Alright, let’s talk about circular knitting machines. I’d seen these things around, you know, online, people churning out hats and scarves like nobody’s business. And I thought, “Hey, I like knitting, but sometimes my hands just can’t keep up with all the ideas!” So, I decided to dive in.

Getting Started – Or So I Thought
I got myself one of those popular plastic ones, the kind with all the cranks and needles. Unboxed it, feeling all excited. I figured, how hard can it be? I’ve hand-knitted for years! Well, let me tell you, it was a whole different beast. My first attempt to cast on was, to put it mildly, a disaster. Dropped stitches everywhere. The yarn kept jumping off the needles or getting snagged. I probably spent a good hour just trying to make a single, sad-looking tube that unraveled the moment I touched it.
My main early struggles were definitely:
- Getting the tension right. Too loose, stitches fall. Too tight, the crank felt like it would snap.
- Choosing the right yarn. I quickly learned that not all my beloved hand-knitting yarns were friends with this machine. Some just split, or were too fuzzy, or too thin.
- Dropped stitches. Oh, the dropped stitches. It became my nemesis. I’d be cranking along, thinking I was doing great, then bam, a whole column would just give up.
The Learning Curve and Little Wins
I didn’t give up, though. Stubborn, I guess. I watched a ton of videos. I mean, hours of them. People made it look so easy! I started practicing with cheap acrylic yarn – the kind you don’t cry over when it becomes a tangled mess. I learned to go slow. Really slow at first. I paid super close attention to how the yarn was feeding, how each needle was catching (or not catching) the yarn.
My first “win” was a very basic, wobbly tube that actually stayed together. It wasn’t pretty, but it was something. Then I managed a simple beanie. It was a bit lopsided, but wearable! The feeling of finishing a whole hat in an evening, even a slightly wonky one, was pretty cool. I remember thinking, “Okay, maybe there’s something to this.”
I started experimenting with different cast-on and bind-off methods specifically for the machine. Waste yarn became my best friend for starting and finishing projects neatly. It’s funny, the things you learn. I also figured out which of my yarn stash actually worked well. Smooth, worsted weight yarns? Usually pretty good. Anything too textured or super chunky? Nope, not on my basic machine anyway.
Finding My Groove
After a lot of trial and error, and I mean a lot, I finally got the hang of it. I learned to listen to the machine – the little clicks and whirs. I could almost feel when a stitch was about to drop. I got faster. I started making hats for gifts, then scarves. It’s brilliant for making flat panels quickly, which I could then seam together for bigger projects if I wanted, though the “circular” part is its main gig.
Now, I mainly use it for quick projects. Beanies for charity drives are a big one. I can make a bunch in a weekend. I also make tubes for things like leg warmers or cowls. It doesn’t replace my hand knitting, not at all. That’s still my go-to for intricate patterns or special yarns. But for simple, quick, and satisfying makes? The circular knitter has definitely earned its spot in my craft room.
So, what’s the takeaway from my little adventure?

- Patience is key. Don’t expect to be a pro on day one. Or even week one.
- Good yarn makes a difference. Don’t fight the machine with yarn it hates.
- Watch tutorials, but then just practice. A lot.
- It’s super satisfying for certain kinds of projects, especially if you want speed.
It was a journey, for sure. There were moments I wanted to throw the thing out the window. But sticking with it, I found it’s actually a pretty neat tool to have. Just gotta learn its quirks, you know?