Knitting machine type

Studio by White SK740 knitting machine restored in my shop

BUY HERE AND PAY LESS

Studio SK740 + shipping (insured)

$700.00

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!

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

BUY HERE AND PAY LESS

Studio SK303 ($505) + shipping ($50) Shipping to West Coast, Hawaii and Alaska might be more.

$555.00

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.

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 capabilites.

… in progress.

Knitting machines with punchcad capabilities have carriages with drums that glide on the back rail and also assist in needle selection when 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 asscociated with them.

PROS:

needle selection is localized to drums/carriages, thus fewer (theoretically) things to go wrong;
drums assist the carriage in sliding on the needle bed

COSN:

yarn and debri can 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 on 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.

Brother: anniversary edition machines machines and accessories

I found a brochure in my stash showing which knitting machines and their accessories were released as anniversary editions (which means the machines had a slightly different color combination but the same functions as their non-anniversary sisters).

Brother KH-930E knitting machine and Brother KR-850E ribbing attachment:

Brother KH-950E knitting machine.

Brother KH-892E and KH-836E knitting machines

Brother KH-260E knitting machine and Brother KR-260E ribbing attachment

Garter carriages KH-93E and KG-89II

Knit leader KL-116E and Color changers KRC-900E and KHC-820AE

Although the color combination is not seen very well in this brochure, all anniversary editions have baby-blue color: buttons, electronic panel, logo, etc.

Studio 360K serviced in my shop in May 2025 for Sabine.

Knitting machine Studio mod. 360 coupled with the Singer MemoMatic 360K carriage, was serviced and fully tested in my shop in May 2025. To read the pros and cons of the Studio mod. 360 and Singer MemoMatic 360K read the corresponding posts in the Knitting Machine Encyclopedia. The post below is dedicated strictly to this specific machine and not the model overall.

This girl was manufactured in the 1980s (45 years ago) so it comes with its own character (read below in Imperfections).

The machine was thoroughly cleaned. I removed all plastic panels and cleaned them. I removed plastic end caps and clean inside the needlebed with the brush until not more lint and dust as coming out. The needlebed was vacuumed from inside and outside. All metal parts were oiled. The punchcard reading mechanism was tuned and cleaned with oil. Same for the carriage. All needles were removed and inspected and then tested on the full bed (knitted on all needles). I identified one faulty needle (the video shows the incorrectly formed stitches) and replaced it.

In fact, tests on full bed were performed using tuck-, slip- and fair-isle stitches. All stitches formed as they are supposed to. There was no mispatterning (see the full video). The video also shows that all buttons, levers and wheels move freely on the knit leader and the paper advances accordingly. Read the manual carefully when setting the knit-leader parameters as some of the knobs move at certain settings. The video also shows that the row counter work great as well.

I replaced bent plastic heel protectors (plastic circles around each wheel with soft brushes on the under side of the sinker plate – now shown). They bent kinda easily when the yarn is tangled around the wheels on the sinker plate.

Installed new end racks. I replaced the sponge in the retaining bar. The retaining bar sits a bit tight so if it needs to be removed, initially use pliers to get the bar the first tug.

The drums on the carriage move freely (see the video). The carriage with and without sinker plate moves freely on the carriage across the needles in A and B positions. Read below about some accompanying clanking noise.

The machine will come with all major accessories.

Those that are not included are:

unravel cord (any smooth and strong thread or yarn will work);
tapestry needle (any needle will work)
punchcard rod (all tests i performed and shown in the video were done without it and it worked well).
oil (I get oil for my knitting machines on Amazon: Hopp’s gun oil)
punchcard set has all 20 cards and they are original Singer/Studio punchcards but some are somewhat different than in the Pattern Book
A hard copy of the machine instruction manual will not be included but it can be downloaded online for free. The hard copies of the knitting manual and the pattern book are included.

Despite some discloration of the plastic and metal of the main bed, the case lid, and the needle bed are in overall good shape.

