KNITTING MACHINE TIPS & TECHNIQUES

From BFF Machine Knit and Crochet Book, page 4

GRANNY ANN BOOT STYLE SLIPPERS

Machine Knitting Tip #11

Just Duckie Slipper Sox for Kids. Here is a fun idea for your little ones. Using a simple bulky sock pattern begin with yellow. When you get to the toe, change to orange. Shape toe as usual, when all needles are back to work, still with orange shape a 2nd toe. When all needles are back to work, change back to yellow. Add eyes as shown, either the glue on or some simple buttons. My sample was knit from my Super EZ Slipper Sox pattern shown on my home page.

You can embellish your bulky knits by adding beads. I use a size 5 crochet hook, and pony beads. Place a pony bead on the crochet hook, remove one stitch from machine with the crochet hook, pull it through the pony bead and put the stitch back on its needle. See picture at top of page. The diamond is easy to do and you can use simple graphs such as this diamond, heart, etc. Centering the bead design on your knits is easy with the diamond, just place the 1st bead in the center of your knitting. For other designs such as a heart, you will need to figure the center of the design and add beads accordingly. Add beads every other row, and do not put two beads side by side on any row. Pull gently down on the knitting for the row immediately following the beads to keep the beads below the needles, go slow.

NOTE: If you purchased my Baby Jane Slipper Sox Pattern, knit picot cuff and hang. Knit 2 rows and then DROP 1 stitch each side of center 6 stitches. Put empty needles out of work, this will make it easier to cross the stitches for cable. Knit 4 rows and add bead, knit 4 rows and twist cable by crossing 3 stitches over 3 stitches, repeat once, twisting cables a 2nd time. Now latch up the stitches from bottom to top that were out of work, and hang back on empty needles, now in working position. Knit two rows, change to shoe color and continue. For smaller sizes you may wish to make smaller cables; DROP 1 stitch either side of 4 center stitches putting needles out of work, make cables by crossing 2 stitches over 2 stitches, perhaps twisting the cables only once. Latch dropped stitch after cable, bottom to top and hang on empty needles, now in work. You could also omit the beads, your choice.

Machine Knitting Tip #8
Knitting Fairisle Bands and keeping uniform all-over thickness.
If you would like to knit say a 60 row geometric band across the bottom of a sweater or vest, or even the center panel of a pillow top, but you do not like the way the rest of the article feels, here is an easy fix. Knit the entire article in fairisle BUT knit the rows above and below the 2-color fairisle band by using the SAME color in yarn feeder A and B. Try it on a square to see how it turns out. Small all over designs work best.
Machine Knitting Tip #7
Using Granny Squares to enhance your knits!
Adding crocheted Granny Squares to your knits, adds a whole new design element. Especially nice when you knit the slipper sox to match the outer edge of the granny square for a real knit-in effect. See picture at top of this page, AND my New Book, BFF Knit and Crochet page 4.
Machine Knitting Tip #6

To knit automatic cast on, pull required number of needles all the way forward. Now with every other needle pusher, and beginning with first needle next to carriage, push back every other needle to B position. With carriage in HOLD run the carriage across and back, this straightens the needles in B position while keeping the other needles in D position. Now return carriage to NORMAL and thread yarn in yarn feeder A. You will need to have the weaving brushes attached for this technique. Lay the yarn across the top of the needles and hold down gently on the left end, and knit one row, right to left. Hang mini weight on yarn tail and cast on comb and weights. Knit required number of rows for hem. Now comes my other favorite part. The cast on edge has loops. Pick up the first loop and hang it on the first needle. Now, pick up every other loop and hang on every other needle. I have a tool for every other needle that works fantastic for this. Once first row is hung, knit across to close as usual, and continue knitting. Time saving and easy!

