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Machines

From Machine Knitting Wiki
This is the approved revision of this page, as well as being the most recent.

Manufacturers[edit]

Domestic & Hobbyist[edit]

  • Bond (Mostly plastic-bed mid-gauge machines; known as the "Incredible Sweater Machine")
  • Knittax (Early German-engineered manual and punchcard machines)
  • Lemair (Vintage Australian/European brand importing and rebranding Japanese Juki and Singer models)
  • Strickfee (Vintage manual single-bed East German machines)
  • Corona (Japanese manufacturer of both standard and bulky machines)
  • Juki (Japanese manufacturer known for unique early manual models)

Hand-Crank & Circular Sock Machines (CSM)[edit]

  • Chambord (Modern manufacturer of closed-cam style circular sock machines)
  • Erlbacher (Modern manufacturer of Gearhart-style circular sock machines)
  • Gearhart (Famous historic American brand of cast-iron Circular Sock Machines)
  • Harrison (Pioneering Victorian brand of circular sock machines and flatbeds)
  • Foster (Pioneering British manufacturer of manual flatbeds and Victoria CSMs)
  • Kemp (Vintage Canadian brand of antique circular sock machines)
  • Record (Vintage Swiss single-bed hand-frame machines)

Professional & Industrial[edit]

  • Shima Seiki (The Japanese leader in modern computerized "WholeGarment" knitting)
  • Stoll (German industrial flat-bed leader, now part of the Karl Mayer Group)
  • Orizio (Italian manufacturer of high-speed industrial circular machines)
  • Scott & Williams (Dominant historic builder of industrial circular hosiery machines)
  • Terrot (Pioneering German manufacturer of industrial circular knitting machines)
  • Kniterate (Digital "desktop" industrial knitting machine for small studios)
  • Santoni (Italian leader in seamless "circular" garment technology)

Brands[edit]

Brother Related Brands[edit]

  • Knit King (The primary brand for Brother machines in the US market)
  • Jones (The brand used for Brother machines in the UK)
  • Knitmaster (Early Brother machines were occasionally sold under this name in Europe)

Silver Reed Related Brands[edit]

  • Studio (The primary brand for Silver Reed in the US and Canada)
  • Singer (In many markets, including Australia and parts of Europe, Silver Reed machines were sold as Singers)
  • Empisal (The brand used for Silver Reed in South Africa and parts of the UK)
  • Knitmaster (The primary brand for Silver Reed machines in the UK)
  • Viscount (A brand name used for Silver Reed models in various regions)

Superba Related Brands[edit]

  • White (The brand name for Superba machines in the US)
  • Singer (Note: Singer also sold French-made Superba machines, which are dual-bed units)
  • Phildar (A French brand for Superba machines)

Toyota Related Brands[edit]

  • Elna (Many Toyota machines were sold under the Elna name, particularly in Europe)
  • Elena (A variant branding for Toyota models)

Juki Related Brands[edit]

  • Lemair (Rebranded Juki KE1200 and Singer models in Australia)

Passap Related Brands[edit]

  • Pfaff (Passap machines were rebranded as Pfaff after the companies merged/collaborated in later years)

Miscellaneous & Department Store Brands[edit]

  • Sears (Sold various rebadged machines, including the Orion 360 double-bed, as well as Kenmore or Brother-based models)
  • Penney's (JCPenney sold various Japanese-made machines under their house brand)

Machine Table[edit]

Below is a sortable list of all knitting machines currently in the database:

Manufacturer ModelName Gauge Type Needles ReleaseYear Aliases
Addi Addi Express Professional Bulky Domestic 22 Addi 22 • Addi Express Knitting Machine
Artisan Artisan KH860 Standard Domestic Brother KH860
Bond Classic Mid Domestic 100 1,982 Bond Knitting Frame
Bond Elite Mid Domestic 120 Bond Elite Knitting Frame
Bond Incredible Sweater Machine Mid Domestic 100 ISM
Bond Ultimate Sweater Machine Mid Domestic 100 USM
Brother Defendi KM3000 Standard Domestic 200 Brother KH891
Brother KH 210 Bulky Domestic 110 1,970 Brother Chunky Manual
Brother KH 341 Standard Domestic 200 1,980 Brother Foldaway
Brother KH 400 Standard Domestic 200 1,988 Brother Convertible
Brother KH 552 Standard Domestic 200 1,968 Jones KH 552
Brother KH-120 Fine (3.6mm) Domestic 260 KnitKing KH-120
Brother KH-160 Mid Domestic 160 KnitKing KH160
Brother KH-230 Bulky Domestic 110 KnitKing KH230
Brother KH-260 Bulky Domestic 114 1,984 KnitKing KH260
Brother KH-270 Bulky Domestic 114 1,988 KnitKing KH270
Brother KH-300 Standard (4.5mm) Domestic 200 Knitking KH-300
Brother KH-310 Standard (4.5mm) Domestic 200 Knitking KH-310
Brother KH-311 Standard (4.5mm) Domestic 200 1,959 Knitking KH-311
Brother KH-360 Mid Domestic 160 KnitKing KH360
Brother KH-390 Mid Domestic 160 KnitKing KH390
Brother KH-500 Standard (4.5mm) Domestic 200 Brother Profile 500
Brother KH-558 Standard Domestic 200 KnitKing KH558
Brother KH-581 Standard Domestic 200 KnitKing KH581
Brother KH-588 Standard Domestic 200 KnitKing KH588
Brother KH-710 Standard Domestic 200 KnitKing KH710
Brother KH-800 Standard Domestic 200 1,971 Jones KH-800
Brother KH-801 Standard Domestic 200 1,973 Jones KH-801
Brother KH-810 Standard Domestic 200 1,975 Jones KH-810
Brother KH-811 Standard Domestic 200 KnitKing KH811
Brother KH-820 Standard Domestic 200 KnitKing KH820
Brother KH-821 Standard Domestic 200 KnitKing KH821
Brother KH-830 Standard Domestic 200 1,978 KnitKing KH830
Brother KH-836 Standard Domestic 200 KnitKing KH836
Brother KH-840 Standard Domestic 200 KnitKing KH840
Brother KH-860 Standard Domestic 200
Brother KH-864 Standard Domestic 200 KnitKing KH864 • Knittax 2000
Brother KH-868 Standard Domestic 200 KnitKing KH868
Brother KH-871 Standard Domestic 200 KnitKing KH871
Brother KH-881 Standard Domestic 200 1,983 KnitKing SS-881 • Jones KH-881
Brother KH-881 Standard Domestic 200 1,983 KnitKing KH881
Brother KH-890 Standard Domestic 200 1,985 KnitKing KH890
Brother KH-891 Standard Domestic 200 KnitKing KH891
Brother KH-892 Standard Domestic 200 KnitKing KH892
Brother KH-893 Standard Domestic 200 KnitKing KH893
Brother KH-894 Standard Domestic 200 KnitKing KH894
Brother KH-900 Standard Domestic 200 1,990 KnitKing KH900
Brother KH-910 Standard Domestic 200 1,980 KnitKing KH910
Brother KH-920 Standard Domestic 200 KnitKing KH920
Brother KH-930 Standard Domestic 200 1,986 KnitKing KH930
Brother KH-940 Standard Domestic 200 1,988 Compuknit III • Compuknit IV • KnitKing KH-940
Brother KH-950 Standard Domestic 200 1,983 KnitKing KH950
Brother KH-950i Standard Domestic 200 1,985 KnitKing KH950i
Brother KH-965 Standard Domestic 200 1,989 KnitKing KH965
Brother KH-965i Standard Domestic 200 1,990 KnitKing KH965i
Brother KH-970 Standard Domestic 200 1,995 KnitKing KH970
Brother KX 350 Mid Domestic 132 1,985 Brother Home Knitter
Brother KX-355 Mid Domestic 130 KnitKing KX355
Brother KX-390 Mid Domestic 130 KnitKing KX390
Brother KX-395 Mid Domestic 130 KnitKing KX395
Chapin Machine Co., Dana Bickford Knitting Machine Co. Bickford Family Knitting Machine Circular (Configurable) Circular Sock Machine (CSM) 1,867 Bickford CSM
Corona CN-110 4.5mm (Standard) Single-Bed Punchcard
Corona CN-55 4.5mm (Standard) Single-Bed Manual
Corona CN-70 Standard (4.5mm) Domestic 200
Corona CN-95 4.5mm (Standard) Single-Bed Punchcard
Creelman Brothers Knitting Machines Banner, World’s Star, Money-Maker, Money-Maker A, Dollar-Maker Circular Sock Machine (CSM) Creelman
Cymbal Ltd. Cymbal Home Knitter Circular (Configurable) Circular Sock Machine (CSM) Cymbal CSM
Dean and Bean’s Sock Machines Sock Machine 1.0, Sock Machine 2.0 Domestic 2,021
Dubied JET 2 Variable (5-cut to 12-cut) Electronic Flat Machine 1,978 Dubied JET
Dubied JET 3 Standard / Coarse Industrial
Dubied MM Variable (5-cut to 14-cut) V-Bed Industrial 1,930 Dubied Master
Dubied MR Variable (5-cut to 14-cut) V-Bed Industrial 1,940 Dubied Moderne
Dubied NH Variable (5-cut to 14-cut) V-Bed Industrial 1,920 Dubied Normal
Dubied NHZ Motorized Flatbed V-Bed
Dubied SDR V-Bed Flat
Erlbacher Knitting Machines Erlbacher Circular Sock Knitting Machine Domestic 2,010 Gearhart • Bumblebee
Gearhart Knitting Machine Co. Gearhart Circular Sock Machine (CSM)
General (used on Dubied & Stoll) GNT Reader / Emulator N/A Industrial Accessory
Hagiwara Hagiwara Manual Flatbed 1,923
Hagiwara Hikarigo Manual Flatbed 1,964
Harrison Patent Knitting Machine Co. Harrison Patent Knitting Machine Circular Sock Machine (CSM) / Manual Flatbed Harrison
Kemp Knitting Machine Co. Kemp Circular Sock Machine (CSM)
Kniterate, Inc. Kniterate Domestic 2,018
Knittax AM3 Standard Domestic 180 Knittax Automatik AM3
Knittax Hobby Standard Domestic 160 Knittax Hobby 3
Knittax M2 Standard Domestic 180 Steinhof Knittax M2
Knittax S8 Standard Domestic 180 Knittax S8 Flatbed
Lamb 2NBA Z-250 Narrow-Fabric Ribber
Lamb 2NBA Z-TB Narrow-Fabric Flatbed
Lamb CD-2 Circular Ribber
Lamb Class 1 Variable (typically 5 to 9) V-Bed Flat 1,867 Original Lamb • Lamb V-Bed
Lamb Class 2 Coarse (approx 5-gauge) V-Bed Flat Manual
Lamb Little Lamb Circular Cord Knitter
Lamb LT 150 Variable (Cylinder dependent) Circular Sock Machine 2,017 Modern Tuttle
Lamb LT 150 Traditional Circular Sock Machine
Lamb LX96 Circular Sock Machine
Lamb ST2B Narrow-Fabric Knitter
Lamb ST3AH Circular Cord Knitter
Lamb Tuttle Circular Sock Machine

