Duo 80 needle position

I bought the Duo 80 secondhand. I’ve always wanted one, but I’m not very successful with the sample pieces in the manual. When the handle is down, in which position should the needles be? Mine are head to head, so is this correct@ I managed the knit/knit but as soon as I started the Fisherman’s rib section, the lock jammed. Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks, Sue

Dear Sue
Thank you so much for your reply. We managed to find a service manual download for the machine and discovered that not only was the handle in the wrong position but the front bed was too high. This caused the back needles to hit the teeth and so jammed the lock. Using the download instructions my husband adjusted the settings and now it knits really well. I have tried knit/knit long stitch and Fisherman’s rib and can’t wait to really get going.
Thanks again for your help.
Sue
susieque01
2013-05-08 16:35:23
Hi Sue

Congratulations on your purchase. I’m sure you will enjoy knitting on your Duo.

Sometimes the racking handle gets put in the wrong way up. I’ve looked in the instruction book and it’s not very clear as to how it should be positioned.

The racking handle should be UP for the needles to be opposite each other. This position is used when knitting with 1×1 needle set up.

When the racking handle is DOWN the needles face the striking combs on the opposite bed. You use this position whenever there are two or more adjacent needles knitting on either bed.

With no knitting on the machine rack the beds until they line up at the sides i.e. the very end needles are opposite each other. If the racking handle is down take it out by pulling it forward firmly. Then re-insert it in the up position making sure the clip on indicator fits into the slot under the front of the machine.

It should now be in the correct position.

Kind regards
Sue.

Sue P
2013-05-08 13:37:14
Dear Sue
Thank you so much for your reply. We managed to find a service manual download for the machine and discovered that not only was the handle in the wrong position but the front bed was too high. This caused the back needles to hit the teeth and so jammed the lock. Using the download instructions my husband adjusted the settings and now it knits really well. I have tried knit/knit long stitch and Fisherman’s rib and can’t wait to really get going.
Thanks again for your help.
Sue
susieque01
2013-05-08 16:35:23
Hi Sue

Congratulations on your purchase. I’m sure you will enjoy knitting on your Duo.

Sometimes the racking handle gets put in the wrong way up. I’ve looked in the instruction book and it’s not very clear as to how it should be positioned.

The racking handle should be UP for the needles to be opposite each other. This position is used when knitting with 1×1 needle set up.

When the racking handle is DOWN the needles face the striking combs on the opposite bed. You use this position whenever there are two or more adjacent needles knitting on either bed.

With no knitting on the machine rack the beds until they line up at the sides i.e. the very end needles are opposite each other. If the racking handle is down take it out by pulling it forward firmly. Then re-insert it in the up position making sure the clip on indicator fits into the slot under the front of the machine.

It should now be in the correct position.

Kind regards
Sue.

Sue P
2013-05-08 13:37:14

Knitting pattern for garment with hood

Does anyone have a machine knitting pattern for a garment with a hood please?

Hi
I have found the following patterns in back issues of Machine Knitting Monthly:
Woman’s Hooded tunic p.30 January 2010
Child’s Hooded Jacket p.24 November 2012
Young Child’s Hooded Jacket and Sweater p.30 March 2012
Baby’s Hooded Jacket p.18 February 2012
According to the latest issue of the magazine all the 2012 magazines are still available but the January 2010 issue is sold out. You might be able to find one on ebay.
There are also sites on the Internet that have free patterns; try a search on ‘Google’.
Hoping this is what you are looking for.
Regards
Sue.
Sue P
2013-05-06 20:46:27
Thank you very much Sue – I’ll get on ebay and start looking for the Jan 2010 issue.
Regards Magsie
magsieleaper
2013-05-08 12:40:52
Hi
I have found the following patterns in back issues of Machine Knitting Monthly:
Woman’s Hooded tunic p.30 January 2010
Child’s Hooded Jacket p.24 November 2012
Young Child’s Hooded Jacket and Sweater p.30 March 2012
Baby’s Hooded Jacket p.18 February 2012
According to the latest issue of the magazine all the 2012 magazines are still available but the January 2010 issue is sold out. You might be able to find one on ebay.
There are also sites on the Internet that have free patterns; try a search on ‘Google’.
Hoping this is what you are looking for.
Regards
Sue.
Sue P
2013-05-06 20:46:27
Thank you very much Sue – I’ll get on ebay and start looking for the Jan 2010 issue.
Regards Magsie
magsieleaper
2013-05-08 12:40:52

Garter carriage speed up

I’m looking for Elaine Cater’s attachment that speeds up the garter carriage. It clamps onto the table and garter carriage, has arms that hang down and changes the direction of the garter carriage and speeds it up. It looks like a doggy with a wobbly head. Where can I buy one?