Imperfections:

There was some yellow discoloration, which could be potential rust spots. I covered them with a couple of protective coatings. The covered spots are not as noticeable in real life as shown in the pictures below. In fact, when I am looking at the machine right now, I can’t even see it (but I know it was there).

2. One of such spots is actually the railing itself (I needed to be 100% sure that there will be no further degradation due to rust). So I applied a thin layer of protective coating as well.

In some places, the coating comes of, which comes across as some minor debris. Just be aware of it (and not alarmed). Include cleaning the debris and carriage rail in your regular knitting machine cleaning routine.

3. It seems that either the plastic panels (including the end caps) were replaced by the previous owner, or the machine was exposed to the sunlight unevenly. Regardless, you can see that some panels show a different degree of yellowing (discoloration of the old plastic due to exposure to the UV light/rays). However, the plastic does not seem fragile (I’ve seen a LOT of weakened (due to UV) plastic parts). So the difference is only visual/aesthetic.

4. When I first started testing the machine by moving an empty carriage on the needlebed (with all needles in A, non-working, position), there was some clanking noise in some areas. I tried various carriages on this machine and they all sound like this. After troubleshooting this issue, I was able to improve it (watch this video on this issue) but due to the nature of this noise, it is not completely eliminated. This video discusses how to prevent/minimize that clanking noise. However, with regular maintenance and paying attention as well as moving the carriage in one smooth motion, this will not be an issue.

Despite all these imperfections, I enjoyed working with this machine. I made the gift bag below using various stitches shown in my test video (working on the pattern now).

Brother KR230 ribber tested on Brother KH230 knitting machine

Brother KR230 ribbing attachment works with only one knitting machine: 9 mm -gauge (bulky) Brother KH230.

This post is dedicated to the KR230 ribber I refurbished in my shop.

To learn about the overall pros and cons of Brother KR230 ribbers, refer to my other blog post in my Knitting machine Encyclopedia.

The ribber came without a lot of accessories but I was able to collect most important ones.

Thus, all major accessories will be included with the ribber with the exception of:

yard tension stand: since the machine I tested did not have the original (to the KH230) tension rod but a generic Brother tension rod, the yarn tension stand was unnecessary. But if you are buying JUST the ribber from me, and your Brother KH230 has the original tension mast, contact me, and I might be able to source the original yarn tension stand for you. I am actually not quite sure why the ribber came with this special yarn tension stand – maybe to create a right angle for the tension mast because it is quite unique and is unlike any other Brother knitting machine tension masts.
cast on thread: any silky and strong yarn will work
case for the needles
Knit leader setting plates: the machine did not come with those. Typically, new knitters new to machine knitting rarely use the knit leader and as a result, these parts get misplaced. If you advance enough to use KH230/KR230 setup with knit leader, these setting plates are available online for a reasonable cost.
hard copy of the ribber will not be included, but it can be found online. Keep in mind that the manual is written pretty poorly with typos.

I cleaned the needle bed, and side brackets. I cleaned and inspected all needles individually. Needles in good condition but with some minor rust were polished until they are smooth to touch (however, some discoloration might still be visible but it does not affect the needle functioning). I inspected the carriage and the connecting arm thoroughly too and replaced some broken plastic parts in it.

I included a brand new retaining bar with a brand new sponge.

I am also including new table clamps for the ribber (not shown). All tests were done with these table clamps (incorrect table clamps can create an incorrect angle between the main and the ribber beds and cause misalignment and, as a result, missed/dropped stitches).

The cast on combs that came with the ribber are in great shape.

I also sourced out completely new setting plates for KR230. Notice that the setting plates are asymmetric, unlike settings plates for all other ribbers.

One feature that I like about the KR230 ribber is that there are markings on the needle bed for the working position (position B) of the needles.

I serviced and oiled the connecting arm to ensure that the wheel inside it moved freely as it is responsible for the indicator arros as well as for lifting the pressers to assist with pushing the stitches down.

