Seabreeze Spinners

“Restorer”, Jacquie Grant, at Kiwi House, NZAK, home of the newly manufacturered New Zealand Auto Knitters, provided photo of needle which was modified to work in her Twombly. That working Twombly is one of over 200 sock machines in her collection.
(click on image to see photo of needle)
Tropical Twister

This is the Twombly Sock Machine, Family Knitting Machine, Circular Sock Machine, cleaned and restored, waiting for needles.

To view larger image click on any photo in this blog and then when new image appears, click on that image.

To mount the sock machine I modified a stool from the bare furniture store, cutting out a bit to accomodate the screw clamp and adding a hidden weight underneath (10# barbell weight) to help offset the cantelievered weight of the sock machine.

She’s a beauty. Now all I need is needles.

Tropical Twister

In Search Of (ISO) needles for Twombly Sock Machine. Photo below shows dimensions needed. From “heel” (bottom tip) to “butt” (protrusion), 1/2″; overall length needed 1 7/8″. Could actually be a bit longer. Any suggestions?

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Dr. Richard Candee, historian and author of Hand-Cranked Knitter and Sock Machine, forwarded this photo to me of an early Twombly showcased in a German museum. Wow! Tropical Twister

Am in need of needles for Twombly Sock Machine …. collectors help me out. Photo of needle. Two on the left are from an Auto Knitter (knitter and ribber needles), the one on the right is a Twombly.

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Just picked up an eBay find, an extraordinarily rare Twombly Circular Sock Machine. The patent dates are 1873 & 1876. I don’t know the age of this machine, but it’s old. The sock machine and the bobbin winder were apparently displayed on an old table leaf. The machine is displayed in an upright manner but when in operation, would have been attached to the edge of a table and the gold gilt would have been up and the brass basket would have been down. Photos below as found. (Will take more photos as the restoration process continues.) It appears mechanically sound, and if I can find needles to fit, I plan to get her up and running. Beautify gold leaf trim over black enamel finish. Delighted with my find.

Tropical Twister

My sock machine was recently repaired where I had forced it and the old cast metal broke. It is up and running but not without a lot of frustration…not to mention a bottle of oil.

New meaning to “Tropical Twister”.

Tropical Twister