Brother Knitting Machine Problems: Fixing Jams, Dropped Stitches and Yarn Trouble

A Brother knitting machine that drops stitches or jams does not automatically need a replacement carriage. Yarn delivery, needle condition, the needle-retaining arrangement, carriage settings and fabric support can produce overlapping symptoms. The most useful first step is to simplify the setup and establish whether it can make a reliable plain-knit sample.

This guide concerns Brother domestic flat-bed knitting machines. It does not describe Brother sewing machines, circular hand-crank knitters or industrial equipment. Controls and attachments differ between models, so use the manual for the exact machine and fitted carriage. The aim is to identify the affected part of the knitting process before making adjustments or buying parts.

Identify the Machine and the Attachment

Record the KH model on the main machine and the model numbers of any ribber, lace carriage, color changer or powered attachment. A second-hand set may contain accessories from several machines. Something being included in the same carrying case does not establish that it belongs to that model or is correctly fitted.

Not every Brother knitting machine has two beds. The main bed can be used on its own; a ribber is an additional bed on applicable setups. Problems that occur only with a ribber attached deserve different checks from a fault present during ordinary main-bed knitting. Start by describing which configuration actually fails.

Mechanical punchcard machines, electronic pattern-selection machines and manually selected models also differ. A failure to knit is not necessarily a failure of the pattern system. Even on an electronic model, needles, yarn and the carriage must still form the stitches correctly. Establish the basic knitting function before investigating a stored pattern or electronic controller.

Machine gauge matters when choosing yarn and accessories. Do not transfer a stitch-dial recommendation from a bulky machine to a standard-gauge model merely because both carry the Brother name. A hand-knitting label is only a starting clue; the yarn must pass through the actual machine and produce an acceptable test fabric.

Use the Fault Pattern to Choose the First Check

Observe whether the problem follows a particular needle, carriage direction, yarn or knitting technique. A vertical defect in the same column suggests a different investigation from random missed stitches across the fabric. Likewise, a carriage that resists movement before yarn is introduced is giving different evidence from one that becomes heavy only during knitting.

Stop at the first visible problem instead of knitting several more rows over it. Photograph the fabric, needle positions and carriage controls before changing them. Those details can disappear during recovery, leaving the original fault difficult to reconstruct. The row number and direction of the last successful pass are particularly useful during pattern work.

• Record the machine and attachment model numbers.
• Photograph the controls and needle positions before changing them.
• Note the last successful row and carriage direction.
• Stop at a hard jam rather than increasing force.

Establish a Reliable Plain-Knit Baseline

Choose a smooth, familiar yarn suitable for the machine and use a small, manageable sample. Avoid beginning diagnosis with a fuzzy novelty yarn, several combined strands or a complicated pattern. Those choices introduce additional variables before you know whether the basic needle and carriage action is reliable.

Set the machine for plain knitting using its own instructions. Check the carriage seating, fitted sinker plate or appropriate attachment, yarn feeder, needle positions and controls. Return holding, tuck, slip and other special settings to the positions required for that exercise. Photograph the initial settings so there is a record of what was tested.

Use the prescribed cast-on and fabric-support arrangement for the model and technique. Different machines and methods do not all use identical combs or weights. If a ribber is fitted, use the instructions for returning to main-bed work rather than guessing how to disengage its connecting parts.

Knit slowly enough to observe, using steady movement rather than repeatedly stopping halfway across the working needles. Finish each pass as the manual requires. If the sample succeeds, add only one variable at a time: the project yarn, a larger working width or the required pattern function. This makes the first change that produces failure easier to identify.

Keep the successful swatch with its settings and yarn details. It becomes a reference for future faults. Without that record, a machine can seem inconsistent simply because each trial uses a different yarn, different dial position and different working width. A baseline is useful precisely because those conditions remain known.

The Carriage Is Hard to Push

Separate Resistance From a Hard Jam

A gradual increase in effort while knitting and an abrupt mechanical stop are different conditions. Do not use extra force to discover which one you have. Stop, support the work appropriately and inspect the visible setup. If a powered carriage or motor drive is fitted, disconnect its power before attending to the mechanism.

