# Addi express



## patsisler (Nov 18, 2012)

Well I bought one and it is going back today! Terrible. The description says it will make a sock to fit a child or small woman! Ha ha! The sock I got would have fit Paul Bunyan! It didnot do any better than the Barbie one I got my granddaughter at a garage sale for a dollar, so it sure was 't worth $200! Anyone else have this and have an opinion?


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## roxiannalouisa (Feb 23, 2011)

There are two sizes of addi, did you get the larger one? It also depends on the size of yarn. Your Barbie machine would make a small enough tube so I am not sure why you are having a problem.


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## patsisler (Nov 18, 2012)

Worsted weight yarn was suppose to work for the sock. I bought the book by Cat (can't remember last name). Did everything as directed and it was huge, not to mention very loosely knitted. It just wasn't what I was expecting. It was so loosely knitted I could poke my fingers through it very easily. It was the smaller one 
Not much of an upgrade from the toy ones!


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## roxiannalouisa (Feb 23, 2011)

you can tighten up the tension a little by having the yarn go through your fingers, it will take a little practice, also you might try a little bit heavier yarn, some of the worsted weight yarns are heavier than others or use a lighter bulky yarn.
The addis are expensive but they are better made and more heavy duty than the "toy" machines, I have several different machines and use them for different items depending on the machine and what I am making.


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## patsisler (Nov 18, 2012)

thanks, but I was looking for an inexpensive tube type machine to make socks. It just wasn't what I needed. I hardly ever knit anything that I would have used the machine for. I was just disappointed in the description and the actual machine! I am glad for those who have them and like them.


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## Jessica-Jean (Mar 14, 2011)

http://www.addineedleshop.com/addi_express/addi_express.htm
It seems to me that if you're willing to shell out a couple of hundred dollars for a machine to knit socks, you may as well spend more and get a *real* circular sock knitting machine:

http://www.angoravalley.com/csm.html

http://www.thelegacyfarm.com/Sock_Machine_Info.html

http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/sockknittingmachines/info

https://www.facebook.com/sockknittingmachines

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=circular+sock+knitting+machine+&oq=sock+knitt&gs_l=youtube.1.9.0l9j0i5.4862.7668.0.12699.10.10.0.0.0.0.118.1097.0j10.10.0...0.0...1ac.1.11.youtube.CXDPdLkjH7s

They turn up regularly on eBay.


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## Linuxgirl (May 25, 2013)

The Addi as well as any other like machine is and always will be a rather limited machine. It's nice and fast for tube scarfs or simple flat scarfs and for a very few sock sizes, but that's it (and to be honest it's damn expensive for so little).
And the stitch size is fixed, so yarn size is also limited. Thick felting yarn seems to work best. I did a few things on it, but soon handed it to my sister for the kids and changed to a real knitting machine. The kids are having fun, so I didn't waste the money, but it's just not enough for me.


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## kestrelz (Nov 29, 2011)

I agree, it's only useful for knitting tubular scarves. I was very disappointed.


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## roxiannalouisa (Feb 23, 2011)

Well, I disagree, with practice you can make other things besides hats and scarves. I have seen sweaters and nice socks made on the addi. I made the ruffled skirt for 3 nieces and I have included a picture of a sweater. I do agree it is expensive and needle knitting is much more versatile, I like using my machines.


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## Linuxgirl (May 25, 2013)

roxiannalouisa said:


> Well, I disagree, with practice you can make other things besides hats and scarves. I have seen sweaters and nice socks made on the addi. I made the ruffled skirt for 3 nieces and I have included a picture of a sweater. I do agree it is expensive and needle knitting is much more versatile, I like using my machines.


Quite true, although limited the Addi does leave options enough for doing nice things. Your works are very cute.
I just wanted more versatility, that's why I switched. But I made nice scarves and a nice warm pair of longies for my mom on it. I had the big one, so that was possible.


