2010

Ordering Yarn

Hi Catherine
I run the technical side of the website for Anne – sorry you’ve had a slight problem using Trading Post.

I have to apologise and say that we don’t haven’t the means for you to select yarn colours at the moment so I’ll ask Anne to contact you by email and help you complete your order that way or by phone.

In the mean time I’ll get busy and make sure you can choose yarn colours as soon as I can.

Cheers
Matt

communicatedesign
2010-02-15 21:20:52
Hi Catherine
We’ll work on the website to add colour swatches ASAP and here’s a rough description of the colours.

White Aran (pale cream) Lemon (pale yellow) Pink (light baby pink) Red (bright pillar box red) Sky (light baby blue) Azure (cornflower blue) Navy (very dark blue) Mint (very pale green) Jade (deep turquoise) School Grey (the mid to dark grey of school sweaters) Black.

If you’d like a shade card please e-mail me at the magazine and we can post one to you.

Anne
2010-02-16 09:16:21

Dewsbury Knitter

I contacted her because she lived in Kirkheaton, Huddersfield which is very close to me at Thornhill, Dewsbury. We emailed each other constantly for about a week but then my computer ‘threw a wobbly’ and lost all my emails and addresses. June had knitted matching outfits for her two daughters when they were young (same as me) and she now wanted to knit for her grandchildren. I’d be so pleased if you could ask her to e-mail me again.

Thanks and all the best
Susan Johnson“””

Back after 20 years

I’m currently hand knitting socks, as it gets a little chilly here especially around the feet. I’ll have to look out for patterns and instructions to knit them on my Brother 881 with ribber. Maybe now I can use all of those accessories that I bought all that time ago. I’ve had to replace the sponge bar, which I was able to get here and I’ve also given the machine a good oiling and reset needles.

So now I’m ready to go, especially as five large sacks of yarn came with us! Happy knitting to you all and I’m attaching a picture of ‘knitting and gardening central’ taken last year.

Best wishes
Lynda Adcock
Brittany, France

Green Ruler

Hi Peggyp
Welcome back!
You need to knit a tension swatch with the yarn you are going to use for your garment in the same stitch as you will use e.g. stocking stitch tuck etc. Your machine manual will give you the instructions.
Once knitted remove it from the machine and roll it up and give it a gentle pull lengthways.
If you will press the finished garment press your tension swatch. If you are using an oiled yarn wash it and allow it to dry. If not allow it to rest for a few hours or overnight before you measure it.
Once it is ready lay it flat and place the end of the green rule with ‘S’ on it against your lefthand
marked stitch. The mark on the rule at the other marked stitch will give you the number of stitches to 10cm. Turn the rule over and place the end with ‘R’ on it over the last row of main yarn and read off the number of rows to 10cm at the beginning of the section of main yarn. You can now use these readings to calculate how many stitches and rows you need to knit.
For example say your readings are 28 stitches and 40 rows to 10cm and you want to knit a piece 24cm x 19cm.
Multiply 24 x 2.8 to get the number of stitches to cast on and 19 x 4 to get the number of rows to knit.
Hope this helps
regards
Sue.
Sue P
2010-02-14 19:58:05
Hi Peggy

You might find the following useful.

THE GREEN RULER
This is an excellent way of measuring the stitch and row tension of machine knitted swatches. It is as accurate as most machine knitters require and can be used on all machines. This formula is used regardless of the stitch pattern used. Start by knitting a swatch in the fabric you’d like to use for your garment. This is simply to determine the tension dial number you need to use for the swatch.

TO MAKE A TENSION SWATCH
Set machine at tension selected above (MT). Make a note of tension and keep it safe!
Push 35 Ns at right and left of centre 0 to WP (70 Ns). This number is flexible but must be over 60.
Transfer 21st stitch at each side of centre 0 to adjacent N and push empty Ns to NWP. This leaves 40 Ns in WP at centre of machine and will create a ladder at each side of 40 stitches.
Using MT and WY cast on and K a few rows ending with carriage at right.
Change to MY and set RC at 000.
Using MT and MY K 20 rows in the stitch pattern to be used for your garment.
Using WY in a good contrast colour K 2 rows stocking stitch.
Change back to MY and pattern and K 60 rows.
Using WY in a good contrast colour K 2 rows stocking stitch.
Change back to MY and pattern and K 20 rows.
Using WY K a few rows and release from machine.

