I remember when my mom purchased a knittax machine in the 60’s I used to sneak knitting time on it while she was at work in Toronto. My mom retired from accounting and opened a machine knitting store in the 70’s. It was Japanese machines by then and we learned how to use them all. Super fun. Wishing you a great journey 🥰
that is such a lovely memory :) What did you make? :) oh wow... what a cool job change. I've never tried any other machine, but I've heard great things about Brother. I'm very intrigued :)
Hello Emily, so wonderful to be able to share your enthusiasm. I’m inspired to tackle my neglected blog and will publish one this afternoon. It’s old fashioned I think to blog, but I rather enjoy the pace. A big fan of both and, instead of either or. I used to say the different brands of machine were like your children, you love them all differently. Have a great weekend
Fabbydabbydo Chuck....I can see you are having so much fun with your vintage knitting machine. Grandma tried with her one back in the day, but I am not sure she ever got to grips with it...Father remembers it or maybe more the frustration it caused lol! I look forward to meeting it 🙂 I was knitting on my reading shawl whilst enjoying your vlog 🙂 xx
I am excited to introduce you :) I hope I have more luck with it than grandma did haha so far so good at least :) I also look forward to meeting this shawl! :) x
Just saw this video. Usually knitting machines come with an addition part that is needed to begin knitting your garment. It weighs the item down as it starts getting long. Also use silicon spray to loosen up the needles. Good luck.
Hey Thanks, that's interesting, I've never heard of silicone spray, I'll look it up 😊 Oh, as I mentioned in the video, this machine doesn't use weights or combs, it uses sinkers. It's a different system. It just involves lots of learning 😆
I admire your perseverance on this! I have a Knittax from the 60's that was my mother's and have been trying to learn how to use it in the past year. I don't have a ribber though. If you have problem areas or bent needles you could try moving them to the outside edges of the machine where you are less likely to use them, and still be able to use the centre of the machine. I've found the books by Susan Guagliumi the most helpful. There is a channel called Zabbez and he has one of these machines. I also have followed an old video by Vivi Crafts to make socks on a flatbed Knittax machine. It's best to start with wool, which is stretchier and more forgiving. I've tried 100% linen recently and it is a pain - no wonder most people weave with linen rather than knit. Good luck!
Perseverance might become my middle name after all the vintage experiments I put myself through haha it's worth it though ;) That's so exciting! You have one too :) I have currently given up on the ribber and will worry about that in the near future. I found a different way to do rib and it seems to have potential :) Oh thanks, I'll go check out Vivi crafts. I've already watched all of Zabbez' videos but he has a more modern machine than mine, so some of the things don't work out the same. But I watched them all to learn how to cast on and bind off :) He's great. I am very excited to try socks :)
Dianna Sullivan has a video showing how to make and use a cast on rag. It might help with getting started. I admire your perseverance. I also love to pile on the challenges when knitting - whether by hand or by machine. I look forward to seeing your future creations!
So does Buttonmouse the wee machine knitter on you tube, as well as projects using short rows. I like using cast on rags, plus ripcord when doing anything that needs a provisional cast on as you can use them over and over again.
This is so exciting and interesting, even your first project turned out very pretty, congrats! Looking forward to your further endeavours with the beast, and how you will balance hand and machine knitting :-)
Thank you 😊 it is very exciting isn't it 👏 I'm planning many things, so now I just need to calm down and organise my plans so I can actually manage them 😆 I've worn my first project constantly since finishing it so I'd definitely class it as a success 😊 let's hope it's a continuing streak 🤞
Your top turn out so pretty. I bet you get a lot of joy in wearing it. It's such a big learning curve on the machine to get started with. Good on you to keep at it. I'm excited to see what you make in the future. ❤
It really is! But I'm excited to delirious levels, so I have high hopes I'll improve haha I have a lot of ideas zooming through my head to use it for 😊 Thank you, I'm very pleased with the top 🌈😊
I hope you enjoy knitting on your machine! I bought my LK 150 about a year ago for similar reasons, you can do so much with them, I made the body of my Kate Davies Puffin sweater on the machine, then knit the yoke and ribbing by hand, as my machine doesn't have a ribber. If you have a set of slim interchangeable knitting needles, like the ones for knitting socks with a long cable, those can be useful for taking stitches on and off the knitting machine when correcting mistakes. If you have a latch hook, that will help you reform your purls. Look for videos on cut and sew for seaming with lots of colours, you could use a sewing machine to stitch close to the edge of the fabric in a similar way to sewing a steek and then you can cut the knitted fabric and ends away.
