Brother KH-552 / KH-588 Knitting Machine Instruction Manual

This illustrated Brother instruction manual uses the KH-588 as its reference machine and also covers general operation and knitting techniques for the KH-552. Within this model pair, the weaving and automatic lace sections apply to the KH-588 only.

Reading and Printing the PDF

Finding your place in the manual starts with the printed index on PDF p. 66. The PDF has no text search or embedded bookmarks. Some printed pages appear out of sequence, and the lower edge cuts off parts of the needle-position notes and one lace chart.

The download contains one printable PDF with 66 pages, including the cover, index, and two supplemental pages.

Machine Setup, Stitch Patterns, and Carriage Care

These selected topics give an overview of the manual. It also shows how to knit a two-color diagonal with short rows and correct the row count after unraveling.

• Machine setup covers unpacking and clamping the machine, fitting the carriage and sinker plate, and mounting the row counter and accessory tray.
• Yarn preparation covers winding and waxing wool, assembling and threading the automatic yarn tension unit, and adjusting yarn feed tension.
• Carriage and pattern controls include needle positions, Holding Cam Levers (H.C.L.), PLAIN, PART, and TUCK buttons, plus the pattern center’s needle selector buttons, reverse lever, slide dial, and set lever.
• Cast-ons and hems cover open and finished-edge methods, plain, elastic, picot, double-rib, and 2 × 1 rib hems, plus binding off and waste-yarn removal.
• Garment shaping covers edge and center increases and decreases, fully fashioned shaping, short rows, V-neck, round-neck, and square-neck construction, buttonholes, pockets, and transfers to and from hand-knitting needles.
• Pattern knitting uses worked charts for holding patterns, one-color textures, two-color Fair Isle, weaving, and automatic lace, with illustrations for fitting the L carriage.
• Owner maintenance covers cleaning and oiling, replacing bent or broken needles, removing weaving brushes, and clearing jams on the main carriage or L carriage.

If you’re new to machine knitting, the manual takes you from practicing an open cast-on with a swatch to working your first garment.

Model-Specific Controls and Accessories

The 580 and 585 use weaving levers and sinker-plate buttons. The KH-588 has its own change knob settings. The automatic cast-on is marked for models 580, 585, and 588, and the L carriage is shown for the 585 and 588 Lacemaker machines.

The KH-588 accessory plate labels the needle bed, auxiliary rail, cast-on combs, transfer tools, needle pushers, color weights, and oil bottle. The packing instructions distinguish the auxiliary rail and L carriage on models 585 and 588 from the general carrying-case steps.

Reading Charts and Finishing Garments

The chart guide maps carriage direction, row repeats, yarn color, and stitch tension to the controls for each step. A one-color diamond stitch shows how the selector settings change through a repeat. The Fair Isle latch drawing shows how the contrast yarn sits on the needles, while the lace charts give separate directions for the knitting carriage and the L carriage.

The manual shows a hand-worked finished-edge cast-on and a transfer-tool method for picot hems on machines without a lace carriage. It illustrates stitch formation, dropped-stitch pickup, and small, medium, and vertical buttonholes. A child’s twin set and a men’s fully fashioned polo-neck sweater put raglan shaping, sleeve construction, and assembly into practice.

Carriage Jams and Needle-Bed Care

The main-carriage instructions explain how to back out of a jam and unravel the interrupted row. The L-carriage diagrams help distinguish caught needles from stitches held on two needles, so you can identify the recovery method for the jam.

Before moving the carriage, check that the sinker plate is seated on its studs and the needles are aligned at the marked positions. For lace transfers, keep adjacent needles from being selected together. If a carriage jams, follow its recovery section and avoid forcing it.

The oiling illustrations identify the slide rails, needle butts, moving cams, and nylon runners. The needle replacement photos show how the felt bar is moved to free a damaged needle. Repair coverage is limited to owner-level care, and the manual refers readers to a separate service leaflet for minor adjustments.

Yarn and Swatch Gauge Examples

For weaving, the manual suggests fine 2- or 3-ply wool for the knitted base and heavier double- or triple-knit wool for the laid-in yarn.

The men’s polo-neck sweater pattern gives a swatch gauge of 13 stitches and 18 rows over 2 inches.