To ensure all needles knit properly as well as other are no hidden problems, I knitted on 20-30 needles as well as on all neeldees using several different yarns: acrylic sport-weight yarn, double-thread worsted-thickness acrylic-wool blend yarn, and a mohair-blend with Lurex thread in it. The machine handled all the yarns like a champ!

These tests are shown in my video. Prior to the tests, I made sure the distance between the needlebeds was adjusted to the optimum to ensure no missing stitches during the cast one and further one.

Below are the finished projects made from the panels knitted on Brother KH230/KR230 setup using the two out of three yarns I mentioned above.

Let me know what you think.

The ribber does not come with its original packaging. It will very likely be shipped in two different packages – long one for the needle bed and a smaller one (in size) for all other parts.

Below are the pros and cons of the Brother KR230 ribber I serviced in my shop (to read overall pros and cons of Brother KR230 ribber, refer to my Knitting Machine Encyclopedia):

PROS:

easy to set up
takes a variety of yarns (thickness- and texture-wise)
comes with all major accessories

CONS:

some minor accessories are missing (see above); however, their absence does not affect the functioning of the ribber.
The part of the side bracket that gets inserted into the machine on the left-hand side was a bit bent and I straightened it. (The top surface of that section has scratches as a result of my strainitening it). The series of pictures below shows that bracket and that area from different angles. Again, it did not affect setting up the machine but the bracket needs to be pushed in with a bit more force than the other one. Just something to keep in mind when connecting the ribber to the main bed.

As you can see, I invested a lot of both time and money into this ribber to ensure it has all accessories and that it functions well before I pass it on to other knitting machine enthusiasts.

Brother KR830 ribber serviced for Tyan

This Brother KR830 ribber was prepared (cleaned, serviced, and tested) in January 2025. This post is dedicated to this specific ribber. Refer to my Knitting Machine Encyclopedia to learn the pros and cons of Brother KR830 ribbers.

The ribber did not come with a carriage. Thus, I used a carriage from my stash. However, the carriage is from Brother KR850 ribbing attachment (which is a bit more advanced – read here): you can see “lili” buttons on the carriage picture, which are specific to KR850 ribbers only.

However, as shown in my video, KR830 needle bed, KR830 sinker plate, and KR850 carriage worked well in tandem with my Brother KH940 knitting machine. In fact, the carriage slides easily even with the yarn fed through it (as also demonstrated in my video).

Despite being not for the KR830 machine, the carriage works great and is in great shape. All levers, knobs and buttons move on both sides of the carriage.

The ribber came without some other accessories. I put together a set of accessories. All major accessories will be included.

The original cardboard box will not be included. Regardless, the machine will be packed for shipping really well.

The table clamps are exactly those used during the tests. So the angle between the ribber bed and the main bed will be the same. The needle selection ruler is new stock as well.

The aluminum claw weights are new. The rack lever is new (thus, it is lighter in color than all other plastic components).

The hard copy of the manual for the Brother KR830 will be included as well.

Refer to a free manual available online to learn about the functions of the KR850 carriage.

I cleaned the ribber, thoroughly oiled it, and removed old grease. I inspected all needles (individually and then by knitting on the full bed) and replaced the bent and faulty ones with the needles from a new stock.

I dedicated a lot of time to adjusting the distance between the main bed and the ribber. It is one of the most important parameters during knitting.

Knitting on a machine attached to a ribber is often an interplay between the yarn the knitter is using, tension, and the angle between the ribber and the main bed. The distance was adjusted for the thin yarn (boucle) and slightly thicker than the sock-yarn-thickness yarn (see my video).

During the tests, while the tension was chosen too loose for my first yarn, I was losing stitches (shown in my video – see a clip starting at 2 min 30 s). But as I adjusted the tension, the knitting became flawless.

I knitted on the full bed to demonstrate that all needles form nice stitches. If the latches did not work well or if the needles were bent, it would manifest itself as tucked or missed stitches.

Typically, it is challenging to need a full ribbing on the full bed (All needles are in working positions). Thus, I chose an every-other needle ribbing pattern and knitted on two different sets of every other needle.