Why not contact Elaine Cater direct to ask her
advice? I would certainly be interested and I am sure
other knitters would like to know. Muriel
Muriel Hunt
2013-05-08 12:40:52
Hi
I think you mean a Garter Carriage Monitor. Here is a link to information about it but I don’t know if it’s still available as the page was updated last October.
www.customknitsmfg.net/gcarriagemonitor.html”Ž
BSK sell Garter Carriage Turn Round cams which fit into the back of the needle slots at the edge of the knitting and are designed to make the carriage turn faster than it normally would.
Hope this helps
Sue.
Sue P
2013-05-07 15:41:37
Hi again
If the above link does not work try a google search for garter carriage monitor and you will find it.
Sue.
Sue P
2013-05-07 15:49:29
I would be delighted to sell my GC monitor – it’s in excellent condition.
gilly
2015-10-15 12:43:46

Toyota KS 901 not stitching

I have had this machine given to me and its in full working order complete with manuals and pattern books. I have briefly been on a machine knit course through university so I know all the basics, but I wanted to expand my knowledge and start making! I’ve followed the instructions to the dot in setting it up and at first it would do a quick cast on (right to left) and on the way back it would just miss the needles and not stitch. After searching the internet and asking friends they mentioned the sponge bar..It was completely flat! I got some draft excluder and changed it in hope it would work! Now its not picking up and stitches either way and its driving me insane! All the settings and dials are correct. I’ve checked the carriage brushes and wheels for wrapped thread and there isn’t any. I don’t know where to go next with it!? If anyone can help it would be amazing.
Thanks, Jade

Hi Jade

Sorry to hear you are having problems. When you put the draught excluder on the bar did you tape round the ends to keep it in place? This is very important to stop it peeling off inside the machine. Now that you have this new sponge in place are the needles held down at the front of the machine or are they raised slightly? They should be held down by the sponge. (I find the brown draught excluder works best as it has a smooth finish and the white stuff is too dense.)
Next make sure the carriage is seated properly on the machine. Take off the sinker plate and remove the carriage. Then slide it on from one end making sure that the back slides under the lip at the back of the machine and the front slides under the lip at the front. You should not be able to lift the carriage at all unless you use the orange lever. You can check by bringing out a few needles and running the carriage over them with no yarn. You will be able to see if they are moving properly. Then fit the sinker plate making sure it seats properly on the lugs on the carriage.
When you have re-threaded the carriage bring out alternate needles and using a low tension number knit across and you should have a loop on every needle. Hang the cast on comb. Change the tension to one suitable for the yarn you are using and knit back. You should have alternate loops and stitches. You should be able to continue knitting.
I do hope you get your machine to work properly.
Kind regards
Sue.

Sue P
2013-05-01 11:28:38
Hi Jade

Sorry to hear you are having problems. When you put the draught excluder on the bar did you tape round the ends to keep it in place? This is very important to stop it peeling off inside the machine. Now that you have this new sponge in place are the needles held down at the front of the machine or are they raised slightly? They should be held down by the sponge. (I find the brown draught excluder works best as it has a smooth finish and the white stuff is too dense.)
Next make sure the carriage is seated properly on the machine. Take off the sinker plate and remove the carriage. Then slide it on from one end making sure that the back slides under the lip at the back of the machine and the front slides under the lip at the front. You should not be able to lift the carriage at all unless you use the orange lever. You can check by bringing out a few needles and running the carriage over them with no yarn. You will be able to see if they are moving properly. Then fit the sinker plate making sure it seats properly on the lugs on the carriage.
When you have re-threaded the carriage bring out alternate needles and using a low tension number knit across and you should have a loop on every needle. Hang the cast on comb. Change the tension to one suitable for the yarn you are using and knit back. You should have alternate loops and stitches. You should be able to continue knitting.
I do hope you get your machine to work properly.
Kind regards
Sue.

