"The" Raglan Sweater Update 2

I sat down after dinner tonight to finish the sweater.  You name it it happened, this time I blame myself, I was all thumbs.  As a matter of fact I sliced the edge of my thumb too!

The good news is below, done with the knitting now to seam it all up and block it.  There has to be at the least 30 yarn ends hanging off of this.  The color is a deeper burgundy, the camera flash did it no justice.

Driving to work this morning, I envisioned a better way to knit this, it's going to be so easy!  Is thinking about knitting as you drive just as dangerous as texting and driving???

Top Down Raglan Completed

Raglan Sweater Update

So you don't think I'm a quitter on this sweater, here it is right off the bulky machine front and back done.  The mitered neckband needs sewing...later for that.  On to the sleeves.

Progress...

Raglan Sweater To Die For!

Yes, because you will want to slit your throat if you do this one!

I design my own patterns in simple language.  But, wanted try another designers pattern as you never know what better technique they may have.

So, I started this top down v-neck raglan and it has been all nightmares!  I have been knitting, machine knitting and sewing for years and years.  This is probably the most frustrating sweater ever.

After reading and re-reading the written instructions and trying to sort out the schematics (too many arrows, numbers drawings on top of each other).  I got their gauge (usually I just adjust the pattern but something told me not to), and was able to sit down and get going.

The troubles started with the neckband.  An odd way to do it but thought try their way it may be easier and better.  No.  After knitting front triangles that you scrap off on WY, you then have to rehang them and e-wrap the back neckband stitches between the triangles.  Then, with a marker row knit one row, easy enough.  So, the technique to make the folded neck band has you doing FF decreases, then a turn row followed by a tighter tension and the FF increases which get too tight.  Yikes, Not done yet!  So once that mess was done, time to rehang the stitches from the marker row ONLY from the two triangles.  The back stitches now get scrapped off on WY, the extra 4 stitches for each sleeve get scrapped off.  The triangle stitches are now doubled and need to be sewn off (backstitched) on the machine...not me I did a behind the gate pegs bind off.  Again cut the yarn, turn the neckband and rehang the e-wrapped neck band stitches. OMG!  trying to rehang e-wrapped doubled stitches on top of single stitches in WY & backwards....get the idea?

So got through all of this and now there are so many yarn ends it looks like I'm making spaghetti.  I begin to knit the back from the "18" neckband stitches the pattern indicates but when you do the math you end up with 20!  I figure so what, it's a half inch just knit.  Then, a manufactures knot that slipped by my eye/hand when I wound the yarn, thank fully it ended up on the purl side so no harm done (photo below).  I take the back off of the machine pull out the WY (light blue in my photo) and lo and behold, most of the loops from the e-wrap are showing!

Lesson learned?  Yes, design my/your own or find a designer who knows how to knit on a machine.  I have test knitted many items without seeing a schematic or photo, no problem. I recently test knitted for Diana Sullivan; her Footnotes no-sew slipper (love these) and her Wear Your Diamonds (entrelac) sweater.  Piece of cake and was able to offer hints and fix some things with her.  Diana also published my photos in the Footnotes book.

Will I finish this?  Yes.  Then I will re-write the instructions correctly and post them here for all of you!  I don't drink but I may go have a sherry!

Hanging Neckband Mess, Spaghetti!

Manufactures Knot - Don't You Hate These?

Swatching To Get Tension/Gauge - My Way....

There are many different ways to get a good tension/gauge  swatch.  "My way" works for me and I just passed it on to a dear friend as I mentioned to her I was laundering my swatch to start a raglan v-neck sweater.

I always swatch in the pattern I am going to knit.  My method takes into account the ends of the knitted fabric (they knit a bit differently than the center of the swatch).  Most methods only measure the center stitches and rows which are framed by a contrasting color yarn; that makes it easy as you don't have to count stitches and rows.  My method is the same but no markings!  It has not failed me yet for a perfect fit.

MY METHOD
Bulky - Cast on for two full pattern repeats (if you are knitting a pattern of any kind) including different colors yarns, tuck and etc. or for stockinette/rib on 40 needles.  Closed edge cast on and knit the swatch for 60 rows; last row (61) at least 4 tension settings higher, loop through a loop cast off.  Set stitches and launder as you plan on doing the finished project.  Then once all dried and blocked, measure the entire swatch and divide the inches by the stitches and rows!  Done.

Standard - Same method except I cast on 60 stitches then knit 60 or 80 rows (depends on the yarn thickness).  Treat the same was as the bulky for measurements.

I like to record the yarn type, gauge and project on a tag which I tie on the swatches.  When making more than one swatch at a time I make overhand knots on the yarn end for the tension setting.  If I am using a T5.2, I make 2 knots at the end of the yarn tail (seven knots on the yarn tail with a large separation and the whole number knots are always closest to the knitted swatch).

Now, if this scares you a bit then try Diana Sullivan's technique (below is her YouTube video) which is perfect!

Promotional Knitking Video Compuknit V - 1993

Stumbled upon this tonight on YouTube.  I found myself watching the entire video.  The original commercials for the Knitking knitting machines are toward the end of the video.  Fun!

KNITKING COMPUKNIT V PROMOTIONAL VIDEO

Brother 930 Programming - Simplified!

While I was cleaning out some of my knitting items and organizing, the below Brother 930 programming tips slipped out of a book.

Blogger will only allow you to upload photos.  So to get around that on my iMac, I scanned each page as a PDF then changed the extensions performing a "save as" - wish I knew who, when and etc. so I could offer credit where it is due for these.

Page 1

Page 2

Page 3

Page 4

Plaid Knitted Fabric Back

Another Blogger, Phil asked about floats on the back of the plaid knitting pattern in a previous post.

Here it is, almost tempting to use the back as the public side!

Private Side Of Plaid Fabric

The original post: Playing With Plaid

And the pattern: Plaid Pattern

Another Hobby Of Mine - Non Knitting

I shared this with a friend tonight, thought I would share with you too.  Nothing to do with machine knitting, sorry.

This is tucked in the corner of my living room, fully functional and adds to my eclectic home.

Circa 1950's Western Electric Switchboard

Damaged Knitting Machine During Shipping

This video is of a Seller receiving an electronic machine back damaged.  The Buyer, who sent it back to the Seller did not pack it correctly.

Last month, I purchased another electronic machine from a great Seller who packed it correctly but during shipping process the end of the machine was damaged (worse than in this video), needle bed was bent and circuit board was damaged rendering it unusable.

When buying, all you can do is pick-up a machine yourself or make sure the Seller packs it very well and hope the shipping company does not damage it.  This has happened 2x to me when buying a machine.  ALWAYS have the Seller insure the machine for the purchase price including the shipping charges.

Knitking Technical Tip For Brother 930, 940 Compuknit lll or lV

A reason I love to blog, making new friends.  Several months ago I started emailing another machine knitter who had contacted me. We are emailing back and forth almost daily now, what a nice person she is.  We had exchanged phone numbers at one point and when she sensed I was down by my emails and having "one of those" weeks at work she called me to see if I was okay.  WOW!  That call changed my whole day and really made me smile.

We share lots of tid-bits, knitting and food are mostly the topics.  Knowing that my Brother 930E had been acting up "Katherine" sent me the below tech info for the Brother 930, 940  and or Knitking Compuknit lll/lV, it's all about adjusting the magnet sensor boards so your Garter Carriage will knit patterns correctly.

Thanks Katherine!

Brother 930/940 & Compuknit lll or lV