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Studio by White SK740 knitting machine restored in my shop

Studo by White SK740 knitting machine is a standard-gauge knitting machine manufactured by the Silver Reed company under the Studio brand name. The machine has 200 needles, 4.5 mm apart, which makes it a standard-gauge knitting machine. Read more about this model in my Knitting Machine Encyclopedia. Also, read the general details and pros and cons of a similar machine, Singer mod. 740. The post below is dedicated to a specific Studio by White SK740 knitting machine, refurbished, served, and tested in my shop.

I performed the regular maintenance on this machine.

  • The drums were oiled, inspected, and serviced to ensure they move freely.
  • All needles were removed, cleaned, and individually inspected.
  • The spongy strip in the metal retaining bar was replaced.
  • The side racks were also replaced with new ones.
  • Deep cleaned inside.
  • Cleaned the punchcard mechanism
  • Thoroughly wiped on the outside (I do not apply too many harsh chemicals to not cause further long-term damage to already fragile plastic components)
  • The machine was oiled thoroughly. Some lubricating oils might still bleed during your first knits. Just wipe them with a cloth.

The lid for the machine was rusted, so I covered the rust on the lid with a special coating and then applied silver-colored Rust-Oleum. It might not look super artistic and pretty, but the rust is stopped and the cover looks very presentable.

End caps on the main bed have discoloration. End caps on the lid are new (I specially 3D printed them out of a very durable material because they were cracked). The plastic rivets are also brand new.

Additional maintenance performed:

  • completely replaced the plastic top cover for the carriage; replaced with new stock
  • I installed new rubber wheels on the sinker plate
  • The lever covers (little knob-like plastic pieces) are replaced with new 3D printed ones.
  • I cleaned the minor rust spots inside the punchcard mechanism and then covered them with Rust-Oleum to stop further corrosion

I tested the machine by knitting several patterns on all needles. The video of these tests can be seen here. I demonstrated that the machine successfully knitted tuck, slip/part, and fair isle patterns. I made three different items (hats and neck warmers) from the panels I knitted while testing this machine.

The brim on the last hats was made with the matching Studio SRP50 ribber (which is also available for purchase).

The machine will come with all the major accessories needed to knit.

Some of the accessories will not be included and this is why the price is lower than other machines of the same type sold in my shop. Also none of the missing accessories and imperfections prevented me from knitting and making beautiful things on this machine.

They are:

  • cast-on thread (any silky and strong thread can be used)
  • tapestry needle (any needle of your choice will work)
  • pattern paper for the knit leader
  • stitch scale
  • oil (it was old and I discarded it; use Hoppe’s oil from Amazon)
  • Magic Cams: They can be purchased on Amazon for under $30. They are neded for single motif knitting.

The knit leader accessories are missing, but my experience shows that knitters who are just starting do not even use the knit leader for garments. In fact, I do all my calculations for sweaters still by hand (its just how I was taught and I am just used to it).

All accessories fit inside the built-in box:

Twenty punch cards will be included. The fifteen cards are generic ones with just one line on them, but most correspond to the cards mentioned in the pattern book for Studio mod. 700 machine. The other five cards were made in the 1980s specifically for the Studio/Silver Reed/Singer machines. The markings on these cards are in red, and they have three lines. These are not generic but cards from a special edition set that I am including to complement the punchcards set to 20.

Some other imperfections (besides missing accessories) of this machine:

Some of the silver-colord rustoleum pain blead on to the cover because I also had to cover some rust spots on the cover.

Table clamps need to be whiggled in a bit with force, but i like that they sit tightly.

There are some dents on the case, but they do not prevent the machine from functioning and closing well.

Hoping you will adopt this great machine for your knitting needs.

Brother Profile 551 tested and serviced in my shop in October 2025

Brother Profile 551 (Or KH551) knitting machine is a standard-gauge knitting machine with 200 needles, 4.5 mm apart. Read more about the pros and cons of this model in my Knitting Machine Encyclopedia.

The article below is dedicated to a specific machine tested and serviced in my shop in October 2025.

