Machine Knitting

The Best Knitting Machine

What is the best knitting machine? All Silver Reed knitting machines can knit sweaters, socks, blankets, hats and many other knitted garments. There are 3 sizes of knitting machines, depending on what size yarn you want to use.

The best selling machine is our Silver Reed LK150 knitting machine.  It is a mid-gauge knitting machine that knits Sport [2]. DK [3] and Worsted [4] size yarns wonderfully. It is the easiest machine to use. It has 150 needles, and patterning is manual. It is affordable and is a great entry level machine, and of all the models is the easiest to learn. This is a mid-gauge knitting machine with 6.5mm spacing.

The SK155 is our bulky model. It will knit Worsted [4] and Bulky [5] weight yarns. Its needles are larger and more spaced apart than the LK150. This machine will whip out sweaters and blankets super fast. It has an automated pattern feature. It is mechanical and needs no electricity. It has a metal bed. This is a bulky gauge knitting machine with 9mm spacing.

The SK280 and SK840 are standard gauge knitting machines with 4.5mm spacing. They knit Lace [0], Fingering [1], and maybe Sport [2] weight yarns. Its needles are much smaller and much closer together. Sweaters, socks, accessories and garments are a much lighter in weight and sometimes of a delicate nature. These two models have many accessories with the ribber (SRP60N) and Lace Carriages being very popular. The difference between these 2 machines are the pattern features. The SK280 is a mechanical machine. Its patterning is done mechanically. It needs no electricity. The SK840 uses the DesignaKnit Software and Silver Link Cables (separate purchases) to link to the machine to do patterning.  The SK840 without the software will knit stockinet and hand manipulated stitches easily. But to have fairisle, lace and textured stitches to happen automatically, the software and cables are required.  The SK840 is very popular with designers. The SK280 is very popular with home crafters.

More about knitting machines . . .

If you are just now beginning your research into machine knitting, Selecting Your Knitting Machine is the best "how to" decide, or "where should I start" article for you.   When people ask me, which machine do I need to knit hats, or baby blankets .... all machines can do hats and baby blankets.   This "how to" article will give you a basic understanding of machines, and should narrow down, or rule out some of the models.

I get many people who are hoping to speed up their knitting with a machine.  It is true that a machine can speed it up, but while some stitches are super-fast with a machine, there are other stitches, that are labor intensive.   If you are willing to alter your designs slightly, you can take advantage of this speed.   Read What Every Hand Knitter Should Know Before Buying a Knitting Machine to see what stitches have advantages and limitations.

If you are a hand knitter, you probably have a cabinet full of different knitting needles.   When you reach in to select a needle, you are usually looking for a size, such as a US#7 (4.5mm).  Hand knitting needles range from the very very thin, nearly wirelike, all the way up to 50mm, which is very very large. In the machine knitting area there currently are 3 sizes of machines.  Different Yarns for Different Knitting Machines is a good read to clarify what machine you will need.   It addresses it from the angle of what size yarn are wishing to use and points you to the machine that is best for that size. 

Read more at About Knitting Machines