Sue P
2013-05-01 11:28:38

Little Acorn Knitting Club

We meet every second Friday of the month at Seaford Baptist Church at 2.00 pm. We often have speakers with hints and tips and next month (on May 10th) we have Sue Castro
giving a demo on punch lace. Any new member would be most welcome to our friendly group. Thank you.

V’ neckbands

I have had several unsuccessful attempts to machine knit a sweater with a ‘V’ neckband. Can anyone suggest an easy method please.

Hi Annie

When you get to the point where you need to divide the work for the ‘V’ neck it is probably easiest to remove the lefthand stitches on waste yarn and remove any weights that you have on that side of the knitting. You can then knit the first side of the ‘V’ without worrying about the other stitches. Then place the stitches back on to the needles and knit the second side.
An easy band for a ‘V’ neck is to knit straight pieces of ribbing one for one side of the ‘V’ and one to go across the back neck and along the other side of the ‘V’. If you knit the required depth of ribbing then transfer the stitches from the ribber to the main bed and knit one row at main tension it gives a neat edge against the garment. Then you can pick up the stitches from the garment with the wrong side facing you knit one row at main tension and one row at tension 10 and latch off the stitches. To finish just overlap the front ends of the rib and stitch down along the line of the ‘V’.
I have knitted this many times and it always gives a neat finish.
I hope this helps
regards Sue.

Sue P
2013-05-01 11:48:49
Hi Annie

When you get to the point where you need to divide the work for the ‘V’ neck it is probably easiest to remove the lefthand stitches on waste yarn and remove any weights that you have on that side of the knitting. You can then knit the first side of the ‘V’ without worrying about the other stitches. Then place the stitches back on to the needles and knit the second side.
An easy band for a ‘V’ neck is to knit straight pieces of ribbing one for one side of the ‘V’ and one to go across the back neck and along the other side of the ‘V’. If you knit the required depth of ribbing then transfer the stitches from the ribber to the main bed and knit one row at main tension it gives a neat edge against the garment. Then you can pick up the stitches from the garment with the wrong side facing you knit one row at main tension and one row at tension 10 and latch off the stitches. To finish just overlap the front ends of the rib and stitch down along the line of the ‘V’.
I have knitted this many times and it always gives a neat finish.
I hope this helps
regards Sue.

Sue P
2013-05-01 11:48:49

Pinterest

Hi
I found this pinterest site that has lots of machine knitting information in one place such as links to manuals, patterns, instructional videos and it’s http://pinterest.com/vintageknitting/

Packed full of Spring patterns

Now I must pay tribute to three friends of machine knitting who have passed away. Many of you will remember Doris Coutts as a founder member of the Sandown Club on the Isle of Wight and a regular contributor to both To & Fro and MKM. Her knowledge of machine knitting was immense. A founder member of Perth Knitting Club has also died. Peggy Rourke was an Area Representative for the Scottish Machine Knitters and she will be hugely missed. Finally, we remember Eileen Langford, Treasurer of the Guild of Machine Knitters, who has also died. Eileen played an important role in the Guild and, together with Peggy and Doris, they will all be greatly missed. We send our sincere condolences to members of their families, as well as their many friends.

Tony Bennett is coming over to the UK later this year and he’ll stop off at Metropolitan to open this year’s Dream Week on 2nd September. He’ll then return a couple of weeks later on 16th September for a week of hand’s-on tuition. Last year Tony was awarded WA Wool Designer of the Year and he’s lectured to fashion and textile design students at Perth’s Western Australian Central Institute of Technology. He’s run Dormani Designs for almost 20 years and gives talks about machine knitting as well as fashion trends. He also runs workshops for machine knitters. He’s travelled extensively in Australia and across to New Zealand, sharing his creativity, flair and expertise with many machine knitters. He fits in regular Down Under reports for us and it will be a pleasure to meet him in September.
Inevitably places are limited, so please book as soon as you can to avoid disappointment.

My other news is that Carol Hocknell and I have made a diary date to repeat our very successful At Home at Metropolitan. The date is 6th October 2013 from 10.00 am to 5.00 pm and again places are strictly limited. As last time, we’ll arrange demonstrations throughout the day, provide a Ploughman’s Lunch and Cream Tea and we’ll print further details as they develop. Having accepted the kind invitation to teach at Dream Week in September, help to run our At Home in October and keep the flag flying for Alan Hunt’s Nottingham Show on 14th April, my year is filling up fast. Until next month, happy knitting!

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