| | |  | Caron Bond | | Home » » » | | | | | | | Product Details: | | | Product Length:
| 4.25 inches | | Product Width:
| 23.25 inches | | Product Height:
| 15.5 inches | | Product Weight:
| 10.75 pounds | | Package Length:
| 23.2 inches | | Package Width:
| 16.3 inches | | Package Height:
| 4.5 inches | | Package Weight:
| 10.6 pounds | | Average Customer Rating:
|  based on 30 reviews |
| | | | Customer Reviews: | |
Average Customer Review:
 ( 30 customer reviews )
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
42 of 43 found the following review helpful:
 Better than the "professional" knitting machinesMar 01, 2009
By Noname
I absolutely love my Ultimate Sweater (Knitting) Machine. In fact, I enjoyed knitting with it so much, I went out and got a professional knitting machine and disappointed with that because the Ultimate Sweater Machine works so much better and easier.
Before being able to take full advantage of this machine, I needed to accessorize. Yes, more money but worth every penny. I needed the extensions to make it longer and the row counter (couldn't live without that) and the yarn winder and the table (you need a table with a square edge so the clamps have something to hold) and some large hair clamps to hold the knitting off the floor (it can`t touch the floor and the clamps work better than the knitting needles they recommend -- just roll and clamp) and some additional weights (to weigh down the knitting so that the knitting stays on the machine and knits evenly). Go to the Ultimate Sweater Machine website to find all necessary materials.
The beauty of this machine is that it takes the standard yarn we find in the craft stores like Michaels. Fluffier yarns can get caught and make the experience frustrating, so I recommend standard 4-ply yarn to start.
It takes practice, make sure not to let the yarn pull or snag as you are knitting. I usually leave the ball behind the table and unwind enough so there is absolutely no pulling on my knit work. There is a learning curve. Don't give up!
Fancy stitches take a lot longer to complete, because we have to do it manually. People see the knitting machine and think it's easy and quick. Maybe it's quicker than traditional knitting, but it can take me a week or longer to complete a sweater, especially if I have a bunch of fancy stitches to put in.
Great machine. I'm glad I found it. Just keep in mind this kit will get you started, but you are going to want the accessories to get the most out of it.
30 of 31 found the following review helpful:
 So far, so goodJan 13, 2010
By Dawn Davidson
I was nervous about this machine because of all the negative reviews I saw here and at several other sites. At an average of $150, it's a pricey investment in something that seems hit-or-miss. The decision was taken out of my hands as I received it as a Christmas gift, and I was determined to give it the best chance I could.
I'm glad I did! I am very pleased with the machine so far.
Yes, it takes some time to set up and troubleshoot. Watch the DVD IN ADDITION to reading the instruction manual - neither is optional as each has important information not included in the other. Expect to spend half your time in the first few projects ripping out rows and picking up dropped stitches. Most of these are caused by operator error and not due to machine malfunction, and once you really master the tricky balance of keeping the yarn at the right tension (slight when approaching a row, NONE when knitting the row) most of these problems are eliminated.
Admittedly, so far I have only done very simple projects without any complex shaping or fancy stitching. I'm sure that will come with its own set of issues, but I expect most of them will be due to my own inexperience. Like anything else, this machine takes some time to figure out. Go slowly and complete each practice project. Don't expect to push a button and watch the machine do everything for you. That's not how it works.
Experienced hand-knitters might find this to be more trouble than it is worth. I crochet, so I understand the relaxing joy of handwork, but with two preschoolers in the house I simply have not had the time to devote to mastering hand-knitting. This machine will, I think, make it possible for me to clothe everyone in the homemade garments I covet without making me spend endless hours perfecting my stockinette stitch. Furthermore, every knitter makes mistakes. The machine makes it easy to fix them. Ripping out rows is tedious, but so is "knitting backwards", I'm told, and at least with the machine I don't have the added discouragement of knowing I must re-knit all those stitches I'd just spent so much time on - since the machine can re-knit them in seconds.
I do have a few little quibbles. Number one: the plastic "teeth" at the edge of the machine, right where the needles protrude, often have little flaky bits of plastic left over from the mold. These can snag the yarn and cause the stitches to catch and the machine to jam if not corrected. It's an easy fix - just clip off the little flakes with nail scissors - but something to watch for when starting out. Number two: the machine doesn't come with a tapestry needle, which you will need for binding off and finishing a project. Given that it comes with EVERYTHING else you need, including practice yarn and piddly things like rubber bands, I think it's pretty lame that the manufacturer couldn't throw in a two-inch plastic needle that probably costs fractions of a cent wholesale. Unless you're already a yarn crafter, it's not something you're likely to have lying around, and that could be a big disappointment for someone who's just gotten the machine and is all stoked up to use it right away.
I agree with a previous reviewer who mentioned that a small crochet needle would be more useful for picking up dropped stitches than the tool they give you. Their tool does have its purposes, though, and is specifically designed for the machine, so don't throw it out.
Overall, I am happy so far, and looking forward to learning how to do more complex things on the machine. I highly recommend this machine if you are a novice knitter discouraged by the time it takes to complete anything. If you are an expert, and not interested in spending a lot of time learning a different method of doing something you already know how to do, you might consider spending your money elsewhere.
