think theyused to make this machine that
did that.
And I was very intrigued.
And...
started kind of looking into it.
And I had a job at the timewhere I got a tax return and
they said, you know, I kind ofwas looking for a machine and
thought that was the year I wasgoing to buy one.
(03:55):
And I tell my spouse and hesays, let me ask around in the
junk world.
And sure enough, he found a guya mile from my house that had
one in his junk pile.
So I quickly went down there andI got it and taught myself how
to use it.
And it was a Steber, which is areally odd little machine.
(04:15):
But I learned how to use it andjoined, I think, a Yahoo group
at the time.
Yahoo used to have these groups.
I don't know.
There was a sock machine groupon Yahoo and kind of taught
myself, kind of found a coupleother people in my area and met
up with them.
(04:37):
We went to a couple of crack inswith them, met some more people,
got on Facebook when theystarted making groups for sock
machines.
And it just kind of blew up fromthere.
And I think I've been doing thissince 2010.
So I'm 15 years into this.
SPEAKER_02 (04:55):
That's amazing.
So like picking up this antiqueCSM machine out of out of a junk
pile?
How do you even know where tostart to A, fix it, and then B,
learn how to use it?
And this is like you're sayingin a day and age when people are
on Yahoo groups, this is beforeFacebook, right?
SPEAKER_00 (05:15):
Yes.
SPEAKER_02 (05:16):
Where is all the information about how to do
these things?
SPEAKER_00 (05:19):
Yeah, whatever you could find online from the
people in the Yahoo group orYouTube.
And YouTube was really limitedat the time as far as like there
was maybe five or six videos onYouTube of people making socks
and using a machine, but none ofthem were the machine I had.
So I kind of was in my own worldtrying to learn how to use it
(05:41):
until I got to a first crankingmachine.
And then I think I picked up alot of information.
Second crank in picked up a tonof information.
I feel like my socks improvedwith every crank in I went to.
I picked up something else fromsomebody else who was willing to
show me, you know, a tip ortrick.
And I really feel crank ins areneeded.
(06:02):
You need to go and be with yourpeople.
You have to do more than just avideo.
It's it's hands on.
SPEAKER_01 (06:09):
So,
SPEAKER_02 (06:10):
I mean, for anybody who's listening who doesn't
really know what a cranking is,can you describe a little bit
about what this event is?
SPEAKER_00 (06:16):
It's a group of people that have sock machines
and want to meet up and hang outand use their sock machines.
And sometimes there's classesand tutorials on how to do
things.
And Sometimes it's just a groupof people making socks, but it's
(06:36):
definitely someplace you can goand get help if you need it.
I mean, all levels are welcome.
SPEAKER_02 (06:43):
Yeah.
So, I mean, I have onlypersonally been to one crank in
ever since I started workingwith these machines.
And I mean, we're in Vancouverhere.
There hasn't been, I would liketo organize one.
I mean, I feel like it is greatand really, really helpful to
meet up with other people who dothis and then learn from them.
There just haven't been a lot ofopportunities for everybody to
(07:06):
get together.
But the one that I attended isthe one where I met you.
And I just remember how therewere so many experienced
crankers.
there who were teaching peoplelike how to take the machine out
of the box for the very firsttime, how to cast on for the
very first time.
And they were so incrediblygenerous with all of their
(07:26):
knowledge.
And it was just such like asharing, welcoming, encouraging
place to be.
I thought it was amazing.
So I've been encouragingeverybody to go.
But yeah, for somebody who wantsto organize ones, like what do
you feel like is the mostimportant thing about a crank
in?
SPEAKER_00 (07:47):
I don't know.
A good space.
Find a good space that'sconvenient for people to get to.
I have a crank in that I haveorganized in May and it's at a
fiber festival in centralPennsylvania.
And I get people from Ohio andVirginia and New Hampshire, New
York.
I mean, I get people from allover the area to come to this.
(08:11):
And so a good space with apositive atmosphere.
I don't know.
I mean, people are like, this isa great cranking.
You did such a great job.
And I said, I just make a spacefor you guys to come hang out
with your machines.
I don't know what makes it good.
I think the people make it good.
You have good people, you have agood cranking.
SPEAKER_02 (08:32):
Yeah, this is amazing.
So one of the places that ifpeople are looking for crank-ins
to attend, there is a calendarand a list that they can find
online,circularsockmachinesociety.org,
I believe it is.
