Short Rowing On Both Sides At The Same Time...

Yes it can be done!

I learned this lesson years ago when I was distracted while knitting short rows on a sock.  I had more needles in hold on one side then the other.  At that point if you rip back rows you can have a real mess on your needles due to the all of the wrapped needles.

So I thought how do I fix this.  Yep, it's easy. This technique is doable only if you have the purl side (side facing you on the machine) as the private side as it does create small floats.

When knitting a garment where you want darts in a bust line this is the way to go.

The traditional method of short rowing on both sides has it's rule of "you can only slide one needle into hold position at the carriage side and as many as needed on the opposite side" is not set in stone.

The video below also shows how to mark your Knit Leader Mylar Sheet with row #'s which is a good thing to do.  My KL Sheets have all kinds of notes (as the one in the video) including yarn and sizing information.

Take a look and if you need more direction send me an email.

Updates...

Hope you are all still enjoying Summer even though it is winding down.  I've been so crazy busy at work it has been for me a non existent Summer.  Thankfully, things are settling down.

Have no fear I'm still knitting away.  I do have a few hand knitting patterns to convert for a couple of my  readers and I promise I will get them to you.  Some projects I'm working on and will post as soon as they are completed.

MARIAN...MACHINE KNITTER AGAIN!

This past week I spent Monday with a very nice lady, Marian.  Marian, has owned yarn shops and sold knitting machines.  After years of being away she has returned to our craft.  Marian knits some nice machine/hand knit items and also creates beautiful hand loomed bags.  When I visited I showed her how to make socks and helped her get acquainted with the Knit Leader.  Only to find out it was not advancing as it should with each pass.  Luckily she had purchased it from a very reputable dealer, "Custom Knits", they are sending her a free replacement.  Did I mention Marian is 82 but you wouldn't know it.  She looks 60 and has a mind like a 40 year old! 

NECKLINE & BAND FINISHING

Vanda Midali, being a machine knitter (I follow her blog and we email each other) was kind enough to help me out.  So many knitters have problems with finishing a neck line or band.  When I asked Vanda to help she quickly sent me her below YouTube video on how she hand finishes a neck line.  Take a look, she is truly a great knitter and her finishing is superb:

Here blog is written in Italian, you can translate to your language, her blog is "My World Of Wool And..." < click there

SEMINAR, ME!

I recently received a nice invitation from Jason of Carole's Country Knits at Rocking Horse Farm.  He asked if I would consider demonstrating or presenting at future machine knitting sessions.  I thought about it and remembered Diana Sullivan encouraging me to do teaching (which I have started) and seminars...my buddy Katherine always encouraging me, so, I replied yes. When I have the dates I'll post them here.  I have done business with RHF's and could not be happier.  They have been in business for years.  Here is a link to their website:

ROCKING HORSE FARM

2X2 Ribbing Circular Cast On

It's no big secret I like making socks.  Main reasons, they take little time and I can make them without having to think so it makes it a great stress reliever.

Having received many questions about my sock knitting method I thought I would share my favorite way to make a neat and tidy rolled edge on the cuff of a sock.  This is tried and true for the 2x2 rib in the 2x1 needle arrangement which normally has a malformed cast on edge (due to the method needed to cast on).

Long ago, I found a better way to start a sock and the circular cast on for this needle arrangement.

With needles selected, pitch H, rack to 4, and ready to knit on all needles, set ribber slide lever to I (to the left).  Don't forget to add one end needle on the left hand side of ribber (needle arrangement will look like this):

                                         ll ll ll ll ll ll
                                         l ll ll ll ll ll

Cast on at T0 from right to left, hang ribber comb and weight(s).  Set carriages for circular knitting.  I always set my ribber carriage to knit to the right and slip to the left (most all machine knitters set their ribber carriage to slip to the right!).  Change to T1 and set ribber slide lever to ll.  Knit three circular rows.  Carriage is on right.

