Matt

Beginner – What machine should I look at?

Hi

I’ve been a hand knitter for years and would like to try my hand at machine knitting. I think I’d like to look at fine gauge knitting for using fine yarns to make shawls, scarves and the like. There seems to be loads for sale on eBay, but with no detailed descriptions. I don’t have much space at home so something that’s portable, easy to store and simple to use would be great. Can anyone help me?

Thank you in advance

Tracey

Dear Tracey

Brother Toyota and Silver Reed/Knitmaster standard gauge machines will all knit a variety of yarns from very fine to 4-ply or a soft Double Knitting thickness.

Brother made various models; the electronic machines have numbers starting with KH9. The later manual machines have numbers starting with KH8. In both cases and as a general guide the higher the number the later the model. Most of these models have a punchcard patterning mechanism. www.scanthecat.com has a lot of information about Brother machines.

The later models of Toyota are the KS901 and KS950 – both punchcard machines. I have a KS901 and it knits fine yarns beautifully.

Silver Reed/Knitmaster produced a variety of machines too. The older models have numbers starting with 3. Older electronic machines have numbers starting with 5. The more recent punchcard models are the SK280 (standard gauge) and SK270 (fine gauge machine with more needles) and there are two electronics – the SK840 standard gauge and SK830 fine gauge.

All of the above machines are about 41″ wide and it’s best to set them up and leave them out ready for use. If you do need to pack a machine away all of its tools fit neatly within a lid which clamps on to the machine. It can then be stored under a bed or behind a settee. If you know what to look for you can get a good buy on eBay. However look for a machine which has been well looked after preferably serviced and with a new sponge bar (needle retention bar). This holds the needles in place and makes for smooth knitting. Avoid any adverts which show all the accessories bundled into a box! There are some guides on eBay on what to look out for when buying a secondhand machine.

I hope this gives you a few pointers and that you find a machine that you are happy with.

Kind regards Sue

Sue P
2010-08-09 19:04:13
Hi
I have a Toyota KS901 and have had it for 20 years. I knit a while and then put it away until the mood hits again. Right now I’m getting it out again after several years and finding out that all my sources of information have closed down. I love my machine and have never had any problems with it. I’m also looking for a ribber to go with it and a good internet support group to help me learn new things. I love the speed of the machine for large pieces and then add hand embellishments. It’s also easier on hands with arthritis.
Good luck in your search.
Dianne
DiAnne4Gs
2012-01-05 20:29:59
Hi Dianne

Machine Knitting Monthly is the only knitting magazine magazine published in the UK. Anne provides a good mix of patterns and technical advice in each issue – it’s well worth getting every month.

There are several Internet groups on Yahoo and Ravelry.

Ebay UK have a large section of machine knitting related items.

The KS901 takes the KR501 or the KR560 ribbers.

Hope this helps you find what you are looking for.

Regards
Sue.

Sue P
2012-01-05 23:54:21

Shaping Armholes

Hi G

There’s not a problem but just think for a minute about what you’ve asked. ‘After you cast off 5 sts at beg of next 2 rows . . .’

If your carriage is at the right at the start of the armhole shaping you cast off 5 sts and knit the row from right to left (1 row) then cast off 5 sts and knit the row from left to right (1 row). Two rows have been knitted and the carriage is back at the right to start the decreasing.

That’s all there is to it!

Best wishes
Anne

Anne
2010-07-22 10:03:04
Thanks Anne
g
2010-08-31 13:36:23
Hi G

There’s not a problem but just think for a minute about what you’ve asked. ‘After you cast off 5 sts at beg of next 2 rows . . .’

If your carriage is at the right at the start of the armhole shaping you cast off 5 sts and knit the row from right to left (1 row) then cast off 5 sts and knit the row from left to right (1 row). Two rows have been knitted and the carriage is back at the right to start the decreasing.

That’s all there is to it!

Best wishes
Anne

Anne
2010-07-22 10:03:04
Thanks Anne
g
2010-08-31 13:36:23

Machine Knitting Magazine from Dec 1979

I have just returned to machine knitting after a gap of 20 years and my memory is not what it was! I have two punched cards, which I once used to make a baby shawl in a tuck lace effect stitch. I cannot recall the needle settings but I do know the pattern came from Machine Knitting something, in the December 1979 issue.