I
SPEAKER_00 (08:47):
forget what the CSKM – there's a bunch of letters.
SPEAKER_02 (08:51):
Yeah, we'll put that link in the show notes for sure.
I'm really not good at that.
SPEAKER_00 (08:55):
Yes, definitely.
And they have an event calendarthere where you can post events
and– They're all a lot of fun,but they tend to be in the
Midwest a lot.
SPEAKER_02 (09:08):
Yeah.
And I mean, like this one that Iattended, the Earl, Earl Walker
one, I just found that there wasa lot of people who drove from
super far away, like driving for14 hours to come and attend this
crank in.
And so I feel like it is likethis, this great space where
everybody can kind of come andit becomes a bit of a
destination, right?
SPEAKER_00 (09:27):
Like, yeah, I drove 14 hours there and 14 hours
back.
So yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (09:32):
It's an important thing to attend, right?
SPEAKER_00 (09:34):
Yeah.
It's a lot of fun.
SPEAKER_02 (09:37):
So in terms of like restoring all these machines, I
mean, that wasn't the firstmachine.
I mean, you restored the firstmachine and then after that, and
you've been doing this for 15years now, how many sort of
machines have you sort of seenand faced?
I
SPEAKER_00 (09:53):
have no, I have no count on the machines.
I mean, um, I ended up buying amachine.
I think during the pandemic iswhere I really got crazy on
fixing and repairing machinesand started talking to other
people who buy and sell machinesand parts.
(10:14):
I ended up buying one woman'scollection who lived in Iowa.
And that was a journey.
I drove to Iowa, picked up awhole bunch of parts, filled my
car, and drove it back.
And then I had a woman who wasan elder in sock machine
community call me last year.
And I think I made five trips toher house.
(10:35):
She had a heck of a collectionof machines.
And I ended up buying all of hermachines.
And I have just been, you know,finding machines at auctions or
flea markets.
I have a lot of friends that areclean-out crew of antique
dealers, so they all know whatI'm looking for.
And the trade is, I'll make yousocks.
(10:58):
So they get kind of excitedabout having socks.
So that's kind of cool.
But yeah, I can't really tellyou how many machines I've had
that have gone through mypossession, but I could give you
a my opinions on them.
(11:19):
But yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (11:20):
Yeah.
Do you have a favorite machine?
What's been, what's been afavorite machine?
SPEAKER_00 (11:26):
I really like Laguerre 400s and any version of
that.
I think if, when you saw me inMissouri, I had my sham board
with me, which is the newversion of the closed cam Legare
400 based, basically the samething.
I really like those.
Right now I'm on any base ofCreelman Moneymaker or any of
(11:50):
those machines that were made byCreelman.
I think they also made machinesfor Auto Knitter and Home
Profit, which I've had,currently I have a Home Profit
and I think I posted in the 3.0group, all the paperwork that
came with that machine, whichwas really interesting.
Finding a lot of paperwork withmachines is interesting.
(12:11):
But yeah, that style, yeah,that's an open cam cast iron
machine.
Those are kind of favorites ofmine.
What kind of paperwork comeswith them?
Sometimes you get, like, the onethat I just got came with
paperwork from the originalowner that she bought in 1922.
(12:33):
It was a contract for makingsocks for the company.
And also a lot of correspondencebetween her and the company on
things she was stuck on.
So imagine, you know, you'restuck on something.
Now you can go to the Internetand ask someone.
She had to write a letter andthen wait for a response.
SPEAKER_02 (12:54):
Were the responses good?
Were they
SPEAKER_00 (12:55):
helpful?
The responses were good.
And you know what?
When I started playing with thatmachine and getting it running,
I understood exactly what shewas talking about and where she
was stuck.
And I don't think she ever usedit.
I think she got frustrated andput it down, but it turned out
to be a really nice machine onceI worked on it a little bit.
SPEAKER_02 (13:14):
That's amazing.
It's like picking up thismachine from like the 1920s and
then going through theexperience of what someone else
had experienced back in the1920s.
It's almost like time travel,right?
Some of these machines are likeabout 100 years old.
Yeah.
I mean, I first heard about...
like machines and, um, CSM andcrankers back in about 2008,
(13:37):
2009, somebody had come to mystudio from back East in Canada
and said, Oh, you should jointhis group of people who they
all make socks.
We're all called crankers.
And I went online immediatelyand it was looking for, well,
where can I get one of thesemachines?
And at the time I couldn't findanything that was made new.
Um, I maybe was looking in thewrong place, but all I found was
antique machines and they wereall starting at about like$800
(14:00):
us.
And I was like, Oh, that'sThat's quite a lot.
That's more than I was willingto do at the time.
And then I also wasn't sure if Iknew how to use it or anything
like that.
So I know that since I startedgetting down into this path,
people email me a lot askingabout what CSM should I buy?
(14:20):
Like, where should I start?
If I want to do this, whereshould I start?
Should I get a used machine?
Should I get an antique restoredmachine?
Should I try to restore my own?
Should I buy a new machine?
Like what advice can you give tosomebody who wants to get
started?
SPEAKER_00 (14:32):
The best machine is the working machine.
And I tell that to everybody.
And then after that budget is,you know, what's your budget?
How much money do you have tothrow at this?
Because you could spendthousands.
And I think, I don't know whatthe average new machine is
probably close to$3,000.
(14:54):
And it really, you know, itdepends on what you want to do.
And I always ask people, youknow, do you knit socks?
Do you hand knit socks?
How many stitches do you like tocast on for a sock?
And I go from there.
I'm like, there are people thatlike sport weight or heavier DK
(15:15):
weight somewhere on the thickerend.
I always suggest a 60 cylinder.
If they like fingering weight,you know, commercial sock yarn,
I always go with a 72.
If they are used to hand knitpatterns that that only cast on
64 stitches than I suggest a 64,but it's all about budget and
what you want that machine to doand what you want it to do down
(15:37):
the road.
You know?
I mean, you could buy a newmachine and it would make socks
really well.
You can buy an antique machinefor half the price that'll do
the same thing and it's just asnice.
And I have new and old in mycollection, in my personal
collection, and they all workreally, really well.
SPEAKER_01 (15:57):
So
SPEAKER_00 (15:58):
it's just, I think, what you want it to do and what
your budget is.
Do
SPEAKER_02 (16:03):
you think somebody has to have like a real
mechanical mindset in
SPEAKER_00 (16:07):
order to do this craft?
You have to be kind ofmechanical.
You have to understand how thatmachine works and how to take it
apart and not be afraid of it.
there are a lot of people thatlike, I don't know what to do.
Like you use it, you have ascrewdriver, everything is held
together.
You know, you take it apart, youcan put it back together.
It's not that hard to do.
(16:28):
I don't think it's that hard todo, but I, you know, used to
take apart cars.
So it's just a machine thatknits in a circle.
It's not that tough, but forpeople who don't, if you just
knit, um, It might be a littletoo much for you, but you have
to learn how to be your own sockmachine mechanic.
SPEAKER_02 (16:49):
Yeah, it's a bit like becoming a mechanic, right?
Like you come out of this,you're knitting a sock and all
of a sudden you're like, oh, myhands are covered in grease.
Yes, why are my hands black?
SPEAKER_00 (17:01):
Yeah, that's
SPEAKER_02 (17:03):
common.
UNKNOWN (17:07):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (17:08):
Okay, fantastic.
So now, you also mentioned the3.0 group.
Can you describe what thesethings are?
Because I know that when I triedto find the community of
circular sock knitting machinesonline, I did get pointed a lot
to Facebook groups.
But there's more than one, andthere's many, and there's
(17:28):
multiple versions of all theseFacebook groups.
So I'm wondering, how do younavigate all this?
Where are the sock...
knitters like where do they hangout uh online
SPEAKER_00 (17:39):
they're they're all over facebook uh there's you
know i i think a lot of the sockmachine groups started as one
group where somebody got angryand then started another group
and then that group got too bigand somebody started another
group and then there's groupsthat are you know regional
groups that are new england orum Pennsylvania, mid Atlantic
(18:02):
groups, and then there's, youknow, Minnesota groups.
And then there's groups thatare, you know, people in
glorious socks, the pigs group,the cows group, crankers of
wonderful socks.
And those are groups of peoplethat actually have crank ins
once a year and meet up.
And I mean, there's just somany, I think I just kind of go
with, there's the sock machinesociety group and yeah.
(18:26):
Yeah.
One's dedicated to specificmachines.
I mean, I don't know.
I don't know where the bestplace to find a group is.