Take the extra needle on left side of ribber out of work and transfer that stitch up to the MB.

Leave in H pitch and rack back to 5.  Set ribber carriage slide lever back to l, set both carriages to knit all needles.  The needles arrangement should look like this:

                                      ll ll ll ll ll ll
                                       ll ll ll ll ll

Change to appropriate ribbing tension, continue knitting rib.  Once you are finished knitting, take a thin long needle or double eyed transfer tool and run it through the zig zag row and gently tug on the stitches to align and set them.  Your edge will look like the photo.

Design And Download Into A Brother 930 & 940

I subscribe to and watch different machine knitters on YouTube, always good to see what everyone is up to.

One of my most recent YouTube subscriptions is to "Knitlabo" she does not have voice overs just clear video.  Her most recent post is showing how to design a pattern using "Edge" which is a free App download for Windows, iPad and iPhones (no iMac).

It's simple, you design your pattern, hook up your USB cable and download into your 930 or 940 knitting machine (using 551).  Your pattern will be stored as pattern #901.

The website for the App is here : takabosoft

Here is Knitlabo's" video demonstrating the program and download into the knitting machine:

Some Of My Yarn & Supply Sources

I've received requests to post where I got the recent yarn order from and where I but my sponge bars & any supplies for my knitting machines.  Here are a few favorites:

Recently received coned yarn I purchased from Peter Patchis.  A mill that has been in business for years now run by the original owners son.  He sells some tools compatible with Brother machines.  He is also the U.S. distributor for Taitexma brand of knitting machines.  You can sign up for his email club whereby he will send a monthly email with yarns he is offering (VERY reasonable prices).  My recent yarn purchase was for an acrylic blend, I purchases 5-2 lb cones at $5 (US) per cone!  The yarn is terrific and knits up great!.  If you are looking for a special coned yarn, feel free to email him.  He will reply and even send a free yarn card to you.

Click here to visit:  Peter Patchis Yarns

A few months ago I had problems finding King Cole yarns here in Las Vegas and stumbled across the Deramores website.  I ordered a favorite sock yarn there (Zig-Zag) which was just over $50 (US).  They include free priority shipping for orders over $50.  The yarn arrived in one week form their facility in the UK.  With the order came a coupon for an additional $10 off the next order.  Their website offers some other great deals as well.  Their prices are VERY good and they offer a nice selection of good yarn.

Click here to visit: Deramores

Now one of my all time favorite Sellers and person, Leanneco Knitting.  She is a great eBay Seller who has the best sponge bars I have found.  They are well made and last longer than any other I have used.  In addition she has some well made tools and parts for Brother and other knitting machines.  If you don't see what you are in need of, email her.  She just may have it (just not listed in her eBay store).  Shipping is fast and cost is low.  Tell her Tom from Las Vegas sent you.  I have to say again, she's one nice lady!

Click her to visit:  Leanneco

Happy Shopping...

Yarns...Quality Is Key

I learned this valuable lesson many years ago by trial and error.  Often knitters, especially those learning to machine knit do a fine job knitting a garment or item only to be discouraged by how poorly the finished item looks or what they believe are their abilities; then, they give up.  Wait!  Not yet!

Many, many times it's not the knitters skills, machine or pattern but the yarn is the culprit.  All of us like buying yarn(s) at a good price or rather cheaply.  This works if you get great yarn at a steal of a price.

If you are spending some time knitting (or learning to knit) a beautiful pattern or style you have an expectation of how the item will fit, wear, drape, feel and look.  Use the best quality yarn your budget will allow keeping in mind the item you are knitting (is it appropriate for the item) and weight of the yarn.  The finished item will meet or exceed your expectations and even impress yourself.  Better yarns really do end up "making" the project.

If you are a beginner, so much of the frustration is eliminated and better yarn(s) actually knit better on the knitting machine.