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## nic (Jan 11, 2013)

I sent mine back.All I could do were tuques with holes in them. I even tried it a second time with another addi that Marry Maxim sent me and still it did the same thing. So I returned it and will not try one again.
nic


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## MaryBethBlus (Apr 5, 2013)

I have the Addi Express Kingsize, I LOVE IT! U can quickly make a wide assortment of projects, I run sport up to Thick and Quick, eyelash and fun furry yarns on my Addi. I think it is a Wonderful Beginners machine as U can knit circular or Flat Panels. I just wish there was more patterns for it! U have to play with it and figure out how much if any, tension to apply on UR yarn that is feeding into the machine and what speed to crank UR Addi at for the different yarn wt. U MUST HAVE UR YARN COMPLETELY FREE OF UR YARN BALL. Other wise UR tension will be off and U will have some BADDA BIG, messed up projects. If U want to knit different stitch patterns and use a punch card, U will need one of the (more expensive) flat bed machines. Some people just don't have the patience to work with it to get the desired results. We need more Addi machine tutorial/classes to help knitters learn the correct way to use their Addi machines. Ok, I've said enough. :~) May God Bless U and Yours.


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## momforthree (Nov 10, 2011)

I have Addi express too! What a joke! An expensive joke!
And I am stuck with it, because I was not able to send it back in time.


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## SQM (Jun 22, 2012)

Thought the Addi would make doing socks easier but it does not seem to be the case. Thanks for the heads-up.


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## Jessica-Jean (Mar 14, 2011)

annacovasa said:


> I have Addi express too! What a joke! An expensive joke!
> And I am stuck with it, because I was not able to send it back in time.


You don't necessarily need to stay "stuck with it". You could try selling it on Craigslist or right here on KP. You could offer it free on Freecycle, and someone would be sure to want it and come fetch it - saving you from having to pack it up and ship it.


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## Linuxgirl (May 25, 2013)

annacovasa said:


> I have Addi express too! What a joke! An expensive joke!
> And I am stuck with it, because I was not able to send it back in time.


Well, as you can see from roxiannalouisa there are quite a few things you can do with it. There are also a few Youtube videos showing things you can make on it. So it's not like nothing can be done with it. I did quite a little bit with mine before wanting more and giving it away.

And Jessica-Jean is right. If you really don't want it, sell it or gift someone with it, who would like it. Maybe there's a little yarn shop around, who could use it for letting people make themselves scarfs right away. Some here in Germany do that and it seems to work out quite well.


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## Jessica-Jean (Mar 14, 2011)

Linuxgirl said:


> ... Maybe there's a little yarn shop around, who could use it for letting people make themselves scarfs right away. Some here in Germany do that and it seems to work out quite well.


That's a great marketing idea! :thumbup: I'm surprised more LYS don't do that. Hook the customer by the instant gratification of a scarf and hope they'll return to buy more yarn.


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## florence56 (Jan 9, 2013)

If you watched the fiber factor challenge they used the addition express and made some lovely items with it


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## roxiannalouisa (Feb 23, 2011)

Jessica-Jean said:


> That's a great marketing idea! :thumbup: I'm surprised more LYS don't do that. Hook the customer by the instant gratification of a scarf and hope they'll return to buy more yarn.


Made me laugh! It is a good idea!


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## hair (Feb 10, 2012)

I have both Addi's the king size and regular and they are great. I make premie hats with the little one and adult hats for the veterans with the larger one. I have made myself sweaters, socks and scarves. Great machine to have in addition to a flat bed knitting machine. The tightness of the stitch is controlled by the thickness of the yarn and the tension as it is fed into the machine. Have made dozens of hats quickly!


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## bona505 (Jan 8, 2012)




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## Vivienne48 (Nov 10, 2013)

I have the Addi kingsize, just got it at the beginning of the month for my birthday. Now I would like the smaller version to make character scarves. I've made about 20 hats so far. I also have flatbed machines, standard, mid and chunky gauge, but hats on this machine are so quick to do, and no seaming! Even stitching a turned up brim only takes minutes. I'm also making emerald green hats with orange pompoms for our group, Ealing Handicapped Irish Dancers, to wear when we take them on holiday!


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## Maryknits513 (Feb 12, 2011)

patsisler said:


> Well I bought one and it is going back today! Terrible. The description says it will make a sock to fit a child or small woman! Ha ha! The sock I got would have fit Paul Bunyan! It didnot do any better than the Barbie one I got my granddaughter at a garage sale for a dollar, so it sure was 't worth $200! Anyone else have this and have an opinion?


I thought it would be nice for children to try, since you turn the handle to knit. I should have used the money towards another LK-150! :thumbdown:


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## Vivienne48 (Nov 10, 2013)

I'm in the midst of making myself a relaxation pillow on mine. I'm doing the little piped pillow from Addi Adventures, but I am going to put hops, camomile and lavender in with the stuffing when I make the pillow form. It will be nice for travelling, or when I just want to simply sit and rest.


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