I have seen many youtube videos about that machine.. it looks very fun :) I'd like to try it one day.. maybe in a coupe of years time I can save up for one. I'd like to be able to knit thicker wools up on a machine too, as lettlopi may not have a nice time on this machine..! That's exactly what I want to - it seems like a really fun way to combine the hobbies as well :) Half machine, half by hand.. I'm excited, even just typing about it :) oh thanks for the tips! I definitely have many knitting needles about the place. I'll make sure to have one on hand for my next project :) I do indeed have a latch hook. It's great for dropping the stitches down and then picking up as knit stitches. I'm just trying to figure out how to do that but to pick up as a knit stitch on the knit side. If you have seen my rainbow jumper, the stitch pattern is a slip stitch design, but I've seen how to do it on my machine, but only with the purl side facing me, and the finished item being the purl side. I want to do it but with the knit side facing. I don't know if that makes sense.... but I know what I mean haha lots of practice and youtubing I imagine is ahead :)
@@emilykatemadethis The LK 150 also does slip stitches, there are two sets of levers on that machine and the side levers go to the circle and the Russell levers go to II. I'm not sure about the knittax, maybe you could message Zabbez (the Dutch podcaster you were talking about) he may be able to tell you if it is possible on that machine, he seems to be trying to find out what he can do on that machine. I think it mostly shows up better on the reverse.
I have one lever but I haven't looked up what it does yet 😆 that's a task for the day ahead 👏 Oh that's a thought... I wonder if he'd reply... Could be worth asking 😊 I really would love to make more slip stitch patterns
I love your top~ I got so engrossed in your video I forgot I was counting rounds on my knitted garment, haha! I'm excited always for your videos. Always a joy to watch. All the best, Kimberly
Thank you ☺️ I very much hope to have many adventures with my Knittax 😆 I'm pretty sure I think about all the potential creations I could make, several times an hour haha
it was under a hundred euro but it does vary from seller to seller and what else comes with. This one came with a ribber too and some accessories which was nice :)
My answer to the hand knitting VS machine knitting would be that when you sew garments, you have the "Haute Couture" approach where you do everything by hand and it takes several months and many hands, and then you have the "Ready-to-wear" approach where you use sewing machines because you want to have a garment ready in a reasonable amount of time so that you can wear it...! For those who knit just for the sake of it the argument will be totally lost on them, but for those of us trying to build a handmade wardrobe having a knitting machine is essential, like having a sewing machine...!
Yes, very accurate :) And I actually found that I really enjoy using multiple techniques and tools on my projects now. Because I can sew, I can do one thing, and because I have a sewing machine, I can do another. I can knit so I can hand knit sections, but I also have the help of a knitting machine, so it can help with other sections.. it's really exciting, using all the things haha one day I'll have to add my overlocker to the equation ;)
Thank you ☺️ I will certainly not give up ... It's too fun 😆 I've made another tee much more successfully now -horray! I've seen videos for the lk150.. it does look fun 😊
I have the same machine! Just got it too. Honestly cleaning it took it all OUT OF ME. Mine didn't come with the table clasps. Would you be able to tell me how wide they are so I can scour the web for some similar ones? I measured that space but it was so small I doubted it would be possible with clasps.
Yay! Welcome to the knittax club! Mine also didn't come with clamps. I used the ones that came with my wool winder 🤣 I actually stopped using them though because I found it much easier with these black grip mats instead. They're advertised for sticking to surfaces so that your phone doesn't slide off, like in a car. The machine sits much better on them. But if you are going to need to remove them often they might not work... The clasps are not out but I'll try and find them later 😊
Well done!!! I have a vintage machine too but gave up on it because it didn't come with the tensioning rod 😢😢 Well done on all that cleaning, what an effort! Have you done something to prevent rust? I would have been terrified!
I have this idea in my head that because I am not the least bit mechanically oriented I would like to buy a new knitting machine instead of a vintage one, but I think they are something like $5000 to $10000 to buy so it might be a retirement present for myself, or at least a planned purchase.