Pull the swatch gently to close up the stitches and then treat the swatch as you will treat your finished garment. Wash and dry cotton Lamb’s Wool Shetland and Cashmere yarns and do not press acrylic unless you intend ‘killing’ the fabric. Leave the swatch for at least four hours or preferably overnight before measuring.

MEASURING STITCHES
Lay the Green Ruler with the end marked ‘S’ on the stitch immediately inside the left ladder. The number shown on the gauge on the last stitch before the right ladder gives the number of stitches to 10 cm or 4 inches.

MEASURING THE ROWS
Lay the Green Ruler with the end marked ‘R’ on the row immediately above the first two contrast rows. The number shown on the gauge next to the row before the last two contrast rows gives the number of rows to 10 cm or 4 inches.

Best wishes from Anne at MKM

Anne
2010-02-16 09:27:06
Hi Peggyp
Welcome back!
You need to knit a tension swatch with the yarn you are going to use for your garment in the same stitch as you will use e.g. stocking stitch tuck etc. Your machine manual will give you the instructions.
Once knitted remove it from the machine and roll it up and give it a gentle pull lengthways.
If you will press the finished garment press your tension swatch. If you are using an oiled yarn wash it and allow it to dry. If not allow it to rest for a few hours or overnight before you measure it.
Once it is ready lay it flat and place the end of the green rule with ‘S’ on it against your lefthand
marked stitch. The mark on the rule at the other marked stitch will give you the number of stitches to 10cm. Turn the rule over and place the end with ‘R’ on it over the last row of main yarn and read off the number of rows to 10cm at the beginning of the section of main yarn. You can now use these readings to calculate how many stitches and rows you need to knit.
For example say your readings are 28 stitches and 40 rows to 10cm and you want to knit a piece 24cm x 19cm.
Multiply 24 x 2.8 to get the number of stitches to cast on and 19 x 4 to get the number of rows to knit.
Hope this helps
regards
Sue.
Sue P
2010-02-14 19:58:05
Hi Peggy

You might find the following useful.

THE GREEN RULER
This is an excellent way of measuring the stitch and row tension of machine knitted swatches. It is as accurate as most machine knitters require and can be used on all machines. This formula is used regardless of the stitch pattern used. Start by knitting a swatch in the fabric you’d like to use for your garment. This is simply to determine the tension dial number you need to use for the swatch.

TO MAKE A TENSION SWATCH
Set machine at tension selected above (MT). Make a note of tension and keep it safe!
Push 35 Ns at right and left of centre 0 to WP (70 Ns). This number is flexible but must be over 60.
Transfer 21st stitch at each side of centre 0 to adjacent N and push empty Ns to NWP. This leaves 40 Ns in WP at centre of machine and will create a ladder at each side of 40 stitches.
Using MT and WY cast on and K a few rows ending with carriage at right.
Change to MY and set RC at 000.
Using MT and MY K 20 rows in the stitch pattern to be used for your garment.
Using WY in a good contrast colour K 2 rows stocking stitch.
Change back to MY and pattern and K 60 rows.
Using WY in a good contrast colour K 2 rows stocking stitch.
Change back to MY and pattern and K 20 rows.
Using WY K a few rows and release from machine.

Pull the swatch gently to close up the stitches and then treat the swatch as you will treat your finished garment. Wash and dry cotton Lamb’s Wool Shetland and Cashmere yarns and do not press acrylic unless you intend ‘killing’ the fabric. Leave the swatch for at least four hours or preferably overnight before measuring.

MEASURING STITCHES
Lay the Green Ruler with the end marked ‘S’ on the stitch immediately inside the left ladder. The number shown on the gauge on the last stitch before the right ladder gives the number of stitches to 10 cm or 4 inches.

MEASURING THE ROWS
Lay the Green Ruler with the end marked ‘R’ on the row immediately above the first two contrast rows. The number shown on the gauge next to the row before the last two contrast rows gives the number of rows to 10 cm or 4 inches.

Best wishes from Anne at MKM

Anne
2010-02-16 09:27:06

Knitters in Spalding?

I still find understanding some words difficult, such as drop the stitch and reform for garter stitch. Maybe in a future magazine you could do a glossary of what these words actually mean to those, like me, starting again. It was the wonderful patterns in your magazine that have prompted me to buy a second hand chunky knitting machine as well and I am eagerly awaiting its delivery. My daughter has now started knitting for her children on a basic Knitmaster machine and I’ve also started buying your magazine for her.

Thank you for all the hard work you put into your magazines, it’s really appreciated.
Sandra Price

Dewsbury knitters?