I would not recommend beginners to start knitting on the full bed since there are several challenges associated with it:

hard to insert the side hanging weights when all (or almost all) needles are in their working positions (you can see of bit of this struggle in the video);
the knitter needs to pay especially more attention to the carriage position on the edges of the needle bed and to the yarn tension to avoid side floaters (I experienced them – see my video)

Pattern one (see video) had three needles NOT selected on the ribbing attachment. It used slightly thicker yarn. Pattern two had two needles not selected on the left-hand side of the ribber bed. I used thinner but boucle yarn. Both yarns produced wonderful fabrics. I made two great hats out of the knitted panels.

Imperfections:

1. The main bed has two minor rust spots underneath that I covered with the rust-stopping liquid. It is not pretty but at least it prevents further corrosion.

2. The cast-on combs, both small and long, had rust spots that I also covered with Rustoleum. I know it does not look pretty after i applied to liquid but it stops further corrosion. I did not have problems with the yarn catching on the rust spots. These are mostly cosmetic defects.

One cast-on comb side has more spots than the other (on both combs).

The yarn holder looks a bit rusted too but is relatively smooth to touch:

The plastic fine knitting bar is packed inside the ribber itself:

BTW, the hats were donated to a woman, who hand-embroiders the textiles ( as a hobby) and then donated to the women who lost hair due to the alopecia.

Overall, I am very pleased with the performance of this ribbing attachment. Hoping you will be too!

Brother KR260 ribber serviced in August 2024

Brother KR260 ribbing attachment fits bulky knitting machines Brother KH260 and Brother KH270. Read more about this ribbing attachment in my Knitting Machine Encyclopedia (…coming soon).

The article below is focused on the ribber I tested in August 2024 in my shop.

The ribber bed was thoroughly cleaned, the side brackets were cleaned and oiled, and all needles were removed and inspected individually (and then tested by knitting on the full bed).

The distance between the main bed and the ribber was easy to adjust. I almost instantly got the optimum distance and was able to knit a swatch right away. See the pictures of the first cast-on row: all distances are even and there are no missed stitches.

I left the side brackets in the machine so the next owner will not have to make too many adjustments. I knitted the swatch to several rows and made a narrow scarf out of it (see pictures below).

The retaining bar is new with the new sponge. (Typically I reuse the retaining bar (the metal part of the needle pusher) and attach a new sponge strip to it. For this ribber, I used a brand-new metal retaining bar with a brand-new sponge strip.

The machine comes with all minor and major accessories. One exception is a spare needle case: it was so old, that it crumbled as I opened it. The spare needles are inside a regular plastic bag.

Some accessories (1/2 and 2/2 needle pushers) are brand new from new stock.

The 1×1 needle pusher is also a handy tool but it is included with te main bed (Knitting machine).

All other accessories came with the machine but they are still in great shape.

Watch the tests on full bed in my video. I knitted 1×1 ribbing on every other needle on the bed and on the ribber. Thus, to check all ribber needles, I knitted two combinations of those needles to ensure I knitted in all needles. All stitches formed nicely! Thus, all needles, their latches, and the retaining/sponge bar functioned well.

The connecting arm is in great shape. All brushes are intact.

The ribber carriage is also in great shape and all buttons and levers move freely.

I will include the yarns I used to test this machine with the purchase so the next owner will start familiarizing themselves with this machine with the proven threads. These turns turned out to be pretty staticky. On the small swatch (narrow scarf, olive green color), the static was so strong that I could even feel it on my legs as I was knitting the long panel. On the large piece (olive green hat) the status was even stronger but the machine handled it very well: no grinding noise and no problems with tension. I did not use wax with the olive green yarn.

An original cardboard box for the ribber will NOT be included. I will, however, put the ribber into a cardboard box and wrap the accessories in bubble wrap.

Ribber cast-on combs are in great condition. If the wire does not go inside the holes, just rotate it a bit and it will slide in.