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
FREE KNITTER'S LIST
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No yarn-store confetti. Just useful machine-knitting information.
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