# Singer 560 electronic knitting machine



## vermonter

What is the Singer 560? I found a website that was offering this machine with the ribber attachment for $199. I found another website that wanted $799 for the same machine new. Also, what about the Genie 710 (supposedly the same as the Brother 588)? I just missed a Toyota KS901 yesterday and a Studio 360 with the ribber today on ebay. I'm really trying to move from this USM. There are just too many variables.

Love this group! :lol:


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## hobbyknitter

I have the 580 that is very similar to the 560, will have to see what the difference it between them. Now that one for 199, that could be a buy of a lifetime or it could need some fixing to get it back to working order, hard to say what it could be. That 799 price, was there more in that package? It could also be someone that bought the machine at a low price, then resell at their profit, you need to watch out for those people, hard to know which ones are like that.
http://www.lacecarriage.com/studiomachines.htm is a place to look up the different Silver Reed (still in business) or also sold under the names of Singer and Studio as well as Knitmaster and also some other names.
If the Genie 710 mentions it is the same as the Brother 588, again Brother sold some of their rights to where other companies put their name on it instead. KnitKing is basically a Brother. Now there are the Artisan and a couple other Brother clones that are new, but then your paying for a new machine that was not touched except for testing it out.
Now also those are standard machines, that will use the thinner yarn, some can be like thread and double or triple up that yarn. But sport and baby yarn can be knitted on it as well. Then before the bulky machines had come out, you could use EON to make your standard into a bulky machine but some yarns still had problems being worked on it.
I look at it this way, if I am bidding on something on eBay and I miss out, it just was not meant to be for me. Yours will come along in time. Also check craigslist in your area as I seen some posted in there. If you find one that is not in your area, you can write or call them if they put their phone number on to see if they are willing to ship, of course offer to pay for the shipping that may help them to ship it to you.
Hope you get a good machine, but if you get one as a deal, then learning how to get it back up and running is a good experience as well.
Godspeed Berda


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## susieknitter

This is the same as our Knitmaster 560. It is the first machine that I had. It's an electronic 200 needle, standard gauge, metal bed machine. It's a nice machine and for $199 a bargain. If you put in ebay, Knitmaster 560 knitting machine, on the world wide search, there is one on there with photo and a good description.


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## euvid

I saw on on eBay yesterday and don't remember which one it was. It said it worked and was buy now for $200. I noticed there was no cord in the picture so I wrote the seller about it. He said they had no electric cord. I wrote him back you can't say the machine works when you can't even test it as you have no cord. Be very careful. Make a list of things machines need to work. SOme things you can replace but if the electronics don't work on an old machine, which is probably the case as to why there is no cord, then you are throwing out your money as it will cost a lot to fix it, if it can be fixed at all. The site yarnsand (look it up on Google) lists all the machines, what they have and when they were made. THe 560s were made in the '60s and have a small number of patterns in them if I remember correctly.


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## euvid

http://www.yarn-store.com/knitting-machine-chart.html
THIS IS THE SITE THAT GIVES YOU INFO ON ALL THE MAKES AND MODELS OF MACHINES HISTORY AND CAPABILITIES


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## vermonter

I cannot believe I found all of you!!! I signed up with other KM groups and quickly discovered the difference. Thank you all so much.


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## courier770

If you search ebay, you will find a store that sells Singer machines (sewing and knitting) that are "factory reconditioned". In many cases the machines had nothing wrong with them but were returned once the box was opened (in some cases because the original purchaser had "buyers remorse"), a small part was missing, etc.. Those machines have to be returned to Singer and be checked. I saved hundreds on a new electronic sewing machine by purchasing through this seller (shipping was included).


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## Lyndee

The singer 560 also needs a curly cord to make the patterning work. I didn't see that in the picture of the one on ebay. I had that same machine at one time and its really nice, if you get it with everything its supposed to have. its also supposed to have 2 more manuals with it and the pattern cards and card stand. The transformer ( power cord) is very expensive to replace.They had it at the canadian store http://www.sewknit.ca/index.htm, but it was about 160.00 or so to buy.