Look for a misplaced attachment, a needle outside the intended position, trapped yarn or an object on the bed. A transfer tool, stitch marker or loose accessory can obstruct travel. Check that the table and clamps hold the machine securely; a moving machine can make it difficult to control the carriage and recognize abnormal resistance.

Check the Yarn Before Changing the Mechanism

Follow the yarn from its supply to the feeder. A tight section inside a cake, a snag around the mast or a knot approaching a guide can make an otherwise serviceable carriage feel heavy. Simply increasing the stitch size may temporarily change the symptom while leaving the obstruction in place.

Use the correct threading path and ensure the yarn draws off smoothly. Do not hold the supply by hand throughout every pass to compensate for a feeding fault. That makes tension inconsistent and hides the problem. Rewind or replace unsuitable yarn as appropriate, then retest with the machine in its known plain-knit configuration.

Review Stitch Size and Mechanical Condition

The carriage dial influences the amount of yarn forming the stitch; it is not a universal control for every kind of resistance. Yarn that is too demanding for the selected stitch size or machine gauge can make knitting difficult. Adjust within the model’s guidance and assess the resulting fabric instead of trying to force a desired density.

If resistance persists with suitable yarn and correct settings, inspect accessible areas for lint, old residue, rust or visible damage. Cleaning and lubrication should follow the machine’s instructions. Adding more oil is not a substitute for identifying a bent needle, incorrectly seated carriage or damaged part.

Recovering a Jam Without Making It Worse

Stop moving the carriage when it locks. Note its position and direction, the row count and any selected pattern row. Support the hanging fabric so recovery does not pull more stitches off the needles. Avoid cutting yarn immediately unless it is necessary for a controlled recovery; otherwise useful information and recoverable knitting may be lost.

Use the release and removal sequence for the actual carriage. Some Brother manuals describe a carriage-release control, but the location and sequence must be matched to the model. Do not lift a carriage by force or copy an instruction for a different attachment. If it will not release normally, obtain specialist help.

Inspect for trapped yarn and damaged needles after the carriage has been safely released. Remove loose material carefully without pulling against needle hooks or distorting the bed. Check the sinker plate and its accessible moving parts according to the manual. A loop wrapped around a brush or other component needs removal, not additional tension to pull it through.

Before restarting, restore a known complete row and the correct needle and control positions. Pattern recovery also requires the pattern sequence to agree with the fabric. Restarting from an uncertain partial row can create a second fault that looks unrelated to the original jam. On a small diagnostic swatch, starting again may be clearer than preserving an ambiguous test.

Dropped Stitches in the Same Column

A repeated fault at one needle is useful evidence. Stop and identify the needle position on the bed rather than simply counting from an edge that may later change. Examine the hook, latch and visible shaft with good lighting. Compare it with neighboring needles without bending it to make it look similar.

A latch should operate as intended and the hook should be undamaged. A damaged needle can fail to take or clear yarn correctly. Replace it with the exact compatible type using the prescribed procedure; do not straighten a visibly bent hook and assume that its geometry has been restored accurately.

Check the surrounding bed area as well. A fault remaining at one bed position after a correct needle replacement may involve something other than the needle itself. Conversely, improvement after replacement supports the diagnosis but still requires a test swatch. Do not replace a whole bed of needles without first identifying what the pattern of faults indicates.

If the defect appears only in a particular pattern, compare with plain knitting at that location. The needle may behave normally until selection, transfer or accumulated loops place different demands on it. That observation narrows the investigation; it does not prove that the pattern mechanism must be dismantled.

Dropped Stitches Across the Width

When missed stitches are scattered across the fabric, review the shared conditions first. Yarn delivery, unsuitable stitch size, fabric support and incorrect carriage settings affect many needles. Check the threading path from the supply onward, including the feeder, rather than inspecting only the portion immediately above the machine.

