Bond
= Brand History & Overview
The Bond (later known as the Ultimate Sweater Machine or USM) is a modular, plastic flatbed knitting machine. First introduced in the UK in 1981, it became popular worldwide as a user-friendly, entry-level alternative to complex metal-bed knitting machines.[1]
The Bond knitting machine was invented by Roger Curry in 1981 in the United Kingdom.[1] Unlike the high-end industrial and domestic metal machines manufactured by Japanese and Swiss brands like Brother, Silver Reed, and Passap, the Bond was specifically positioned as an affordable hobbyist tool. In the United States, it was widely marketed under the name "Ultimate Sweater Machine" and distributed through major retail craft stores. Production of the machine passed through several companies, with the yarn manufacturer Spinrite managing the line until it was officially discontinued in mid-2015.[2]
Design and Specifications
- Gauge: 8mm (Bulky gauge), ideal for knitting worsted, aran, and bulky-weight hand knitting yarns.
- Bed Construction: Modular plastic bed. The standard set comes with 100 steel latch needles, but the bed is designed in modular sections, allowing knitters to add extension kits to increase the needle count (often up to 130 or 150 needles) for larger projects like afghans.
- Carriage: A simple, manually pushed carriage that glides along the plastic tracks. Unlike metal machines, it does not have complex tension dials or patterning drums.
Keyplates and Stitch Control
Stitch size (or stitch dial equivalent) on the Bond machine is controlled via interchangeable cassettes called Keyplates.[3] Keyplates are inserted directly into the carriage to adjust the needle path length:
- Sizing: Lower-numbered keyplates (such as #1) pull shorter loops for thinner yarns and tighter stitches, while higher-numbered keyplates (such as #4) create larger loops for thicker yarns.
- Intarsia Keyplates: A specialized intarsia keyplate was designed to lay multiple colors of yarn across the needle hooks to enable picture knitting without floats.
Bond =
Bond machines are modular, plastic-bed mid-gauge machines (approx. 6.5mm to 8mm) designed for simplicity and use with hand-knitting yarns.
Models
- Bond Classic (The original brown/cream model)
- Incredible Sweater Machine (ISM)
- Ultimate Sweater Machine (USM)
- Bond Elite
Accessories
- Bond Extension Kit (For extra-wide beds)
- Bond Ribber (Plastic double-bed attachment)
- Bond Keyplates (Standard sizes 1, 2, 3, and 4)
Machine Accessory Compatibility Matrix
The following is a dynamically generated list of Bond accessories and their compatible knitting machines, populated directly from the wiki's database:
| Accessory | Type | Compatible Machines | Release Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bond Extension Kit | Bed Extension | Bond Classic • Incredible Sweater Machine • Ultimate Sweater Machine • Bond Elite | |
| Bond Keyplates | Tension Control | Bond Classic • Incredible Sweater Machine • Ultimate Sweater Machine • Bond Elite | |
| Bond Ribber | Ribbing Attachment | Bond Classic • Incredible Sweater Machine • Ultimate Sweater Machine | Late 1980s |