The machine was cleaned and oiled. All needles were removed, cleaned, and inspected individually. Their latches and straightness were checked and confirmed. The carriage was cleaned and serviced (oiled and inspected). The sponge in the metal retaining bar was replaced with a new one.

I first knit a swatch while testing the machine to demonstrate that the carriage, all its levers, buttons and knobs as well as the needle selection mechanism, work well.

Additionally, I tested the machine on all needles to ensure the needles form correct stitches. The video of these tests is posted on my YouTube channel. I used several different yarns. All tests went really well. I tested the machine using several different yarns. I will include a skein of one of the yarns I used and liked the most for this machine.

In the video, you will see that I first checked how smoothly the carriage runs on the needlebed. I moved forward (to B position) one section of needles at a time and ran the carriage in different settings across these needles. Thus, I ran the carriage across the needlebed after moving the Russel levers to I, II< and III positions and pushed the “tuck” and “part” buttons on the carriage.

When knitting the “butterfly” pattern (the very first “holding” pattern) I deviated from the pattern and instead of alternating between pressing buttons 1 and 3, I pressed 1 and 3 and then 2 and 4 to demonstrate that machine, buttons and needle selection function properly.

The machine will come with all major accessories and almost all minor.

The accessories that are not included are:

  • one of the yarn hangers, used in the plating type of knitting (page 19 in the manual). On one of the previous machines, I used a paper clip. My experience also shows that knitters rarely use these.
  • oil. It was too old and I discarded it. Use Hoppe’s gun oil available on Amazon.
  • A tapestry needle was rusty and I discarded it as well. Any needle will suffice.
  • A hard copy of the manual will not be provided.

The original manual can be found online, but the resolution is poor. For patterns, it is better to use this manual, which is for the 8-pushbutton machine, but the functions of the carriage are all the same. When converting those patterns, in the pattern table, cut the number of buttons by half and just follow the rest of the directions.

I noticed that the claw weights do not come with this machine. But you can easily order them on Amazon (as well as a smaller cast-on comb for swatches). The price on Amazon is even better than I would offer.

When knitting tuck patterns, especially on every other needle, watch that the stitches come off the round section of the needles. Always remember that the tuck (other stitches too, but tuck especially) is always an interplay between the correct yarn, tension, carriage settings, and static, among a few aspects. I will include a skein of yarn I used for my tets to use as a reference yarn.

A couple of hints to avoid mistakes with the set lever and pushbuttons:

  • Make sure the ratchet tool goes ALL THE WAY to the left when activating the needle selection and all the way to the right (to the OFF position); otherwise, incorrect (or incomplete) selection might happen.
  • general rule of thumb: tuck requires higher tension (smaller number on the tension dial) than stockinet. So does slip/part.
  • Notice in the video that I am adjusting the tension as I am going from stockinet to tuck/slip.
  • For consistency, I recommend the very last two needles (on each side) to be in B position. For example, in the video when i was knitting tuck stitch, I was checking if the last needles are in B or C position. I like my last needles to be in B position, so I moved the needles pushed to C position up.

PROS:

  • Overall the machine is in great shape with no visible rust
  • cast on combs are in great shape: all teeth are straight, and there are only a couple of minor scratches
  • Most of the tools are original

Imperfections:

  • couple of missing minor accessories and a hard copy of the manual
  • minor scratches (some of them are shown below)
  • some minor discoloration on the pushbuttons (shown below)
  • cast on combs have just couple of minor scratches (not shown)
  • The case and the lid are in great shape with only minor, barely noticeable, scratches (not shown)

Picture showing minor scratches on the carriage:

Picture showing pushbutton up close to demonstrate the minor discoloration and minor scratches:

Please keep in mind that my house is a dog-friendly household, so some dog hair is unavoidable.

Hope all looks good and if it does – Happy Knitting!

Hats with snowflakes knitted with two-color garter carriage

I loved this pattern so much that I tried a few combiantions of yarns and i am will experimenting. Basically, all hats have 21 rows of 1×1 ribbing (pattern 532 in the stitch book), then one full pattern with snoflakes (pattern #541 in the stitch book). For bigger/deeper hats I sometimes finished with 1×1 ribbing.

