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There are a number of ways to “play with” this technique. Here are some ideas: Lace card use 260

Many articles were written in the 1980s in Australia, New Zealand, and Britain, some finding their way to newsletters published in the USA at the time investigating this subject. With the advent of electronics the process became “easier”. Kathleen Kinder author of several books on Machine Knitting covering myriad topics (one whole text on lace), also authored Electonic Knitting: an Introduction for Brother and Knitmaster Knitters (?1989) that investigated the move from punchcard to electronics, including lace techniques that in the instance of “filet look alikes” introduced superimposing designs as a quicker method to achieve such fabrics. The common motifs used were often that of a heart or a rose.

One of the many confusing things in lace, is that the punched holes or mylar squares do not represent actual holes in the final fabric. Alternate rows of holes represent first transfers to left, then transfer to right. Brother and Studio punchcard sets included with purchase of machines both include pre-punched cards suitable for this type of mesh. Numbers sometimes varied with machine model year. Studio No. L-6, Brother No 17J (also 20G etc.) are 2 such samples and are vertical mirrored images of each other. Superimposed motifs constitute blank areas of card. Depending on preference some readjustments may be required after a test swatch to alter placement of some of the mesh holes. My fabric below was knit using the basic faggot lace Brother mesh, the corresponding “card” close to 180 rows in length to achieve the brick repeat.

a portion of the card

sideways view of resulting fabric, knit side facing

The  amended “square mesh card”; grey areas indicate more tape use on reverse.  In basic analysis knit “squares” consist of blocks of blanks on card 12 squares tall by 3 wide, essentially removing 6 lace transfers  (holes in all over card) in those locations; this could be done with software and planned ahead of punching any holes. Electronics capable of programming 2 different motifs increase ease in drawing out pattersn as well as the possibilities in planning larger repeats and repeat sequences

th corresponding swatch viewed on purl side after a quick steaming

flipped 90 degrees

A good online grouping of mesh repeats is one place to start exploring this topic. Most proprietary large pattern books from machine knitting companies include at least a few suitable cards/mylar samples. They can be used for “all over” fabrics, borders, striping in mixed bands of varying styles, etc. I am presently interested in pursuing a filet crochet like structure by superimposing knit areas onto lace mesh using “lo tech” punchcards or mylar sheets. Filet crochet is often built on a system of solid squares on the more open “ground”. Emulating this type to begin with, here is a punchcard for use on Brother KM resulting in a “square mesh”

a lazy way to explore how adding solid areas to any pattern card is to mask a portion of the card using tape ie. in this case painter’s tape on the reverse side; this is not the best long term solution, but OK for “testing the waters” and sorting out the final repeats. Here is the resulting card reverse side

the card was extended for a full, alternating blocks repeat: a first run at a swatch result showed that oops! I am not quite there with alternating blocks of 4: no worries, more tape is on hand. Below is my preferred, sideways view of present fabric. There is a difference in ridges/ lines as viewed horizontally, every other is thicker because of location of transferred stitches. Knitting sequence is 4  rows of transfers with lace carriage, followed by 2 rows knit with KH throughout. A good starting point.

Generally when I decide to explore a fabric unfamiliar to me, I begin obsessively gathering information which at times can amount to an act of procrastination. I like to solve the different kinds of resulting problems, am involved with the techniques, and attracted the complexities of the resulting structures and design. As much as the main fabric pattern, edgings in lace items can make an important contribution to the finished look. Borders with shaped edgings appeared in very early Brother punchcard books. Typical graphs seen in hand knitting reference books were provided for the on machine hand technique. “Brother Fashion” volume 4 included the graph and instructions for a shaped edging on a blanket, Tessa Lorant published a small book on edgings (1981) that included some punchcard designs for such edgings as well. In her usual kick butt fashion Susanna Lewis included a pattern in “Machine Knitted Guide to Creating Fabrics” (1986) that took the process a step further by using slip selection with the knit carriage to automate the shaping process. Working out the separation required for the repeats can be doable but quite time consuming. A “modern” publication on the latter subject can be found here.