Welcome back

I’ve been knitting jumpers for my (step) great grand-daughter who lives in Ohio. While browsing through some vintage magazines I came across the enclosed pattern from a November 1956 (I was eight then!) Modern Knitting magazine. The instructions looked intriguing, but proved to be a lot less complicated once I was actually knitting the garment. I decided to do the hem as a 2×1 mock rib. I use mock rib as I don’t have a ribber. I was using a Bramwell acrylic yarn to knit the waistcoat and although I love the colourful fabric it creates, blocking with a hot iron over a damp cloth is a definite no-no! Hence I wanted a hem which would lie properly.

The original waistcoat is plain and designed for a small boy, but in these unisex days I simply used pink, added a simple single motif of bunny rabbits and swapped the buttonhole band over to the other side to make a neat little top for a small girl. With the brown top, I used a sheep border all the way round the bottom. Instead of having it as a waistcoat with a front opening, I stitched up the front seam, added a false placket and half a dozen clear buttons to make it look like a waistcoat, but it simply pops over the child’s head. I also finished the armholes on the brown one with two rows of double crochet as I thought it looked better, being unable to press the armholes flat.

So, I thought I’d share it with you. There’s a wealth of inspiration from the 50s and 60s , beautifully neat collars, tailored jumpers and so on that can be adapted to today’s fashions. These are particularly useful, I think, to those of us who have older, more basic machines and no ribbing attachment.

Yours sincerely
Vivienne Fagan in Hanwell, London

Tumbling Blocks

Always use all three colours in each colour sequence. If you don’t, you will not only find counting impossible, but also get a different colour on the back, which will show.

Have the colour changer set up so that you work from left to right {for example 2 rows red. 2 rows blue , 2 rows green = 6 rows). Now you are always working in multiples of 6.

If you are working with a punchcard machine, writing the pattern and punching it can be tedious! I have DesignaKnit 7 so I am able to input the design to it and then print out the template, {ST) in colour. Just have to make sure all three colours are bright and it doesn’t matter if they are not the ones actually used. If you have not got DesignaKnit 7, I’m sure someone in your club does and you could borrow their expertise.

Anne, if you could pass on my comments together with my e mail address, we might be able to discuss double bed Jacquard. Love the new look mag and the new contributors.
Best wishes
Nancy in Oz

Hi Nancy in OZ
This sounds very interesting, but alas I’m only new to all of this but I really enjoy reading the comments.
Best wishes from Maggie in OZ
landofoz
2011-07-20 12:41:36

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