Color combo #1: The main yarn (on the right-hand side) is 50/50% wool/acrylic blend for handknitting. It is a teal color more on the green spectrum

Color combo #2:

Diary of my two-color garter carriage projects

What the two-color garter carriage did for me is hard to put in words. My journey with knitting machines started when i realized i had too much yarn on hand. After experimenting the crap out of Addi (I knitted sweaters with cables, after NUMEROUS hats, scarves, and fingerless gloves) and Brother KX350 (also sweaters with cables and socks), I needed more challenging projects. I could not decide which machine to choose, so to try them all I ended up buying multiple second-hand knitting machines… All kinds… So many that I started running out of space so I had to pass along all those machines. I cleaned them, tested them, figured out what I like about them, and what I didn’t. Moved on to the next one. … But I still really never had a chance to sit down and experiment and craft with all that yarn I accumulated…

Then I discovered Garter carriage. Thank god, out of a dozen garter carriages I picked up along with the machines, one was fully operational (I am still fixing 11 others). The minute it created the perfect 1×1 ribbing, without curse words and snags that I was getting on the ribber, I was in love. I immediately knitted a blanket, and, as usual, multiple scarves and hats. I would not say I got bored (there were so many patterns and projects still to experiment with). But I saw the wonderful effects that two-color garter carriages created, so I wanted to continue to experiment (and along the way, to use all that yarn I have). So, I got the adapter.

After overcoming the initial learning curve, I started enjoying watching my two-color garter carriage make various fabrics so much that I would bring my coffee into the room and just watch it knit. I would be combing impossible yarn. Consult with my son, who is an artist on colors and designs. Create my own designs… Oh boy. I finally had that long-awaited creativity and experimentation that I was yearning all this time. I still fix my machines and pass them along, but I also create these new designs, combine colors, test new patterns, create my own patterns…. The level of satisfaction it brings is just indescribable. Being creative and crafting, according to smart scientists, increases the levels of dopamine… These levels are now spilling to other areas of my life. Double benefits. Thanks, two-color garter carriage. I cherish and appreciate you!!

Hats with leaves

Hats with snowflakes.

Brother Garter carriages: thoughts and observations

… in progress as I am still learning and discovering …

I’ve spent the last two weeks fixing, disassembling, servicing, and cleaning all kinds of Garter carriages. I went through a mix of emotions: from the agony of trying to identify the problem to fix to make the garter carriage work to complete awe watching the garter carriage knit a whole baby blanket just after I pressed all the necessary buttons.

In fact, it was so relaxing to watch Garter Carriage knit that my family would find me drinking coffee in front of it (instead of TV or a FaceBook page). Check out my pages with my projects, advice/notes, and patterns.

While being enthralled, I knitted swatches, hats, custom patterns, multicolor (just stripes, not using a true 2-color GC), blankets on all 200 needles…. So, below are my observations and notes.

Garter carriage is a bulky (meaning, big) carriage, but unlike a main machine carriage, it knits on its own but slowly. Garter carriages are temperamental. In fact, VERY! So below I am compiling a list of commonly appearing questions, my observations, and knowledge (acquired by making a LOT of mistakes).

The garter carriage moves too slowly.

If you want you GC to move faster, adjust the dial on its power supply. Right (“H”) is to increase the speed. If this does not change the speed, it is very likely that either the motor is malfunctioning or there is gunk in the carriage preventing it from moving faster.

The garter carriage stopped and is not moving.
  • The service manual describes some of the possible reasons:
  • Check if the power supply is actually working. My carriage stopped working literally in the middle of a project, and i could not figure out what was going on until I decided to try a different power supply. Well, the previous power supply decided to die without a warning.
  • The motor is not running. There are several reasons for that: bad motor, incorrect connection to the electrical outlet, yarn sensor is down, your row counter is at zero, a knot in the yarn feeder… Refer to the service manual for more detailed information.
What might cause garter carriage to randomly drop stitches?
  • bad (bent needle): it might have a sticky latch, be bent, misaligned or stuffed with lint. Check this first.
  • yarn is too thick. Solution: decrease tesion (increase the number on the dial) or switch the yarn. I was able to use yarns on garter carriage that a regular standard-gauge machine cant. BUt there is always a limit.
  • problematic yarn: fuzzy, or with boucle, or staticky, or stretchy yarn, or simply yarn that does not want to knit on the garter carriage (it happened to me; I put it in a bag and marked “GC cannot knit”).
  • check sponge bar: the spongy part needs to be about 1 cm above the metal sides. also: is it still spongy? is it even across the length of the retaining bar?
  • gate pegs might be bent or out of line. Check gate pegs from different angles.
  • clean the brushes from fluff and dust.
  • insufficient or too much weight