Observe how the fabric hangs. It should not be caught on the table, trapped against an accessory or supported unevenly by an improvised arrangement. Use the prescribed take-down method and reposition permitted weights as the work grows. More weight is not automatically better; excessive pulling can distort the fabric or introduce other problems.

Inspect the needle-retaining system where applicable. Many metal-bed Brother machines use a sponge bar, and its condition and installation matter. However, do not assume every Brother model uses the same part or replacement method. Use the correct model instructions and obtain an appropriate replacement if the retaining material is deteriorated.

If needles appear unusually loose or raised, stop before forcing the carriage across them. A second-hand machine can look clean while an aged internal retaining component is no longer doing its job. Photographs of the needle line and the identified part can help a specialist distinguish ordinary movement from a retention problem.

Loose Loops and Untidy Edges

First distinguish an unwanted loop from a stitch structure the pattern intentionally creates. Tuck, slip, lace and short-row work can contain loops, floats or openings that are not faults. Compare the work with the correct stage of the pattern, not only with the appearance of finished plain fabric.

Large loops at the edge can be associated with slack during reversal, poor yarn take-up or incorrect feeding. Watch the yarn path while making a controlled pass. If the supply catches and then releases suddenly, the resulting slack can vary from row to row. Correct the feed rather than tightening every adjustment at once.

Also review carriage travel. Turning before the required clearance beyond the working needles can prevent a complete pass, while unnecessary excursions can make yarn management awkward. Follow the model’s instructions for clearing the working area and any pattern turn marks. The useful distance is determined by the machine and technique, not a universal measurement.

Keep the yarn supply positioned so it can feed without tumbling, snagging or being pulled sideways around furniture. When using more than one strand or color, confirm that their paths remain separate as required. A crossed yarn can create an intermittent problem that seems to appear only on one direction of travel.

Yarn Tension and Stitch Size Are Different Adjustments

The upper tension unit manages yarn delivery to the carriage. The carriage stitch dial influences stitch formation and size. Fabric take-down adds another influence. Calling all of these “tension” without identifying which one is being changed makes troubleshooting confusing and can lead to several compensating errors.

On the Brother KH890/891 arrangement illustrated in the original manual, a higher carriage dial number produces a larger stitch. This should not be generalized into “turn every tension control higher to make it looser.” Identify the control, its function and the machine’s instructions before changing it.

A useful trial changes one adjustment and labels the resulting sample. Record the yarn, carriage dial and upper-tension setting along with the technique. If the carriage becomes easier but the fabric becomes unsuitable, you have learned something about the combination; you have not necessarily found the final project setting.

Evaluate gauge on a finished and rested swatch prepared as the yarn and project require. Fabric stretched by weights on the machine does not provide the same measurement as relaxed fabric. A garment coming out the wrong size can reflect swatching and finishing assumptions rather than a defect in the knitting machine.

Yarn Breaks, Splits or Snags

Inspect the break and its location. A strand breaking at the same guide repeatedly deserves a different investigation from yarn separating at a weak join or a thick section. Keep a short damaged piece for comparison. The appearance is a clue, but avoid diagnosing every break as poor-quality yarn without checking the machine path.

Look for a knot, tight winding, tangled strands or a snag before the carriage. Check accessible guides and feeder surfaces for visible damage. A rough or damaged part needs the correct repair or replacement; filing components casually can alter their shape or leave a new sharp edge.

Splitting can also involve the way the yarn structure interacts with the needles and technique. Test a smooth, suitable yarn that previously knitted well. If that works while the project yarn does not, reassess the yarn choice and settings before changing hardware. Expensive yarn is not automatically suitable for every knitting machine.

If several strands are being combined, make sure each feeds consistently. One strand catching can change the effective yarn thickness and tension even when the others continue freely. Simplify to a single appropriate yarn for diagnosis, then reintroduce the intended combination once basic operation is reliable.