ETA: as of two years' later, I have now learned to knit by hand, and enjoy it. However, I still use the machine frequently for projects that I want to get done quickly. It is much faster. The drawback is finding patterns for it. I can sometimes translate a hand-knitting pattern into machine-knitting, but it's a bit tricky. I feel that using the machine helped me to understand the mechanics of how knitting works; what stitches are supposed to look like and how garments are constructed. It is still a valuable tool, though I love the portability and zen-like calm focus hand-knitting gives me.
17 of 17 found the following review helpful:
It definitely takes patience to use this.Oct 13, 2009
By C Warren
"tigger pooh"
Several hours after setting this machine up, I was pretty certain that it was a piece of junk and I was going to send it back where it came from. Thankfully, it was night time and could not do it right away, because the next morning, something clicked with me and the machine. I think with several more hours of practice, I will have it completely under my control. There are a couple of things the video doesn't mention - and I agree that the video is less than great. But with all of the emphasis on watching the video, it doesn't tell you how important it is to wax the edges of the plate that goes in the carriage. Oh my gosh, after an hour and a half of trying to get the carriage to slide over the needles, I found the mention in the book about waxing the plate. That made a huge difference. After knitting about 12 inches in length, the next pass with the carriage dropped almost the entire row! GEEEZ! I certainly got plenty of practice picking up dropped stitches. It took almost an hour to get that problem solved. The little hook tools that come with the kit are pretty worthless because of the way they are made. Do yourself a favor and get a small crochet hook and a small latch hook tool. It is true that if you are an experienced knitter, you have no advantage in using this machine. I eventually discovered that to keep from dropping stitches, the weights in the hem have to be "heavy" enough to keep tension on the stitches that are on the needles. As soon as you notice slack in the stitches, make sure your hem is hanging freely. Also, NEVER put tension on the yarn that is being pulled from the ball - it will make the carriage jam and make YOU pull your hair out. Look carefully at each row before you knit the next row to make sure there are no dropped stitches and the stitches on the far right and far left needles have been completed. Believe me, you cannot sit down and produce spectacular projects without considerable practice and attention to detail. BUT, once you have put in the time, you WILL knit faster than you ever could with two needles. You really CAN knit 1000 stitches in just a couple of minutes and a 200 yard skein can be completely knit in under 10 minutes.
10 of 10 found the following review helpful:
Wonder machine, takes a bit to figure outOct 18, 2010
By Figment
I bought this machine several weeks ago in order to make the larger knitted items that I always wanted to make but as a student never have the time to make. I have been hand knitting for a few years now and as much as i love making hats in the round and scarfs I didn't have the time to devote to say a sweater or a blanket project.
When I got the machine I didn't realize I had to have the 'perfect' table to set it up on but i managed (hijacked the dining room table) and with a little help from my father I was able to fix the poorly designed clamps to attach to the rounded sides of the table. I will agree with many that the DVD is pretty lame but it helps give the overall idea.
You really have to make sure that you don't have any intension on the yarn coming from the ball and don't expect too much from the first try. I had issues with iot dropped stitches at first but turned out I was either holding the yarn too tight when doing a row or I was holding it too loose. Also trying to go too fast was a big issue. In order not to get too mad at myself or the machine I walked away from it for a bit. The DVD doesn't tell you about waxed the plates but make sure you do cause thats also a big pain.
After fiddling with it for a few days after that I decided that I was going to start my first 'big' project. The braided blanket was insanely easy. Took me two days to make the five knitted strips (a few hours here and there) and only another day to 'braid' the edges up. The longest part was really crocheting the edges to give it a more finished look!
I adore this machine and have since learn to create blankets, hats, scarfs, shrugs, baby clothing and I plan on trying my hand on making a full sized sweater soon. I wouldn't recommend this machine for children or adults that aren't willing to work with it. This is just a machine to make knitted rows faster. Its not a magic machine that makes everything on its own without you having to work. If your not willing to try and make it work and find out why its not working then don't spend the money.
... and honestly ... youtube users have better vidoes that explained alot more and were more helpful :)
32 of 40 found the following review helpful:
 Ugh....not worth itDec 23, 2008
By Deanne M. Mcadams
I bought this machine recently. I'm giving it one star because of several reasons. First, there is nothing on the box on the outside, nor anywhere I've seen advertised, that states you need the perfect table for this machine, but you do. Luckily I had one out in the garage, but otherwise would have had to go out and buy one. There is also no written instruction manual. The instructional DVD doesn't include a table of contents, nor is it divided up really well, so you can't just jump to exactly where you need to go to find what you need. Besides, the DVD doesn't include enough detail anyway to help a person make this machine work. I looked online, and didn't find any sort of instructions on the manufacturer's website, either.
It took several hours to get it set up correctly. Everything has to be exactly PERFECT on this machine for it to function properly, I guess. I spent approximately ten hours getting this machine ready, and then trying knit a simple scarf. I only ever got to the third or fourth rows, when the machine would then drop several stitches in a row, or the entire weighted hem would fall off. The thing is so cheaply made that parts would keep falling off or out as I'd use it.
All of this was made more frustrating by the lack of user/instruction manual.
Last, after watching the DVD, I was disappointed to see how much hand work goes into everything, such as casting on, binding off, and even simple things like ribbing. The machine doesn't do this for you, as I had expected when I bought it.
It's definitely much easier to stick with the good, old-fashioned way of knitting. I think in the end it's much faster, too. I finally had to give up on this machine, and am checking with the seller about returning it.
See all 30 customer reviews on Amazon.com
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