Machine knitting

[Cate]

I have a Brother machine KH900 which I used a lot when I lived in the UK but since I moved to NZ haven't used at all. It resides under the bed gathering dust. I did have a look in Spotlight but couldn't find any 2 ply wool (which is the recommended for it) .
Daft but are the plys the same in NZ as UK? Does anyone else use a similar machine who can offer advice on where to get the wool?
Hubby bought me a spinning wheel 2 christmasses ago.If only it could fit under the bed it could reside there as well as I just cannot for the life of me get the hang of it

[Kiwi303]

We've a german made (I think, the manuals dual german/english) machine thats lived in the roof since before i was old enough to remember. mum says she got her wool from a wool shop in Hamilton, use www.yellowpages.co.nz or www.whitepages.co.nz and do a search, then just ring and ask the propretier if they stock or can order in what you need.

A true wool shop will be more likely to have what you need than spotlight, which will only stock what sells, mainly hand knitting wool. Thers two shops I know of in hamilton, Ward st and commerce st. and I think theres another in either 5Xroads or Clyde St shoppign centres.

[Toast]

I used to have a ski hat knitwear business. My machine is a Brother KH910 (I think). It's in the garage but about to be moved as I have to shift houses. My 910 has the opaque paper with the electronic dots on it for the patterning.

I have quite a lot of wool left. I shall see what's there. I think I was buying some big spools of one ply & putting them together.

One supplier is Orewa Wools. They're mail order retail but reasonably priced, good quality, prompt service, & if you order over X amount you get a 10% (I think) discount voucher for next purchase. I bought from them winter 2006, presume they are still trading. The husband died & she sounded as if the going was tough

Just looked on whitepages.co.nz - Orewa Wool Mail Order Trading Co, George Lowe Place, Orewa, Hibiscus Coast, 09 426 5364.

If you look on the web you will find local machine knitters' club & they will be helpful.

Machine knitters having annual conference in Palmerston North mid June.

I've got boxes of old parts for Brother machines but they may get the toss as I shift.

Let me know if you need other info. I only did hats, haven't got a ribber now. Did jerseys for a year or two when the Guernsey craze was on.

[Cate]

Hi guys thanks for that, that is an idea Toast I may restart my knitting with hats, its the right weather and my boys lose them like you wouldn't believe (mind you if my knitting hasn't improved they may try harder to lose them )
I will ring Orewa and see what they have there. I kept the ribber , if you have any patterns that you would be willing to photocopy I would love them and reimburse you for the cost and postage.

[Prim]

Toast, I have my grandmother's knitting machine - pls, don't throw out your parts!!! I wld be pleased to rehome them for you (I will pay postage etc). I believe that it's difficult enough to get your machine serviced nowadays, let alone spare parts.

[Toast]

Cate - hat pattern very basic; earpflaps are just like sock heels. When I get all that stuff out to shift I'll hunt them out.

Prim - I'll get the box down; weighs a ton! It came to me from people who knitted for me when I was doing the ski hats & there's all kinds of stuff.

[Jen - Featherston]

Try trade me there are heaps of 1 and 2 ply cones for sale - some merino and possum even!

[Celtic_Kiwi]

I bought a machine with no instruction manual, thinking I could get someone to show me.

It has sat there for almost 2 years now unused.

I am contemplating selling it.

[Cate]

What type is it CK someone here may have a similar model that they could photo copy the manual for it?

[Toast]

Hunt out your local knitting machine club. There'll be plenty of help there.

[Prim]

Bump.

Toast - just wondering where you were at? How is the shifting process going? Is it happening? I have my machine out and set up, and the manual read (a huge achievement in itself)! Am now soon to actually try using the thing, but need some waste yarn. I was just nudging you to see if you might be still interested in either passing on or selling some of your bits and pieces?

Celtic_Kiwi - what make/mode is your machine? I will search for a manual for you if you're interested. Or, if it's a great machine with a ribber I may be interested in purchasing it from you. How much do you think you would like for it?

Have found a local machine knitting club Yay!!! They're all buzzing about the festival recently held in Palmerston. Need to organise some one-on-one help, me thinks.

[Kiwi303]

Anyone know a parts supplier in NZ for Swiss made Passap Duomatic knitting machines? Putting it together to make some scarves and found the nylon guide runners are chipped and lifting.

[Prim]

No, but I am going to my local knitting club monthly 'meeting' on Monday night, so I can ask there if you wish.

Do you know the model number?

[Kiwi303]

It's so old it doesn't have a model number :P

Passap Duomatic... Aparently known familiarily amongst knitters as the old pinky model :P the model before the Passap Duomatic 80

I know the Passap factory closed a number of years ago, but theres a Canadian service/parts supplier that seems to have bits, but it's a bit pricy to ship two heads/boxes/whatevers over there and back, when a close look seems to be just the nylon guide bushes old, worn, cracked and lifting off the runner bars. But buying four new guide bushes at $13.50CAD each just to find they weren't the problem would be a pricy mistake.

At the moment the back bed is fine running both ways, and the front bed runs fine in one direction, but jams going the other way... it seems to be the bushes giving out and peeling away from the head and catching on bits of the chassis.

so a NZ service place would be a great find. theres nothing on google for NZ repairs.

[eelcat]

I had one years ago - knitted many jerseys for my children (and even the then husband) on it. I used 4-ply or finer. The Machine knitting club of the area was brilliant - would add my recommendation to join the local one, even if just for the patterns and tips in their newsletters

[Adi]

Originally Posted by Kiwi303

Anyone know a parts supplier in NZ for Swiss made Passap Duomatic knitting machines? Putting it together to make some scarves and found the nylon guide runners are chipped and lifting.

Hi there,Not sure how old this question is. I had a knit business some years ago and have now just bought machines to do again so have been researching machines and parts suppliers. Not good news as they do not make the machines other than some from China so finding old machines to use the parts could be the best way. I do know that Rose Fitness
in Te Aroha (phone 07 8848576) had the distributorship of them also with the motor on, and just spoke to Colin of Lister yarns in Timaru who is the Singer/some brother parts guy and he said he had spoken to her 18mths ago so see how you go with her.

[anaclar]

I have a knitting machine which is currently inder the desk, I find that hand knitting is faster and easier for me, although I have to translate patterns, (knitting jargon just doesn't stick) However I would love to house your spinning wheel if its on offer.

[tonic]

Cate, what type of spinning wheel did you get? What are the difficulties it is giving you?