2011

Lincolnshire club or tutor

Hi
I’ve just returned to machine knitting and I’ve a Silver Reed SK860 with DesignaKnit 7. I need some help please to work it all out and I’d love to find a tutor. I’m willing to travel and hope someone can help.
Thanks

Hi
I’m not sure where you are in Lincolnshire but we have a great club at Donington that meets every other Thursday from 10.00 am to 12.00 noon at the Ruby Hunt Centre in Donington. http://www.therubyhuntcentre.org.uk/
Our next meeting is on Thursday 25th August. Last month we had a visit from Clair Crowston who lives in Skegness which lasted all day and we all thoroughly enjoyed it and learnt so much from her.
You’re more than welcome to come and just visit us. Enjoy the exchange of ideas and talking to other knitters who can perhaps tell you of other clubs that might be more local to you.
Best wishes from Margaret
Cassie
2011-08-25 11:56:33
Thanks a lot. Unfortunately I work on Thursdays but hope to rearrange my working week to have a Thursday off. I have booked on a course with Metropolitan to hopefully sort out the DesignaKnit and machine which I am looking forward to. Thank you for the reply.
rosiewright
2011-09-30 20:23:27

Electra 3000 help

Hi
I recently purchased Passap and a motor and wonder if it’s possible to do a dry run with the motor – that is, no yarn threaded and no needles working. If so, what do I have to do? I have a Brother motor and the instructions are easy but I find that Passap give very little information. Any help would be much appreciated.
Thanks

Baby Shawl

Hi
I’m looking for a pattern for an easy baby’s shawl similar to the one on Page 17 of August 2010 issue of MKM. I’ve just started knitting again after 20 years and would be pleased to have some help.
Thanks, Mo Smyth

Hi Mo
The shawl in the photo looks as if it is knitted in Tuck Stitch which would be quite easy to knit.
If you go to http://needlesofsteel.org.uk/ you will find loads of free KM patterns. One of the shawls is in 4ply Tuck Stitch. It is knitted in one piece using two punchcards which you can download.
Hope this helps.
Regards
Sue.
Sue P
2011-08-04 12:26:32
Hi Mo
It’s me again!
There’s a baby’s shawl in the new September issue of MKM – might be just what you are looking for.
Sue.
Sue P
2011-08-06 11:34:17
Hi Mo
The shawl in the photo looks as if it is knitted in Tuck Stitch which would be quite easy to knit.
If you go to http://needlesofsteel.org.uk/ you will find loads of free KM patterns. One of the shawls is in 4ply Tuck Stitch. It is knitted in one piece using two punchcards which you can download.
Hope this helps.
Regards
Sue.
Sue P
2011-08-04 12:26:32
Hi Mo
It’s me again!
There’s a baby’s shawl in the new September issue of MKM – might be just what you are looking for.
Sue.
Sue P
2011-08-06 11:34:17

rosemarie wright

I’m willing to pay for tuition for training on the Silver Reed SK860 electronic machine and DesignaKnit Professional. I know the basics, but need a bit of help please. I’m available on a Tuesday or Friday and wonder if anyone could help me please?
Thanks in advance.
Rosemarie

Knit Guy in the USA

HI I live in the US and love my knitting machines. I am disabled and had a kidney transplant in 2009. I also had a lung collapse in Dec of this last year and have a lot of back problems. If it wasn’t for my knitting machines I think I would go bonkers sitting here at home day after day. I love the MKM magazine and look forward to it every month. The only thing I wish is that it had a web edition. The cost of the magazine is very reasonable but the cost of shipping it to the US makes it very expensive. It cost almost 120.00 American. If there was a web edition I could just download what I like. I would also like to see a web edition of back issues. I want a lot of the back issues but the cost makes them out of my budget. Does any one else feel this way? I have knitted quite a few of the patterns from the magazine and they always turn out beautiful.
Thanks, Ronny

I’m with you on the postage cost Ronnie but I do love this magazine and as you stated the patterns turn out beautifully. I’m thinking if I could save on the postage I could have enough to make a trip to a Machine Knitting LIVE! Expo.
Happy knitting!
Jo
jo
2011-08-03 15:33:36
I absolutely agree with you. I too would like to see the magazine in a digital format. I’m willing to pay a yearly subscription.
Nana’s Creations
2011-08-03 15:33:14

How to Organize your MK Crafting space

I think this would be a win win, for us MKers because we might learn how reorganize our stuff and for MKM, because that’s the only media who’d address this issue.

Other mags focus on crafting space, but MKers have never been included.

Brother pattern cartridge

I have both a Brother KH900 and KH965. I have a pattern cartridge that I use with Pattern Book 5 on the 900 and I have been told that I can use it also on the 965. I have been unsuccessful in doing this and wonder if my information is wrong. If so do you know if a cartridge is available for the 965?
Many thanks for any help.
Mrs G Adams

PS The Scottish Machine Knitter’s AGM at Alva was brilliant!

