I'm thinking about getting a kntting machine....

In My Humble Opinion
1

Does anyone here have one? Do you like it? Is it for business or pleasure?

I currently knit by hand which I really like. However, everyone and their dog want’s me to knit them stuff, and frankly I’m not that into it.

I mean, I like knitting stuff for myself (I’m selfish that way) and I love knitting monkey sweaters for my niece and nephew, but other than than I’d just as soon not. 99% of people don’t appreciate how much work it is. They don’t appreciate that one sweater can have hundreds of thousands of stitches in it. They think if they ask for a knitted gift they’re saving me $$ (false - have you seen the price of yarn!). They ignore that I’m not short of money, but am short of time and don’t really have time to sit around knitting gifts for everyone.

So I was thinking I could get a knitting machine. Then when someone asks for something I can get the yarn, throw it in the machine, hand stitch some part and call it a hand knit sweater or whatever. Yes, I know that’s cheating, but trust me - the people demanding this things will never know the difference, they get to feel beneovolent, and I don’t get arthritis in my hands before I’m 40.

So - does anyone have one? Does it work well? Do you also handknit - if so how do they compare? Good brands? How much should I spend?

Finally, where the heck do I buy one? I think I’d rather new, but if there was a source of good quality used ones that would be ok too.

2

Im interested in the replies you get, as Im also a handknitter.

Ive never used a knitting machine, but I used to have a co-worker who did and I talked to her about it a couple times. She said that she primarily used it for the long boring parts of sweaters (i.e. stockinette stitch). Shed make sweater from the bottom up, doing some ribbing by hand, the body on the knitting machine, and then doing a more intricate yoke for the sweater (cables or colorwork) by hand. It sounded pretty interesting, but I didnt look into getting a machine as I dont have room for one in my tiny apartment.

3

So why spend money on a knitting machine? You’re letting people guilt you into making them stuff. Knitting should be fun and pleasurable. If you want to make something for someone, go ahead. But don’t do it because someone asked you to and you don’t want to. My sister put in an order about five years ago for three blankets, and I’ve done two, in and amongst my other projects. BECAUSE I WANTED TO. I have no desire to jump in on her third blanket, because I’m busy with other stuff.

People can ask me for stuff, but you’re right, I don’t feel huge pressure to make it for them right away. You can also offer to teach them how to make it themselves, or tell them at the very least they have to buy the yarn. I don’t mind the knitting, it helps me learn new techniques, but if I have other projects I want to do then I’m going to work on them first.

But I do it because I WANT to, not because someone asked me.

4

I probably should have been a little clearer in my OP - if someone asks me to make them something I’m happy to do it; however, I don’t typically have the time and almost never have the time to do it by Date X.

However, I think it would be cool to have the machine even if just to make samples of stuff - sometimes I’ll look at a pattern, make the whole damn thing and then not like it - not because it’s not knit correctly but becasue I just don’t like it. Or I don’t like it in that yarn or whatever.

In anycase I was actually looking for feedback about knitting machines. So, do you have a machine? Have you ever used one?

5

I had no idea that such a thing as a knitting machine even existed. Learn something everyday.

6

I haven’t used a knitting machine, but I can see the benefit for easier stitches. I don’t know that it can do intricate stitches though, like cables.

I was just concerned that you were being guilted into knitting gifts for your friends. If you like to do it, go for it, but I would definitely not promise them a delivery date. Then it’s more like work!

7

Yup. Probably the vast majority of commercial knitwear that you’d buy in a store (sweaters, socks, t-shirts, etc…) is knit on an industrial knitting machine. Even competing with sweatshop labor overseas, machine knitting is probably more economical.

8

I was going to buy a knitting machine, then I lost my job. Now I have plenty of time to knit, but no money for a machine!

The thing to remember is that, just like with the hand needles, there is a technique to using the machine and your first piece (at least) may be less than wonderful. From speaking with people with machines, they do take a little bit of practice to learn to use smoothly.

9

Yah, I figured - honestly they look terribly complicated, but I’ve heard that they’re actually fairly easy to use once you get the hang of it.

