How To E-Wrap Cast On And Knit A Simple Stockinette Swatch
Let’s do a simple e-wrap cast on and knit a square of stockinette.
Your machine should be set up, threaded, and ready to start.
With carriage at the right, bring out the number of needles you need for the swatch.
Hold the yarn between the first two needles on the left.
Holding the end of the yarn with the left hand, use your right hand to wrap the yarn counter-clockwise around the first needle on the left. Your wraps will lie behind the latches.
While still holding the end of the yarn with the left hand, bring the yarn under the second needle in from the left, and wrap it counter-clockwise around the second needle.
Continue until you reach the last needle in work on the side by the carriage. Return the yarn inside the carriage gate and close the gate lever.
Check that the carriage is set to knit back needles in the forward position. On a Brother machine, the lever will be in the N position instead of H. Check that all carriage front panel buttons are NOT pushed in and make sure that the yarn is in its slot and the gate is closed.
Set the row counter to zero and hang the cast on comb to help weigh down the sproingy new e-wraps.
Carefully knit across to the left. This first row will be snug and stubborn to knit if the tension is set too tight. Continue moving the carriage back and forth to finish your first square of stockinette. On a Japanese flat bed machine, the purl side always faces you.
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February 1, 2007
43 comments
Hi,
I just wanted to let you know how fabulous this tutorial was for me. I’ve recently bought myself an old Empisal KH-680. Having had no previous machine knitting experience, I’ve been studiously working my way through the old instruction book – simply to begin to understand the terminology!
All I want to be able to do at the moment is to be able to re-create the hand knitted ribbed collars I make for my husband instead of a scarf for work. Any suggestions for really basic tutorials?
thanks again for all the effort you’ve put it. HUGELY appreciated.
cheers, Elly – Melbourne Australia
Thank you and I’m glad the post was helpful.
I am not familiar with the Empisal brand. If it is a flat bed machine with no ribber, the only way to make ribbing is to make stockinette fabric and then drop alternate columns of purl stitches and re-latch them up as knit stitches. You can also make mock rib where you skip needles in work in between working needles to simulate ribbing.
If you have a ribber, the possibilities are numerous and the knitting will go very fast.
Hi Kathryn,
yes i have a ribber attachment, thats far down the list of things to learn!
I’ll just continue to plod along.. tho there is a craft fair in melbourne next month and there is going to be a knitting machine stall, so I’m hoping to pick brains there!
thanks again, Elly
Hi, Wow! I thought I was going to have this DM80 machine in my small front room just to collect dust. Your tutorial on “Setting up the Stand”, “installing the racking handle and how to maintance the machine have been most helpful.You were most certainly a “godsend” as Passap knitters even here in our small town in Arizona are few and far between. The pictures were excellent. They have relieved a lot of frustration, and now I look forward to knitting again. I will look forward to connecting and using the Deco.
Thanks so much
Hi, I am new to machine knitting. I have a Passap Duomatic 80 and don’t know the first thing about knitting. Can you help? I do have the machine setup and threaded, but don’t know what to do next! HELP! Thanks
Your best source for free Passap lessons is the Yahoo Group, PassapClub. The download area has some great beginner tutorials. When you have technical issues about how the machine works, check out the Yahoo Group, PassapKnits. It is great for answering operator type questions.
Thank you for showing me how to do this! My aunt gave me a brother knitting machine & I had no clue as to how to cast on. Thanks to your very detailed information (with photos!) I was able to get started! I can’t wait to learn more!
Does somebody has an owner manual for a brothers KH- 860
Thanks.
Maria,
Go to my Links page listed in the top right sidebar or click here:
https://www.knittsings.com/machine-knitting-links/
Once at the page, you will see the top most link is for free Brother Manuals. Clicking will take you to a download server at Brother where you will find a pdf for your 860. The pdfs are huge. You will need a broadband connection for this to work.
I have owned an Empisal Knitmaster 321 for almost two years. I took ill right after I purchased it so I am just starting to learn. The tutorial on threading the machine was so helpful. I also have a ribber and all the manuals were photocopied by the previous owner but are pretty well unreadable. I ordered a CD from the company and it was no better. Long story short, I am now ready to thread the machine and wonder what size yarn to start out with. It’s a standard gauge machine (I don’t really know what that means). I think I read somewhere it’s better for beginners to start with a fine baby yarn but I’m not sure.