Overall, Garter carriages are quite temperamental.

Why does my garter carriage turn in the wrong place?

There are actually a lot of reasons for that, and they depend on the situation.

  • old grease and gunk. Solution: open up your carriage and clean it up.
  • if you recently disassembled your garter carriage, check if the turning cams are installed correctly
  • check the manual: it says for the automatic “turn” function, the slider needs to be moved to “G” first otherwise it causes problems.
  • make sure your needlebed DOES NOT miss any needles. It will trigger the turning cams incorrectly.
Are extension rails necessary?

It depends on the width of what you are knitting and also on your comfort level. It also depends on your machine. For example, the needlbed of the Brother KH930 is pretty wide (beyond where the needles are nested). In addition, the end cap on the right-hand side is wide too. So, even if you are moving the garter carriage past the sensor (to activate the “GC ON” light on the machine), rails are not necessarily. Thus, even if you are knitting on the full bed (like shown in this video), rails are not all that necessary.

What are good yarns to use with the garter carriage?

Garter carriages can handle yarns thicker than the standard machines can. Mostly because it knits one stitch at a time and pulls the yarn to form one stitch at a time. A couple of examples: For example, I made a wonderful blanket with “we love yarn” (400 g/1312 m; 100 g/328 m) per ball) which is considered pretty thick for standard-gauge machines. This yarn creates beautiful texture and is machine washable at 104 F. I made a blanket with the cream yarn with tension 9 for the border and 10 for the main body. One skein of Mega Ball was enough. Two-color garter carriages will need thinner yarns (for both feeders). But in both cases, knitters need to experiment with yarns and tensions. The golden rule: if the machine struggles, increase the number on the tension dial (which loosens the tension). Still struggling: the yarn is not compatible with your garter carriage.

Do I need to remove the ribber bracket to use the GC on my machine?

Just the brackets should not affect GC functioning. However, some believe that the best angle for GC to work properly is when the machine is flat. Thus, use the flat table clamps, not the S-curved ones (those that we use to attach our machines to ribbers).

Do I need to use cast-on comb?

Yes and no. Some knitters like to hang the cast-on comb on the 3rd or further rows. Some knit without it. I found that with thicker yarns and for two-color carriage, cast-on combs benefit me. Again: try and see for yourself.

Why are GC needles so expensive?

Simple answer: supply and demand.

My garter carriage is mispatterning.

Again, there are several reasons, including a gunked-up machine. But also:

  • you forgot to activate the GC light on the machine (if your machine is electronic)
  • bad garter carriage needle: replace it
  • not a super fresh sponge in the retaining bar
  • bent or defective main bed needles


Studio SRP50 ribber tested on Studio by White SK740 knitting machine in my shop in August 2025

Studio SRP50 ribber fits a vast majority of standard-gauge Singer/Silver/Silver Reed/Studio/Empisal Knitmaster/Riccar knitting machines.

Read about Studio SRP50, Empisal Knitmaster SRP50, Silver SRP50 and Singer SRP50 ribbers (which are the same, just different branding) in the Knitting Machine Encyclopedia. The post below is dedicated to a specific ribber I serviced and tested in my shop.

This Studio SRP50 ribber was tested on Studio by White SK740 standard-gauge knitting machine with punchcard reading capabilities.

I performed the usual cleaning routine: took out all needles, cleaned and inspected each, replaced bent or those with sticky latches; cleaned and serviced the needlebed. I spent a lot of time making sure that the distance between the main and ribber beds is optimum for my knitting. I used very thin and medium-thin yarns. If you use slightly thicker yarns or thinner ones, you might need to adjust the distance. There are a lot of online resources on how to do it.

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The correct distance between the beds is one of the most critical aspects of successful knitting.

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I cleaned the carriage and cleaned the retaining bar (which is a plastic strip; no sponge).

The ribber will come with all major and most minor accessories.

The missing accessories are:

  • close-knit bar. It is a narrow (1 x 910 mm) piece of plastic. According to the forums and even the manual itself, it gets misplaced and lost very often. The same forums mention that it is rarely used – maybe for very fine yarns.
  • The “screw driver” did not come with this setup either. I am adding a ratchet tool instead. I used it for all adjustments of the ribber. For some adjustments, a regular flat-head screwdriver might be needed.

I recommend first swatch tests to be on every other needle and/or with a very thin yarn to get to know your machine without worrying about yarn adjustments. This is what I did when I tested this ribber. The knitted fabrics were then converted to hats, a band (made from a swatch) and a neck warmer below.

I knitted on every other needle but used two different combinations to ensure that I knit on ALL needles. Combination one was three needles on the left of the ribber not selected, and combination two was two needles on the left of the ribber not selected. See the video of those tests. The tests on a full bed are also important not only to assess how smooth the carriage runs, how well the needlebed is oiled, but also to ensure that all needles form correct stitches. Check out the video to see that all needles indeed knitted well.

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Studio SK-303 knitting machine serviced and tested in my shop in July 2025

Studio SK303 is a metal flat-bed knitting machine with 200 needles, 4.5 mm apart, which makes it a standard-gauge knitting machine. Studio SK303 is capable of creating patterns with automatic needle selection governed by the turn-knob control center and buttons and levers on the carriage.

This post is dedicated to a specific machine serviced and tested in my shop in July 2025. To learn all the pros and cons of the Studio SK-303 model, refer to a post in my Knitting Machine Encyclopedia.

The machine will come with almost all major and most minor accessories.

The toolbox (and its lid) is pretty sturdy (normally, those boxes become so fragile with time and exposure to elements that they just crumble apart).

The S-shaped table clamps are original. I am also including two brand new claw weights (which are not even part of the original setup) because they are very useful, especially for beginners, to put on the edges of the fabric or to assist with the cast-ons.

The missing minor accessories/tools are:

  • hard copy of the manual. You can refer to a manual available online for free.
  • card copy of the pattern cards. They can also be downloaded for free. The manual also has some basic patterns. The pattern shown in my video for a blanket is a variation of the pattern in the manual. I also include patterns that I printed out from that pdf file.
  • original metal carriage lock is not included but I am including a 3D printed plastic replacement
  • clips to hold the cards did not come with the machine, and since there are not cards, they are not really necessary.
  • the case for the spare needles was falling apart and thus will not be included
  • oil was too old and I discarded it. I use Hoppe’s gun oil available on Amazon.
  • the yarn tension guide will be included but it is not the original one: it does not look like two bunny ears but more like a triangle.
  • the cast-on wires also did not come with this machine but I will include two identical medium (in between the short one and long ones shown above) wires.

I did all standard maintenance on this Studio SK303 machine: cleaned the retaining bar from the old gunk, replaced the sponge strip in the retaining bar, inspected all needles, cleaned inside and oiled the machine as well as the turnknob and patterning mechanisms.

I tested several acrylic yarns with this machine (just small swatches and also on the full bed), from super smooth to a textured wool yarn to a relatively thick one. Smooth fibers are sometimes problematic because a lot of static might form. The machine handled the slightly thicker (than I normally use on standard-gauge machines), almost sport weight, very well, although there were some hiccups. Additionally, it handled a two-thread 2-color fair isle pretty well, too. Textured wool yarn was not ideal – I should have selected every other needle, but still knitted a decent-sized swatch. All the tests are shown in the video I put together. The machine behaved pretty well, especially with thinner yarns. I tested two-color fair isle, tuck- and slip-stitches and all stitches and knitted fabric looked great.

