Mattel’s circular plastic knitting machine was released to the market in 1975 by the toy company Mattel.
It has 16 needles and can only knit simple stockinet stitches. Some patterning is possible with manual stitch manipulation.
It is a simple small knitting machine capable of forming stitches when the handle is cranked in circular motion.
The needles first lift above the plane of the machine and then get lowered as the machine cylinder rotates looping on to the yarn and forming stitches.
It is excellent for projects with granny squares. Standard setup comes with a brochure on project ideas.
This machine is so cute that I had to purchase it just to try to knit on it. I love working on it but it shows its old age and somewhat old/vintage fragile plastics.
It worked well but I wish it was running a bit smoother (and I also was spoiled by working with newer circular knitting machines with improved and more modern and durable plastic parts). Also, i wish there was a row counter.
But having a tension guide by the yarn feeder was a big plus. Depending on the slot, one can vary tension yet keep it consistent. I had to crank the machine relatively slow to ensure that the stitches are not dropping.
But overall I was not disappointed in this cute vintage knitting machine.
It is still available on the used market and is excellent for children, hobbyists, crafters. I personally LOVE using it to make small pompoms.
