2009

Getting ready for Machine Knitting Live

Then there’s Fiona Morris with patterns and yarn; Forsell Yarns with Undy Yarns; the Guild of Machine Knitters; Heathercraft pre-owned machines and accessories; Iris Bishop and her new collection; Jane Woodward and Shades of Cashmere yarn; Nina Miklin with her new patterns and luxury yarns; Riverside Spinning with yarns plus home comforts; Sue Castro with her novel patterns and ideas; Undy Yarns who bring their shop to the show and Uppingham Yarns with a wide range of yarns. In addition, John Scotton and Hilary will help me and bring Hague linkers, twisters and accessories. New this year will be Claire Watson at Thread Yarn & Fabric with a selection of finer yarns including lovely Tussah Silk plus Tessa from Silkwood Angoras with hand-dyed angora yarns. We featured Les and Tess in Spotlight in April 2008, Issue 123. It’s looking good, so please try and join us on the day.

I’ve chatted with Alison Dupernex recently and she’s back at her machine designing for us, having been away at shows for several months. She tells me she’s stocked up on cottons and also knitted us some sumptuous throws for cosy autumn and winter months. Don’t laugh – the summer will soon roll by! Several readers have also mentioned the tremendous talents of Mark Fast. He truly is a knitwear sensation and it’s great to know that domestic machines are being used to produce such amazing catwalk spectacle. Sally-Ann has been on the case to feature him in MKM since we read about him in The Times back in February. So far she’s had no joy but she’ll keep trying and will hopefully succeed.

Finally, do turn to Newsline this month to see the fabulous new books now available from Iris Bishop, Elaine Cater and Nina Miklin. The trio are three of the best designers currently working in machine knitting and they present masses of expertise in their quite different approaches. Devotees of all three will be thrilled with their latest offerings and Elaine also has a special MKM offer on a garter carriage book. It’s been much requested, following on from our article on the garter carriage last time. At just £6 including UK postage, Simply Garter Stitch is not to be missed and the offer is open until the end of July.

I am thrilled to find this magazine and find that others share my love for machine knitting. It is one of my unfortunately guilty pleasures.
Media Student
2009-06-14 14:12:47

Getting ready for Machine Knitting Live

Then there’s Fiona Morris with patterns and yarn; Forsell Yarns with Undy Yarns; the Guild of Machine Knitters; Heathercraft pre-owned machines and accessories; Iris Bishop and her new collection; Jane Woodward and Shades of Cashmere yarn; Nina Miklin with her new patterns and luxury yarns; Riverside Spinning with yarns plus home comforts; Sue Castro with her novel patterns and ideas; Undy Yarns who bring their shop to the show and Uppingham Yarns with a wide range of yarns. In addition, John Scotton and Hilary will help me and bring Hague linkers, twisters and accessories. New this year will be Claire Watson at Thread Yarn & Fabric with a selection of finer yarns including lovely Tussah Silk plus Tessa from Silkwood Angoras with hand-dyed angora yarns. We featured Les and Tess in Spotlight in April 2008, Issue 123. It’s looking good, so please try and join us on the day.

I’ve chatted with Alison Dupernex recently and she’s back at her machine designing for us, having been away at shows for several months. She tells me she’s stocked up on cottons and also knitted us some sumptuous throws for cosy autumn and winter months. Don’t laugh – the summer will soon roll by! Several readers have also mentioned the tremendous talents of Mark Fast. He truly is a knitwear sensation and it’s great to know that domestic machines are being used to produce such amazing catwalk spectacle. Sally-Ann has been on the case to feature him in MKM since we read about him in The Times back in February. So far she’s had no joy but she’ll keep trying and will hopefully succeed.

Finally, do turn to Newsline this month to see the fabulous new books now available from Iris Bishop, Elaine Cater and Nina Miklin. The trio are three of the best designers currently working in machine knitting and they present masses of expertise in their quite different approaches. Devotees of all three will be thrilled with their latest offerings and Elaine also has a special MKM offer on a garter carriage book. It’s been much requested, following on from our article on the garter carriage last time. At just £6 including UK postage, Simply Garter Stitch is not to be missed and the offer is open until the end of July.