I wish I had found this website a year ago! I love it.
Thanks for any help.
Cheryl L
Hi. Your site is great. Yes, I am a man. Long story short…
I am a weaver and spinner. I took/dragged my wife and kids to a fiber sale a couple of weeks ago and was fascinated by a lady machine knitting something. My wife is learning to hand-knit. I thought she might like to learn how to use a knitting machine… ebay… package came yesterday… ta-dah.
Question: I see on your site that you have the manual for Studio-SK 303. I bought a Studio-SK 313. Are the manuals comparable, or do I need to hunt for a manual? the 303 was made in 1967 and the 313 was made in 1970.
Thanks for your great site. I am waiting for my new loom, and this will give me something to do until it arrives; plus, I can use it for all the handspun I have accumulating at our house!
hi, i’m new to this and am having a lot of trouble starting do you need a casting on comb? i can cast on but it seems to come down double if you know what i mean is it meant to do this or not ,it seems to be stuck on the front pegs thanks
What a treasure to have found this website. I am a new machine knitter, and enjoying myself. I first ordered on Ebay a Bond Ultimate–thinking that if I did not enjoy knitting, I would not have spent a lot of money. I then ordered a Silver Reed LH-100. The needles pop up easily. I still was able to knit several nice large scarfs, and find I am enjoying knitting. I then purchased another knitting machine–Studio SK 560 Electronic Knitting Machine with Contouring. I had to recently ordered the Instruction and Pattern Manuals. Should be receiving them within the next 5-7 days. As a new knitter I have been looking for such a website with instructions. As I am waiting for the Instruction Manual, I have struggled trying to Ewrap. The needles are firmly in place, however, beyond the 1st row, the 2nd row does not knit properly. I am thinking that there is something I am doing wrong–I must wait for the manual. Any insights other machine knitter can share would be helpful as I start taking this hobby more seriously.
Lovely clear instructions and I now might be able to get started! Just a question on the casting comb, I just can’t seem to hang it on where it doesn’t get in the way of the carriage. Is there a close up picture of how this should sit on the needles?
Got out my Studio 321 just to look at it again then found this website. Thanks for the clear pictures of how to do’s. I will try to see if I can make sense of it all. It is packed in a desk made for knitting machines that I’m considering getting rid of. Should I or does it really help when you’re knitting? All I want to do is make knitted material and cut patterns from it. Has anyone ever tried to do this. Hope some one answers this. Marian
Well, I’m from San Luis Potosí, Mexico. I have a singer machine that my old autumm gift me befor she died. I took some classes, but find this website was wonderful, I have some language problems, so it`s more difficult, but it’s great. Thanks.
hi, I just bought a singer memomatic 321 and it doesn’t have a cast on comb, can anyone tell me if it is supposed to have one as I can’t seem to get the machine casted on to knit properly, it just keeps all of the stitches looking loopy and loose. the instruction manual I have but it is complicated stuff. Are there any machine knitters in western sydney who might help me learn? Thanks, Trudy
You need a cast on comb to hang weights from or you will have a loopy mess. The good news is any standard gauge comb will work. You are stuck looking for one specifically for the 321.
Without the comb. lots of random stitches will revolt and not knit off with the pass of the carriage. One way to work around this short term is to pull all the needles in work forward before knitting the row. This will insure they knit off. Obviously this solution is a pain and only works for a stockinette row.
thanks so much kathryn.
I have managed to cast on and knit, but the first part is always a disaster. I can understand why the yarn is getting loose, but I don’t hav a cast on comb yet so I’ll just have to manage somehow.
I’m starting to gt the hang of watching for the needles to be in the right place and I realise how to pick the yarn that has hooked around the sinker posts out, I’\ve used a crochet hook for that, but I dont really understand what exactly is happening with my loops.
Maybe you could post a tutorial on “how” the knitting machine knits, I’d really like to know what to look out for and how to fix the lost stitches instead of repeatedly ripping out the rows i’ve done.
Hopefully the empisal machine that should be here next week has a cast on comb, ebay said it had one. The singer 321 that i got yesterday!! (seems like a lifetime of dropping stitches and cursing!) doesn’t come with a cast on comb, they want me to “hang a ravel cord” and I can’t figure out how to do that either. I really really just want to knit something and actually have a finished garment out of it! my main desire is to be able to knit socks.
thanks so much a gain for taking the time to help me out.. it’s good to know I’m not alone in my fascination for these machines! 🙂
If you haven’t already, you need to check your sponge bar – it’s probably flatter than a pancake. If so, it’s contributing to your troubles knitting.
