Brother knitting machines are some of the most innovative knitting machines in the world. With some of their most eye catching designs being completely mechanical, even though their more electrical counterparts work just as well. However these Brother knitting machines do not come without their set of problems and today we’ll be examining exactly what those problems are and how to rightly deal with them.
Table of Contents
1. The Carriage of The Knitting Machine Jams A Lot
In order to ‘knit’ on Brother knitting machines you have to move what is known as a carriage from left to right (or vice versa.) Whilst you’re doing this yarn or wool is being fed into the horizontal and vertical needles of the knitting machine to create a specific design. The carriage is not only responsible for feeding the wool into the knitting machine but it is also responsible for moving the needle back and forth to create the knit design (as you would with two needles with hand knitting.) This problem occurs when the yarn or wool gets caught up in the needles of the Brother knitting machine’s needles, which can then cause the carriage to jam as well.
What You Need To Do
- You should immediately stop and not try to force anything because it might lead to further damage to the knitting machine. Instead you should remove the knitting machine’s carriage and locate where the jam is originating from and then deal with it accordingly.
- Remove or cut out any yarn or wool that may have looped or twisted in between the needles of the knitting machine.
- The jamming may also be due to a lack of lubrication on the Brother knitting machine so you have to make sure to constantly old the knitting machine especially after using it.
2. The Needles May Deform or Worse Break
Because of the many parts that have to work together in order to create a pattern and then ultimately a knit out of wool/ yarn. There’s a lot of tension on that wool which can lead to the wool itself breaking or the wool pulling on something like the needles out of place and thus deforming/ breaking them. The problem with the needles on the Brother knitting machine is that they are very susceptible to this issue.
What You Need To Do
- However not all hope is lost, what many people may fail to remember is that most knitting machines are like sewing machines because essentially both machines can help in making clothing;
- You can solve this problem on the Brother knitting machine by adjusting the tension on the wool/ yarn by rotating the tension dial that is located on the carriage.
- The main difference between a knitting machine and a sewing machine is that a knitting machine has many points where a knitter can adjust the tension of the wool/yarn. For instance [in addition to the tension dial] there’s also a rod-like accessory on most Brother knitting machines that helps guide the wool to the carriage from the top. You can adjust this accessory to make the yarn enter the knitting machine at a certain angle for better tension management.
3. The Knitting Machine May Produce Loops
The Brother knitting machine has two flat beds (one is positioned horizontally and the other is positioned vertically such that the needles are close enogh together to produce a knit) with rows of needles so this problem may be a result of either one of those flat beds being at fault or both of them. If the flat beds are ill-positioned in relation to one another, it may cause the needles to produce loops in the knit.
What You Need To Do
- Before you begin knitting with the Brother knitting machine you have to make sure that you have familiarized yourself with all the parts of the knitting machine and how to rightly adjust them for the specific type of knitting you will be doing.
- A loop in your knitted garment may cause a lot of problems in the aftermath therefore you are advised to immediately stop knitting and attend to the problem immediately.
- Make sure to thread your yarn/ wool correctly and also be sure to adjust the tension of the yarn via the rod (equipped with what is known as an antenna.)
- The carriage has weaving brushes that help with guiding the yarn on the knitting machine correctly, make sure these weaving brushes aren’t worn out or damaged and if they are replace them immediately.
4. The Yarn/ Wool Is Also Liable To Breaking
The tension or tension adjustment on the Brother knitting machine is usually the cause of many of its problems. Therefore it should be one of the first things you try to fix on the knitting machine before anything else if any of the above problems occur. However when the wool breaks or splits from the carriage, it may be due to a poor thread quality or a less than stellar structured wool coming apart.
What You Need To Do
- Make sure to use knly quality wool or yarn with the Brother knitting machine.
- Also use a lower tension (or in the case of the Brother knitting machine a higher number on the tension dial located on the carriage.)
More You Need To Do
- Always use knitting machine oil ( preferably Brother knitting machine oil) when lubricating your knitting machine to avoid problems with the carriage’s movement.
- If there are any loose screws on the Brother knitting machine, be sure to tighten them up rightly.
Conclusion
Knitting is still a bug part of modern life, whether it is done by hand or by machine the result is largely the same with the exception of time. With a knitting machine from Brother, you can be sure to get the best quality knits in a matter of minutes, however knitting machines carry with them a certain level of complexity and they need to be understood before they are used by a beginner. The Brother knitting machine may be a good start for beginners who a willing to learn.
