Last updated on September 27, 2026
… this post is constantly in progress. I’ll update with pictures when I can.
If you are one of those lucky people who inherited a knitting machine, got one passed down from your grandmother’s attic, or got a set for free, you can ignore this post. Just know: we are all already jealous, no matter how small or big your inheritance is.
If you are looking for a machine on Marketplace, below are a couple of things to look for. None of these are deal breakers, depending on the price, on what you need, whether or not you are ready for a project machine…
- Look that the carriage is present. You cannot knit without the carriage.
- Look that the sinker plate (sometimes called fabric presser) is present. You will not be able to knit without it either.
- Look for other major accessories: tension mast, cast-on combs (for Brother machine), needle transfer tools, etc. You will be able to knit without them, but those are nice to have. Even on the used market, you are looking at an additional $100 or so of investment if the tension mast and the cast-on combs are not present.
- Look for pictures of needles moved from A to D position: make sure there is no rust or very little rust. Very often, a decomposed retaining bar that was sitting for a long time in the machine will rust the needles at the point of contact. However, believe it or not, this rust might be ok to fix. If the needles are rusted beyond that point, then there is a very big chance there is rust inside the needlebed, which might pose more serious problems down the road.
Importance of demonstrating knitting on the machine:
