Mid-gauge 6.5-7-8 mm

Needle positions of various flat-bed knitting machines and ribbers

First steps of testing new-to-you ribber.

Tension spring for Brother Knitting machine

Brother Simple Seven, also known as KX350, knitting machine

Singer HK100, fully serviced and tested in December 2022

Personal knitting machines museum (those I personally tested_.

MACHINES:

RIBBERS:

KX350 cleaned and tested in November 2022

Flat Bed Brother KX350 knitting machine, cleaned and tested in October 2022

List of pros and cons of knitting machines I used

Hague Linker – review by ComfiKnits, April 2022

Brother Knitting machines

KnitKing Knitting machines

Silver Reed Knitting machines

Standard (4.5 mm gauge/distance between needles):

Mid-gauge:

Bulky:

A – non-working position

B – standard working position

C, DI, DII – patterning positions

E – holding position

Basic (manual) knitting machines
Machine Model number	Needle Positions
KM100, KH355, KH360, KH370, KH380, KH390, KH395	A	B	C	D
KH210, KH220, KH311	A	B	C	D		E
KX350, KX395	A	B		D		E
KX355	unknown
4-Pushbutton machines
KH35, KH212, KH218	no indicators
KH511	A	B	C	D		E
KH521, KH531, (Profile) KH551	A	B	C	DI	DII	E
8-Pushbutton machines
KH110, KH120, KH552, Profile 585, KH587, KH588, KH705, (Genie) KH710, KH601	A	B	C	DI	DII	E
KH561, KH571, KH581, (Profile) KH583, (Profile) KH585	A	B	C	D		E
KH811 (also 24-stitch punchcard)	A	B		D		E
12-stitch punchcard machines
KH800, KH801	A	B	C	DI	DII	E
24-stitch punchcard machines
Bulky: KH260 Standard: KH810, KH811, KH820, KH821, KH830, KH831, KH836, KH840, KH850, KH851, KH860, KH864, KH871, KH881, KH890, KH891, KH893, KH894	A	B		D		E
Electronic machines
KH900, KH910, KH920, KH930, KH940, KH950, KH965, KH970	A	B		D		E
Ribbers
KR551	A	B	C
KR110, KR120, KR586, KR710, KR810, KR830, KR840, KR850, KR890, KR900, RK900	A	B		D		E
KR582	unknown

A – non-working position

B – standard working position

C, DI, DII – patterning positions

E – holding position

24-stitch punchcard machines
Machine Model number	Needle Positions
Bulky: Standard: KH881, KK91	A	B	D	E
Electronic
Compuknit IV,	A	B	D	E

If you just purchased or snatched a ribbing attachment to your knitting machine, I can imagine how happy you are!

If your ribber came to you fully serviced and tested, you still need to learn yourself how to use it and attach to you machine. So, follow the steps below. However, if your ribber came to you AS IS, follow the steps outlined in my other article on how to clean and service it before you start the knitting tests.

The first most important step is attaching your ribber to the main knitting machine bed. Your ribber manual is the best source for this. If you are a visual learner, there are plenty of youtube video on how to do it for your particular ribber.
Before you even attach the ribber carriage, main carriage and the connecting arm together, you ABSOLUTELY have to make sure the distance between the main and ribber bed is the optimum. Too wide or too narrow distance between the beds will cause all kinds of problems: yarn is not latching onto the needles, resulting in dropped stitches, grinding noise, difficulties to move the carriage, bent latches, etc. for Brother knitting machines, the best manual that explains how to do it is for the Brother KR810 ribber (available online, just Google it). There are also a lot of YouTube resources on how to establish the optimum distance.
Check all magnets on connecting arm and carriages to make sure nothing got stuck to them.
Once you are satisfied with the distance, make sure the connecting arm is attached to the main carriage properly. (Poorly attached connecting arm will manifest itself in dropped stitches, grinding noise, difficulties in moving in one or both directions, damaged needles or needle latches). Follow manual instructions to the dot. Once you attached the connecting arm to the main carriage, run through the needles (no yarn) to make sure nothing is touching the connecting arm. Start with 20-30 needles and if everything is good, add another portion of 20-30 needles, and so on.
Attach the ribber carriage (unless you have a vintage, earlier model, of ribber, in which case you don’t need to do that) to the connecting arm/main carriage assembly. Again, follow instruction to the dot. Then run again the carriage assembly through just the ribber needles. For this purpose, only bring 20-30 needles to working position and run the carriages through. If everything seems smooth, add another section of 20-30 needles, and so on.
Start knitting on a small swatch. Start with 1×1 rib on every other needle. (When setting up the ribber and knitting the first cast-on rows, it is extremely important to move the needles to the B working position as close as possible. Otherwise the carriage might bend the latches.) Use very thin yarn at first. Preferably the yarn that is no prone to static. (Quick side note on how to check the static of the yarn: bring a small strand of yarn to the crack between the beds and if the yarn sticks to one of the beds, yep, you probably have static. Change the yarn or apply wax). Do not use cotton yarns. Thin smooth acrylic yarn should work. Starting with the very thin and smooth yarn will prevent you from having problems related to JUST yarn: static, tension, friction if yarn has texture. (Please, do not think that knitting swatch is a waste of your yarn or time. There are several learning opportunities. For example, you will also learn how to choose the right tension for the yarn you chose, practice transferring the stitches (by hand or using a transfer carriage), whether there is static with this yarn, etc.) Follow the cast-on and knit instructions to the dot. Knitting just a small swatch will let you 1) check whether all buttons and functions move freely on the ribber carriage and 2) master the cast-on procedure.
Knit on a full bed using the yarn you had success on with the swatch. Start with the 1×1 rib on every other needle. I do not recommend knitting on ALL needles on the ribber – leave 1-3 on each end in non-working position. It will be easier to attach wire-weight-hangers and will also ensure you all stitches are knitted before the carriages returns in the opposite direction. Knitting on the full bed will show you whether all needles function well (If a needle is bend, misaligned, or has a sticky latch, stitches will not form properly. You might also see dropped stitches, tucked-stitches or lots of pull stitches. ) And also discover (if any) additional problems with the setup. (All minor problems not seeing while knitting the swatch might manifest in a full bed in a more pronounced way). The panels knitted on the full bed during your tests can be converted to hats (knit 100-120 rows for one-layered hat with a brim and 200+ rows for a double-layered hat). During your tests on a full bed you’ll also learn how to hang and rehang the wire-hangers with weights to ensure nice edges, how to recognize dropped stitches, how to catch dropped stitches on the very ends of the panel and what to do to prevent them, etc. Knitting on a full bed when you are just starting is a whole new game.

Let me know how the first test went!

Carriages of Brother knitting machines have several types of springs to ensure smooth needle handling. This article is about a medium size spring, part of the intricate mechanism of Brother knitting machine carriages. These springs can be purchased in my store.

In particular, this short blog article is about a tension spring responsible for smooth the movement of the middle button on the carriage. (At the end of this article, I show other places in the carriage where the same type of spring can be used). This button is typically used to knit fair isle or/and to reset all other buttons.

To expose that spring, one needs to remove the plastic carriage cover (this step NOT covered in this article) and then remove the metal cover.

For that purpose, remove the two screws marked below.

The plate will then hang by the springs marked in the picture below but they do not have to be removed. Just push the metal plate out of the way. If the springs detach, they are easily to put back. Just take a picture of the agreement before removing the cover.

Once the cover is removed, you will see the springs right away. In my case, one of the springs was simply missing and the mechanism was not retracting automatically the way it was supposed to.

So the replacement spring was placed where one was missing. I made a short video showing where the spring was installed.

“How” the spring was installed is NOT shown in that video because it is kind of hard to capture how to attach the spring. But the loops of the spring need to grab the posts marked in the picture below.

The same spring can be used in positions shown below. The springs marked with crosses are either small/bigger in size or a spring without the loops (springs for the buttons) and thus, cannot be used.

KnitKing Simple seven is a plastic flatbed knitting machine. It is also known as Brother KX350.

It is considered mid-gauge but it can actually knit pretty bulky yarns (like RedHeart Super saver).

This model of knitting machine is excellent for beginners as it is easy to maintain, operate, handle, and lift.

I have a lot of experience with Brother KX350 and can tell you it can handle many tough situations other machines often struggle with. I knitted cables (shown in my video specifically for this machine in here).

It packs nicely into an original box with the styrofoam pieces cut out for all the parts so there is no confusion about where each part goes. The box is a bit beat-up but still holds everything nicely.

The machine will come with all major assesories except for:

A can of oil. The oil that came with this machine was old and I discarded it. A good oil can be purchased on Amazon.
A hard copy of the manual will not come but can be found online for free.
A typical setup includes a videotape with instructions. But this machine did not come with a videotape. With a myriad of youtube videos available on this machine, I doubt you will miss that videotape.

Additionally, I will include 3 extra needles in case you need replacement.

A brand new sponge was inserted (the black strip shown under the needles in the under-carriage view of the machine shown below). So you will not need to replace it for several months.

This particular machine was thoroughly cleaned, and every needle was inspected and tested to make sure that they were all straight and no stuck latches. I knitted two headbands shown below and all stitches formed nicely.

I hope this blog convinced you to consider Simple Seven for your craft needs. It is a wonderful machine and is excellent not only for beginners but also for advanced knitters (who sometimes combine two or more beds to knit wider panels). If you got this machine and do not know where to start, patterns specific for Brother KX350 can be found online but any other pattern for the chunky machine will work too.

Read more about the Brother KX350 model’s pros and cons in my previous blogs.

https://thoughtsandknits.com/2022/11/07/kx350-cleaned-and-tested-in-november-2022/

https://thoughtsandknits.com/2022/10/11/flat-bed-brother-kx350-knitting-machine-cleaned-and-tested-in-october-2022/

Singer HK100 plastic flat-bed knitting machine was made in 1983 to supply hobbyists with less expensive and simpler knitting machines. Indeed, it is extremely easy to set up and is almost intuitive to use. It still can produce a lot of nice garments with a variety of yarns. I personally tested some cotton yarns, acrylic (Red Heart – shown in my video), and the worsted wool blend. This machine is excellent for beginners who are just trying to get a feel for what machine knitting is like.

Singer HK100 is considered a mid-gauge/bulky knitting machine. It contains 120 needles and is capable of only manual stitch and needle manipulation to create various patterns, like, tuck, slip, fair isle, cables, lace, etc. However, there are so many youtube tutorials and printed patterns that the possibilities are endless.

The machine has a unique brown/white color combination, which makes this machine very distinguishable.

What I found especially user-friendly is the yarn guide/tension mast. It simply inserts into the carriage while the yarn cone or cake is positioned on the floor. The reason I find it newbie-friendly is that even seasoned machine knitters sometimes struggle with the metal tension masts on more advanced knitting machine models. Additionally, when I knit on my flat beds, I typically don’t lift my head up to see what’s going on with the yarn on the mast and sometimes there are sudden stops if the yarn tangles. In the case of HK100 and the yarn being right in front of you, you will always see what is happening with it and you can easily catch the knots before they choke your carriage. In fact, my video shows that there was a knot in the yarn, I caught as it was about to enter the carriage, untangled it, and then continued knitting without problems. I was very pleased that I fixed the problem on the go.

I also liked very much the intuitiveness of this machine. For example, when I was a newbie on my metal flatbed machines, I always had to look in the manual as to what the position of the levers meant; what I need to do to simply slide the carriage without knitting. On Singer HK100 there are not that many levers and the only function of the levers on the side of the carriage is to NOT KNIT 😊 You will see in my video that after I made a mistake, I simply pressed the lever and slid the carriage out of the way without knitting.

Another interesting observation I made with this model is that it handles knots without too much drama 😊 Here is what I mean by that: during one of my tests, my worsted wool blend tangled a bit and formed a small loose knot. It passed through the carriage so easily that I only saw the knitted-in knot after 10 (or so) rows. On one side, I was pleased because in my other machines, a knot in the yarn means a tighter row, breakage, sudden stop… But in this case, the knot became part of the knitted fabric. In fact, the knitted-in know was visible only on the wrong side but not on the right side.

Below are the specifics on the machine, I cleaned and tested and offering for sale here and in my Etsy store:

When I just took the machine out of the box (which looked like it was the original box), it looked like it was never used. However, it was dusty. I took out all the needles and cleaned and inspected each individually. I removed the sponge bar, cleaned the “canal” for it inside the machine (right under the flatbed), and inserted a new sponge bar. (Video on how to remove a retaining for inspection, or for a needle change bar is here.

The machine comes with all major assesories, a hard copy of the manual, and three brochures on how to knit various things (all in excellent, barely-use, like-new shape).

A couple of minor things missing are:

The plastic gauge ruler (also called a gauge scale). The gauge scale can be easily calculated manually. In fact, I find these rulers confusing.
Tapestry needle, but any needle can be used. In fact, I like using colored plastic needles since they have a larger opening and are not as sharp, and easier to see if dropped. But I am also not worried if I, my kids, or my other family members including dogs step on one.
Ravel cord. Actually, any smooth yarn could be used as a ravel cord (also sometimes called a waste-yarn thread). I keep several long sections of various yarns on the hook next to my machines to use as a ravel cord. Some knitters don’t even use ravel cords at all.

The fact that all these minor assesories are missing, does not affect how the machine works.

One missing part that I had to fix is a row counter tripper. The machine arrived to me without it. I glued a yellow piece of plastic shown below and it stayed throughout my whole testing.

To make sure it does not break again, I packed it with lots of bubble wrap. Other solutions are possible as well (for example, inserting an L-shape piece of plastic into one of the slots on the back of the carriage).

I recorded a video of almost all the tests I ran on this machine. The knitted fabrics were converted into a colorful cowl/neck warmer, and a set of matching scarf, and a slouchy hat.

A favor: please, comment on the blanket in the background. Apparently, I used it without my son’s permission and I am now in trouble. But if he hears from my readers how cute his favorite blanket is (it is his camping blanket), I might be forgiven 😊)

Basic models: Brother KH550

4-push buttons: Brother KH551

8-push buttons: Brother KH552, Brother KH581, Brother KH585, Brother KH588, Brother KH601, Brother (Genie) KH710

Punch-cards:

Studio/Silver Reed.Studio.Empisal: Singer 321, Studio 326, Studio 360K, Singer 360K, Singer 210, Singer 700 memomatic

Brother: KH800, KH830, KH836, KH840, KH860, KH890,

Electronic: Brother KH930, Brother KH930e, Brother KH940

Basic models: KX350 (7 mm gauge), KnitKing Simple Seven (7 mm), Singer KH100 (8 mm gauge)

Basic models: Brother KH210 (9 mm), Silver Reed SK120 (8 mm)

Punch-cards: Brother 260, Brother 260e

Standard: Studio SRN321, Brother KR580, Brother KR810, Brother KR830, Brother KR850, Brother KR850e,

Bulky:

Brother KX350 is a plastic bed, mid-gauge, knitting machine. It was my first ever flat bed knitting amchine and I am so glad that it was because otherwise, now knowing how capricious other machines can be, I would not have become an avid machine knitter.

This particular model was cleaned. The spong bar is new. Needles were checked.

It comes with the original box, although the box is somewhat beat up. The storofoam inside the box is a bit worn but clean and still holds the machine and the assesories well.

The set includes all standard assesories shown below. You can start knitting right away! It is super easy to setup up. The manual is written very well and is easy to follow. If you are a visual learner, a video tape includes additional instructions.

The machine sounds a bit loud. My husband calls it an old type writer. There is not much more to say about this particular machine as it behaved excellently during the full bed tests (knitting stockinette) and that all levers on the carriage move freely.

It is a wonderful machine for a beginner, and I am glad it is going to a loving home.

Read more about Brother KX350 model’s pros and cons in my previous blogs.

Flat Bed Brother KX350 knitting machine, cleaned and tested in October 2022

Let me introduce a freshly cleaned and tested Brother KX350 knitting machine. It is a plastic flat bed knitting machine with 132 needles positioned 7 mm apart. So, it is considered a mid-gauge. But it handles bulky yarns (medium worsted) pretty well. I was able to easily knit Red Heart Super Saver yarn on this machine.

It is extremely straightforward how to assembly and setup p the machine. The manual is written very well.

The machine is very light-weight, which makes it easy to handle.IT comes with all assesories including a video tape (if you are into that kind of things )

About this specific machine:

All worked great. The box shows some tear and wear.

Pros and cons not mentioned earlier:

(+) The sinker plates is NOT detachable, which prevents it from being lost.

(+) Simple and straightforward to use.

(+) Includes heavy-duty combs, which act as cast-on combs and weights at the same time.

(+) Very clear manual with some instructions on knitting garments and other knitting techniques.

(+) Not as loud as metal beds when knits

(+) There is a stopping mechanism to prevent the carriage from accidentally sliding when knitting too vigorously

(+) Numbers for the needles are written right on the bed. I like it a lot since nobody has to worry about misplacing the strip

(+) putting the machine back to the box is so EASY! (especially comparing with the metal beds with heavy lids). All assesories are stored in their designated places inside a sterofoam.

Cons:

(-) plastic bed (which to me does not seem to be a con at all…. I am not worried about rust. I am also not worried about plastic being brittle and discolored if I keep the machine in the box when not in use)

(-) comes in a carboard box, which is not a bid turn off for me anyways…

(-) the machine has only basic patterning capabilities. But since it knits regular yarns (those that you can buy in Michael’s and Joan Fabric) – no patterning is needed since you can get self-striping and variegated yarns that provide a lot of interesting color combination and self-patterning. .

Read more on pros and cons on this machine in my previous article about this machine.

While testing this particular machine, I knitted using medium worsted yarn the cowl/neck warmer below.

The original box has some minor staining. The machine will be shipped in original box covered with brown shipping paper.

Overall, in my opinion, this machine is perfect for a beginning machine knitting. You will get a feel of what it is – machine knitting. You will not kill your back trying to carry this machine. You can still knit a lot of various patterns, however, they will require a lot of hand-manipulations. Which is again great for people who LOVE hand-knitting and just need to have knitting with more even stitches and faster.

Watch this machine in action in my video blog.

…in progress. Updated: June 2025

abbreviations:

b-in = built-in

mb = metal bed

sg = standard gauge

st = stitch

Singer 210

mb, sg, 200 needles, 24-st punchcard

https://youtu.be/L1GwyLg46V0 Can do tuck slip, 2-color fair isle; if carriage is stuck, unscrew the sinker plate, no built-in toolbox; has built-in knit leader; standard set of punchcards has only 10 cards, no hard case lid (all parts are inside a sterofoam packaging; budget, lightweight model. https://wordpress.com/post/thoughtsandknits.wordpress.com/427

Studio mod. 324

m, sg, 200 needles, 24-st punchcard

https://youtu.be/27blcVPYAlw Can do tuck slip, 2-color fair isle; if carriage is stuck, unscrew the sinker plate, no built-in toolbox; no built-knit leader; compatible with standard add-ons (ribbers, knit-leaders, color changers, row counter) https://thoughtsandknits.com/2025/05/26/studio-mod-324-knitting-machine-prepared-for-lara/

Studio mod. 326

md, sg 200 needles, 24-stpunchcard; b-in knit leader, tool tray

https://youtu.be/0PnXE_Bc8yc Can do tuck slip, 2-color fair isle; if carriage is stuck, unscrew the sinker plate, no built-in (but has stand-alone) toolbox; compatible with standard add-ons (ribbers, color changers, row counters) https://thoughtsandknits.com/2022/06/11/studio-326/

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Machine Model number

Needle Positions

I purchased a new Hague linker directly from Hague in UK and so far I am very pleased although not everything is ideal. This is the only linker that I ever used so I don’t really have what to compare. My linker with the one with the electronic foot pedal control but the same pros and cons and advice are applicable to a manual machine.

What I did on Hague linker:

Linked the edges of the scarf knitted on standard knitting machines. As the Hague manual mentions, it is extremely important to get a hang by practicing putting the knitted edge on the linker’s pegs to create a very nice and even seam.
Linked the open stitches on every and every other needle. I use this technique when I was to create more stretchy edges. Check out my video on those.
Linked the edges of the scarf knitted on a bulky machine – was very pleased as well

Overall recommendations:

Learn how to put the knitted edge efficiently and evenly on the pegs.

I typically try to put the whole piece on a linker – it helps me to evenly distribute the stitches along the piece length.
Always knit blank 10-12 stitches at the end to easy take of the linked piece of the machine and to hide the loose ends. By ‘blank’ stitches I mean the thread looping on itself without any underlying fabric.
Push the fabric placed on pegs as far as possible so it does not slide off.
Keep even tension between first and second fabric layer when joining them on pegs

Pros and Cons.

(+) The edge is nicer than when sewn by hand

(+) Faster than linking by hand

(+) Easy to see as you knit whether the edge is even or not

(+) the size of the linker is compact enough so I sometimes move the whole machine if for some reason I feel that moving the ring with pegs is not convenient. Or sometimes I move around myself whatever works, right?!?

(+) very well-written instructions and manual.

(+) If the needle breaks, it is easy to replace

(+) Parts are available from the manufacturer.

(-) even though there is a tension mast and a threading mechanism with tension control, I feel the flow of the threading yarn is not even. I tried to wind my thread in a different way and it still catches one in a while. But that’s ok and is easy to get control over.

(-) it does miss stitches once in a while. So the yarn threading, tension, combination of thread and the thickness of the knitted pieces are all important.

(-) Even though replacing a needle is relatively easy, putting it in the absolutely correct position requires trial and error. It is doable, yes! But I had to step away from my Hague linker for a couple of days not to get too frustrated

Pros and cons specifically for an electric linker:

(+) Hands are free – all control over the needle movement and speeds are through the foot pedal.

(+) The electric linker can be used manually as well but not many stitches.

(-) I wish the cord was a bit longer. But I wonder if this is some sort of safety precaution because the cord on my sewing machine is also shorter than I want.

I learned a lot by simply using and experimenting with various techniques. There is still a lot to knit and to link and to learn on Hague linker! Below are some products I finished on Hague!

Since this is the only linker I ever tried I cannot really compare it to anything else rather than sewing the garment pieces by hand and on a sewing machine. Overall I am very pleased and will continue getting a hang of various techniques, including decorative ones, on my Hague linker.