No don't give up! It can be done :) I purchased a special oil that's meant to help prevent rust... I just need to dismantle the machine again and use it on the needles, and I'm not mentally prepared to do that again yet haha
oh yeah, new ones are astronomical in price. I didn't even dare look... I knew they'd be out of my price range, and I was happy to get the most simple and least technology filled one as possible. Less to go wrong haha I would like to get another one in the future when I know more about them. One that has a colourwork carriage or lace one would be fun. But for now, I'm quite content learning my way around the machine I have :)
@@petramanos Have a look for a silver reed SK280, it is a standard gauge punch card machine the main bed is around $1300 US dollars currently and the ribber around $800, I know they can be found in the UK and other parts of Europe too. I'm saving up for one at the moment.
Top marks for your perseverance, I had a brother knitting machine and ribber about 35plus years ago and I loved it but yes they are hard work lol but I still regret selling it for a holiday!, they are so expensive these days, hope you carry on with good progress, oh top was lovely really liked the colours, it was a good video I felt your frustration as been through it many times, all the best.
You sold it for a holiday 🤣🤣 that's hilarious.. although 35 years later, a very sad story 😉 You're right, nowadays these machines are so expensive, especially new. I didn't even dare look for new ones. I appreciate your empathy... It was not the easiest of learning curves but still fun 😊 Now, if I can get the ribber to work, it'll be a miracle!
I remember when my mom purchased a knittax machine in the 60’s I used to sneak knitting time on it while she was at work in Toronto. My mom retired from accounting and opened a machine knitting store in the 70’s. It was Japanese machines by then and we learned how to use them all. Super fun. Wishing you a great journey 🥰
that is such a lovely memory :) What did you make? :)
oh wow... what a cool job change. I've never tried any other machine, but I've heard great things about Brother. I'm very intrigued :)
Hello Emily, so wonderful to be able to share your enthusiasm. I’m inspired to tackle my neglected blog and will publish one this afternoon. It’s old fashioned I think to blog, but I rather enjoy the pace. A big fan of both and, instead of either or. I used to say the different brands of machine were like your children, you love them all differently. Have a great weekend
Fabbydabbydo Chuck....I can see you are having so much fun with your vintage knitting machine. Grandma tried with her one back in the day, but I am not sure she ever got to grips with it...Father remembers it or maybe more the frustration it caused lol! I look forward to meeting it 🙂 I was knitting on my reading shawl whilst enjoying your vlog 🙂 xx
I am excited to introduce you :) I hope I have more luck with it than grandma did haha so far so good at least :)
I also look forward to meeting this shawl! :) x
Just saw this video. Usually knitting machines come with an addition part that is needed to begin knitting your garment. It weighs the item down as it starts getting long. Also use silicon spray to loosen up the needles. Good luck.
Hey
Thanks, that's interesting, I've never heard of silicone spray, I'll look it up 😊
Oh, as I mentioned in the video, this machine doesn't use weights or combs, it uses sinkers. It's a different system. It just involves lots of learning 😆
I admire your perseverance on this! I have a Knittax from the 60's that was my mother's and have been trying to learn how to use it in the past year. I don't have a ribber though. If you have problem areas or bent needles you could try moving them to the outside edges of the machine where you are less likely to use them, and still be able to use the centre of the machine. I've found the books by Susan Guagliumi the most helpful. There is a channel called Zabbez and he has one of these machines. I also have followed an old video by Vivi Crafts to make socks on a flatbed Knittax machine. It's best to start with wool, which is stretchier and more forgiving. I've tried 100% linen recently and it is a pain - no wonder most people weave with linen rather than knit. Good luck!
Perseverance might become my middle name after all the vintage experiments I put myself through haha it's worth it though ;)
That's so exciting! You have one too :) I have currently given up on the ribber and will worry about that in the near future. I found a different way to do rib and it seems to have potential :)
Oh thanks, I'll go check out Vivi crafts. I've already watched all of Zabbez' videos but he has a more modern machine than mine, so some of the things don't work out the same. But I watched them all to learn how to cast on and bind off :) He's great.
I am very excited to try socks :)
Dianna Sullivan has a video showing how to make and use a cast on rag. It might help with getting started. I admire your perseverance. I also love to pile on the challenges when knitting - whether by hand or by machine. I look forward to seeing your future creations!