The full bed tests are necessary because very often faulty needles might not show up during just visual inspection. In fact, I did discover a needle with a bad latch – it formed tucked stitches (shown in the video as well). After I replaced it, no more bad stitches formed on the full needlebed.

Below is a picture of a pattern I accidentally discovered while testing this machine. It is a combination of needles in A position (to create a lacy opening) and a hold-tuck combo.

I converted this knitted panel to a blanket (the pattern is coming soon). I like the look of it so much that I knitted little booties, hat and mittens to make it a matching reversible set.

Now, about imperfections:

One of the metal slide-ins (where the row counter or the card holder are attached) is missing.

The row counter is similar to the original ones but branded as “Silver”, not “Studio”. There is an identical knitting machine model but branded as Silver SK303.

The row counter has some minor staining but it does not affect its functioning.

The turn-knobs have some minor discoloration but still feel solid (they will not crumble easily).

The case has some minor stains and scratches but nothing too major (not all are shown). The scratches do not affect the functioning of the case.

Singer 888 knitting machine serviced and tested in June 2025 in my shop.

Singer 888 knitting machine model has 200 needles, 4.5 mm apart, which makes it a standard-gauge knitting machine. It was released to the market in the mid-to-late 1960s. It has turn knobs, controlling needle selection and, thus, patterning when knitting. Read more about this model in my Knitting Machine Encyclopedia. The rest of the post below is dedicated to a specific Singer 888 knitting machine, serviced and tested in my shop.

Just a quick disclosure: I was nervous starting testing this machine with so many buttons and levers and moving parts, but as I started working with it fell in love with this machine. Patterning was so easy and kind of almost meditating. Check out the video of these tests.

The machine will come with almost all and most critical major (carriage, sinker plate, row counter, tension mast) and almost all minor accessories (table clamps, transfer tools, needle selection ruler, replacement needles). A lot of accessories were missing when I got the machine, but I was able to outsource most of them.

All levers, knob, dials, and buttons on the carriage move freely.

The hard copy of the manual will not be included. However, it can be found online (look on that site for the info on Knitmaster ES-302, Studio SK-302, and Silver SK-302 knitting machines as they are similar to Singer 888). Silver SK-301, Studio SK301, Silver 303, Silver 305 and Empisal Knitmaster mod. 305 are also similar turn-knob machines that will provide a lot of useful tips if instructions for the 302-series models.

The case to store tools is not included. The tools will be secured to ship even without the case. Oil was too old, and I tossed it away. For maintenance, get a Hopp’s gun oil on Amazon. The clips to hold the pattern cards also did not come with the machine. Tapestry needle and cast-on thread are not included. Any needle and any silky and strong thread will work.

The table clamps are original. The transfer tools were missing, but I am including a new set, which also comes with a new needle selection ruler. Only one, 100 stitches, cast-on wire will be included. It came with the machine but does not seem to be the original (the bead on the end is not oval; a wire is simply bent into a knot). As a courtesy, i am including a small cast-on comb to quickly cast on for swatches while learning the machine. I am not sure if using case-on wires is a popular cast-on method since I most often see e-wrap based cast ons. However, for quick swatches and quick tests, the cast-on comb-based is my favorite.

The pattern cards also did not come with this machine, but they are also available online.

The needle bed, all needles, the patterning center, and the inside of the machine were thoroughly inspected and cleaned. The carriage was thoroughly oiled to ensure all buttons, dials, and levers move freely.

The sinker plate and all its wheels are in great shape.

I knitted several swatches with different patterns to ensure that the carriage performs the needle selection and patterning well.

Then I knitted on the full bed to ensure that all needles form correct stitches. I knitted on all 200 needles, stockinette, tuck, and slip-stitch. The two-color fair isle was only done on a swatch.

I like making something from the knitted panels I knit while testing the machines. This time, I made a very light-weight but still warm baby blanket for a friend.

Now, about imperfections of this machine:

  • There is some staining on the case that I could not remove. I, however, do not use harsh chemicals because I fear damaging the original coating more than I dislike the stains.
  • The lid has some staining, too.
  • A couple of stains on the bed, which are black because I covered them with the protective coating.
  • The underside of the carriage has some discoloration and scratches on the metal. Discoloration looks a bit like rust (but is still smooth), so I covered it with a protective coating. None of these affected knitting: the carriage still glides smoothly, and no static is forming (although static accumulation can also depend on the yarn).