I am thrilled to find this magazine and find that others share my love for machine knitting. It is one of my unfortunately guilty pleasures.
Media Student
2009-06-14 14:12:47

Looking for a bolero pattern

Thanks
Sylvia

Hi There is a pattern for a childrens shrug in MKM october 2008.
It looks like a cut down version of a cardigan it has 3 buttons and short sleeves. in 4ply.
chest measurements are 64/69/74 or 25/27/29″
Is this what you are after
regards Pat
rusty
2009-05-26 12:10:19
Hi There is a pattern for a childrens shrug in MKM october 2008.
It looks like a cut down version of a cardigan it has 3 buttons and short sleeves. in 4ply.
chest measurements are 64/69/74 or 25/27/29″
Is this what you are after
regards Pat
rusty
2009-05-26 12:10:19

selling a machine

We have been emptying my mother-in-laws house and she house a number of knitting machines and lots of accessories. Is there a market for them or if not perhaps charities or colleges we could donate them too. It seems a dreadful waste just to take them to the tip. I would be most grateful for any advice.

You could always try one of the second hand retails such as heathercraft etc. Or of course advertise them in Machine Knitting Monthly.
hgvpilot
2009-08-13 14:33:04
i am after a chunky bed machine and a linker please contact me if you can help
crafty
2009-07-27 21:26:36
I’m very new. I just bought a used brother KH-836. I paid over $200 for the knitting unit and the shipping. She sent the wrong cast-on combs – do you have any of those? Also I’d like to find other carriages for it. Any thing that might go with it might help in the future.

I’m disabled so any thing I don’t have to pay a lot for will be a help.
Thank you so much.
Margaret

blue12477
2009-06-02 20:15:08
Hello I may be interested in purchasing a standard gauge machine as I only have a Brother Bulky one.

Contact me if you want
Kathi

Kathi
2009-05-25 19:28:13

Help needed please

Please could you let me know if there is a Machine Knitting club in Gt Yarmouth/Gorleston area for beginners

Thanks

Hi I just bought a used brother H-836. I don’t know how to use it. If anyone is nearby me and can show me how I’d really appreciate it. I have alzheimers and even though it came with directions I can’t understand them.
Thank you so much.
Margaret
blue12477
2009-06-02 20:15:08
hi
there are some tutorials on you tube for getting started. try typing in setting up machine and casting on etc. when i started knitting i joined a college course but i dont know if they run them where you live. hope you have some successs.
rina
2009-05-27 01:43:13

Mohair problem

I have bought some beautiful Nina Misklin mohair recently having just returned to knitting after a long break. Whilst knitting my tension square the yarn keeps tangling around the brushes on the carriage and subsequently jams the carriage solid. Once disentangled it happens only a few rows later. I’m sure my tension is OK. Does anyone have any hints on how to stop this happening?

