I am pretty good about following my intuition. When my Spidey senses tingle, I listen! The last time I happened to check for knitting machines on FB Marketplace, I found my ribber for $50.
My current collection consists of a standard gauge (4.5mm) Brother electronic machine with the accompanying ribber. Additionally, the electronics of my machine were upgraded at some point so it can knit punch cards plus it is now pre-loaded with hundreds of patterns of a newer model, the KH950. The Brother machines have a TON(!) of accessories, and I have acquired a bunch of them! I have a color changer for the single bed, a color changer that works for the double bed (connected knitter+ribber), a garter carriage (otherwise you cannot do knit and purl stitches in the same row), garter bars, a knit leader, a transfer carriage to move stitches from the knitter to the ribber, an Intarsia carriage...that's all I can think of for now :-p
The size (mm) is related to how far apart the needles are on the bed. The standard gauge machine can knit lace, fingering, and some sport weight yarns.
Later, I found a mid-gauge (6.5mm) Brother KX350. It's a plastic bed and there is no ribber option. It is still very versatile though!! It knits the worsted weight yarn that most hand knitters are familiar with. The mid-gauge machine can also knit sport and DK yarns. Here is a great resource comparing hand knitting yarns and gauge to machine knitting: knitting machine info
On Wednesday, I happened to check FB Marketplace and saw a bulky machine for sale, with ribber, for $300. The bulky machine (9mm) knits worsted, bulky weight yarns.
The ad was 2 weeks old and this was an incredible deal. I couldn't figure out why it wasn't sold but said, what the heck, and messaged the seller. The machines were still available and I told them I could come get them on Saturday. In Sheboygan, WI. SHEBOYGAN! That was a smooth 5 hour 20 minute drive from my house. My husband was on board, because I got so excited at the thought. He said we HAD to go :) I messaged back, "PLEASE do not sell it before Saturday. I WILL BE THERE!"
I woke up at 6:30 a.m. to get ready. I realized that my extra wedding band isn't in my jewelry tray and I know I wore it recently. I was going to look through my luggage for it and said, no, I don't have time. I will look when we get back. Then, I kid you not, I lean over to put on my sneakers and the ring is sitting in the toe area of my knock-off Birks. I said aloud, "today is going to be a good day!"
We get into Wisconsin and my tire pressure light comes on. It's COLD AS HECK here right now so we aren't surprised. We stop at the gas station and he starts trying to add air but it's not working! It's deflating the tires! So now we're WAY too low on pressure. We head across the street and 1) the air is free and 2) we get the tires filled and on our way pretty quickly.
We get there and this beautifully feisty lady opens the door and invites me in. I see the machines laid out on the daybed and I am SO excited. Y'all know how I get. I am cheesing from ear to ear, I am talking a mile a minute, and I cannot wait to THROW MY MONEY AT HER!
Her daughter comes in and is asking questions and I tell them that I do have knitting machines, I'm just new to knitting so haven't jumped in too deep yet. Then...they invite me downstairs. Mom is no longer knitting, they are both ready to get the space cleared out, and she says, if there's anything else you want, you can take it. But I was hesitant and her daughter encouraged me saying I'd be helping them both. Then, THEN she says, well the machine upstairs, I'd like to be paid for. But you can have these. EXCUSE ME!? I CAN HAVE THEM?!
I send the daughter to get my husband and the next you thing you know, we are loading up the car, I am chopping it up with mom, we are taking pictures, there are hugs, lots of excitement, and then she drops another bomb. She is 90. She's 90! when I tell you 1) she looked mayyyyybe 70 2) she was going up and down those stairs, moving those knitting machine parts around (they are heavy!) and 3) down on her knees grabbing things from the under the bed. Goodness gracious I hope to be so full of life when I am older. I can't even conceive 90!
There's a grandson there that's helping out too. Apparently, he managed the FB listing. He laughed at my making him promise not to sell them :) they are astonished that we drove from Minneapolis (for THIS?!? Yes!), and I am floating!
I haven't fully inventoried yet. The large scale items are:
- Singer SK155 knitting machine bulky
- Singer SR155 ribber (for above) bulky
- Studio SK155 knitting machine (same as above, Singer/Studio/Silver Reed are all the same) bulky
- Studio SR155 ribber (for above) bulky
- Studio SK360 knitting machine standard
- Studio SRP50 ribber (for above) standard
- Lace Carriage for the 360
- Silver Reed YC6 automatic color changer (I am not sure yet if this fits the SK360)
This is literally thousands of dollars in equipment. The bulky that I went there for is a definite keep. I am also tempted to keep the second one. We'll see!
The 360 is a standard gauge like my existing Brother machine, but it isn't an electronic machine. One of the main benefits of this machine is the built-in knit radar. I also have a knit leader for my Brother which is an external piece of equipment. Here is an explanation of the device from Knit It Now:
A mechanical device that allows the knitter to follow a drawing indicating where shaping should occur. Charting Devices had many names: Knit Leader, Knit Radar, Knit Contour, depending on the brand: Silver Reed, Singer, Studio machines.
Some devices were built right into the machine, others were separate and attached directly to the machine or attached with a cable.
Words cannot express how excited and grateful I am! I've seen others hit the mother lode with stash clean-outs and feel like it was finally happening to me!
One of the most exciting things, is the box of newsletters, flyers, etc that was included. Newsletters from 1969! That's an entire decade before I was even born! I am going to design the cutest card possible on my Cricut and send her a thank you note. Even though she definitely knows how appreciative I am! haha!!
I also knit a hat with the leftover yarn from my scarf project. The notion of knitting a fair-isle hat in 90 minutes from start to finish (ribbing, hat, seaming...) is still mind-boggling.
On the sewing front, I have so many WIPs! I am going to get back to my January project (we went to the wedding and my husband got COVID -he's okay!!! - and work got crazy. I needed a clearing project and cut out this simple but cute top from Burda 10/2021. There's a little ways to go, but I think it was just what was needed.