These minor flaws and imperfections do not affect the functioning of the machine at all.

It is a lovely, light-weight and straightforward machine to use. It is easier to pattern in my opinion than the pushbutton Brother machines since no additional steps (like turning the ratchet) are required.

Pros and Cons of turn-knob knitting machines

So far, I’ve been able to become very familiar with the Silver/Empisal Knitmaster/Studio/Singer turn-knob knitting machines: Empisal Knitmaster mod. 305, Knitmaster ES-302, Riccar RK-601, Silver SK-301, Silver SK-302, Silver SK-303, Silver SK-305, Singer 666, Singer 888, Studio SK-301, Studio SK-303. Thus, the pros and cons below are applicable to the following models:

PROS:

  • light weight
  • compact
  • needles similar to the ribber (easy to find)
  • The carriage is very easy to remove from the needlebed if it is jammed
  • manual and pattern cards are available online for free
  • sturdy end caps
  • excellent for those who like the satisfaction of manual stitch manipulations
  • excellent for beginners
  • it is significantly faster to perform needle selection than manually and than the Brother pushbutton knitting machines (which involves the lever movement every time the needles need to be brought forward)
  • no ratchet tool is required to move the needles forward (like in Brother push-button machines)
  • needle selection pattern versus turn knob combinations is show on the front panel: no need to constantly refer to the manual
  • ribbers were available to convert the machines into double-beds

CONS:

  • bunch of knobs, buttons and levers might at first seem confusing
  • vintage row counter if mispalced is hard to find
  • somewhat limited patterning capabilities: manual needle selection is needed for complex patterns and patterns with more than 8 needle repetitions
  • colored fair isle requires manual yarn manipulation (the knitter will need to lay the yarn onto the needles with open latches; might seem tedious on larger projects, but makes it easy to knit single motif patterns)
  • limited number of add-ons: only ribber (no knit leaders, no color changers, no lace carriages, etc).

If you are new to machine knitting on flatbed machines and you just got a machine, consider the beginner-friendly projects I recommend to all my students and customers. These projects can be done on any machine with any gauge. Also, if you are unsure how to choose a knitting machine, check out an article I put together.

…stay tuned for more insights as I test other turn-knob knitting machines.

Working, mechanism, pros and cons of drums-based knitting machines (sold under the Silver Reed, Singer, Studio, Empisal model names) with punch card capabilities.

… in progress. Last update: June 2026

Knitting machines with punchcard capabilities have carriages with drums that glide on the back rail and also assist in needle selection when they are passed over a punchcard reading mechanism pegs.

Well, since these patterning drums are such a prominent feature (which also makes these machines stand out from Brother punchcard knitting machines), a lot of cons and pros are associated with them.

PROS:

  • needle selection is localized to drums/carriages, thus fewer (theoretically) things can go wrong;
  • Drums assist the carriage in sliding on the needle bed
  • I find knitting tuck-stitch on these machines is much less problematic than on Brother machines.
  • Patterned knitting occurs starting with the first passage of the carriage.

CONS:

  • Yarn and debris can’t tangle around these drums
  • These drums often freeze up when the machine is not in use for a prolonged time due to solidified old grease/oil.

Here are my other observations/feedback so far:

Pegs on the drums pass the needles to either B position or C position.

When the patterning dial is in the fair isle position, the mani yarn goes onto the needles in C position.

I see blog posts stating that some of the clanking noise might be due to the static in the yarn. To solve this issue, attach wax to the tension mast so the yarn passes through it.

But some knitters experience that noise even when there is no yarn in the carriage. Sometimes, if the carriage was not recently serviced or the sponge in the retaining bar is old, you might hear some clanking noise. I am discussing this issue (as well as how to address/minimize it) in my video.

When the ribber connecting arm is attached (from SRP50 ribber – maybe others, still researching), the carriage cam dial does not turn from L to Stockinet freely. You will need to disconnect the connecting arm, and the problem will be solved.