Does anyone have a copy? It was a square shawl, the centre being knit from one card and the edges from another.

Angela Reed

Dear Angela

The pattern diagram gives the total depth of the armhole as D = 19 [21.25 23.5] cm. In the pattern the armhole shaping is worked over 30 [34 34] rows which works out at about 7 cm for the first size and about 8 cm for the second and third sizes.

The straight section is therefore 12 [13.25 15.5] cm or thereabouts. I hope this helps you draw the pattern on your Knit Radar. Having just checked through the other patterns in MKM the total armhole depth is always measurement D.

Kind regards
Sue

Sue P
2010-07-30 11:59:52
Hi Sue

Following on from your answer may I ask another question? I too am confused about this part of the shaping when transferring to the Knit Leader. I have never used mine.

If I want to copy a pattern from MKM which for example is sized for DK and I want to knit in 4-ply – how do I transfer the measurement so I get the correct size from 4-ply wool onto the charting device? Can you also explain how I draw the armhole curve shoulder shaping and neckline to ensure that my decreases are correct? Thank you so much.

Mary

scary007
2010-07-30 11:58:37
Dear Angela

The pattern diagram gives the total depth of the armhole as D = 19 [21.25 23.5] cm. In the pattern the armhole shaping is worked over 30 [34 34] rows which works out at about 7 cm for the first size and about 8 cm for the second and third sizes.

The straight section is therefore 12 [13.25 15.5] cm or thereabouts. I hope this helps you draw the pattern on your Knit Radar. Having just checked through the other patterns in MKM the total armhole depth is always measurement D.

Kind regards
Sue

Sue P
2010-07-30 11:59:52
Hi Sue

Following on from your answer may I ask another question? I too am confused about this part of the shaping when transferring to the Knit Leader. I have never used mine.

If I want to copy a pattern from MKM which for example is sized for DK and I want to knit in 4-ply – how do I transfer the measurement so I get the correct size from 4-ply wool onto the charting device? Can you also explain how I draw the armhole curve shoulder shaping and neckline to ensure that my decreases are correct? Thank you so much.

Mary

scary007
2010-07-30 11:58:37

Guild of Machine Knitters’ Weekend of Workshops and Lecture

The Slip Stitch ‘hands-on’ workshop investigates slip stitch, especially petal slip stitch and other related highly textured fabrics. Participants must bring their own knitting machine, table and accessories.

For the Mixed Media ‘hands-on’ workshop, Denise Musk says that this will be challenging for anyone not familiar with using their sewing machine in combination with machine knitted fabric. However, it does stimulate individuals to try out new techniques. It’s essential that a sewing machine is in full working order and that the operator knows how to thread and use it, as there will not be time for Denise to set up machines which the user does not understand. Participants must bring their sewing machine, threads, accessories and so on. Village hall tables will be available.

During the Mixed Media lecture, Denise will show garments made over the last few years using many combinations of machine knitting, crochet, machine embroidery, fabric painting, embellishment and other relevant textile crafts. Denise also invites knitters to raise any topical related subject for general discussion. This is not a ‘hands-on’ workshop, but is sure to be of great interest. For more information about Mixed Media, see page 7 of the August 2006 Guild of Machine Knitters’ Newsletter and pages 13, 20 to 23 of the August 2009 Newsletter.

Terms and conditions

(1) Introduction

These terms of use govern your use of our website; by using our website, you accept these terms of use in full. If you disagree with these terms of use or any part of these terms of use, you must not use our website.

If you register with our website, we will ask you to expressly agree to these terms of use.

(2) Licence to use website

Unless otherwise stated, we or our licensors own the intellectual property rights in the website and material on the website. Subject to the licence below, all these intellectual property rights are reserved.

You may view, download for caching purposes only, and print pages or OTHER CONTENT from the website for your own personal use, subject to the restrictions set out below and elsewhere in these terms of use.

You must not:

  • republish material from this website (including republication on another website);
  • sell, rent or sub-license material from the website;
  • show any material from the website in public;
  • reproduce, duplicate, copy or otherwise exploit material on our website for a commercial purpose;
  • edit or otherwise modify any material on the website; or
  • redistribute material from this website except for content specifically and expressly made available for redistribution (such as a newsletter).

Where content is specifically made available for redistribution, it may only be redistributed within your organisation.

