Franz & Pope Sock Knitting Machine Instructions

Knitting socks with a machine takes less time than by hand.

The Industrial Revolution inspired many inventors to create machines to perform tasks faster than their human counterparts. Knitting socks was one of the human duties that machines replaced. The 19th century Franz & Pope was a popular brand of these knitting machines, some of which are still available for purchase today. They employ a cylinder made of iron to knit socks with a round loom powered by a crank. Yarn or thread is placed under the needles, which are set inside the cylinder. The needles are lifted when the crank runs under them. When the crank passes the needles, the needles return to the loom and knit the yarn into a sock.

Things You'll Need

• Knitting machine
• Large spool of thread or yarn
• Scissors

Instructions

Knitting the Body of the Sock

1. Put the parts of the knitting machine together by following the directions in the manual. Fasten the machine to a table.

2. Place the spool of yarn on the spool pin. This is a long pin located at the back of the machine.

3. Thread the machine by running the yarn through the two guideposts between the spool pin and the crank. Run the yarn through the the hole in the thin bar that reaches out over the machine.

4. Run the yarn down into the guidepost on the metal bar that hovers over the side of the base. The crank is also attached to this bar.

5. Tie the yarn to the needle inside the machine at the bar. Pull the crank around until the yarn has been knitted into every needle inside.

6. Hang the weight on the first run of yarn. The weight will pull the sock down under the machine as it is made.

7. Crank the machine slowly until you feel comfortable with the movement of the machine. Adjust the speed until a comfortable pace is set.

8. Tie off the yarn when the sock is the length you desire.

Knitting the Heel of the Sock

1. Raise half of the needles out of action in the machine.

2. Catch the work that now hangs inside the cylinder with the "heel needle".

3. Crank the machine once until all the active needles have been passed. Lift the needle on the immediate right and knit a pass backward, turning the crank in the opposite direction from the direction used previously. At the end of the pass lift a needle at the immediate left and knit a pass. Repeat this process until the heel of the sock is the size needed.

Finish the Sock

1. Return the machine to the first position where the body of the sock was being made. Turn the crank until the length of the foot is done.

2. Using the same back-and-forth action as used with the heel, make the toe.

3. Sew the toe closed with a needle and thread by hand-stitching a double zigzag stitch.

Tips & Warnings

• These machines are antiques, and replacement parts are hard to find, so practice running your machine without any yarn to make sure you understand how it works. If you run the machine without this understanding you could get yarn stuck inside the needle shafts or break the needles.

• Keep your fingers out of the cylinder while you are cranking the machine.

References

• 1908 Gearhart Circular Sock Knitter