Ooo intriguing.. a cast on rag.. I will TH-cam this ☺️ thank you
It's good to have a challenge isn't it 😊🧶
I have many planned haha
So does Buttonmouse the wee machine knitter on you tube, as well as projects using short rows. I like using cast on rags, plus ripcord when doing anything that needs a provisional cast on as you can use them over and over again.
This is so exciting and interesting, even your first project turned out very pretty, congrats!
Looking forward to your further endeavours with the beast, and how you will balance hand and machine knitting :-)
Thank you 😊 it is very exciting isn't it 👏 I'm planning many things, so now I just need to calm down and organise my plans so I can actually manage them 😆
I've worn my first project constantly since finishing it so I'd definitely class it as a success 😊 let's hope it's a continuing streak 🤞
Your top turn out so pretty. I bet you get a lot of joy in wearing it. It's such a big learning curve on the machine to get started with. Good on you to keep at it. I'm excited to see what you make in the future. ❤
It really is! But I'm excited to delirious levels, so I have high hopes I'll improve haha
I have a lot of ideas zooming through my head to use it for 😊
Thank you, I'm very pleased with the top 🌈😊
I hope you enjoy knitting on your machine! I bought my LK 150 about a year ago for similar reasons, you can do so much with them, I made the body of my Kate Davies Puffin sweater on the machine, then knit the yoke and ribbing by hand, as my machine doesn't have a ribber. If you have a set of slim interchangeable knitting needles, like the ones for knitting socks with a long cable, those can be useful for taking stitches on and off the knitting machine when correcting mistakes.
If you have a latch hook, that will help you reform your purls. Look for videos on cut and sew for seaming with lots of colours, you could use a sewing machine to stitch close to the edge of the fabric in a similar way to sewing a steek and then you can cut the knitted fabric and ends away.
I have seen many youtube videos about that machine.. it looks very fun :) I'd like to try it one day.. maybe in a coupe of years time I can save up for one. I'd like to be able to knit thicker wools up on a machine too, as lettlopi may not have a nice time on this machine..!
That's exactly what I want to - it seems like a really fun way to combine the hobbies as well :) Half machine, half by hand.. I'm excited, even just typing about it :)
oh thanks for the tips! I definitely have many knitting needles about the place. I'll make sure to have one on hand for my next project :)
I do indeed have a latch hook. It's great for dropping the stitches down and then picking up as knit stitches. I'm just trying to figure out how to do that but to pick up as a knit stitch on the knit side.
If you have seen my rainbow jumper, the stitch pattern is a slip stitch design, but I've seen how to do it on my machine, but only with the purl side facing me, and the finished item being the purl side. I want to do it but with the knit side facing. I don't know if that makes sense.... but I know what I mean haha
lots of practice and youtubing I imagine is ahead :)
@@emilykatemadethis
The LK 150 also does slip stitches, there are two sets of levers on that machine and the side levers go to the circle and the Russell levers go to II. I'm not sure about the knittax, maybe you could message Zabbez (the Dutch podcaster you were talking about) he may be able to tell you if it is possible on that machine, he seems to be trying to find out what he can do on that machine. I think it mostly shows up better on the reverse.
I have one lever but I haven't looked up what it does yet 😆 that's a task for the day ahead 👏
Oh that's a thought... I wonder if he'd reply... Could be worth asking 😊
I really would love to make more slip stitch patterns
@@emilykatemadethis It is worth a shot!
Very interesting! And your top is so cute!
Thank you!! 😊I'm so pleased with it
Yeah so cool😍😍😍😍 maybe the answer lady on youtube is a good idea to watch, she has many videos on knittingmachine
I've watched so many of her videos it's filled up my youtube recommendations with her videos haha
@@emilykatemadethis i know same here😅
I love your top~ I got so engrossed in your video I forgot I was counting rounds on my knitted garment, haha! I'm excited always for your videos. Always a joy to watch. All the best, Kimberly
Yay, thank you! It's fun isn't it :)
hahaha sorry... I hope you didn't have to frog too much ;)
Thanks for watching my every video :) x
well done! I think you did a great job and learnt a lot. It was great to watch. I look forward to more of your knittax adventures 😘
Thank you ☺️ I very much hope to have many adventures with my Knittax 😆
I'm pretty sure I think about all the potential creations I could make, several times an hour haha
May I ask how much you paid for the machine please ?
