Singer Knitting Machine Reviews

Singer Knitting Machine

The Singer Knitting Machines come in a wide range of sizes, shapes and varieties designed for almost any type or weight knitting yarn. While they may not be as popular as some of the other brands of knitting machines, the Singer Knitting Machines do have certain offerings that are extremely valuable to the serious knitter in your home or family.

At first glance, there are only two prohibitive factors when you are considering the purchase of a Singer Knitting Machine. They are no longer produced by Singer and the prices are rather steep for anyone relatively new to the world of knitting. However, these are also offset as well. The parts and service for Singer Knitting Machines are readily available in many locations around the globe and the relative ease of use regarding even the more advanced knitting machines by Singer make it a popular selection for some.

The Singer line of knitting machines starts out on the low end with many “Toy” knitting machines that are in fact very functional. Whether they are deemed to be “toy” knitting machines because of their plastic construction or ease of use is unknown but they are still fully functional knitting machines that can be used by adults for adornments and embellishments as easily as they can be to introduce your children (or grandchildren) to the wonderful world of knitting, arts and crafts.

Singer line of knitting machines

There are numerous attachments and other parts readily available for the Singer Knitting Machines as well. Singer Stores are also very common in nearly any large city so finding a certified Singer Technician who actually has experience with the Singer Knitting Machines should not be a major problem.

The Singer Knitting Machines are no more sensitive than any of the other machines and are much better built than some but as with any such sensitive equipment, minor problems can cause major difficulties when you are actually attempting to use the machine. Finding a reputable Singer technician or Service Center should allow you to find a technician who is intimately familiar with your Singer Knitting Machine and can keep it running in nearly perfect order.

When you get up into the larger Singer Knitting Machines, they are very nearly commercial in their nature and ability to produce the finished products. The Singer Knitting Machines at this level are truly amazing machines and have an incredible capacity for knitting at speed. The learning curve may be a bit higher than some of the other knitting machines but if you have the patience to get it up and running and keep all of the finer parts in good condition, these machines really are difficult to beat.

Singer Knitting Machines and attachments are readily available for nearly any yarn weight and style so even working with those difficult yarns like the ribbon yarns, the lace yarns and even the chunky yarns that sometimes create problems on knitting machines can be easily worked with. Again, there may be a slight learning curve and the prices may be a little steep for those new to knitting, if you are a seasoned professional, have the time and patience to learn your machine and are serious about production, the Singer Knitting Machines are difficult to beat.

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The Right Knitting Machine For You

Hand knitting is a craft that is enjoyed by many people, but if you’re way past the novice level and want to take on the challenge of knitting larger patterns, or your knitting business is at the stage where you can’t keep up with demand by hand knitting alone, or you just want to be able to knit up more items per hour, then maybe it’s time for you to invest in a knitting machine.

When you knit by hand, you create one stitch using two needles. Imagine how much work you can do with a knitting machine that constructs an entire row all at once!

There are three common types of knitting machines: bulky machines, standard beds, and mid-gauge versions. Some are simple looms while some can be highly complex with buttons and dials operating computerized functions.

Heavy sweaters are knitted on a bulky machine, which has needles set 9mm apart and hook and latches that are large enough to work on thick yarns. Bulky machines can also carry out Fair Isle, tuck, slip, lace, intarsia, and other knitting techniques. Studio, Brother knitting machines, and Silver Reed are popular brands of chunky machines.

These knitting machines can be mechanical knitting machines, which allow you to choose from selection of pre-punched cards as well as create your own patterns. Electronic knitting machines have more flexibility and a wider range of uses. They can have around 300 patterns stored in memory which you can turn upside down, mirror, reverse, or double the width or length.

Standard knitting machine beds are typically used to knit suits and lace curtains. Needles are placed 4.5mm apart and the hook and latches are smaller than those on bulky or mid-gauge machines. A standard bed knitting machine usually offers numerous stitch type options and can accommodate very thin yarns.

Electronic standard bed knitting machines allow you to choose from more than 650 templates with more room for customized patterns. Advanced models like the Brother KH970 come with an automatic lace carriage and a computer program that enables you to knit the same sweater with different yarns, gauges and stitch design without re-entering the garment piece.

Mid-gauge knitting machines produce the closest quality to hand-knitted fabrics. With needles set 6.5mm apart, these machines can knit a wide variety of yarns, including baby, sport and worsted types. Lace is done by hand and most models do not have stored patterns or automatic selection of needles. Mid-gauge machines can do some of the most common knitting stitches like stockinet, slip and tuck, as well as techniques involving weaving, plating and ribbing.

When choosing a knitting machine, decide on what type of yarn you want to use, what features you need, and how much you’re willing to spend. A row counter, ribber, and tension mast are necessities in a knitting machine. Some special features you may want to consider are lace carriages, garter bars, punch cards, automatic color changers, and intarsia carriages.

It is best to get a knitting machine with these extended features so that as you get more confident with machine knitting, your machine will be able to grow with you and allow you to take on more challenging projects.