(3) Acceptable use

You must not use our website in any way that causes, or may cause, damage to the website or impairment of the availability or accessibility of the website; or in any way which is unlawful, illegal, fraudulent or harmful, or in connection with any unlawful, illegal, fraudulent or harmful purpose or activity.

You must not use our website to copy, store, host, transmit, send, use, publish or distribute any material which consists of (or is linked to) any spyware, computer virus, Trojan horse, worm, keystroke logger, rootkit or other malicious computer software.

You must not conduct any systematic or automated data collection activities (including without limitation scraping, data mining, data extraction and data harvesting) on or in relation to our website without our express written consent.

You must not use our website to transmit or send unsolicited commercial communications.

You must not use our website for any purposes related to marketing without our express written consent.

(4) Restricted access

Access to certain areas of our website is restricted. We reserve the right to restrict access to other areas of our website, or indeed our whole website, at our discretion.

If we provide you with a user ID and password to enable you to access restricted areas of our website or other content or services, you must ensure that that user ID and password is kept confidential.

We may disable your user ID and password in our sole discretion without notice or explanation.

(5) User generated content

In these terms of use, “your user content” means material (including without limitation text, images, audio material, video material and audio-visual material) that you submit to our website, for whatever purpose.

You grant to us a worldwide, irrevocable, non-exclusive, royalty-free licence to use, reproduce, adapt, publish, translate and distribute your user content in any existing or future media. You also grant to us the right to sub-license these rights, and the right to bring an action for infringement of these rights.

Your user content must not be illegal or unlawful, must not infringe any third party’s legal rights, and must not be capable of giving rise to legal action whether against you or us or a third party (in each case under any applicable law).

Your user content (and its publication on our website) must not:

  • be libellous or maliciously false;
  • be obscene or indecent;
  • infringe any copyright, moral right, database right, trade mark right, design right, right in passing off, or other intellectual property right;
  • infringe any right of confidence, right of privacy, or right under data protection legislation;
  • constitute negligent advice or contain any negligent statement;
  • constitute an incitement to commit a crime;
  • be in contempt of any court, or in breach of any court order;
  • be in breach of racial or religious hatred or discrimination legislation;
  • be blasphemous;
  • be in breach of official secrets legislation;
  • be in breach of any contractual obligation owed to any person;
  • depict violence in a explicit, graphic or gratuitous manner;
  • be pornographic or sexually explicit;
  • be untrue, false, inaccurate or misleading;
  • consist of or contain any instructions, advice or other information which may be acted upon and could, if acted upon, cause illness, injury or death, or any other loss or damage;
  • constitute spam;
  • be offensive, deceptive, threatening, abusive, harassing, or menacing, hateful, discriminatory or inflammatory; or
  • cause annoyance, inconvenience or needless anxiety to any person.

Your user content must be appropriate, civil, tasteful and accord with generally accepted standards of etiquette and behaviour on the internet.

You must not use our website to link to any website or web page consisting of or containing material that would, were it posted on our website, breach the provisions of these terms of use.

You must not submit any user content to the website that is or has ever been the subject of any threatened or actual legal proceedings or other similar complaint.

We reserve the right to edit or remove any material submitted to our website, or stored on our servers, or hosted or published upon our website.

Notwithstanding our rights under these terms of use in relation to user content, we do not undertake to monitor the submission of such content to, or the publication of such content on, our website.

(6) Limited warranties

You acknowledge that some of the information published on this website is submitted by users, and that we do not usually review, approve or edit such information. We do not warrant the completeness or accuracy of the information published on this website; nor do we commit to ensuring that the website remains available or that the material on the website is kept up-to-date.

To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law we exclude all representations, warranties and conditions relating to this website and the use of this website (including, without limitation, any warranties implied by law of satisfactory quality, fitness for purpose and/or the use of reasonable care and skill).

(7) Limitations of liability

Nothing in these terms of use (or elsewhere on our website) will exclude or limit our liability for fraud, for death or personal injury caused by our negligence, or for any other liability which cannot be excluded or limited under applicable law.

