Anne

Chain link

Dear Anne

I love every design you publish by Alison Dupernex. She likes sideways knitting and so do I. So, I think it’s worth reminding readers about a method of casting on that you shared back in the mists of time. I think it’s very good, especially for casting on when sideways knitting, but obviously has lots more uses. Crochet a chain in main yarn with as many chains as you need stitches, then place them on the same number of needles. Next pull the needles out to holding position to help the needles slide back and knit a row. It helps to pull the needles out to hold and knit a row twice more. It’s then easy to knit normally without any problems and the chain edge gets lost in the making up. Best wishes, Annabelle

Slip the stitch

Dear Anne

Here’s a reminder for knitters like me who hate sewing and backstitching through a neckband on the right side. This method needs no stitching and suits me well, as I could never get it neat enough.

1) Work over width of sts around neck, such as 140 sts arranged as 70-0-70.

2) K about 7 to 9 rows with WY ending with carriage at left. K 1 row with nylon cord. Carriage at right.

3) K 4 rows in MY and one row on alt Ns in HP. Set carriage to slip both ways, but don’t set carriage to hold. Use MT, such as TD setting 6.

4) Transfer sts to ribber, or use garter carriage with Pattern 532 for 1×1 rib. Put in comb and hang weights carefully if transferring.

5) Using MT-4, K 30 rows in 1×1 rib or use Pattern 532 on garter carriage. Transfer sts to main bed.

6) Pick up loops of 5th row of MY onto alt Ns. K 5 rows at MT.

7) Pick up first row after the nylon cord and K 1 row at MT. With wrong side facing you, pick up neckline sts and K 1 row. Cast off using MT and this method is ideal for knitters who aren’t so good at sewing! Yours sincerely, Marie

News bite

Dear Anne

This is old news to those who have been knitting on the E6000 for a long time, but may help the newbies or returners. I was warned never to leave the locks on the left of the bed for any length of time, as this could damage the cable. Once, when I was called to the phone, I forgot this warning. When I returned half an hour later, my program had gone and the screen reverted to German. I switched everything off, then on again and I got my screen back to English but the knitting program had gone. I was more than relieved that there was no permanent damage. Kind regards Lyn

Place to place

Hi Anne

Thank you very much for the extra copy of MKM that arrived today. In future, I have decided to download the digital copy of the magazine. Partly as it will be cheaper but also because, for me, it will be more convenient. In June, I go to France for three months and look forward to being able to read your magazine as soon as it’s available, instead of having to wait until I return in September. Also, for the rest of the year, I divide my time between two places and get cross when I want to try a pattern but find I’ve left my magazine in the other place. A digital copy will be so useful, as it will always be with me and not take up any room. Once again, thanks for the magazine. I appreciate your thoughtfulness and, although I haven’t renewed my subscription, I’m not leaving you. Best wishes, Christine

Flat bottom!

Hi Anne

Have you got a quick and easy flat hem I can put on the bottom of a tunic? I don’t like rib pulling in to reveal my (now) not so sylph-like shape! Here’s hoping and I use a ribber if that helps. Best wishes, Lynda

Here’s a quick and easy flat hem to use anywhere a rib isn’t required and start with full needle rib. The tension needs to be 0/0 and knit the zigzag row then three circular rows. Transfer alternate ribber stitches to the main bed and make sure the empty needles are in non-working position. Add weights and using a rib tension, continue knitting circular for the depth required. Transfer the ribber stitches to the main bed and continue knitting on the single bed. By the way, this will look better if the ribber tension is tighter than the main bed tension.

Sitting pretty

Dear Anne

I have a question. I’ve a new grand-daughter being born in Australia next month and want to send the Sitting Pretty cardigan, on Page 35 of the October 2024 magazine, to my son and his wife and would also like to make the blanket that’s shown on Page 38. However I’m not able to see the pattern for the size and number of stitches. Please can you help? Kind regards and best wishes for the New Year, Annie

Thanks for asking Annie and the number of knitters who want to hand-knit it or adapt it for the machine has, quite honestly, astonished me. I decided to omit the pattern, because there aren’t sufficient needles on the machine for the width and I couldn’t imagine many of you wanting to hand knit it. A lot of you have proved me wrong, so here are the instructions for the blanket, in full. If you want to have a go, you’ll need 4 x 100g balls of King Cole Comfort Baby DK in 3570 Lavender (MY) and a pair each of 3.25 mm and 4 mm knitting needles. The finished blanket measures 84 x 92 cm, 33¼ x 36¼ in. If you’ll be knitting it on the machine in panels, it’s the same lace pattern as the cardigan.

