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WHITE Brand Models 1602, 1502, 1402, WHITE S9 and WHITE S7 Easy Knitter.



The WHITE™ brand of home knitting machines were first distributed in the late 1980's by HUSQVARNA/WHITE for their North American market.




These home knitting machines were rebranded versions of models produced by S.I.T./Groupe Superba of Mulhouse, France.




The WHITE® brand machines were all beige in colour and exact copies of machines distributed in France as the 'PHILDAR' brand. 






WHITE/SUPERBA Knitting Machine Models.
There were 3 Electronic models of the WHITE brand sold in North America, all made with Anodized Aluminum metal beds and the needles spaced at 5mm apart. 


The WHITE 1602: This is a Double Bed Electronic Model that has a light scanning Selection Box which reads Mylar pattern sheets printed with stitch patterns. 






Here's a photo of my SUPERBA S48, the same version as the W1602, showing how the Mylar Sheet is inserted into the Selection Box.






The WHITE 1502: this is a Double Bed Electronic model that has an Electronic Pressure Pad Programmer utilizing stitch repeats of 16 stitches x 16 rows. 






The W1502 model uses small stitch pattern design sheets which can be printed on plain paper. You only have to draw one pattern repeat, and then once programmed, the electronics take care of repeating this across the full width of your knitting! Very easy.








This is my favourite knitting machine model! So easy to use and program! Far easier and more versatile than the W1602.


The WHITE 1402: a Single Bed version of the WHITE 1502 with a Pressure Pad Programmer.








The WHITE® Hobby Knitting Machines


SUPERBA/WHITE® also produced two gauges of plastic bed Hobby Knitters for utilizing hand knitting yarns. 


These were single bed models only - although the 9mm Chunky model did have a cumbersome attachment for working knit + purl stitches, but it was difficult to use.


The WHITE S9 Bulky Hobby Knitter: a 9mm Gauge plastic bed machine, for thicker yarn weights, from Double Knitting to Chunky yarns.






The Carriage does have an adjustable Stitch Size dial, but there is no Yarn Tension Mast or Guide for threading and feeding yarn.




Instead, the needles on these Hobby Knitting machine beds are positioned and worked with the needles sitting forward with the latches open. 




To knit a row you first lay the working yarn across the open latches by hand, then pass the carriage across, which moves the needles back, forming a new row of stitches, then returns the needles to their forward position, ready for the next row of yarn.




Note: This method makes these Hobby machines very easy to work the INTARSIA colour work technique, as you can lay in multiple colours of yarn across a single row and do large, all over, colour stitch patterns like Kaffe Fasset designs.






The WHITE S7 Easy Knitter: the 'Easy Knitter' is a 5mm Gauge model Hobby Knitting Machine, almost the same as the larger 9mm machine except the needles are closer together, therefore this model knits Lace Weight up to DK and Light Worsted Yarns. 




TIP: The S7 is a great model to buy as a back up for needles and a spare Intarsia Carriage for the larger, 5mm Gauge Metal Bed electronic models. These units use the same style of needle.


Note About Yarn Thickness: 
As for working with hand knitting weights of yarn on these machines, it is the 5mm Gauge models of SUPERBA/WHITE which can work  with yarns ranging from very fine, Lace Weight yarns up to a Double Knitting and some Light Worsted yarns.




This includes yarns like Berroco Ultra Alpaca, which is the yarn used in the travelling cable stitch pattern in the photo below. This is worked on every needle, using both needle beds. 





Heavier, thicker yarns can be accommodated by using the Weave Effect stitch technique  -  but note that is an acquired look in terms of the resulting knit fabric. Weave Effect does not look like hand knitting but it is a very effective stitch and produces some stunning knit fabrics. 


Weave Effect most resembles the nubbly, textured fabrics used by Chanel for their classic jackets. 


On one side you have the textured effect of the thicker yarn, woven in between a finer yarn, which knits Stocking Stitch. Depending on the colours used, the finer yarn can be seen on the reverse. This fabric lays very flat. 

This photo is of a fine Black acrylic coned yarn, with the thicker, colourful Noro Niji woven between the finer black stitches.




Here are some additional links to basic information about operating and maintaining WHITE/SUPERBA Machines:




SUPERBA/WHITE Double Bed Knitting Machine Standard Tools & Accessories.


Attaching A Double Bed Model To A Table.


Thread A Double Bed Model of SUPERBA/WHITE Knitting Machine.


Introductory Videos (Dated but useful.)


How To Change A Needle


Latch Hook Needles and Needle Positions.


Take care and I hope you found this information helpful.


Patrick Madden.
www.superbaknitting.com