Just over a week and a half ago, the day I got back to London after moving all of my stuff into the flat, I bought a new knitting toy. If you’ve been following me on Twitter, Facebook or Google+, you’ve probably already seen it. But just in case…here you go!
Knitting Machine
That’s right, my new toy is a knitting machine. I have wanted one for so long, and I was just browsing Gumtree one night when I saw it going cheap. I was so excited that I messaged straightaway without really learning anything about it, except that it was ‘compact’. This appealed to me, as I have heard that knitting machines are absolutely huge.
JS took me to pick it up, and I brought it back to the flat with incredible excitement. The machine is a Singer SB 100, made in 1984 and completely manual. It really is compact – it fits in a relatively small box, is easy to set up, gloriously retro and perfect for a flat where my housemates may not want huge machinery lying around. It clamps to our kitchen counter and can be packed up easily.
I’m pretty pleased with it so far. My first stocking stitch samples were amazingly hard to get done. It took me two individual sessions of three hours each to learn to cast on, because I only had the manual to go from. This particular model of knitting machines has no tutorials online…
Once I’d mastered that and completed as much stocking stitch as I could knit in a month by hand in about an hour, I set about learning the more complex techniques and trying out different stitches. I produced this lovely thing.
Now that I’ve made it, I don’t know what to do with it – I may frame it and keep it for future reference! The knitting machine is going to revolutionise the way I make projects that are primarily stocking stitch. It is also making me love hand-knitting even more, because getting the needles in my hands again after a session of machine knitting makes me feel so comfortable and happy.
Knitting with the machine will never take over ‘the better kind’. But I’m so pleased I finally have a machine and can try my hand at a new set of crafting techniques.
Have you ever wanted one? Do you have one? Can anybody recommend any good patterns for me?
Also quick reminder – the latest giveaway (for London people) will close on Sunday the 14th, so go enter now if you want to go on the Great London Yarn Crawl.
Much love,
Corrie xx
I see you already found us on Ravelry, lots of useful info there. Lots of info and free patterns available on my website, http://www.needlesofsteel.org.uk/ – patterns are sorted by gauge so measure your needle pitch to work out what you have. 3.6mm is fine, 4-5mm is standard, 6.5-7mm is mid, 8mm+ is chunky and Passaps are 5mm but a lot different! :)
Yes, thank you! Looking forward to getting involved.
How fun! I have never used a knitting machine myself, but have definitely wished I had one from time to time. I am sure it would come in handy! Looking forward to seeing more machine-knitting experiments!
I was so desperate to have one for years but I’m really glad I’ve waited till I found a compact one as I don’t think I would have been popular with the flatmates!!
I can see why you were so excited about it, it’s awesome!
ISN’T IT??
Wow look at what you have made with it :) I also have been looking around for a knitting machine and someone has offered me this exact one for sale!! I was wondering (if its not to cheeky to ask) how much did you pay for yours and did yours come with all its bits? Thank you :D
It was £20 with all the bits, but a bit broken on some of the teeth.
Hi Corrie,
I am thinking to buy the same model but I wonder what kind gauche have this lovely Knitting machine of yours?
Kind regards
sara
Hi Sara, it’s a standard gauge machine – it does lace weight to double knitting weight yarn!
So, I have the very same model (also bought in a spur of the moment) and I am fighting with the cast on! Whenever I try to get all needles into position 2 (in exercise 3), the yarn peels off the needles! 😭 Do you have a hint for me?
Hey Janine, I would recommend you use more weights – that’s what helped me when I had a similar problem.
Have you ever used the e-wrap cast-on technique with this machine? I’m trying but everything seems to be too tight to function!
I hate the cast-on instructions in the manual. Hate hate hate hate hate. I sat down yesterday for six hours and didn’t get very far – seeing that you managed has given me some hope though!