Knitting Machines, do they work?

[HaleyB]

I am looking for gift ideas for my daughter. She loves to make things. I think she would like the Sew Easy Knitting Machine in Michaels flyer this week, but I wonder if it works.

Do any of you have this one? or can you recomend one that works well? Last year we got her a button maker that didn't work well (Discovery brand) and the year before it was the darn Crayola crayon maker (easier and better to melt crayons in the oven). I don't want to get one if it is going to be another bad idea...

TIA!

 

[ddavis860]

How old is your daughter? I haven't tried that knitting machine but my experience is that they don't work all that well. That brand may be different. I have tried the smaller ones that make the long tube snakes. it was always dropping the stitches, not fun. If you think she is old enough, the Knifty Knitter is on sale this week too, and is MUCH more versatile than the knitting machine.

Just a suggestion

 

[dreams91]

How old is your daughter? I haven't tried that knitting machine but my experience is that they don't work all that well. That brand may be different. I have tried the smaller ones that make the long tube snakes. it was always dropping the stitches, not fun. If you think she is old enough, the Knifty Knitter is on sale this week too, and is MUCH more versatile than the knitting machine.

Just a suggestion

How do those work? Any idea? What can you make with them?

 

[HaleyB]

She will be 8 this January and is very crafty/coordinated. She has almost nothing on her Christmas/Birthday list this year. So far all she has asked for is a Nintendo DS, Nintendogs, a Build-a-Bear gift certificate, finger paints and paper, and Disney's Greatest Hits Vol. 3.

I have almost the same problem with my son who is 10, he has asked for the Nintendo DS and Nintendogs, and the Harry Potter game for his Gamecube. He had Roborapter on the list but he took it off after hearing lots of negative feedback on it. At least his birthday isn't two weeks after Christmas...

 

[ddavis860]

I teach knitting and knifty knitter at Mikes (along with a few other things...lol). If she is crafty, she won't have any trouble with the Knifty Knitter. It is a set of 4 round knitting looms that comes with a tool. You also need to buy a crochet hook, size j is what I recommend. That is used to bind off. They have demos and classes at Mike's if she has problems. You can knit in the round or do flat panel with them. As long as she starts out with a plain yarn (nothing fancy or furry) to learn, she will be fine. I taught a woman I work with and she taught her granddaughter. Hasn't seen the loom since...

The other nice thing is it comes in 4 sizes, so there are lots of things you can make. I have made scarves (plain and with the fancy fun fur), slipper socks (adapted the xmas stocking pattern, would probably be too large for her), hats, doll hats, shrugs for me, panels for afghan, even a thick carpet bag tote...

My son has Nintendogs...it is really cute...

 

[HaleyB]

Thanks for the info Debbie, Knifty Knitter it is. I am glad you mentioned plain yarn, that makes sense but I bet I would have been tempted to buy fuzzy stuff.

Haley

 

[ddavis860]

Hope she like it!

 

[heathrow42]

DH bought the knifty knitter after he heard me say that I was secretly hoping a friend of mine would make me a hat for christmas (she has been playing with something similar to knifty knitter for a few weeks, and I loooove everything she's made!) He bought some chenile yarn.. the yarn broke a few times because he made the stitches to tight and he had to start over, but he finally got the hang of it. My DH is good with directions, but has never knitted or crocheted a stitch, and it came out beautifully, he made it in one evening while watching tv. The knifty knitter seems pretty versatile, and it's nice that it came with several different sizes in one kit.

Debbie, do you have directions for making the other things you could share? I think the kit only came with directions for a hat.

--h

 

[ddavis860]

There is a pamphlet that has directions for projects. Mike's sells it for $1 I think. It is full of hat and scarf patterns. It also has a pattern for the Xmas stocking. I altered that pattern , with the blue loom for the slipper socks. I made a cuffed top(ankle) and straight knitting till it was as long as I wanted for the leg part. Then made the heel(following the directions for creating the heel in the pattern, just making it smaller for my foot). Then I did straight knitting till it was as long as I wanted from heel to toe(I actually was fitting the blue loom over my foot till I had the length right). I finished like a hat, by gathering the stitches on a piece of yarn, and pulling tight. I locked it with a few sewn stitches, and knotted off on the inside. The shrug pattern came from the Provocraft website, yellow loom. The carpet bag tote was made with bulky weight yarn, the ribbing stitch flat, green loom. It came out so thick and tight, great for the knitted bag! At the top I added some fun fur with the bulky for several rows.

The chenille yarn does break easily. It's a shame too, cause it really feels nice. I love working with the Lion Suede. It is softer than regular acrylic worsted weight. That is what I used for the shrug, and the slipper socks. I also made a scarf with the fancy fun fur(single strand), green loom, flat stitch on 8 pegs, skipping a peg in between, so it was really open. When it came off, it was really cool looking. It got really skinny. I get compliments all the time when I wear it.

Glad your DH tried it. He made you something! How cool is that!?!

 

[HaleyB]

Thanks for all the help! I might be back with more questions Dec 26th

I picked one up for my daughter today along with some yarn. I had self control and didn't buy all that fancy pretty stuff that is on sale this week. It all looked like it would be too hard to work with for the first few projects. I can get her some for her Birthday in January if she is ready for it.

Mike's has a free demo on the kniffty knitter on the 17th (in my area). There is also a class for $15, but first I will see if I can do it without the class .

I hope she will let me play with her Christmas gift it looks like fun.