On this page you can find basic info about xhain's knitting machine, an introduction to knitting machines and helpful resources to get started with machine knitting!
At this point this page is still under construction - more content will follow!
When thinking of knitting we often imagine hand knitting with pointy, wodden needles and think of knitting as something of the past or a cozy hobby nowadays. This is all true, but most of our clothes and other textiles are also still being knit - but by industrial knitting machines. Mainly in the 1950s to 1990s there were also knitting machines produced for home use and where much in demand. With the rise of fast fashion this demand dwindled nearly completely. Still, knitting machines for home use are an exciting piece of technology and we are happy to offer its use at xhain!
While in hand knitting each stitch is created individually and manually at a time, all stitches of a row are created together by sliding a carriage, which feeds yarn to the needles across the needle bed. To create different textures, patterns, and color changes while still creating a whole new row of stitches at once on the machine, needles can be put in different positions on the needle bed, so they are either touched by the carriage or are in a rest position, so the carriage will not feed any yarn to them.
Getting those needles into different positions can be done in different ways and changed throughout time: Needles of any knitting machine can always be hand-selected, meaning you can push each needle manually in a specific position on the bed. This can be tidious and take time, so punch cards came along and machines with a punch card mechanism have the ability to have the needles pushed to specific positions automatically through punch cards. Finally, after that computerised knitting machines came along, where the neede selection is done electronically through either choosing a pre-programmed pattern on the machine or program your own pattern.
Taitexma knitting machines are reproductions of knitting machines modells that were used to be produced by Brother, before Brother stopped making any more knitting machines by circa 1997. This means that a lot if not most manuals or tutorials for Brother machines also work for Taitexma machines. For this reason it is noted what Brother model the Taitexma machine is comparable to and why at times resources for Brother machines are linked here.
The Taitexma is a good allrounder knitting machine with a punch card mechanism for needle selection.
Following techniques can be done with the TH-686:
For more info on these different techniques look at the manual linked further above.
For this machine up to fingering weight yarn (100g/400-420m) works well. Just like with other standard gauge machines yarns in sport weight (100g/300m) or DK weight (100g/200m) are in most cases already to thick to be used, it will risk a lot of dropped stitches and at worst bend needles that need to be replaced.
In experience yarn with a weight of 600-700m per 100g works the best with most of the different techniques the machine offers. You can also use incredible thin yarn with knitting machines, yarns with a weight of 1000m per 100g or even 1600m per 100g work generally well (not for all techniques, but for mst basic stuff), so you can produce very finely knitted clothing and other knitted textiles with this knitting machine. With hand knitting this would take increeeeeedibly long to make, so yay for knitting machines!
The ribber attachement can be attached underneath the knitting machine and transform the machine into a double bed knitting machine. This adds a bunch of new possibilities what can be knitted. With the ribber it is now possible to make ribbing, knit in double-bed jacquard, and also to knit in the round.
Regarding knitting in the round, you will be able to make smaller things like socks, hats, or little bags. Knitting a whole sweater in the round on the double bed will not be possible as you will not be able to do the body shaping that is needed for a sweater - however, if you just want to make a very long and big knitted tube, that is certainly possible and all the power to you and your giant knitted spaghetti.
Please note, the ribber attachement can't be used independently from the main knitting machine. It lacks mechanics of the main knitting machines and will be useless to knit with on its own.
Here you'll find some stuff on machine knitting and video tutorials. As stated above, the Taitexma knitting machine and ribber attachement are replicas of Brother machines, so lots of resources linked here will be about the Brother machine, but it will be the same with the Taitexma machine.
Manuals & Pattern Books/Magazine
If you are searching for manuals for knitting machines and their accessoires you will most likely find them on MKManuals! Under the Brother tab on the side you will also find a lot - really, A LOT - of pattern books as well as punch cards. Just click the the download button of a resource and you can download it for free.
Tutorials of the basic functions
Project Tutorials
Mechanics and fuctions
Pattern Resources