Hi Tedge I used to do a lot of knitting with mohair and found that over time this caused my round brushes to splay (they will do this with wear anyway but the constant use of mohair didn’t help). I replaced the brushes and checked them for stray hair after every garment. This was around 3 years ago and they have been fine since. The other thing with mohair is that the fine hairs do tend to catch occasionally and you end up with loops at the side. Bagging the mohair and sticking in the fridge is supposed to help with this problem. You can’t rush knitting with mohair and need to keep a constant eye on it – it’s still quicker than hand knitting! I hope this helps.
Carole
2009-04-18 11:48:50
Many thanks Carole. I’ve checked my round brushes and they are decidedly dodgy. I’ll get some new ones and try your refrigeration technique as well.
Terry Key
2009-04-18 13:53:57
Hi Tedge
Long ago when mohair was everywhere I did a lot of jackets. I invested in a Brother Convertible and had no trouble at all. No gate pegs to get hooked on. Of course it depends on how much mohair is figuring in your knitting calendar as to whether it is worth looking out for a Convertible. They appear fairly frequently on eBay and of course this model caters for thick and thin yarn.
Dorothy
2009-04-23 18:00:22
Hi Tedge
I have used mohair quite successfully on a standard gauge machine by weaving the mohair onto one or two strands of silky yarn. It makes a light fabric is easy to knit and the mohair yarn goes a long way. Hope this a help to you.
Joy
dingdongdell
2013-05-03 11:12:11
Hi Tedge I used to do a lot of knitting with mohair and found that over time this caused my round brushes to splay (they will do this with wear anyway but the constant use of mohair didn’t help). I replaced the brushes and checked them for stray hair after every garment. This was around 3 years ago and they have been fine since. The other thing with mohair is that the fine hairs do tend to catch occasionally and you end up with loops at the side. Bagging the mohair and sticking in the fridge is supposed to help with this problem. You can’t rush knitting with mohair and need to keep a constant eye on it – it’s still quicker than hand knitting! I hope this helps.
Carole
2009-04-18 11:48:50
Many thanks Carole. I’ve checked my round brushes and they are decidedly dodgy. I’ll get some new ones and try your refrigeration technique as well.
Terry Key
2009-04-18 13:53:57
Hi Tedge
Long ago when mohair was everywhere I did a lot of jackets. I invested in a Brother Convertible and had no trouble at all. No gate pegs to get hooked on. Of course it depends on how much mohair is figuring in your knitting calendar as to whether it is worth looking out for a Convertible. They appear fairly frequently on eBay and of course this model caters for thick and thin yarn.
Dorothy
2009-04-23 18:00:22
Hi Tedge
I have used mohair quite successfully on a standard gauge machine by weaving the mohair onto one or two strands of silky yarn. It makes a light fabric is easy to knit and the mohair yarn goes a long way. Hope this a help to you.
Joy
dingdongdell
2013-05-03 11:12:11

Machine Knitting Live 2009 at Bournemouth

It was indeed exceptional, except for one thoroughly mean act brought to my attention at the end. One of the stands hoped to sell a couple of wool winders. They had been donated and the proceeds were to be donated to a worthy cause. £10 was asked for one that holds a plastic cap and the other was £7.50. The show was very crowded and the exhibitor couldn’t always see what was going on at the other end of her stand. When the crowds cleared, the £10 wool winder had gone and not been paid for. Perhaps it was unintentional or maybe too tempting when other winders were being sold at the show for around £30? It left all of us wondering how much more stock had gone the same way. Surely the vast majority of knitters are honest and fair minded? This miserly person won’t ruin it for the rest, but it was a bitter pill to swallow on an otherwise lovely day.

On to happier things and I managed to have a quick word with Beryl Jarvis. We were all thrilled to know that Jeffery now has a permanent job. He’s proudly showing off the medals he won in China on the front of a leaflet for the Special Olympics in Leicester in July this year. (Lord Mayor’s Special Olympics Appeal, Leicester Games 2009 Ltd, c/o A12 New Walk Centre, Welford Place, Leicester LE1 6ZG.) Beryl also mentioned that Uppingham Summer School will take place again this year from Monday 10th to Friday 14th August. We’ll include full details next time, but one of the courses fills quickly and they often have to turn people away. Beginners and experienced knitters are welcome and Brother punchcard machines are available, or take your own. If you can’t wait until next month, contact Uppingham Summer School, 34 Stockerston Road, Uppingham, Rutland LE15 9UD, telephone 01572-820800 or visit www.uppinghamsummerschool.co.uk

Also received just too late for Newsline this issue was a note from Dorothy Hughes who is Regional Officer for GMK. She’s organising an exhibition at Living Crafts in Hatfield from Thursday 7th to Sunday 10th May 2009. This is held in the grounds of Hatfield House. We’ll see Dorothy at the Nottingham Show so if there’s any more information, we’ll include it next time.

An enquiry about a Nina A Miklin Book

I saw a picture of Nina’s book No. 2 and like the knitted V neck longline jumper on the front cover. Does anyone know where I can get a pattern for this? Would the pattern be in the book?

Hi

Nina was wearing this design at the Nottingham Show this weekend and it looked fabulous! She sells the pattern and you can contact her at PO Box 32503 London W3 8GD. Drop her a line now and she’ll let you have full details.

Anne
2009-04-06 15:27:44