More...

Maintenance[edit]

Proper maintenance is essential to keep vintage knitting machines operating smoothly:

  • Sponge Bar Replacement – Replacing the decayed foam needle-retainer bar to prevent needle damage and carriage jams.

Aftermarket Modifications[edit]

Beyond original factory accessories, the maker community has developed several hardware and software modifications to modernize vintage machines or add new functionality.

Electronic Patterning & Interfaces[edit]

These modifications replace or bypass original proprietary electronics to allow for modern computer-aided design (CAD) integration.

  • AYAB (All Yarns Are Beautiful): An open-source hardware/software interface that replaces the "brains" of Brother KH-9xx electronic machines, allowing them to be controlled via USB.

Motorization & Automation[edit]

  • DIY Motor Drives: Custom-built motor systems using Arduinos, stepper motors, and timing belts to automate the carriage movement.
  • External Power Supplies: Replacing aging internal capacitors and power boards with modern, stable switching power supplies.

Hardware Ergonomics & Utility[edit]

  • LED Needle Bed Lighting: Custom LED strips mounted to the underside of the yarn mast or machine lid to improve visibility of the needles and stitches.
  • 3D Printed Parts: Custom-designed needle bed extenders, row counter triggers, and replacement gears (often for machines with "planned obsolescence" parts like the Brother punchcard drums).
  • Tension Mast Modifications: Adding secondary tension springs or ceramic eyelets to handle "difficult" technical yarns like wire, conductive thread, or high-twist linen.

Software & Compilers[edit]

  • Knitout: An open-source intermediate representation for knitting patterns, designed to work across different types of industrial and modified domestic machines.
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