Subject to this, our liability to you in relation to the use of our website or under or in connection with these terms of use, whether in contract, tort (including negligence) or otherwise, will be limited as follows:

  • to the extent that the website and the information and services on the website are provided free-of-charge, we will not be liable for any loss or damage of any nature;
  • we will not be liable for any consequential, indirect or special loss or damage;
  • we will not be liable for any loss of profit, income, revenue, anticipated savings, contracts, business, goodwill, reputation, data, or information;
  • we will not be liable for any loss or damage arising out of any event or events beyond our reasonable control;
  • our maximum liability in relation to any event or series of related events will be limited to £100.00.

You accept that we have an interest in limiting the personal liability of our officers and employees. Having regard to that interest, you accept that we are a limited liability entity and agree that you will not bring any claim personally against individual officers or employees in respect of any losses you suffer in connection with the website or these terms of use. This will not, of course, limit or exclude the liability of the company itself for the acts and omissions of our officers and employees.

You agreed to the publication of comments, reviews and/or feedback relating to you, by others, on our website. You acknowledge that such comments, reviews and/or feedback may be critical or defamatory; and you agree that you will not hold us liable in respect of any such comments, reviews and/or feedback, irrespective of whether we are aware or ought to have been aware of such comments, reviews and/or feedback.

(8) Indemnity

You hereby indemnify us and undertake to keep us indemnified against any losses, damages, costs, liabilities and expenses (including without limitation legal expenses and any amounts paid by us to a third party in settlement of a claim or dispute on the advice of our legal advisers) incurred or suffered by us arising out of any breach by you of any provision of these terms of use, or arising out of any claim that you have breached any provision of these terms of use.

(9) Breaches of these terms of use

Without prejudice to our other rights under these terms of use, if you breach these terms of use in any way, or if we reasonably suspect that you have breached these terms of use in any way, we may:

  • send you one or more formal warnings;
  • temporarily suspend your access to the website;
  • permanently prohibit you from accessing the website;
  • block computers using your IP address from accessing the website;
  • contact your internet services provider and request that they block your access to the website;
  • bring court proceedings against you for breach of contract or otherwise;
  • suspend and/or delete your account with the website; and/or
  • delete and/or edit any or all of your user generated content.

Where we suspend or prohibit or block your access to our website or a part of our website, you must not take any action to circumvent such suspension or prohibition or blocking (including without limitation creating and/or using a different account).

(10) Third party websites

Our website includes hyperlinks to other websites owned and operated by third parties. These links are not recommendations. We have no control over the contents of third party websites, and we accept no responsibility for them or for any loss or damage that may arise from your use of them.

(11) Competitions

From time to time we may run competitions, free prize draws and/or other promotions on our website. These will be subject to separate terms and conditions (that we will make available to you as appropriate).

(12) Variation

We may revise these terms of use from time-to-time. Revised terms of use will apply to the use of our website from the date of the publication of the revised terms of use on our website. Please check this page regularly to ensure you are familiar with the current version.

(13) Assignment

We may transfer, sub-contract or otherwise deal with our rights and/or obligations under these terms of use without notifying you or obtaining your consent.

You may not transfer, sub-contract or otherwise deal with your rights and/or obligations under these terms of use.

(14) Severability

If a provision of these terms of use is determined by any court or other competent authority to be unlawful and/or unenforceable, the other provisions will continue in effect. If any unlawful and/or unenforceable provision would be lawful or enforceable if part of it were deleted, that part will be deemed to be deleted, and the rest of the provision will continue in effect.

(15) Exclusion of third party rights

These terms of use are for the benefit of you and us, and are not intended to benefit any third party or be enforceable by any third party. The exercise of our and your rights in relation to these terms of use is not subject to the consent of any third party.

(16) Entire agreement

These terms of use, together with our privacy policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and us in relation to your use of our website, and supersede all previous agreements in respect of your use of this website.

(18) Law and jurisdiction

These terms of use will be governed by and construed in accordance with English? law, and any disputes relating to these terms of use will be subject to the [non-]exclusive? jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.

(19) Registrations and authorisations

Our VAT number is 604 2614 77.

(20) Our details

The full name of our company is RPA Publishing. RPA Publishing is responsible for publication of Machine Knitting Monthly and the maintenance of machineknittingmonthly.net.

We are registered in England under registration number 3117299.

Our registered address is Alex House, 260/8 Chapel Street, Salford, Manchester M3 5JZ.

