The rise of cheap and abundant clothing basically finished the production of domestic knitting machines.
Toyota stopped production around 1990, Brother’s last machine was produced in ~1997, and Pfaff closed their business in 2001.
Just like the Juki, Brother, and Toyota, Silver Reed was a Japanese company (known primarily for their typewriters). They moved their knitting machine business in the early 1990s to China, just around the time the SK840 model was released. No newer Silver Reed models were designed since then. Silver Reed (the Japanese one) itself is defunct since the Fukushima earthquake, I believe.
The only new model of knitting machine that can be slightly considered “domestic” is Kniterate (https://www.kniterate.com/). However, at this size and price (€16k) it’s more of a machine for fashion designers, dressmaking studios, and the like.
Personally, this makes me very sad. There was a time when hand-knitting offered endless possibilities and machine-knitting sorta like a fast, by very limited shortcut.
With the arrival of industrial machines like the Shima Seiki MACH2X not only it is possible to knit the whole garment without seams (as compared to already good circular hand-knitting), it’s possible to have some texture, too. All thanks to four needle beds instead of the traditional two. “Traditional” for industrial machines and some domestic ones like Pfaff Duomatic — most domestic machines typically had only one bed.
Unfortunately, with the death of domestic knitting machines, such technology would never be available for the regular people.
It does sound about as bad as I thought. This "death of domestic knitting machines" as you put it has turned it all into some weird steampunk, because these old models are being sold (I can walk into a store and buy a new Silver Reed where I live), so probably someone still makes them, but the technology has been locked in to these models from 80's. Unlike with the sewing machines, where they are still trying to come up with new models, by adding every sort of useless gimmick.
Wouldn't touch Kniterate with a long pole, because of the long term repair and maintenance outlook. They are basically single product startup, and no idea who their OEM is.
I’m sorry, I should’ve been more clear in my response. The Chinese-owned “Silver Reed” company still makes the SK280 and the SK840 machines that were designed by the now defunct Japanese company back in the 80-90s. These are the machines sold in stores. Some people believe they are of inferior quality when compared to identical models of [used] machines manufactured in Japan. And quite often (depending on your location) you could find non-used or slightly used examples for less money. However, old machines have to be re-oiled (since the oil has oxidised long ago), and have the “sponge bar” replaced (polyurethane foam is likely to be disintegrated, too). Personally, I have no opinion on “Chinese vs Japanese”, since I’ve once played with different models of Passap (also known as Pfaff).
But yes, it’s somewhat eerie to observe women (it’s mostly them who enjoy knitting) discussing what kind of model to buy, and having absolutely no clue that the knitting machine age is over.
As for the sewing machines, I think that the best option for any domestic user is to buy a vintage sewing machine. Models made in the 1960s and earlier typically don’t have nylon gears and don’t tend to go out of alignment if you happen to hit a sewing pin with a needle.
If you’re in the US, the models to look for are 4×× and 6×× series Singers, although there are tons of different options. The German-made Singer 401G in particular is considered the Holy Grail of vintage sewing machines because it’s a free-arm machine (only common in Europe since ~40–50s, not common in the US till the 1980s), has almost all the functions a domestic user may need, and has no plastic gears.
However, pre-1980s sewing machines have one huge disadvantage: they all had a [resistive] rheostat foot controller, which made maintaining low RRM practically impossible. The ones that came with a Triac in the late 70s and early 80s sometimes boasted the word “Electronic” somewhere on the case (this is the case with some Berninas, like the 830). If the machine doesn't come with a Triac foot controller, it’s best to adapt a modern one or do one yourself.
Other options are:
1) To replace the motor with a servo,
2) To add an RPM-control (PID ro ARDC) circuit (either with or without the encoder). One Back-EMF based example with Dremel-like tools is https://hackaday.io/project/166492-grinder-speed-control-wit.... But it doesn't apply to sewing machines well enough, since it’s difficult to determine very low RPMs needed in sewing.
3) Use pulleys, if you’re willing to sacrifice high sewing speed https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKDSaNmB0rs
I do believe that some modern brands like Bernina and Pfaff make some advances, however I feel like most of them are related to quilting/embroidery, and not sewing. For example, there are no modern domestic sewing machines (besides the Sailrite) that can comfortably sew thick leather. Modern machines also have no real option for mechanical adjustment of presser foot pressure (important when you deal with vastly different thicknesses of materials).
The rise of cheap and abundant clothing basically finished the production of domestic knitting machines.
Toyota stopped production around 1990, Brother’s last machine was produced in ~1997, and Pfaff closed their business in 2001.
Just like the Juki, Brother, and Toyota, Silver Reed was a Japanese company (known primarily for their typewriters). They moved their knitting machine business in the early 1990s to China, just around the time the SK840 model was released. No newer Silver Reed models were designed since then. Silver Reed (the Japanese one) itself is defunct since the Fukushima earthquake, I believe.
The only new model of knitting machine that can be slightly considered “domestic” is Kniterate (https://www.kniterate.com/). However, at this size and price (€16k) it’s more of a machine for fashion designers, dressmaking studios, and the like.
Personally, this makes me very sad. There was a time when hand-knitting offered endless possibilities and machine-knitting sorta like a fast, by very limited shortcut.
With the arrival of industrial machines like the Shima Seiki MACH2X not only it is possible to knit the whole garment without seams (as compared to already good circular hand-knitting), it’s possible to have some texture, too. All thanks to four needle beds instead of the traditional two. “Traditional” for industrial machines and some domestic ones like Pfaff Duomatic — most domestic machines typically had only one bed.
Unfortunately, with the death of domestic knitting machines, such technology would never be available for the regular people.