I’m guessing if I started with dish cloths I wouldn’t have to worry too much if they were f’ed up. :slight_smile:

10

This forum has a section for Knitting Machine Talk that might be helpful.

http://knittersreview.com/forum/default.asp

11

I would definitely NOT recommend the “Bond Ultimate Sweater Machine” available at craft stores like Michaels.

I was looking to quickly knit up some stuff for felting. I read up on it online, and saw the many complaints about it, especially about how hard it was to get it to work correctly. Well, I’m good at following directions and quite mechanical, so I figured I’d have a better-than-average chance of getting it to work. And I did get it to work. And it was such a pain in the neck that I returned it.

It can only knit flat stockinette. It claims that you can do rib knit and cables on it, and there are ways to make it happen, but they’re incredibly finicky and time-consuming. It can’t adequately handle anything other than the smoothest standard yarns. In fact, I found that it balked at anything other than Red Heart Super Saver-type yarn! It really didn’t like the coarser wools that work best for felting at all.

The worst part was that if anything at all fouled up, fixing it was a major endeavor. Frequently, I would just start over, because that was easier.

I guess there’s a reason that all the other home-knitting machines on the market start at a price point several times that of the Bond machine.

Alice–I did find that a little creative googling took me to many knitting forums and review sites that discussed various machines. Of course, you don’t know how reliable they are, but after reading a lot of them, I think I came up with a fairly good aggregate picture.

The best suggestion I found though, and one I’d definitely use if I really wanted to do machine knitting–find out if there is a machine-knitting group in your area. Through them, you probably could get a lot of good advice, try out different models, and maybe find a chance to buy a used one from a “known” person.

Do you find cables “intricate?” I was very pleased to find out how very easy they were! Much easier (IMHO) than doing stuff like making shaping stitches and casting onto different parts of the piece and stuff like that. Maybe that’s just me.
By the way–if any of you has the opposite of the OP’s problem (or knows someone who does) and wants to knit or chrochet more than she knows what to do with and doesn’t have a lot of money to spend on it–Please consider knitting for charity. I’ve knit several blankets for The Snuggles Project, which provides hand-knitted blankets to shelter animals. The requirements that the blankets be really durable and machine wash-and-dryable mean that the cheapo yarns (like the aforementioned Red Heart Super Saver) are probably the best to use. I like to use a couple of strands together and use big needles. The blankets don’t have to be perfect and the colors don’t have to be gorgeous–the dogs and cats won’t care.

I have earned the gratitude of many women by recommending this project. Not because they’re the ones who are enjoying knitting for the doggies and kitties. No, not at all. They’re grateful to me because now they no longer receive multiple unwanted discloths from an elderly acquaintence who loves to knit. The lady in question is now producing Snuggles project blankets at an alarming rate!

12

Thank you very much for this post - it was very informative.

I have been looking online and found a reseller of used machines and there was a Bond one there - I have to admit I was pretty suspicious when it was going for about $90 and the cheapest next one is more like $250. It’s nice to know that I wasn’t just being a knitting snob. :slight_smile:

There are a couple of yarn stores in town - I guess I’ll have to swing in there and see if they have any thoughts about it - Calgary isn’t really a great yarn town though - I’ll often make that a destination when I travel. (I had to spend a great deal of time this summer in Winnipeg while my dad was in hospital - that city is an absolute pit. However, the grossness of it was eased somewhat by Ram Wools - my god what a fantastic yarn shop - I got yarn for 7 different projects in there! And of course I’m still on the first one 'cus I have no damn time!!AHHHHHH)

I think I’ll have to do more investigation - the thing is, I love doing intarsia by hand so those projects I would always handknit. I think cabling is ugly - yes, I’m sure the knitting police are going to show up and confiscate my needles, but I really don’t like the way it looks.

I suppose I think the machine would be great for when people ask for a very plain, boring to knit cardigan or something which happens more often than you might think. I like my knitwear to be unusual - stuff you can’t go buy at the Bay. However, a lot of people seem to think that knitting is to make sweaters like you see at the Bay only cheaper. Yah, not so much…unless…you have a knitting machine!

I’m going to have to do more investigation!