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## vermonter

Well, I took the plunge. I just ordered the 560. Seller says it was serviced in October and the carriage is running smoothly. Electronic and pattern control are also working. It apparently was a floor model. One glitch is that they do say their website is not always up-to-date, but they took my money! Thank you so much everyone for all the time you took to respond. It gave me the courage to hit that final click. And I'm happy. Rachel


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## Celt Knitter

I've used this person lots of times for spares...very professional, speedy shipping and inexpensive: http://stores.ebay.com/hk-knitbox/_i.html?_nkw=singer&submit=Search&_sid=756546568


veganize said:


> Well, I took the plunge. I just ordered the 560. Seller says it was serviced in October and the carriage is running smoothly. Electronic and pattern control are also working. It apparently was a floor model. One glitch is that they do say their website is not always up-to-date, but they took my money! Thank you so much everyone for all the time you took to respond. It gave me the courage to hit that final click. And I'm happy. Rachel


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## euvid

get it in writing from them before they send it to you. that it has all the missing parts since once you get it ,if it doesn't, it is a pain in the neck to send it back.
THen you at least have in writting that they are sending you the cords etc.
THe machines were made in the '60s so I doubt if it is a floor model since then.


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## kyriakoulla

I have a singer 560 electronic and I love it. I have done some lovely patterns with it on baby wear. I paid about 1200 for mine when they first came out. Have not had a problem with it . Wish you all the best with yours.
Best wishes


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## vermonter

I had to cancel the order. Hang on to your power cords. They are very valuable. I'm not able to find either cords for the 560, not even the one for $160. :-(


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## JeanneO

The 560 came out in 1982, not 1962 as that one website says.


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## ecosie

Hi, do you have any advice for designing your own stitch patterns on the mylar sheets for knitmaster 560? I have just bought one second hand. The ready made stitch pattern sheets read & knit perfect but when I try to design my own mylar sheet the machine recognises only some of the shaded squares of my pattern resulting in a patchy finish. I have tried with a Brother design pencil*** & i've also tried with a Pilot Silver Marker. Any advice would be a great help. thanks


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## euvid

are you sure you are filling in the boxes all the way and on the right side of the sheet? WHy not copy a simple design from one of the sheets that have the design on them and see how it knits it. It should if you are doing things correctly. You wrote you are using a Brother pencil and a silver marker. Your machine is a SInger/Studio and does not use the same kind of marker that the Brother machine uses.I Use a #2 lead pencil (I bought mine from Texas Art supply). There was a wonderful site that gave great instructions but It was shut down last time I looked. Make sure it is on the correct side as the sheets for the Brother and the sheets for the Singer read the writing on opposite sides of the Mylar. I think someone posted a note about it once so it would be in the archives.


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## MaryAnneCutler

ecosie said:


> Hi, do you have any advice for designing your own stitch patterns on the mylar sheets for knitmaster 560? I have just bought one second hand. The ready made stitch pattern sheets read & knit perfect but when I try to design my own mylar sheet the machine recognises only some of the shaded squares of my pattern resulting in a patchy finish. I have tried with a Brother design pencil*** & i've also tried with a Pilot Silver Marker. Any advice would be a great help. thanks


A very soft lead pencil. Purchase at an art supply store and mention the "soft" lead.


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## ecosie

Thanks for the advice, a soft pencil works a lot better but unfortunately I am still not getting perfect results. it looks like the pattern is shifting position on random rows.

Is there a way I can bypass using the mylar sheets completely?

Is a siverlink 5 USB & Designaknit8 a viable option for Knitmaster mod 560 ?


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## aussieHC

It sure is, and you'll have a machine where you can design everything with your windows based computer - so easy. I try out stitch patterns, take 5 min to modify them and reload them and try again until I'm happy with them. The garment design is wonderful - it will generate a basic pattern in the size you want, and you can modify it every way you like - sideways, upside down, diagonal - whatever you want and it doesn't take long to make changes on the shape in DesignaKnit


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## ecosie

aussieHC said:


> It sure is, and you'll have a machine where you can design everything with your windows based computer - so easy. I try out stitch patterns, take 5 min to modify them and reload them and try again until I'm happy with them. The garment design is wonderful - it will generate a basic pattern in the size you want, and you can modify it every way you like - sideways, upside down, diagonal - whatever you want and it doesn't take long to make changes on the shape in DesignaKnit


Sounds great! Thanks


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## ecosie

Thanks to everyone for the advice. One last question, is designaknit the only other option to bypass Mylar sheets?


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## nonak

Be VERY careful. I bought one and when I got it home it didn't have a power cord. I finally found one but when I asked the dealer I usually use to find me one it was over 250 JUST for the cord. 

I have a singer 500 (a little older than the one you saw) that has all the punch cards, mylar sheets and a new sponge bar. It's not electronic tho. It's going up on ebay for sale when I get back from vacation.


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## Lurdes

Hi someone no where hi by the transformer singer 560 knithing machine thanks


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## Lurdes

Thanks


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