Machine Knitting Pros and Cons

Machine knitting enthusiasts can’t stop raving about the volume, speed, and intricate designs they can achieve with their knitting machines. But no matter how efficient these machines can perform, machine knitting can never replace the creative touch of a hand knitter. Many hand knitting patterns do not work with a knitting machine. On some occasions, you will need to do a combination of hand kknitting, machine knitting and crochet trim to complete a project.

A knitting machine allows you to knit an incredible amount of stitches per minute without putting so much stress on your hands and wrists. Knitting machines enable you to produce elaborate artwork in a jiffy that could take several days to finish by hand. Most knitting machines have around 300 preset patterns to choose from. Brother knitting machines offer more than 500 pattern styles.

While knitting machines are fast and efficient, there are several disadvantages to them too. The most obvious is their size. A knitting machine will take up lots of space in your room. Machine knitting also requires your full concentration, while with hand knitting, you can pick up where you left off anytime and do other things such as watch TV, check e-mails, or babysit. It will also take several practices before you get familiar with your knitting machine and its features.

Hand knitting is more flexible than machine knitting. You can adjust your stitches in the middle of a row whereas with a knitting machine, you will need to drop all the stitches you want purled and work them back up with the latch hook. When you load a pattern onto a knitting machine, you can only see the wrong side. When knitting by hand, you can actually view how the knitted pattern will look like.

One major consideration when switching to machine knitting is the cost of a knitting machine. These things don’t go cheap. A Brother knitting machine can cost around $500, depending on its features. A knitting machine can only work with one weight class, so if you want to knit other yarn types, you will need a different machine for each. Knitting machines also need special attachments. A Silver Reed ribbing attachment goes for $700, an Intarsia carriage for $90, and yarn changer for $300 – additional cost that you need to reflect on before spending on a knitting machine.

Try out several brands and models so you can make an informed decision when buying a knitting machine. Ask machine knitting experts for recommendations or attend knitting seminars at a local club. Machine knitting discussion groups on the Internet can give you ideas on picking the right knitting equipment for you.

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