I have acquired another string to my bow, so to speak. It’s a Brother KX395 Convertible knitting machine where the gauge can be changed from a standard 220 needle 4.5mm to a chunky 110 needle 9.0mm machine by changing the standard ‘gate pegs’ to chunky ones. The chunky ‘gate pegs’ cover every other needle so making it into a 9.0mm knitting machine.
The knitting machine is a simple, single bed plastic machine with a tension mast, row counter and a carriage which can do simple plating (2 colours or 2 different yarns), has an intarsia setting and includes 8 plastic sinkers for the yarn ends, holding and part settings. Patterning is not automatic but has to be done by hand manipulation of the needles although the intarsia setting on the carriage will bring the needles forward every row so that the different coloured yarns can be arranged across the bed before knitting each row.
Although the machine is from the mid 80s it’s in good condition and, luckily, has most of its original tools that were supplied when the machine was new as parts are no longer available. I did have to replace the ‘sponge strip’, which was fiddly and rather time consuming but do-able.
Now she works perfectly. I have already knit a warm, chunky sweater & a hat on the 9.0mm setting using commercial yarn and also a hat (below) on the standard gauge 4.5mm setting using my own hand blended & hand spun 2-ply yarn.
I’m looking forward to using this machine!
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