Thank you
Susan Johnson

If anyone would like to get in touch with Susan please email me an I’ll pass her details on to you.

Anne

Anne
2010-02-04 19:12:17

Bury Knitters

Hope you can help and thanks for a great magazine and kind regards from Irene Patten

Hi Irene : the great news is that the Bury Club is up and running again and back to 14 members. Tutor Joan Adams has joined and they’re once again full of ideas and plans. For more information call Catherine Lancaster on 0161-764 6572.

Anne

Anne
2011-11-05 14:20:18
Hi my name is Christine and I live in Bacup. I too just missed the Rochdale show and I am looking for machine knitters who live in my area. I would also like to find some tuition courses that are nearby. Also willing to do a residential course. Can anyone help?
casbeare
2011-11-05 14:20:18

Club in Redruth?

Everything is aligned up with the needles and the two machines. What I need is someone to show me how to use it properly as I’m getting very frustrated with it. I don’t know if there are any clubs in my area, but I’ve never heard of any. I live in Cornwall and wonder if you can help at all? Thank you for reading this.

Cheers
Barbara Adendorff
Redruth, Cornwall

Barbara has a Brother KH830 and KR830 ribber. Ideally she needs a Knitting Buddy in Cornwall so if you think you can help please get in touch. I have her address details and phone number.

Anne

Anne
2010-02-04 19:09:49

End of the cold weather?

Many of you ask repeatedly for inspiration and I hope we can provide it this month. There’s an amazing Andy Holden exhibit at the Tate until 10th April and I can’t wait to go into London to see it. Yes, your eyes aren’t playing tricks : there’s machine knitting at Tate Britain! Andy broke a Knitmaster and Silver Reed machine before seriously injuring a Brother chunky during his epic knit-in. The result is absolutely awesome and I’ll include a feature in the next couple of days.

I’ve had more inspiration on from the next generation of Oz knitwear designers. Tony Bennett has sent us some great examples of their work and not one of them had any experience with machine knitting at the start of their year. Tony was a tutor at his local college and I wish he was over here to share his undoubted talent with us. Interestingly, lots of the yarn the students used was from Yeoman so we can replicate some of the ideas.

For those of you who like to attend workshops with eminent names in machine knitting, I need to mention that there’s a rare opportunity to work with Iris Bishop on an individual basis from July 19th to 23rd. It’s hands on and you’ll experiment with single and double bed fabrics, in preparation for textiles and garments. It’s for Japanese machines only, but single or double bed. Places are strictly limited and for more details please call 01270-628414.

Good luck with your endeavours and happy knitting.
Anne

Light & Lacy

Hi Brenda I’ve found something useful in the files which might be relevant in your case. Back in August 2000, Doris Coutts told us that some years ago, she had to go in for a hip replacement and had made a bed jacket for the stay in hospital. A good friend told her that bed jackets are useless if you have to have a drip in, so she hurriedly knitted a lightweight stole. My late sister also needed a stole rather than a jacket in her final stages of terminal cancer. This one is very easy to knit and Doris used one strand of 2/30s acrylic yarn on her Duo 80.

Cast on 120 sts on each bed in full needle rib and work a border of 5 straight pin tucks (40 rows), using stitch size 4/3 and blue strippers. Change to Card 108, Deco on 2, locks on N/BX, stitch size 4½/4½ and knit 800 rows. A little weight can be used, but if you are using a motor, it is better to tension the work by hand. At the end of the 800 rows, knit the end to match the pin tucks at the start and cast off. Finishing this stole consists of darning in two ends! The stole weighs 130g, is warm and is still going strong over 20 years later after countless washes.

Doris has made similar ones in various fine yarns; they make great gifts, bazaar items and so on. They provide extra warmth for the shoulders when you’re reading in bed in the wee small hours, or laid across the top of the duvet to snuggle into on very cold nights. Add a fine Lurex thread in silver to a royal blue or black yarn and it will do for evening wear! For knitting on any machine, just find a suitable lacy tuck stitch pattern.

There’s an even easier Maggie Andrews shrug pattern on page 33 of February 2006 (Issue 97). Maggie uses 4-ply Acrylic and pushes 198 Ns at centre of machine to WP. Counting from the left, arrange Ns 3 in WP and 10 in NWP across the bed. Start off with waste yarn, then set RC at 000. Using MY, K 696 rows. Maggie adds cuffs and ties and this can be knitted in a strong bold colour for day or evening wear.

Anne

Anne
2010-02-03 20:36:05