Amazing development - while I am hurrying around this evening, getting ready to go teach a machine knitting seminar near Dallas-Ft. Worth airport (lucky me!), I have to take a few minutes to report that I just received a wonderful large assortment of knitting gear from a nice local lady who wants the items sold and proceeds given to charity.
Okay: there's a Knitmaster here. I don't know what model - looks like a nice 24-stitch punchcard machine. Kewl. This will require more investigation.
There's a Brother 230 here with ribber! Wow, who doesn't love the 230? It was a manual bulky but built like a champ.
Big, fascinating mystery item, at least for me: a rare model, the Singer System 9000 electronic double-bed knitter. Please folks, I don't know a whole lot about this Superba-type machine. It appears to have a TV-like monitor, a separate electronic controller unit, a 4-color changer, and to be a true double-bed. I know it was sold only briefly. Can you write and give advice? Is this one I should buy for myself? Too rare to be of any help to my viewers/customers/students? Difficult to learn? How can I learn more about it? Should I join the Yahoo group? It's obviously a VERY unusual machine. After seminar, I'll shoot some photos to post. Y'all will be oohing and aahing at this fascinating machine.
Are you looking for a nice used machine? I plan to set these babies up, clean and investigate before I sell them, but please contact me if you are interested at diana_knits "at" yahoo "dot" com.
Well no time to set anything up and learn more about these. More soon! Can't wait to see your comments and advice.
there is a Superba yahoo group and Ravelry group, that is a very cool rare machine!
ReplyDeleteI'm interested in what you found out about these machines, in particular the Brother 230. I've never tried machine knitting, but when I do it will be with a chunky 9mm machine. Would the Brother 230 be good for me or the 260 or 270? How much would it cost? Shipping to Utah?
ReplyDeleteCindy, please email me at diana_knits "at" sbcglobal "dot" net, and I'll get you pricing and shipping information.
ReplyDeleteThese machines are all 8 mm and are related. The 260 has a punch card and the 270 has electronics. I have owned both the 260 and the 270. This whole family of machines is well-built and very popular. The 260 and 270 are more expensive and fancier, of course, than the 230.
Singer 9000 is also called Superba/White/Phildar. Truly amazing double beds and very easy to use. The system allows you to pick a pattern, garment design and size.After adding your tension details guides you through the knitting from beginning to end. You can design your own designs and patterns. See the site http://www.superbaknitting.com/ for information on these machines. They sometimes appear on ebay and are quickly bid on. regards Anne
ReplyDeleteHi Anne,
ReplyDeleteI understand very, very few Singer 9000s were sold in the U.S. The lady who gave it to me to sell purchased it in England.
I am fascinated, of course, having read a little about it now, and especially with your remarks about "easy to use." It's always nice when you have a lot of machines and you switch around to have it be straightforward. May have to buy it for myself...will keep y'all posted. If I do, then I have to get rid of one of my E6000s so I'll have a place to put it! We're tripping over it now.