For the Wyr Knittr:

Frequently Asked Questions
about Wyr Knittr™

We hope the answers to these frequently asked questions about Wyr Knitter are helpful to you. You can find even more information in our Wyr Knitter Help section.

The wire coming out of the bottom of my Wyr Knittr just broke! Do I have to start over?

My knitted wire gets bunched up around the top of the Knittr! What am I doing wrong?

My Knittr has jammed and knits very tightly. What’s wrong?

My Wyr Knittr is new and knitting a bit "stiff." Can I loosen it up?

Why can’t I use heavier wire on the Wyr Knittr?

I bought a small spool of 32-gauge wire, but it keeps breaking. Why?

Q. The handle keeps popping out of my Wyr Knittr. How can I prevent this?

Q. I'm having trouble casting on. What will help?

Q. The wire coming out of the bottom of my Wyr Knittr just broke! Do I have to start over?
A. While this happens only rarely, if you find it happens to you more often (usually when using 32 gauge wire or thinner), cast on using “waste yarn” (lightweight yarn, such as baby yarn). Knit a couple rounds in the yarn then just start using the wire. Cut out the yarn after you’ve finished knitting and thread the end of wire through the loose stitches.

Q. My knitted wire gets bunched up around the top of the Knittr! What am I doing wrong? (This happens only if you have a Wyr Knittr with one clip.)
A1. Pull down gently but firmly on the nose of the clip that’s holding the wire more often.
A2. The weighted clip may not be hanging freely. Be sure that it does not rest on the table and there is weight on the wire coming out of the machine.
A3. The stitches being knitted are not falling below the latches. Make sure you push EACH STITCH below the latch (see close-up of instructions) or the wire will not knit properly.
A4. It could be that your wire broke around the needles while you were knitting. Look down the tube to see if this has happened and, if so it would be best to just start again.
A5. If you are using 28-gauge wire, you will need to pull down a bit more often since this wire is thicker and less resilient.

Q. My Knittr has jammed and knits very tightly. What’s wrong?
A. The wire coming off the spool has probably caught on the clip, along the edge of the spool or has wrapped around something. Make sure the wire is feeding into the machine freely.

Q. My Wyr Knittr is new and knitting a bit "stiff." Can I loosen it up?
A. This can happen with brand new Wyr Knittrs, since the lubrication needs to be spread throughout the workings of the machine. After you have threaded the machine and started turning the handle, if you feel the handle resisting, rock it back and forth a bit until it turns. After a few rounds, the machine should no longer “stick.”

Q. Why can’t I use heavier wire on the Wyr Knittr?
A. Heavy wire cannot be knitted on the machine and will damage it – plus the resulting knitting would be much too stiff and unsuitable for most applications.

Q. I bought a small spool of 32-gauge wire, but it keeps breaking. Why?
A. If you purchased one of those small, mini-thread-type spools, this wire is bare nickel or brass and breaks easily. The Wyr Knittr and Wyr Pak wire is triple-coated for strength and resiliency: base wire, copper coating, color. Be sure to use these types of wire for your projects, not the thin, fragile craft wire (that will also tarnish, by the way).

Q. The handle keeps popping out of my Wyr Knittr. How can I prevent this?
A. Wrap a small piece of double-sided clear tape around the handle and re-insert it. This will prevent this from happening in the future.

Q. I'm having trouble casting on. What will help?
A. Try casting on using baby weight yarn (see how to use in question #1). Because yarn is more resilient than wire, it should be easier when you’re first learning.

Wyr Knitter Help