Knitting machines come from many manufacturers with different patterning capabilities. Some knitting machines are still being manufactured. The used market of vintage knitting machines (manufactured in the 1920s-1990s) is still booming. Check out my store for some of them.
To learn more about various knitting machines, browse the lists below or check our latest posts.
Most of the articles in my Encyclopedia are based on my personal experience with specific models of knitting machines and attachments. It would be great if you are familiar with a model not listed or not yet described here and would like to contribute.
And don’t forget to check my video channel, where I demo many of these machines.
Knitting Machines By Manufacturer:
Addi
German company Addi makes sturdy circular plastic knitting machines.
Bond
Bond manufactured mostly plastic-bed mid-gauge knitting machines that are very popular among hobbyists and beginner machine knitters.
Brother
Japanese company Brother manufactured up to the 1990s flatbed (including foldable) metal and plastic knitting machines and accessories.
Creative
Creative is a Chinese manufacturer of clones of machines manufactured by Silver Reed and Brother. Since it is easy to search for this manufacturer on the Internet and because its machines are clones, I will not post a separate page on the machines manufactured by Creative.
Defendi
Under this name, Brother sold its knitting machines in Italy.
Elena
Elena is another brand name of Toyota knitting machines
Elna
“Elna” is also another brand name for the knitting machines manufactured by Toyota.
Empisal
Some machines under the Empisal brand are of Brother’s brand and some of Silver Reed’s.
Erka
Jones
“Jones” is yet another brand name for knitting machines manufactured by Brother.
KnitKing
“KnitKing” was another brand name for Brother knitting machines targeted for the North American markets.
Knitmaster
Some machines in this category are branded as “Empisal Knitmaster” and some as simply “Knitmaster”.
Knittax
Mitsubishi
Passap
Pfaff
Phildar
Riccar
Same machines as Silver Reed’s.
Sentro
Budget-friendly plastic circular Sentro knitting machines are popular among hobbyists and crafters for small projects.
Silver
Same as Silver Reed’s machines (Just an old brand name).
A true competitor to Brother, Silver Reed released a huge number of machines that are still circulating on the used market. However, new machines are still sold under the Silver Reed brand name.
Singer
“Singer” is a brand name of a couple of European models of knitting machines as well as those released by Silver Reed for various markets.
Studio
Most “Studio” machines are rebranded Japanese Silver Reed’s knitting machines sold in Canada.
Superba
Taitexma
This Chinese manufacturer still produces machines similar to the vintage Brother and Silver Reed ones. This Encyclopedia will not feature these machines, as their info can be found on the corresponding website.
Toyota
This Japanese manufacturer expanded its geniality into the knitting machines as well.
OTHER
There are several super-vintage (1960s and earlier) and international models that did not gain much traction in the knitting machine world, and only a small number of these machines remain available. These machines are A.R.S, ARS Knitter, Artisan, Best, BUSCH, CLAD, Coronado, Custom, Dimac, Dopleta, Dubied, Damila, Friend, Foster, Fuji, Fujisiki, Girotex, Gracia, Inaisa, Janome, Jiftie, Hamanaka, Hazu, Hinodemode, Koyo, Kriskrafter, Leclerc, Maruyama, Moda, Neva, Pilot, Pine, Prazisa, Princess, Prior, Purl, Sakura, Severianka, Silverlead, Simac, Simet, Sona, Star Piano, Super Speed, Veritas, Yamaguchi, etc. Come back to this page as I discover additional models.
Knitting Machines By Patterning Mechanism:
The ability of a knitting machine to pattern is one of the main parameters differentiating a knitting machine. My store offers machines with different patterning capabilities.
Manual/Basic
Machines without any (semi)automatic needle selection can only form patterns if a knitter manually selects the needles and moves them to specific positions.
Push-buttons
By pushing buttons and rotating a corresponding lever, needles will be automatically brought forward for further patterning. The needles need to be selected/deselected for each row of patterning.
Turn-knobs
Needles are selected by turning knobs on the pattern center. The knobs have various positions. Combinations of these positions on different knobs allow for various needle selection patterns. Some machines have these turn knobs on the needlebed, and some on the carriages.
Punch-cards
The needles are selected according to the holes in the punchcard inserted into the punchcard reading mechanisms. The needles are selected automatically for each row. There are machines capable of reading 30- (mostly fine-gauge machines), 24- and 12-hole punchcards/patterns.