You can look at this post to see how to inspect your sponge bar and then follow on to the replacement tutorial if needed.
https://www.knittsings.com/knitting-machine-sponge-bar/
Hi:
I just bought a Silver Reed SK840 and can’t figure out how to thread the ribbing carriage. I’ve tried a couple of ways, but it either goes across the needles without laying down any yarn, or it casts on a few needles and then the carriage gets stuck, and the yarn breaks. The photos in the manual don’t show where the yarn goes well enough to be of help.
Does anyone know how to do this? Any assistance will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Cindy
Hi
want to say thank you so much for all the wonderful info and pics you’ve been posting for all of us to enjoy – keep pouring over everything again and again.
i have a “slight” problem!! just got an old Brother KH 830 which is very old and has been sitting in someone’s house for 30 yrs!! after cleaning it up , igot ready to use it fro the first time and on the first pass it jammed and here’s the bummer – i can’t turn the knob to the CR position to unlock the carriage – so here i am allready to go and dying to try this out and i can’t unjam this carriage!!
any suggestions are sorely needed – should i spray some oil around the knob – i have tried to use moderate force!! HELP!!!
btw – used your tutorial for the sponge bar – went in great and of course i can’t tell how good it is till i get knitting here
take care
and thanks in advance
z
hi, its me again – i managed to unjam the carriage by fiddling with each needle with the latch tool as i jiggled the carriage back and forth, till it released the jammed needle, on the advice of a woman from a store nearby. here’s what i found – the needles are jamming whenever they are in all the positions except when they are all the way back in A. the back ends seem to be getting pulled out of the little slot they sit in (inside the machine?) and are pushed under that, so i think i have a bit of a problem here.
has anyone ever tried to fix a carriage – the change knob definitely does not work properly – will not turn to the CR position. hubbie is very happy to take the thing apart and try to fix it but says that a service or repair manual would be extremely handy. the lady who gave me the machine said that it hadn’t been used for a long time (25 years) but as far as she knew it was working fine until that point. i tried to google and find a service manual on line but couldn’t get any hits – they must exist?
wondering if from what the carriage is doing whether i have a bum machine with no hope or if its even fixable. any thoughts on this out there. i’m so bummed as i was soooo excited about getting this and getting started.
thanks for any tips or advice
zia
Hi Kathryn – Your website is fabulous! I am attempting to resurrect my 20+ year-old Passap and my memory seems to have dropped a stitch when it comes to “how to”. Not only am I finding information that I needed, I’m finding information I didn’t know I needed. All I can say is that your work is a blessing to me and I thank you SO much.
Karen
Hello,
I am finding your videos and lessons really helpful. I have three questions.
In your picture of the e-wrap cast on you show a cast on comb. When do you remove it-after a few rows? I thought the cast on comb was used with the ribber between the two beds.
My second question concerns the yarn after it comes down from the yarn feeder and you have done the e-wrap cast on. Should the yarn be under the plastic circle on the round brushes or over them? I have a Studio 321 so the weaving brush is always on the carriage.
What might be causing loops at each side of my knitting? It doesn’t happen all the time.
Thanks so much
I just won a Studio 313 on Ebay. Could someone point me in the direction of a manual for this machine? I noticed that your list of manuals does not include this model. What machine is it most similar to?
I would appreciate any help I can find.
Thank you.
Trudy,
To use a ravel cord you first push out all the needles and knit across, then you hang the ravel cord around the metal pin things that stick up at the edge of the machine near the needles (can’t think of the name of them) – only on the ones where your needles are out ofcourse and then attach something heavy to each end of the ravel cord so that it is weighted down as you pull the carriage across and hopefully the knitted row should have the ravel cord in the knitting 🙂
Good luck and hope this helps
hi…am looking for a manual for singer 810…am new to knitting but eager to learn…u know where i can find one?
Hi,
I am desparately looking for a manual for Empisal knitmaster 321. A friend of mine promised I could use her knitting machine for free if I can find the manual. This is an unfulfilled dream for many years now ; really hope someone can finally help me. Many, many thanks !!!!
I can’t thank you enough for this website and your detailed instructions and photos.