BLANKET Using 3.25 mm needles and MY, cast on 177 sts. Knit 8 rows. Change to 4 mm needles and work in patt as follows. 1st row (right side) Knit. 2nd row Purl. 3rd row K 3, K 2 tog, yfwd (yarn forward), * K 2, K 2 tog, yfwd, rep from * to last 4 sts, K 4. 4th row Purl. 5th row Knit. 6th row Purl. 7th row K 1, * K 2 tog, yfwd, K 2, rep from * to end. 8th row Purl. These 8 rows form pattern. Cont in pattern until work measures about 90 cm, 35½ in ending with 2nd or 6th row of pattern. Change to 3.25 mm needles and knit 8 rows. Cast off.

SIDE BORDERS With right side facing, using 3.25 mm needle and MY, pick up and K 191 sts evenly along each side edge and knit 8 rows. Cast off. Pin out blanket to size, leave under a damp cloth until completely dry.

Looking at it again, if you use all 150 needles on the LK150, the blanket won’t be much narrower. You could easily increase the size of the borders and perhaps knit it on a slightly looser tension, to get very close to the full width on the machine. Sackcloth and ashes for me!

Second best

Dear Anne

I’ve a 2015 copy of the magazine that lists a Pusher Aligning Tool that can be bought from Mrs Alice E Wilmshurst by sending a cheque to her address in the Forest of Dean. I wonder if you could advise whether Alice is still providing this product? Or if you have an email address for her that I could use? Many thanks, Claire

Thanks for asking Claire and Alice died in September 2016, so your only option is to find a second-hand PAT tool.

Thick and thin

Dear Anne

I’m looking to buy a Silver Reed SK280, but would like a machine to do DK and Aran, too. Can you convert hand-knitting patterns for this machine. Thanks, Matt

The LK150 is a great choice as a complementary machine alongside the standard gauge SK280. Knitting on the LK-150 gives tensions almost the same as hand knitting, certainly with stocking stitch. We don’t want to say ‘100% identical every time’ but you’ll not be far out. You need the Tension Dial around 4 for decent DK on the LK-150 and here’s a scan from Page 6 of the instruction manual. This way of showing things is never great, but gives the best idea of the capabilities. Knit everything from fine lace weight to 4-ply on the SK-280, then use the LK150 for heavier yarn.

OIL CHANGE

Hi Anne

I’ve just had a big shock! I had to take my lace carriage for repair, because it had seized up and wouldn’t transfer stitches any longer. When I went to collect it, I was asked: “How often do you clean your machine?”.

“After every two or three garments, I suppose, or if I’ve used dark yarn and want to knit something light”, I replied.

“Do you oil your machine and knitting carriage?” was the next question.

“Yes, it gets a wipe with an oily rag, when I brush off the fluff”. By now I was getting a bit annoyed, because the problem was my lace carriage – but then came the crunch.

“When did you last clean and oil your lace carriage?”.

Gulp! What a fool I’ve been. I wipe round the rails when I clean the machine and my lace carriage sits on the rails, waiting to slide into action. As it doesn’t actually knit, I’d not touched the carriage, nor had it seen a drop of oil. My advice to every reader is… don’t forget your lace carriage. If any part of your machine moves, oil it! The only problem with my lace carriage was that it was crying out for a clean and drop of oil. First name only please, Anne, to spare my blushes. Best wishes, Fiona

Request granted Fiona and, I suspect this is a wakeup call for many of us!

Tight fit

Dear Anne

I have a question for you. Whether you are knitting a ‘V’ neck or a round neck, we are often told to shape by tension. You have to decrease the stitch size as you work towards the fold line, knit the fold line at MT+1, +2 or even +3 and then increase the tension for the other half of the band. But, if you think about it, you know that a neckband ought to pull in the neck opening slightly. So when I come to the fold line, I knit at least one whole stitch size tighter at MT-1, not looser at MT+1. Surely it makes sense doesn’t it? A permanently tight fold line? Once the neckband is sewn in place, I thread a nylon cord through it and pull rather tightly. Again, it pulls the neckband in, to sit nicely around the neck. I steam it lightly and it stays pulled in. I take the cord out when the garment is quite dry. As I said, it’s just a thought! Kind regards, Phyllis