Needles Do Not Catch the Yarn During Cast-On

Check the cast-on method and initial needle positions against the manual. A technique demonstrated on another machine may rely on a different sinker plate, brush arrangement or support method. Follow one complete method rather than combining the first step from one tutorial with the finishing step from another.

Confirm that the yarn is in the intended feeder and that the feeder is secured as required. A strand resting near the feeder can look correctly threaded while missing the actual path. Check the carriage seating and attachment installation too. A carriage that travels across the bed has not necessarily been mounted correctly for knitting.

Review the plain-knit controls and the state of the needle latches. Do not assume the machine is defective because an unsupported first row falls away. Work through the prescribed beginner exercise with suitable yarn and the required accessories. If it still fails, record precisely whether no needles take yarn or only some fail.

For model-specific illustrations, the archived original Brother KH860 and KH890/891 user guides are useful. Select the correct download and edition. Their diagrams are a better reference for feeder and carriage positions than applying a generic description to an unfamiliar machine.

Punchcard Patterns Do Not Select Correctly

Establish that plain knitting works before investigating pattern selection. Then use a known suitable card and the manual’s simplest pattern exercise. Verify the card orientation, joining, starting row, lock or advance setting and initial selection pass as specified. These details differ from simply inserting a card and beginning to knit.

Observe the needles selected before committing to several rows of fabric. If selection is wrong immediately, stop and compare the setup with the instructions. If selection is initially correct but later loses its sequence, record the exact row and direction. A repeated error at one point in the card differs from a random failure across the bed.

Inspect the card for damage, distortion or an unsuitable join. A homemade card introduces another possible variable, including its material and hole placement. Use a known-good appropriate card for diagnosis if available. Do not force the reader or turn its controls beyond their normal movement to make a damaged card advance.

If correct setup still produces faulty selection, a mechanical service issue may exist. Timing and internal selector adjustments should be handled using the appropriate service information by someone equipped for the work. Altering internal timing before checking the card and operating sequence can turn a setup error into a genuine mechanical fault.

Electronic Models Lose or Misread Patterns

Separate electrical power from pattern selection and stitch formation. A display that will not power up, a pattern that selects incorrectly and fabric that drops stitches are three different complaints. Record any displayed message and the exact model before following reset instructions. Do not use a reset sequence from a similar-looking machine.

Check the external power connection and specified supply equipment without opening the electronics. A second-hand machine may have been supplied with an unsuitable accessory or damaged cable. Stop if there is overheating, an electrical smell or visible damage. Mains-powered components and internal electronics need appropriate service rather than improvised repairs.

Before clearing memory or changing a stored design, preserve any user-created pattern through the supported method where possible. Some procedures can remove information or change settings. If a known built-in pattern works but an imported design does not, investigate the design and transfer process before assuming the needle bed is defective.

Do not treat the presence of electronics as evidence that every problem is electronic. A bent latch, poor yarn feed or unsuitable stitch setting can spoil fabric even when pattern selection is correct. Comparing the selected needle positions with the intended pattern helps distinguish the selection stage from what happens afterward during knitting.

Trouble Appears Only With the Ribber

Confirm the exact main-bed and ribber combination, together with the connecting arm and carriages. Incorrect or mismatched accessories can create problems that adjustment cannot safely solve. Use the ribber’s own setup instructions; the main machine manual alone does not establish every ribber setting or installation requirement.

Check the specified mounting, bed relationship, needle arrangement, racking position and controls before knitting. Do not move the beds closer together by guesswork to remove loose stitches. Incorrect alignment can bring needles into contact. If there is unexpected contact or a hard stop, stop immediately and recheck the setup.

Begin with the manual’s simple rib exercise and suitable yarn. If main-bed plain knitting works but that exercise fails, the ribber configuration becomes the focus. Inspect the prescribed comb and weight arrangement and confirm that the fabric can descend freely between the beds. Avoid adding arbitrary weight to compensate for an installation problem.

Record which bed loses stitches and whether the failure occurs in one direction. That information can distinguish a shared yarn-feed problem from a bed-specific setup issue. For the relevant attachment family, consult the Brother ribber manual archive and select the actual KR model rather than assuming a generic ribber procedure applies.