My sister is the knitter in this generation of my family, so my mother first offered her the Brother KH-860, with ribbing attachment. After a few months, though, my sister decided that she wasn’t quite mechanical enough to get it up and running and she dropped it off at my apartment on Christmas Eve.
For the past week, I’ve been sitting over the machine with a screwdriver and all the parts and accessories spread out on the living room floor, poring over your blog posts (repeatedly and obsessively). I have the original manuals and technique books, and I check them, but then end up searching your website for clearer instructions.
I replaced a few bent needles and I now know I have to replace the sponge bar (my bamboo skewer is still next to me on the floor). I’m impatient enough to get started that I’m considering driving all the way to our JoAnn’s tonight for foam and fusible interface (the store is a good 45 minutes away).
Thank you for the trove of information. I told my mother about your website, and she was very excited to hear that her knitting machine is still alive and kicking in the Information Age.
I have a Genie Corona CH 1500. I am new to machine knitting and am having trouble understanding the manual and settings. I have only been able to knit one sample so far and cannot manage to knit anything else. I have a few beginner patterns I would like to knit but after the first couple of rows, the carriage seems to jam and everything falls off the needles. Can anyone help me with this problem? Thanks Denise
Super information and yes it’s free.
I need info on how to unstick the Row Number Dial.
On a singer knit radar K6. Thanks for help
Hi, I was just wondering, I just started using a Singer 88 (or something like that…) and am having incredible issues with dropped stitches and a really hard to move carriage. Could you help?? I’m only managing a few rows and then it completely stuffs up! I don’t have a casting comb, only a casting rod, which is a thin wire with a red thing on the end. Does that matter? Is that why I’m having issues?? Anyway, please help :).
Kylie Lewis
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I have a Passap Knitting Machine E6000 with motor E-3000A. I am charging the battery(accumulator) for the required 18 hours. What I need to know is can I just knit on the front bed with the Electronic console on and not use the E-3000A motor. The needles on back bed have to be manually pushed forward to knit, so I think if I don’t manually push them forward it should work. I have the manual but don’t have a video of how to work it. Have knitted on manual machines before but not double bed ones. Also how do you get the little black levers under the color yarn holders to come up. I want to use only one color yarn, I have two yarn masts, but am planning on only using one yarn til I get more experienced. I know about the lever on the right, but the bobbin comes up, but the black lever stays down. I think the one bobbin I will use should have the black lever down, but the one next to it should be up, like the other two. Hope you can help. Also, do you know where I can purchase two yarn cup holders and the plastic piece that holds them on to the masts. Thanks, Mrs. Lacey
It took a few tries but I got this to work! Thanks for a great tutorial.
The trick for me was hanging the cast on comb correctly. I wasn’t getting every loop hooked at first and also not getting the yarn back in front before passing the K carriage over it. What a mess.
Also, I was using some freebie yarn that did not play nice with the KH-910 at all. Once I used machine friendly yarn and got the comb and yarn placement sorted, all went flawlessly!
I have an SK 313 with an SP 303 ribber. The lady I bought it from talks about making a sponge bar from weather stripping. The 2 “sponge bars” I see are pieces of hard plastic. What am I missing?
I love your site, so informative.
what do you think is a good knitting machine? thanks
I recently bought an Empisal Knitmaster 560 and can sucessfully cast on two rows, but then it begins to drop stiches. I have oiled and cleaned, replaced a couple of bent needles and am still cannot knit more than two rows. I have tried with the lace carriage and with the regular carriage and the outcome is the same. What else can I check?
Thanks
When and why would an e-cast on be preferable over a regular cast on?
Thank you, this is a great web site.
I recently acquired an Empisal KH 680 with ribber. Can anyone help me with a manual or copies or just explain the absence of holding cam levers and the purpose of the 1 – 5 numbering just below the tension dial. How do you get it to work holding position stitches?
Thanks
Karin from South Africa
Hi there, I have just bought a used Singer SK360. I tried my hand at doing fancy stitches and got loops at the end of a lot of rows. Please can anyone tell me why this happens and what I am doing wrong.
I am also looking for videos for this machine to see how things are done. Any help would be appreciated.
Thank you so much.
Betty
Can anyone tell me why the needles on the robber will no stay up? I have s brothers bulky. I pull them in place spand they fall. Could it be the needle bar? Thanks