I recently received an email from a machine knitter having issues with a sweater she made for a family member.  The item was not as expected, the drape was awful and the fit was just not right.  I read the pattern and looked at her pictures.  Everything was done correctly by the knitter.  After finding out she used a "big box store" yarn, I convinced her to try it again in a nicer worsted wool blend yarn.  There it was, a happy knitter and the recipient was thrilled.

This past week I received 14 cones of yarn.  One of the shipments was from a new to me mill that sells yarns to the general public.  Of course I was apprehensive but after receiving the sample cards I had to give them a try.  The quality looked excellent, price was too good to be true, $5 a pound.  The yarn arrived and looks terrific!  I am planning to knit the swatches soon sand see how it holds up after laundering.  If my results good I will post their information here so others can enjoy.

Hope you are enjoying Spring!

Beautiful Spring Jacket At Vanda's Blog

Take a look!  Vanda's Spring Jacket

Vanda and I have exchanged thoughts and patterns, her knitting is impeccable, stylish and elegant.  I enjoy how refined her finishing always is.

From One Blog To Another...Penny Candy Tee

Was reading through Riverside Knitting Blog tonight (Blonde's blog) and ended up clicking on the links as I was admiring Blonde's hand knot socks (Blonde is a great hand and machine knitter).  I ended up at "Yarnings" blog:

PENNY CANDY TEE

Take a look at the great looking Tee's Jennifer has hand knit.  She will also have this pattern on Ravelry.  They are trimmed with lace and knit with sock yarn.  This would be an easy conversion for us machine knitters!

On another note, I could not make it over to Newton's Spring Fling to shop and visit with Diana Sullivan.  Work had it's grip on me and I needed to be here in Las Vegas.  Diana, so sorry I couldn't make the 4 hour drive....I'll surprise you someday!!! 

V-Neck Button Down Vest - The Knit Leader Way

I really like using my knit leader.  If you've got one take it out and get to know it again, it can be your best friend.  Mine is used almost solely for sweaters, vests and similar garments.

Have you ever read through a written pattern and thought this is simple and I can do this?  Then, only to find out somewhere during the project (usually at the end) there were typing errors or you missed something?  Not hard to skip a line when the phone rings, dog has to go out or any other unplanned interruption occurs.  With the knit leader you are simply following a road map row by row, increasing, decreasing and short rowing & etc.  the way you are comfortable with for the results you want.

You are following a drawn pattern one row at a time, if you stop and walk away your place is held for you.  Another nice thing is you can use pre-printed knitting patterns which are similar to sewing patterns.  Caution!  They aren't sewing patterns.  You can use "knit" sewing patterns just eliminate the seam allowance when tracing onto your mylar sheet.

Here, below, is one I just charted out, no tracing of a pattern, instead I traced from two different garments.  Yes you can take a favorite sweater or other item, lay it flat and trace away!

Button Down Vest

I didn't place the edge (center) of the vest on the center line.  This was done intentionally, more on that in another post.  Note how only one half of the project needs to be traced!  The front halves are in the dark blue and the back in orange.  Up the middle is the front band (rectangle) in green which I calculated to be 21 sts wide and 172 cm long.

My friend, Diana Sullivan has a great 2-DVD set she put together on the knit leader, she refers to it as a GPS for machine knitting.  You can check them out and order here:  Diana's Knit Leader Course

Knitting Words

A reader posted a question on my blog post: Electronic Machines Have More Than 555 Built In Patterns

The reader asked how to program in the letters to form words, here is how I do it.

There is no space programmed in between the letters and there is no extra row of plain knitting to indicate you have completed the pattern.  If you are watching the knitting you will see when the letters are finished knitting.  Letters must be programmed in one at atime, you will want to use the letters only in "isolation" knitting.  You can make them double wide and double high.  Words can be programmed in using the isolation setting to form the words.  Remember to test out your programming and see where you need to wrap stitches to avoid holes.

I like using the Garter Carriage for letters, they are subtle, classy and no holes or floats to worry about.