it was under a hundred euro but it does vary from seller to seller and what else comes with. This one came with a ribber too and some accessories which was nice :)
@@emilykatemadethis Thank you 🙏🏼
My answer to the hand knitting VS machine knitting would be that when you sew garments, you have the "Haute Couture" approach where you do everything by hand and it takes several months and many hands, and then you have the "Ready-to-wear" approach where you use sewing machines because you want to have a garment ready in a reasonable amount of time so that you can wear it...! For those who knit just for the sake of it the argument will be totally lost on them, but for those of us trying to build a handmade wardrobe having a knitting machine is essential, like having a sewing machine...!
Yes, very accurate :)
And I actually found that I really enjoy using multiple techniques and tools on my projects now. Because I can sew, I can do one thing, and because I have a sewing machine, I can do another. I can knit so I can hand knit sections, but I also have the help of a knitting machine, so it can help with other sections.. it's really exciting, using all the things haha one day I'll have to add my overlocker to the equation ;)
Very nice for your 1st piece 😊! Keep going, & don't give up. Try an LK150. That would probably be a next step up.
Thank you ☺️ I will certainly not give up ... It's too fun 😆
I've made another tee much more successfully now -horray!
I've seen videos for the lk150.. it does look fun 😊
Wow. Great work problem solving. Machine repair and maintenance is so hard
Thanks 👍 it certainly used many brain cells haha
Amazing work on your first project! It turned out so good for a practice project. Well done.
Thanks ☺️ I'm definitely very pleased with how it turned outs even with all the dramas 😆
Good for you! How delightful to see a young person take up the machine knitting mantle
It's incredibly fun 😊😊
I have the same machine! Just got it too. Honestly cleaning it took it all OUT OF ME. Mine didn't come with the table clasps. Would you be able to tell me how wide they are so I can scour the web for some similar ones? I measured that space but it was so small I doubted it would be possible with clasps.
Yay! Welcome to the knittax club!
Mine also didn't come with clamps. I used the ones that came with my wool winder 🤣
I actually stopped using them though because I found it much easier with these black grip mats instead. They're advertised for sticking to surfaces so that your phone doesn't slide off, like in a car. The machine sits much better on them. But if you are going to need to remove them often they might not work... The clasps are not out but I'll try and find them later 😊
2cm wide 5cm long 😀
Well done!!! I have a vintage machine too but gave up on it because it didn't come with the tensioning rod 😢😢 Well done on all that cleaning, what an effort! Have you done something to prevent rust? I would have been terrified!
I have this idea in my head that because I am not the least bit mechanically oriented I would like to buy a new knitting machine instead of a vintage one, but I think they are something like $5000 to $10000 to buy so it might be a retirement present for myself, or at least a planned purchase.
No don't give up! It can be done :)
I purchased a special oil that's meant to help prevent rust... I just need to dismantle the machine again and use it on the needles, and I'm not mentally prepared to do that again yet haha
oh yeah, new ones are astronomical in price. I didn't even dare look... I knew they'd be out of my price range, and I was happy to get the most simple and least technology filled one as possible. Less to go wrong haha
I would like to get another one in the future when I know more about them. One that has a colourwork carriage or lace one would be fun. But for now, I'm quite content learning my way around the machine I have :)
@@petramanos Have a look for a silver reed SK280, it is a standard gauge punch card machine the main bed is around $1300 US dollars currently and the ribber around $800, I know they can be found in the UK and other parts of Europe too. I'm saving up for one at the moment.
@@janatherton9194 sadly most knitting machines didn't sell to Australia
Top marks for your perseverance, I had a brother knitting machine and ribber about 35plus years ago and I loved it but yes they are hard work lol but I still regret selling it for a holiday!, they are so expensive these days, hope you carry on with good progress, oh top was lovely really liked the colours, it was a good video I felt your frustration as been through it many times, all the best.
You sold it for a holiday 🤣🤣 that's hilarious.. although 35 years later, a very sad story 😉 You're right, nowadays these machines are so expensive, especially new. I didn't even dare look for new ones.
I appreciate your empathy... It was not the easiest of learning curves but still fun 😊
Now, if I can get the ribber to work, it'll be a miracle!