Adding yarn without having a knot at the edge of your knitting:

When you run out of yarn while knitting on your machine, or you want to change colors, there is a neat way to do this where you will not have a knot on the edge of your knitting. With carriage on the right, cut your yarn. Now using the yarn tail that you just cut, hand knit the 1st three stitches by putting your yarn tail in the needle, and pull it through the stitch on needle. Repeat for 2nd and 3rd stitch. Pull these 3 needles all the way forward, and set your carriage on Hold. Now add new yarn to feeder, and knit 1 row to left. You will have 2 yarn ends hanging between needles 3 and 4. Tie these two yarn ends and cut.  Your knot is now 3 stitches from the edge. Hang a mini weight, return carriage to Normal and continue knitting. You could also weave these short yarn ends over and under a few needles in each direction. These yarn ends will then be knit in and eliminates having to weave them in by hand later.

This is especially nice when joining afghan panels using the Hairpin Lace method.

Machine Knitting Tip #3

Add a 2nd yarn tension mast.

If you have the Brother bulky 260 it has 2 receptacles for yarn feeders. I added a 2nd yarn tension mast and I keep the left yarn feeder of my 2nd yarn tension mast threaded with SCRAP YARN! What a timesaver. I no longer have to jump up and remove one of my yarns to add scrap. I use a color for scrap that is bright and different, usually orange...lol You do not need a bulky yarn tension mast, any Brother yarn mast will work, standard or bulky. I use a standard tension mast as my 2nd feeder and find that with the way the mast is angled, it actually sits behind my main yarn feeder, and keeps the 4 yarns separate. I turn the tension dial back for a looser tension with this standard yarn mast, using bulky yarns, but I tighten it all the way when using the thin 2/24 yarns for Thread Lace. You could also use the yarn tension mast that comes with 4-color yarn changers. The point here is having your scrap yarn ready to grab when needed.

Machine Knitting Tip #2

Ply your own custom yarns without an expensive yarn twister.

All you need are 3 cones of lightweight yarn, and 2 plastic "milk crates" with hole in center bottom. Mount your yarn winder on a table or countertop. Now place one cone of yarn on floor and put a milk crate over it upside down. Thread yarn from cone up through hole in milk crate. Place a 2nd cone of lightweight yarn on top of milk crate, and place 2nd milk crate over it. Thread yarn from 1st cone up through hole in Milk crate and through 2nd cone of yarn, bringing both yarns up through hole in 2nd milk crate. Place 3rd cone of yarn on top of 2nd milk crate. Thread 1st 2 yarns up through bottom of 3rd cone. Bring all 3 yarns up to your yarn winder and wind together. I have been doing this since I was a Brother Dealer in the early 70's.

Machine Knitting Tip #1

Non-punch card and non-electronic bulky knitting machines

For the look of great knit-in designs on your bulky knits, without using a punch card or electronic bulky knitting machine, try Duplicate Stitching! Take another look at all the punch card and electronic patterns available, and duplicate stitch these designs onto your knits. They are perfectly graphed and will not be distorted as cross stitch designs would be. Intarsia patterns are especially nice, you are not limited to two colors per row! Easy and fun, soon you will be looking at bulky sweaters in the stores just to use these designs, although big stitch knitting is rare so naturally you will want to knit your own.

Duplicate Stitching is also a great take-along project for your car or camping. Try it for pillow tops, and on afghan squares, knit individually or as coordinated items. Great for kids' rooms with cars, trains, etc. Many great punch card and electronic designs to choose from.
Happy Knitting, Sandy

To knit drawstring bags shown:

Make 2: Scrap on 50 stitches. With main yarn knit 40 rows. Change colors if desired (Panda bag) and begin full fashion decreases, both ends every other row, until desired width for purchased handles or drawstring. Knit 8 rows plain and bind off loosely.    This will be folded in (over handles or not) and tacked to inside. Duplicate Stitch design on one piece. Right sides together, hang both pieces on scrap, back on machine, one set of stitches behind latches. Pull front set of stitches through back set to reduce bulk, and bind off. Fold tops to inside over handles or not. Right side out whip stitch together from bottom to decrease rows. If you did not use purchased handles, insert two 3-needle cords, beginning at opposite sides for each. That's it, enjoy.

DRAWSTRING BAG WITH KNITTED CORDS

EXAMPLE OF DUPLICATE STITCHING USING AN ELECTRONIC DESIGN

DRAWSTRING BAG WITH KNITTED CORDS

EXAMPLE OF DUPLICATE STITCHING USING MULTIPLE PUNCH CARD DESIGNS