Find the area you're in and joinsome of the groups and figure it
out because there's a lot of it.
SPEAKER_02 (18:42):
Yeah, I think that that was my end.
I mean, that's what I ended updoing is just ended up joining
all the groups, whichever groupI could find.
Yes, we're in all the groups.
Yeah, and they're all actuallyvery active on Facebook for
sure.
Are they...
you know, anywhere else, um,like where, where would you find
other sock knitters these daysbesides like online?
(19:04):
Probably
SPEAKER_00 (19:05):
Ravelry.
Ravelry has some crankers.
I know all the social mediaplatforms kind of have groups
that are dedicated to sockmachines, um, and people who
knit, but, um, yeah, Instagram,all the, the social media is
TikTok, all of them.
Blue Sky, whenever you havetheir sock machine people there.
SPEAKER_02 (19:28):
Now, in terms of like, you know, learning how to
make your own sock from scratch,do you have like.
tips or suggestions forbeginners who are wanting to get
started?
And, you know, like, likesomeone who, you know, from your
1920s contact who had sort ofstarted a sock and then gotten
(19:48):
frustrated, where do you findpeople like find the most
challenges and how do you getaround all of those?
SPEAKER_00 (19:56):
I always tell people that just get the basics down to
start.
make sure you can knit in acircle, adjust your tension,
tighten your stitch, loosen yourstitch, get a feel for that,
figure out how to turn a heeland a toe, get that organized.
Once you get that down and thenmake a hung hem sock, go from
(20:17):
there.
And then once you get good atthat and your tension's nice,
try to hook up your ribber andfigure out how your ribber works
properly.
And It is trial and error.
There's no right way to make asock.
Everyone does somethingdifferent.
And it still ends up in a sock.
(20:38):
So...
SPEAKER_02 (20:39):
Yeah, no, I think that that's where I found a lot
of the, you know, challengingopinions on on some of these
groups and conversations.
It's right, because there's somany different ways that you can
make a sock.
And I think that there was onewas like, Oh, I'm going to make
a sock with my heel spring onthe entire time.
I'm that that's good idea.
That's not a good idea.
It was just, there's a lot ofconflicting information.
(21:00):
So I guess in the end, it's justdepends on like, well, what do
you like?
How do you want your socks tofeel?
How do you want them to fit?
Right?
So it's kind of finding your waythrough all of that.
all of the different ways thatyou could do it.
SPEAKER_00 (21:12):
Yes, I think we call that your sock recipe.
Whatever your sock recipe
SPEAKER_02 (21:16):
is.
Do you have your own personalsock recipe?
I do kind of.
Like your favorite way ofknitting socks?
Yes.
Like a couple of techniques andthings like that?
I
SPEAKER_00 (21:25):
do.
I do like 40 rows of one-by-oneribbing, and then I switch to
stockinette.
And then sometimes I like to domy heel a little deeper.
some people like to turn heelson and uh so that the
stitching's on the bottom I domine with the top I'm kind of
old school that way but there'sa lot of new techniques out
(21:47):
there that are you know thatmake your sock better that make
your sock fit better that are uhjust you can get really into
making a sock your way andthere's no right or wrong way to
do it Are you making anythingelse with your sock machines
besides socks?
(22:08):
I've done a lot of fingerlessmittens.
I have a bumblebee that I didtoddler pants with.
Oh, cool.
Which I could only make a 2Twith because I'm limited.
But they turned out kind of neatand they were really popular.
And when I sold socks, I hungthem in my booth and it was
(22:28):
really a draw to get peopleinterested.
in my booth to look at socks.
So those were neat.
You can make all headbands.
I mean, it's stuffed animals.
People were making support, theemotional support chickens with
the machine.
Oh,
SPEAKER_02 (22:46):
really?
SPEAKER_00 (22:46):
I didn't see that.
I think somebody's doing that.
I mean, it's infinite.
Oh, we totally make that.
I think somebody was doing mylittle ponies that were really,
really cute.
Yeah.
You can do anything.
Teddy bears.
It's all about imagination.
SPEAKER_02 (23:07):
So you have to tell me about some of the other
things that you make.
I know that on the crankyspinster, you have a couple of
other things.
You have a lathe, like you havea woodworking shop.
You said you have a lathe andyou're making a bunch of things.
Can you tell us about what elseyou make?