Hi
Is it okay to ask if the pattern cartridges are available for the Brother KH900? I would really appreciate details of where to find one.
Thanks in advance for any help Hilary
hilarysmum
2011-07-04 19:46:54
Hi to both of you
There is a Lace Pattern Cartridge on eBay; item number: 110715988688
The starting price is £45 and the seller states that it can be used in the complete range of Brother Electronic machines.
Hope this may be of some use to you; these items do occasionally turn up on eBay so it is worth checking the listings.
Regards
Sue
Sue P
2011-07-16 19:49:47

Machine Needles

PS – Thanks for the response to my previous question a couple of months ago. I have now purchased a suitable ribber and changed the sponge bar using draught excluder strip and everything seems to be working OK.

Hi
No they don’t but you can use Knitmaster needles on a Toyota 901 for stocking stitch. The only problem is that it plays up on tuck or slip stitch because the obsolete Toyota needles have a particular flat shape on the back end which I think has some bearing on the action of tuck and so on. I’m not sure and it might just be my old machine.
lilwood
2012-01-09 12:32:24
Hi
No they don’t but you can use Knitmaster needles on a Toyota 901 for stocking stitch. The only problem is that it plays up on tuck or slip stitch because the obsolete Toyota needles have a particular flat shape on the back end which I think has some bearing on the action of tuck and so on. I’m not sure and it might just be my old machine.
lilwood
2012-01-09 12:32:24

End Needle Selection

Many thanks.

Hi
When working end needle selection’ brings the needles at the edges to ‘D’ position so that they knit the contrast colour when knitting Fair Isle and knit a plain stitch when knitting tuck or slip. This makes it easier to increase or decrease stitches when knitting textured patterns as you have a plain stitch at the edge of the knitting. Just push back the 2 edge needles to ‘B’ position work the increase or decrease and bring the edge needles back to ‘D’ position so they knit on the next row.
However when you knit an open stitch pattern with some needles in ‘A’ position you switch off the ‘end needle selection’ otherwise the needles next to the ones in ‘A’ position will be selected to knit and the pattern will not knit correctly.
The above would apply if you are knitting a tuck rib pattern with a punchcard and needles knitting or tucking on the ribber. Whether you have ‘end needle selection’ on or off depends on the needle set up on the main bed.
I do hope this helps you sort it out.
Regards Sue.
Sue P
2011-05-17 16:49:12
Thank you Sue. I think I am starting to understand! Sometimes it takes a bit of time. So often I have ended up with a very messy edge when attempting to increase or decrease when working in tuck stitch. I get loops that just will not knit off properly several stitches in from the ends after an increase/decrease.
I have given up trying to do Fair Isle passed the armholes as it always ends in disaster!
I have always had all needles on the main bed in work so I take it I should then always have ‘end needle selection’ so that means I am making some other mistake! Back to the drawing board then!
remone
2011-06-01 15:58:09
Hi Remone
Yes I think you usually keep ‘end needle selection’ on as it saves you having to manually move needles forward at the edges.
When knitting tuck stitch make sure you move the claw weights up frequently especially when increasing and decreasing and always use them once you have started the armhole decreasing. This should help the stitches to knit off properly.
Regards
Sue.
Sue P
2011-06-01 16:11:30
Hi
When working end needle selection’ brings the needles at the edges to ‘D’ position so that they knit the contrast colour when knitting Fair Isle and knit a plain stitch when knitting tuck or slip. This makes it easier to increase or decrease stitches when knitting textured patterns as you have a plain stitch at the edge of the knitting. Just push back the 2 edge needles to ‘B’ position work the increase or decrease and bring the edge needles back to ‘D’ position so they knit on the next row.
However when you knit an open stitch pattern with some needles in ‘A’ position you switch off the ‘end needle selection’ otherwise the needles next to the ones in ‘A’ position will be selected to knit and the pattern will not knit correctly.
The above would apply if you are knitting a tuck rib pattern with a punchcard and needles knitting or tucking on the ribber. Whether you have ‘end needle selection’ on or off depends on the needle set up on the main bed.
I do hope this helps you sort it out.
Regards Sue.
Sue P
2011-05-17 16:49:12
Thank you Sue. I think I am starting to understand! Sometimes it takes a bit of time. So often I have ended up with a very messy edge when attempting to increase or decrease when working in tuck stitch. I get loops that just will not knit off properly several stitches in from the ends after an increase/decrease.
I have given up trying to do Fair Isle passed the armholes as it always ends in disaster!
I have always had all needles on the main bed in work so I take it I should then always have ‘end needle selection’ so that means I am making some other mistake! Back to the drawing board then!
remone
2011-06-01 15:58:09
Hi Remone
Yes I think you usually keep ‘end needle selection’ on as it saves you having to manually move needles forward at the edges.
When knitting tuck stitch make sure you move the claw weights up frequently especially when increasing and decreasing and always use them once you have started the armhole decreasing. This should help the stitches to knit off properly.
Regards
Sue.
Sue P
2011-06-01 16:11:30