Addi Express Knitting Machine Tips and Techniques
Watch all of my video tutorials showing tips and tricks you can use to improve your projects on the Addi Express Knitting Machines.
Here, you’ll learn how to use the Addi Knitting Machines for beginners. You’ll also find tutorials on basic machine knitting skills, tips for troubleshooting and fixing mistakes, techniques for starting, knitting, and finishing your projects, and more.
Shop the Addi Express Knitting Machines here.
These techniques can also be used on other circular knitting machines if you have another knitting machine brand other than the Addi machines. Just keep in mind that some other circular knitting machines have different numbers of needles and different tension guides for the yarn.
What can you make with the Addi Knitting Machines?
The projects you can make on an Addi Knitting Machine depends on which machine you have. The Addi Express Knitting Machine comes in two main sizes. The Addi Professional is a 22 needle machine, whereas the Addi King Size is a 46 needle machine.
The Addi Express Kingsize Knitting Machine works well for larger projects, like sweaters, hats, earwarmer headbands, scarves, blankets, bags, pillows, and other projects that require larger knitted tubes and flat panels.
Click Here for patterns and projects you can make on the Addi Kingsize (46 needle) Knitting Machine.
The Addi Express Pro Knitting Machine is great for smaller items, like socks, mittens, scarves, fingerless gloves, and blankets made from smaller pieces.
Click Here for patterns and projects you can make on the Addi Pro (22 needle) Knitting Machine.
These machines do have a learning curve, but with the right tips and techniques, you can make many beautiful machine-knit projects with an Addi Knitting Machine.
Let’s get started!
How to Cast On on the Addi Knitting Machine
You can use the technique shown in the Addi Knitting Machine instruction booklet to cast on, but this is not a permanent cast on and does not create a finished edge that won’t unravel.
If you’re not going to be cinching the cast on edge closed at the end of your project, you need to use a different cast on technique. These methods create a neat finished cast-on edge for your project.
How to do an E-Wrap Cast On on your Addi Knitting Machine
Learn to do an E-Wrap Cast On on your Addi Knitting Machine! The E-Wrap Cast On is perfect for many Addi projects, as it creates a clean, yet stretchy finished edge. This technique works on both Addi machines, whether you are knitting a tube or a flat panel.
How to do a Long Tail Cast On on your Addi Knitting Machine
Learn to do a Long Tail Cast On on your Addi Knitting Machine! The Long Tail Cast On is perfect for many Addi projects, as it creates a clean, yet stretchy finished edge. This technique works on both Addi machines, whether you are knitting a tube or a flat panel.
How to do a Provisional Cast On - Addi Knitting Machine
Learn to do a Provisional Cast On on your Addi Express Knitting Machine! This is a temporary cast on used to hold the live stitches on the cast-on edge so you can do something else with those stitches later.
This technique works on both Addi machines, whether you are knitting a tube or a flat panel. I like to use a Provisional Cast On to hold my stitches so I can graft them together with another set of live stitches. (Keep scrolling for my grafting tutorials.)
Machine Knitting Techniques
These techniques can add detail, color, shape, texture, and function to your Addi Knitting Machine projects.
How to Knit Ribbing on your Addi Knitting Machine
Learn to knit Ribbing on your Addi Express Knitting Machine! A little ribbing adds a nice touch to hats, mittens, socks, sweaters, and more. This technique works on both Addi machines, whether you are knitting a tube or a flat panel.
How to Knit STRIPES in a Flat Panel on your Addi Knitting Machine
This simple little trick is the easiest, most efficient way to knit stripes into a flat panel on your Addi Knitting Machine, while minimizing the number of ends to weave in.
How to Knit Flat Panels on your Addi Knitting Machine
Learn how to make a flat panel on your Addi Knitting Machine. This can be done on both the Addi Professional (22 needle) and the Addi Kingsize (46 needle) machines.
How to Knit the Tucked Stockinette Stitch on your Addi Knitting Machine
This squishy, lofty, extra-stretchy fabric is made entirely on the Addi Knitting Machine! Perfect for knitting larger adult hats, or any project where you want that cozy, squishy feel.
This type of knitting may not look much different from regular stockinette stitch, but it’s a completely different fabric! I call it the Tucked Stockinette Stitch, because it involves intentionally tucking every other stitch in each row. This fabric is even stretchier than regular stockinette stitch, and feels really squishy and soft. When stretched, it kind of looks like ribbing (even though it’s not). The wrong side of the work kind of resembles a honeycomb stitch. The little pockets of air in between the strands of yarn make the fabric more insulating as well.
Because we tuck every other stitch, and then tuck the stitches in between on the next row, every two rows in this stitch equal one row of regular stockinette. So you will need to knit twice as many rows to get the same length, and it will take twice as much yarn. It’s truly worth it, though! This is the closest thing to Brioche Knitting that you can get by manipulating stitches on the Addi Knitting Machine.
If you’ve ever tried making an adult size hat on the Addi King Knitting Machine, you probably know that hats made on the Addi King are a little small for an average to large adult head. However, if you knit an adult hat in Tucked Stockinette Stitch, the hat will have no problem fitting a large adult head comfortably. Why? Because the tucked stitch fabric is way stretchier than the regular stockinette stitch the machine usually makes.
How to Make a Buttonhole or Eyelet in your Knitting on your Addi Knitting Machine
Learn to Make a Buttonhole in your Knitting on your Addi Knitting Machine! This technique creates an intentional hole in the knitted fabric that will not unravel. You can also use these holes as eyelets to make a lace stitch pattern.