SPEAKER_00 (23:23):
I was making an I-cord tool.
And I think that came from fall.
I think it was like September,October.
where somebody in South Americamade a video of three needles
stitching in a circle andeveryone went crazy for it.
(23:44):
What is this?
Where do I get it?
And I was asked by Lar Nelken tomake an iCord tool and I did.
And I sent it to her and shemade a video and I think it was
me and...
I forget all these names.
Another lady who made a 3Dprinted version and she posted a
(24:05):
video of both of them and talkedabout us.
And I think my Instagram jumpedfrom 900 people to over 3,000
overnight.
And people were sending memessages and I'm like, oh my,
what did I just do?
Okay, so I started making iCordtools, and I was trying to do it
(24:26):
as much as I could, and I needto get back to it because
everyone's sending me messagesasking for more iCord tools.
People still want them.
But yeah, I just haven't hadtime to get to my lathe, and the
amount of yarn I've purchased inthe past year, there's a folding
table full of yarn in front ofmy lathe that I need to sort
(24:48):
through.
So...
I will be getting back to thelathe soon.
It's just not right now.
I have to get it cleaned upfirst.
SPEAKER_02 (25:00):
I can only imagine.
There's so many, so many thingsto do.
The I-cord tool is basicallythree machine needles, and then
you lay the yarn over top, andthen you're basically just
machine knitting three stitchesat a time, which creates the
I-cord, which is basically whatwe do when we hand knit I-cord
as well.
I am so curious what everyone isdoing with all of their I-cord.
SPEAKER_00 (25:21):
People were making signs with wire.
That was one thing somebody wasdoing.
Somebody came up with a patternto put it on the bottom of a
sweater using the tool.
Because I've knit i-cord on thebottom of something.
That is time consuming.
So they figured out how to dothat.
(25:42):
Yeah, I was wondering whatpeople were doing with all the
i-cord as well.
SPEAKER_02 (25:47):
We've made...
like yards and yards and yardsof I-cord in the past as well.
But we used it for Christmasdecorations around the studio
because we used up all the scrapyarn that we had.
And then it was just became thisgiant garland.
I didn't make it.
I believe Charlotte made it.
So credit goes to Charlotte formaking all of that I-cord.
And then we keep it as Christmasdecorations.
It's been fun.
SPEAKER_00 (26:09):
You can do anything with it.
I don't know.
I think Laura Noken was addingbeads to hers.
She was doing all kinds of coolstuff with hers.
Putting beads on it, makingsomething to hold your glasses.
She was coming up with a lot ofcreative ideas for this.
SPEAKER_02 (26:28):
Yes, actually, you know, when I met Laura Nelken
years and years and years andyears ago, her first things that
she was doing was she wasknitting jewelry.
So she was putting beads on yarnand then knitting it into
bracelets and necklaces and allsorts of things like that.
So that makes a lot of sense,you know, being able to make
beaded knitted jewelry with anI-cord tool.
SPEAKER_00 (26:50):
Yes.
It's pretty innovative,actually,
SPEAKER_02 (26:52):
all the things you could do.
SPEAKER_00 (26:53):
You're limited by your imagination, I guess.
You can do whatever you wantwith it.
I was trying to come up with newideas of what I can do with
these.
I'm like, what can I do withthis?
I don't know.
I can make a lot of it though.
SPEAKER_02 (27:08):
But you can make them.
And there's obviously like await list for these, these
I-cords now, the I-cord toolnow.
So like looking ahead to, youknow, the rest of the year and
into the future, like what doyou get most excited about in
this sort of CSM world and whatis happening and are things
changing?
Are there new things coming?
What sort of gets you excitedabout more of this circular sock
(27:32):
knitting?
SPEAKER_00 (27:33):
I like to see what people are making that, you
know, come up with really crazyideas that are out of the box,
interesting things they're doingwith machines.
We have a local knitter in myPennsylvania group named Valerie
who is doing argyle.
She's doing pattern work.
She's doing really crazy handknit.
(27:55):
Her socks look like they're handknit.
She's doing, you know, crazythings, and I call her the rogue
knitter.
People are like, what is shedoing?
I'm like, just let her go.
She understands what she'sdoing.
I handed her a sweater that washalf finished, and she said,
well, it was 84 stitches in acircle, and I have an 84
cylinder for my machine, so Ijust knit the rest of that
(28:17):
sleeve on the machine.