Full Needle Rib

I am following the manual instructions but am finding it really difficult to knit across the stitches. I am using Yeoman panama if that is any help. Is it normal to have to push with all one’s might to get the carriage to go across – I’m afraid of damaging the machine? I’ve increased the tensions but this doesn’t seem to make any difference.

Can anyone help me?
Many thanks.

Hello Alison
Panama is a 4 ply yarn and as such is at the upper limit of what a standard gauge machine can cope with on full needle rib. The carriage will be difficult to push across the needles as they have to cope with the extra thickness of the yarn zig zagging between the beds.

You might be better off trying a sample in 2 or 3 ply; it should be much easier to knit.
regards
Sue

Sue P
2010-02-23 09:35:02
Hi Alison

I couldn’t agree more with Sue don’t struggle any longer trying to push your machine to the limit using Panama and full needle rib. If ordinary 1×1 rib is a bit floppy then try 2×2 (2×1 industrial rib) for a really crisp finish. Knitting-in elastic used on the zigzag and circular rows only will give a neat tight edge. Panama is a beautiful yarn and your machine is a valuable asset. Enjoy both without asking either of them to perform the impossible.
Happy Knitting! Anne

Anne
2010-02-23 17:38:14
Hello Alison
Panama is a 4 ply yarn and as such is at the upper limit of what a standard gauge machine can cope with on full needle rib. The carriage will be difficult to push across the needles as they have to cope with the extra thickness of the yarn zig zagging between the beds.

You might be better off trying a sample in 2 or 3 ply; it should be much easier to knit.
regards
Sue

Sue P
2010-02-23 09:35:02
Hi Alison

I couldn’t agree more with Sue don’t struggle any longer trying to push your machine to the limit using Panama and full needle rib. If ordinary 1×1 rib is a bit floppy then try 2×2 (2×1 industrial rib) for a really crisp finish. Knitting-in elastic used on the zigzag and circular rows only will give a neat tight edge. Panama is a beautiful yarn and your machine is a valuable asset. Enjoy both without asking either of them to perform the impossible.
Happy Knitting! Anne

Anne
2010-02-23 17:38:14

Machine Maintenance!

Hi,
I am wishing to give my brother KH891 a spruce up – it just dropped a load of stitches off some fine lace I was trying to knit (using bramwell fine 4ply on tension 8) so I’m guessing the machine is asking for a clean.

2 of the needles are bent – so I know how to get those out – and I have ordered some new ones – and also a new sponge bar for good measure (I wouldn’t know how to tell if the old sponge bar was okay or not!)
I know the good needles need to be soaked in something – what? (methelayted spirits or surgical spirit?)
Then I guess they have to be carefully polished with a rag.

I think I’m to try to hoover out any fluff from the main needle bed if I can – and give the machine a wipe over (just a cloth – or something on the cloth?)
I know I need to sparingly rub some silicone oil over the machine (that’s on order too – but order is being delayed by snow and ice!)…

Any concise help in exactly how to complete the maintenance would be gratefully received. The machine has been in storage for a year or so. It has been little used by me – and came to me in good condition – so I don’t suppose there’s much wrong with it really.

I’m really wanting to get knitting again – and take good care of this old machine!

Put the needles in a jam jar top up with surgical spirit and a teaspoon of machine oil. Put the lid on and leave to soak while you clean the machine.
Vacuuming will remove most of the fluff but an old needle can be used to pick out any stubborn bits. Wipe the needlebed and rails with a cloth lightly moistened with oil (don’t use WD40).
Now for the needles: Give the jar a shake to loosen the dirt. Remove needles one at a time and wipe on the oily cloth checking for bent needles and stiff latches. Replace each one as you go.
Use a lightly oiled cloth to wipe the underside of the carriage.
Sue P
2010-01-17 20:55:50
Put the needles in a jam jar top up with surgical spirit and a teaspoon of machine oil. Put the lid on and leave to soak while you clean the machine.
Vacuuming will remove most of the fluff but an old needle can be used to pick out any stubborn bits. Wipe the needlebed and rails with a cloth lightly moistened with oil (don’t use WD40).
Now for the needles: Give the jar a shake to loosen the dirt. Remove needles one at a time and wipe on the oily cloth checking for bent needles and stiff latches. Replace each one as you go.
Use a lightly oiled cloth to wipe the underside of the carriage.
Sue P
2010-01-17 20:55:50