How to STOP a Flat Panel from Curling on your Addi Knitting Machine
This technique will STOP the edges of your flat panel from curling! With a bit of ribbing on all four edges, your flat panel will actually stay flat! This little trick works on both the Addi Pro (22 needle) and Addi King (46 needle) knitting machines, with any size flat panel.
How to Work DECREASES at the Edges of a Flat Panel on your Addi Knitting Machine
Learn to work Decreases at the edges of a flat panel on your Addi Express Knitting Machine! This technique decreases the number of stitches in the row and makes the width of the panel smaller. These decreases can be used to create a slanted, angled, or curved edge on your flat panel.
How to Work INCREASES at the Edges of a Flat Panel on your Addi Knitting Machine
Learn to work Increases at the edges of a flat panel on your Addi Express Knitting Machine! This technique increases the number of stitches in the row and makes the width of the panel larger. These increases can be used to create a slanted, angled, or curved edge on your flat panel.
How to Bind Off Part of a Row on your Addi Knitting Machine
Learn how to Bind Off Part of a Row on your Addi Express Knitting Machine! Use this technique when you need to eliminate more than one or two stitches at the beginning of a single row, or instead of holding stitches on waste yarn to bind them off later.
Troubleshooting & Fixing Mistakes
If you drop a stitch, make a mistake, or have trouble with your yarn, these videos can help you fix those problems without having to unravel your project and start over.
How to Fix a Tucked Stitch on your Addi Knitting Machine
Learn to fix a Tucked Stitch on your Addi Express Knitting Machine! With this method, you can fix the tucked stitch while your work is still on the machine, without unraveling your project and starting over!
How to Fix a Dropped Stitch on your Addi Knitting Machine
Learn to fix a Dropped Stitch on your Addi Express Knitting Machine! With this method, you can fix the dropped stitch while your work is still on the machine, without unraveling your project and starting over!
How to Use Yarn your Addi Knitting Machine Doesn't Like without Dropped, Split, or Tucked Stitches
Here’s a simple trick for knitting flawless fabric on your Addi Knitting Machine, even with yarns your machine doesn’t like! This will prevent dropping, skipping, splitting, and tucking stitches and produce an even, consistent knitted fabric.
How to Back Up When You've Knit Too Far on your Addi Express Knitting Machine
What do you do when you’ve accidentally knit past the point where you were supposed to stop on your Addi Knitting Machine? In this video, I will show you how to back up when you’ve knit too far, without dropping stitches!
Do I Need a Special Table for my Addi?
Do I Really Need a Special Table for my Addi Knitting Machine? Some people prefer to have a special table with a hole in the middle on which to use their Addi Machines. But is that really necessary? Or can you still use the machine without one?
Can I use Cotton Crochet Thread on my Addi?
Can I use Cotton Crochet Thread on my Addi? Yes, you can! Here are a few tips and tricks for using cotton crochet thread on an Addi Knitting Machine.
Project Components
Many projects made on the Addi Knitting Machines are made from smaller components. Use these pieces in your next project when you don’t want to use a flat panel or a tube.
How to Knit I-Cord on your Addi Knitting Machine
Here’s an easy way to knit I-CORD on your Addi Express Knitting Machine! This technique works great with Worsted Weight or Bulky Weight yarn. I like to make I-Cord on my Addi when the yarn I am using is too thick for my Embellish-Knit I-Cord Machine.
How to Make a Ball on your Addi King or Addi Pro Knitting Machine
Learn to make knitted balls on your Addi Kingsize and Addi Professional Knitting Machines. These can be used as children’s toys, or parts of knitted stuffed animals. The small balls can also be used as dryer balls.
How to Make Flat Circles on an Addi Express Professional Knitting Machine
In this video I will show you how to make flat circles on your Addi Express Professional Knitting Machine.
How to Make Large Flat Circles on an Addi Express Kingsize Knitting Machine
In this video I will show you how to make large flat circles on your Addi Express Kingsize Knitting Machine.
How to Make a Flat Half-Circle on your Addi Knitting Machine
Learn to make Flat Half-Circles on your Addi Express Knitting Machine! These are very quick and easy to make, and can be used in many projects.
Finishing Techniques
Sometimes, the final steps of a project are the most important. The best finishing techniques help make your projects look neat and professional, and can add additional detail to your project.
How to Bind Off your Addi Knitting Machine Projects With a Crochet Hook
Learn how to Bind Off your Addi Knitting Machine Projects with a Crochet Hook! No knitting needles required!
How to use a LACE JOIN to Seam Flat Panels made on your Addi Express Knitting Machine
Instead of seaming, join your Addi Knitting Machine flat panels together with a Lace Join! This method is simple and easy, is faster than ordinary seaming, and adds a delicate, feminine touch to your project. The edges of the joined flat panels do not curl when seamed with this method.
How to Seam Your Knitting with Mattress Stitch
Learn how to join 2 pieces of knitting with mattress stitch. In this video, I am seaming flat panels from my Addi Knitting Machine.
How to Seamlessly Graft Flat Panels Made on the Addi Knitting Machines
Learn how to Graft together Flat Panels made on your Addi Knitting Machine. This technique can be used for many different Addi Projects.
How to Seamlessly Graft Tubes Made on the Addi Knitting Machines
Learn how to Graft together Tubes made on your Addi Knitting Machine. This technique can be used for many different Addi Projects.
How to Work Afterthought Fair Isle (Duplicate Stitch) on your Knitting
Learn how to work Afterthought Fair Isle stitching (Duplicate Stitch) on your knitted projects. This technique works well for adding colorwork to machine-knit projects.