I'm like, okay, you can do that.
You can totally do that.
So, yeah.
Yeah.
You can do a lot with it.
You just have to think of how todo it.
SPEAKER_02 (28:32):
Yeah, I'm seeing a lot of people starting to do
more stranded color work ontheir machines, which...
It does.
It like a little bit bogglesyour mind.
You're like, oh, it is strandedcolorwork knitting.
It's just another way of doingit.
Just the same as like knittingthe socks in the first place.
It's just the same as knittingsocks on needles.
It's just doing it in a slightlydifferent way.
(28:53):
So why wouldn't you be able todo stranded colorwork?
It's just figuring out how itworks.
I think it's a little bitendless, you know, using this
SPEAKER_00 (29:00):
tool.
I've been amused with the peoplethat are 3D printing and making
accessories for machines andcylinders for machines and just
machines fully 3d printedmachines i just got a hat
machine from belgium that thatis i think 135 130 stitches
(29:21):
around and it's just like cameout of his head he somehow made
this work it's very cool knit ina circle it's all neat i don't
know
SPEAKER_02 (29:33):
Do you have many 3D printed machines?
SPEAKER_00 (29:35):
I have one 3D printed machine and it's the hat
machine.
SPEAKER_02 (29:39):
Okay.
Okay.
Yeah.
I have never sort of had myhands on a 3D printed machine to
see how it would feel.
So I'm curious about all of thatand sort of seeing if I can get
my hands on one to try.
It's very loud.
SPEAKER_00 (29:54):
It's deafening loud.
Really loud, but still reallycool.
SPEAKER_02 (30:00):
Yeah, I tried.
I tried.
I found some plans for making a3D printed cylinder online.
And so I tried to print my owncylinder.
And I think I don't blame myprinter.
I think that each of thechannels of the cylinder were
too tight.
And so the needles wouldn't goup and down.
(30:21):
And it was it was a little bit.
Yeah, it was really sad.
So I'd have to probably try thatagain.
SPEAKER_00 (30:27):
We have a retired engineer in the 3.0 group that
makes some really coolaccessories for doing color
work.
And just some of his ideas Ithink are really interesting and
things that I wouldn't eventhink of to make for a machine
that is accessible and makesthings a little easier to do.
(30:49):
Is that Dave Hulster?
Yes.
You've met Dave?
SPEAKER_02 (30:53):
Yes.
SPEAKER_00 (30:54):
Yes.
Yes.
SPEAKER_02 (30:55):
I have bought several versions of his cone
winder, like multiple versions.
Really?
Because they're all so cool.
So I talk about this cone winderall the time, that Sunfire cone
winder.
And I saw it at the crank in forthe first time.
I was like, Oh my gosh, that'sbeautiful.
But I was afraid to touch it.
And then I got one of the onesthat Christina printed for me.
(31:18):
And so we, I use that like allthe time.
And then they started makingmotorized versions of this or
ones that you can attach anelectric drill to.
And now there's like a motorizedversion of it.
So we're using it at the studioas well.
Like it's a great, beautifullyengineered cone winder.
SPEAKER_00 (31:35):
Absolutely.
And he really likes makingthings and I'm here for it.
Like keep making cool stuff.
I want to see more.
SPEAKER_02 (31:42):
Yeah.
And so I saw in one of thosechats somewhere that he had
started developing compoundcylinders for CSMs, but I
haven't yet had a chance to trythat out and go down that whole
path.
But the whole idea there, canyou kind of explain what a
compound cylinder would be
SPEAKER_00 (31:58):
for?
So compound cylinder is, say youwant to make children's socks,
you want to use...
a machine that has basically asmaller circumference.
So it fits in your machine likea regular cylinder, but the
circumference of the knitting issmaller.
So it makes a tighter knitand...
(32:20):
it's just a smaller sock takes adifferent needle and it's very
neat.
I have a couple of compoundcylinders.
I've used his, his is very nice.
He's, he's done a really nicejob with it, but yeah, compound
cylinders are cool.
And I think, I think Dave Lordmakes a compound for a couple of
machines as well.
SPEAKER_02 (32:43):
Like you mentioned Dave Lord from Shamboard.
Yes.
Yes.
Yes.
So I have one last questionbefore we go.
One of the last questions isthat that day that I met you, I
did come home with that cone ofKevlar yarn, but I...
kind of scared of using it.