Electronic
The needle selection is performed electronically according to the predetermined pattern (built-in or custom). The needles are selected automatically for each row. The pattern size can be up to the full bed (100-200 needles).
Knitting Machines By Gauge:
“Gauge” is the distance between the needles on the knitting machine bed. It is also a reflection of the needle size itself. Since the machines were first manufactured in Japan and Europe, the gauge is measured in metric units – millimeters.
The very first machines were of “standard gauge”. The “fine”-, “mid”- and “bulky”-gauge machines came later. This is why they are harder to find.
Some standard, mid-gauge, and bulky machines are still being produced by Silver Reed and Taitexma companies. Fine gauge knitting machines can only be purchased on the used market. But after some TLC, those vintage machines will still serve you long years. Check out my store for some of them.
Fine-gauge
There are several fine-gauge machines for small-scale/hobbyists’ levels with the distances between needles 2.8-3.6 mm. The majority of the industrial machines are fine-gauge but they will not be covered in this encyclopedia. Fine-gauge knitting machines are pretty scarce.
Standard gauge
Majority of the knitting machines for small production and hobbyists are standard gauge: 4.5-5.5 mm. Those machines are the most versatile in terms of capabilities, available attachments/add-ons. These machines are easier to find than bulky-gauge and especially than fine-gauge machines.
Mid-gauge
Majority of mid-gauge machines have plastic needle beds. Such machines are still amazingly capable of knitting various patterns but most with only manual needle and stitch manipulation. Only couple of manufactures released metal bed mid-gauge machines. Mid-gauge machines have distances between needles 6-8 mm. The gauge somewhat overlaps with bulky machines as then can handle similar thickness yarns.
Bulky
Bulky knitting machines are very desirable as they can handle yarns for hand-knitting. The distances between needles for bulky machines are 8-11 mm. Most metal needle bed bulky machines are 9 mm gauge. 11 mm machines are hard to find but they still exist. 8 mm machines are mostly plastic needle beds.
Knitting Machines By Bed Type:
Flat, plastic
Flat plastic needle bed machines are mostly either convertible (dual gauge) or mid-gauge.
Flat, metal
Majority of knitting machines on the market are metal needle bed. These machines are so durable, it is still easy to find 60 year old machines that are still functional.
Double bed
These machines are very versatile and their standard setup includes two beds attached to each other at an angle. These machines offer the most versatility but they are also the most complex.
Circular, plastic
Circular plastic machines are amazing starter knitting machines with somewhat limited capabilities but are still amazing to get through the stash of yarn for small or charity projects.
Circular, metal
Circular metal machine are mostly sock-machines but there are specifically hat machines as well. These machines are hard to find and they are expensive. There are several newer models for those who are not ready to spend a lot of money. The cylinders in these machines are 3D printed.
Attachments And Accessories:
Carriages
Add-on carriages perform a variety of functions, like knitting lace, transferring stitches, linking panels, or even knitting on their own (garter carriage from Brother).
Charting Devices and Knit Leaders
Charting devices and knit leaders help to create shaped panels (for sweaters and other garments) by reminding the knitter where to decrease/increase stitches.
Color changers
Color changes assist in a more automatic switching between colors. Hobbyist knitting machines can be equipped with color changes capable of handling up to 6 colors.
Linkers
Linkers (circular and straight) as well as linking carriages, allow one to sew or bind two fabrics together. Linking carriages work on the knitting machine beds. Stand-alone linkers can be manual or electric.
Motors
Motors attach to the main carriage and move it without the assistance of a human machine-knitter.
These controllers allow for the storage and transfer of patterns from external sources to the knitting machines.
Ribbers
Ribbing attachments, or ribbers, convert a metal flat-bed knitting machine to a double bed and allow it to knit purl stitches or to extend stockinet knitting capabilities to another set of needles (by knitting in a circle or U shape). More advanced ribbers also enable knitting machines to knit double jacquard as well as other patterning.
Software/programs/apps
Various programs, commercial and open-source, are available at various prices. These programs allow us to create new patterns, transfer patterns to and from a machine, digitize an image and convert it to stitches, create garments… just to name a few possibilities.
Other/Miscellaneous Accessories
In this page, you will find reviews and photos of garter bars, various punchers, punchcard sets, and other non-essential yet still useful tools.
Disclosure: The information presented in my Knitting Machine Encyclopedia is based on my personal experience/knowledge unless otherwise noted. Some pictures were taken from the web with the permission of the original posters.