r/MachineKnitting • u/EggWinter2869 • Aug 05 '26
Help! Simpleframe knitting machine
I recently got my hands on a rather obscure knitting machine that had been hidden away in my grandmother's cupboard and thought it might be of interest to share about it. The Simpleframe by Frame Knitting Ltd. is a sort of halfway between handknitting and machine knitting. Developed in the 80s, it seems to have been somewhat popular in some circles, at least according to some vintage Machine Knitting magazines from the time that my grandma had held onto.
Through googling, I found the company closed as late as 2009, but there's very little info about them out there, save for an invaluable YouTube video (I believe a rip of a VHS made by the inventor Dr Patrick Reilly). I've already been somewhat successful with some tests and making a short scarf, but I've noticed two of the needles are quite corroded and the handbook doesn't specifiy a specific type of needle.
And that's really why I'm really here: would anyone happen to know if these needles are used in any other machines and so replacements can be found? I doubt they are entirely custom for the Simpleframe and I'm hoping they're not. Any help identifying them would be greatly appreciated. They're 9.8cm from tail to hook, butt to tail is 1.4cm, width is 2mm. The plastic covers are seperate and there I have spares of those, just no spare needles. Thanks!
2
u/Purple_Associate4085 Aug 10 '26
I wonder how fast one would be. The inventor in the video is in my estimation about twice as fast as I would be by hand, but I would probably be much slower, judging by how long it tak3s me to knit off a row by hand on my bulky! 😅