You have a new thing and you'relike, oh, I only have limited
amount.
(33:03):
I don't know what I'm going todo with it.
Should I use it?
Should I not use it?
And this is how everybody'sstash ends up growing, right?
Because I have yarn that I'mjust too scared to use.
Can you talk a little bit aboutusing Kevlar in a hand-cranked
sock?
How does it work?
What does it do?
SPEAKER_00 (33:21):
That started as a gimmick to get men to buy socks.
I figured if I added Kevlar toit, they would be really like, I
must have this.
This is, you know, bulletproof.
And so I started with making thesocks with Kevlar and the heels
and toes and like reinforcedwith Kevlar and It worked.
People, they were the first onesthat would leave when I sold
(33:43):
socks.
That was a hot seller.
And so I started telling otherpeople about it.
And I started putting Kevlar oncones and selling it.
I should probably make a videoon how to put it in your heels
and toes so people understandhow you can use it better so
that you can use it and not beafraid to use it.
(34:04):
But I have tons more.
If you use it all, let me know.
I
SPEAKER_02 (34:10):
just need to do it.
I just need to try it.
I mean, I guess the idea is, Imean, I do have that extra
little accessory that, you know,people use to hold their Lycra
when they're carrying Lycraalong with their yarn.
I'll have to put a link in theshow notes to the accessory that
I'm talking about, but it's justlike this little metal bar.
You attach it to the stand, tothe mast, and then you run the
(34:33):
yarn up separate.
So I think the idea is that Iwould run my sock yarn through
the machine and I would run thisstrand of Kevlar yarn through
that little attachmentaccessory.
And then the two would knittogether and you would only hold
it together in the heels and thetoes.
Cause I don't think you wouldneed that for the rest of the
body of the
SPEAKER_00 (34:52):
sock.
I just put it in the heels andtoes and it seems to work really
well.
Although sometimes it makestheir, they become really
slippery.
So if you have hardwood floorsand you want to run and slide,
they're really good for that.
They make, They make them alittle slipperier, but I've not
had any of the heels and toeswear out in any of the socks
(35:13):
that I've put Kevlar in.
I've sold them to people andI've asked them how they don't
even notice that there's Kevlarin there.
I mean, it actually worked outfor me being trying to be funny
and make Kevlar-enforced socks.
It worked.
SPEAKER_02 (35:32):
That's awesome.
Okay, so by the time thisepisode goes live...
I will make some socks and putthe Kevlar in and see how it
goes.
Okay.
And I can let you know.
I will email you and let youknow how it all worked.
SPEAKER_00 (35:45):
Okay.
I want to see a picture.
Awesome.
Yeah, I have a lot of projectshere that need to be finished or
started.
I have a lot of tools that I'vepurchased that I need to use.
Yeah, there's a lot to do.
And I love the sock machines.
The mechanical parts of thathave not gotten old yet.
SPEAKER_02 (36:05):
Mm-hmm.
Well, been around for about like100 plus years, right?
And just glad to see that thewhole thing can just keep going,
right?
This is something that can bepreserved and then, yeah, taken
into the future.
I just think about the machinethat I have and I wonder, you
know, if my daughter will use itone day or, you know, it could
(36:25):
be passed down or something likethat.
Yeah, I think it's really neatto see all of the history of it
and where it's going into thefuture as well.
UNKNOWN (36:33):
Mm-hmm.
SPEAKER_02 (36:34):
So if people want to find you and your work and see
what you're doing about all yourmachine restorations, I know
I've seen some of your machinerestorations on TikTok, but
what's the best place wherepeople can come and find you?
SPEAKER_00 (36:47):
Probably the Cranky Spinster on TikTok and also the
Cranky Spinster on Instagram.
I think I post the most on thosetwo about sock machines and
restoration restorations.
It
SPEAKER_02 (36:58):
is really fun to watch.
Yeah, it's really, really fun towatch and see what you do with
all the machines because you cansee them.
You show how they like sometimesare all completely rusted or
they're falling apart and allthe things that you do in order
to make them run.
And then you show yourselfknitting them.
Of course.
Fantastic.
Thank you for taking the time tochat with me today.
(37:18):
It's really, really interestingto hear about all the things
that you're working on anddoing.
SPEAKER_00 (37:21):
Yeah.
Thanks for having me.
I was wondering what I was goingto have to say.
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