Fine
Lace / very fine yarns
FOSS PLUS · MACHINE KNITTING, MADE CLEAR
Know your machine.
Knit with confidence.
A research-backed home for machine knitters: identify a mystery machine, compare gauges, check compatibility, learn before you buy, and browse Foss Plus inventory.
Built from manuals, patents, museum records, specialist archives and current manufacturer data — with uncertainty labelled instead of guessed.
200+years of machine-knitting history
283records
126high confidence
27badges / brands
52flagged to verify
START WHERE YOU ARE
01I found a machine
Use model plates, pitch, needle count, beds and patterning clues.
Open identification clinic →02I want to buy
Shop with specs that matter: gauge, condition, completeness and parts support.
Browse inventory →03I'm stuck
Send your question, machine details and a photo. Your email goes straight to Foss Plus.
Ask Manon →THE DETAIL KNITTERS ACTUALLY NEED
Gauge words can mislead. Pitch is measurable.
“Standard,” “mid-gauge” and “bulky” are useful labels, but millimetres between needle centres are safer when you are matching a machine, yarn or accessory.
Standard
Fingering / light sport
PASSAP
System-specific fine yarns
Mid-gauge
Sport / DK / light worsted
Bulky
Worsted / aran / chunky
Industrial gauge numbering uses a different convention. Foss Plus keeps industrial and home-machine gauge language separate.
THE FOSS PLUS DIFFERENCE
Trust the record, not the pretty table.
Even current dealer/manufacturer comparison pages can contain specification errors. Our research cross-checks needle pitch, dates and compatibility and keeps a confidence field for every machine.
See the evidence in the encyclopedia →Before a used machine earns your money
- Exact model and badge photographed
- Needle pitch and count confirmed
- Sponge / retainer bar inspected
- Carriage moves freely across the bed
- Patterning or electronics tested
- Ribber and accessories matched by exact model
- Needles, tools, weights and combs counted
- Rust, bent needles and bed damage disclosed
- Power supply and region confirmed
- Parts and manual availability checked
A PRACTICAL KNITTING TOOL
Measure your swatch. Keep the numbers.
SINGER ProSeries retractable tape measure
A flexible vinyl tape with inch and centimetre markings is a useful companion for measuring a relaxed swatch or checking a finished garment. This retractable SINGER option keeps the tape in a compact case between measurements.
Measure after washing and drying your swatch as you plan to care for the finished piece. Record the measurements alongside your yarn and machine settings. This is a general measuring tool, not a machine-specific part.
Affiliate link: Foss Plus may earn a commission from qualifying purchases through the link below, at no extra cost to you.
View the SINGER tape measure on Amazon.ca ↗As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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