Anybody use/used a knitting machine and can answer some questions for me?

[Miaou]

I'm seriously thinking about making these knitted slippers (and knitted jumpers) professionally, but I will need to knit them on a machine then make them up by hand in order to make it financially viable. However I have never used a knitting machine before and need to do some research before I start thinking about buying/using one!

Can anyone tell me:

Can I use a machine to knit double-knit 100% cotton?

Will it be able to knit garter stitch?

Can I knit small pieces on it (eg rabbits' ears, pigs' snouts for slippers)

Can I knit large, non-repeating pattern (eg a car, tractor, dinosaur, daisy)?

Can I create my own designs to knit on a machine?

Any recommendations given what I am after (don't ask for much do I )?

TIA!

Not got much knowledge and what I do have may well be well out of date. I have a brother ( KH830 seems to ring a bell) but is is in the depths of the loft and is approaching 20 yrs old!!!

Firstly there are different machines to knit different thicknesses of wool. A standard guage would knit 3/4ply-DK, then a chunky would knit the thicker wools like aran or chunky ( not sure if it would knit DK too though-like I said, we are talking years ago.

To knit garter stitch you used to need something called a garter carriage, to knit intarsia- an intarsia carriage.

You are able to make up your own patterns and designs, but it would take trial and error to work out tensions etc.

TBH if you are mucking around with small fiddly pieces, it may be just as quick to knit by hand..LOL.

HTHs a little bit. Good luck.

oooh thanks dingle, all very helpful. Any more advice anyone?

bump

Obviously not a popular pastime any more!