Lace and Special Carriages Need Separate Checks

A lace carriage, garter carriage or other attachment has its own operating sequence and compatibility requirements. Do not interpret every pass as a normal knitting row. Some techniques involve transfers or multiple passes before the main knitting carriage forms the next row. Losing track of that sequence can create holes or dropped stitches without an underlying machine defect.

Return to a simple verified exercise for the attachment. Record the starting side, needle selection and pass count. If a transfer fails at one position, inspect the affected needle and surrounding setup. If the problem appears only after a particular control change, confirm that change against the instructions before repeating the operation.

A powered attachment should be disconnected before clearing jams or inspecting moving components. Do not let its motor force a carriage that already feels abnormal. Specialist attachments may have adjustments and safety requirements beyond ordinary owner maintenance, so obtain model-specific help when the basic checks do not resolve the issue.

Cleaning a Machine That Has Been Stored

A machine stored for years deserves inspection before a full-width project. Check for corrosion, deteriorated retaining material, missing accessories and hardened residue. Move controls only within their normal range and do not assume that a shiny exterior means the internal mechanism is ready to knit.

Clean accessible lint and residue using the method approved for the model. Apply the specified oil sparingly to the identified points. Do not flood the carriage, spray household lubricant indiscriminately or oil electronic components. Excess material can attract contamination and transfer to the yarn without correcting the cause of stiffness.

After routine maintenance, test with waste yarn before using valuable project yarn. Check both the knitting quality and whether oil or dirt transfers to the sample. If roughness remains, stop and investigate rather than treating repeated lubrication as a restoration plan. Internal corrosion or hardened mechanisms may require specialist servicing.

For part identification and work beyond owner maintenance, use the appropriate Brother service and parts manual. An exploded drawing can help identify a component, but it is not a reason to dismantle the selector or alter adjustments without understanding the reassembly and verification procedure.

Record One Change at a Time

A useful record separates what was observed from what was inferred. “Needle left 18 misses on right-to-left passes with two yarns” is an observation. “The carriage is broken” is a conclusion that still needs evidence. Give a repairer the observation, together with clear photographs and the results of your plain-knit test.

Do not keep improving one symptom by introducing another. If added weight prevents a loop but causes distortion, or a larger stitch makes the carriage move but produces unusable fabric, return to the last known setup and reconsider the cause. The goal is reliable knitting with appropriate fabric quality, not merely completing a pass at any cost.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I Replace the Sponge Bar First?

Inspect the retaining arrangement on a used or long-stored machine, but first identify the model and correct part. Not all machines use the same system. Deteriorated retaining material needs attention before use, yet replacing it does not rule out damaged needles, incorrect threading or an incompatible attachment.

Can I Straighten a Bent Needle?

A visibly damaged knitting needle should be replaced with the correct compatible needle. Small differences in hook, latch or shaft shape can affect stitch formation. Repeatedly bending it back by eye is not a reliable repair, particularly when it could damage yarn or interfere with the carriage.

Why Does It Knit in One Direction but Fail in the Other?

Record the direction and compare yarn delivery, carriage controls and attachment behavior. A directional fault can help locate the problem, but it does not identify a specific broken part on its own. Test plain knitting with suitable yarn before moving to pattern or ribber diagnosis.

Why Is the Finished Piece the Wrong Size?

Check the swatch, yarn, stitch setting, finishing method and measurements before assuming a mechanical fault. Fabric changes after it leaves the machine and after washing or resting. A garment calculation based on stretched on-machine fabric can be wrong even when every stitch was formed correctly.

What Is the Best Starting Point for a Beginner?

Use the exact manual’s plain-knit exercise with smooth suitable yarn, the correct accessories and a small sample. Keep the setup unchanged until it works consistently. Learning that baseline makes later faults easier to recognize and gives a tutor or repairer clear evidence if the machine still does not perform as expected.