Geometric shapes in drop stitch lace 2, Brother KM

Occasionally I do play with hand knitting and charting for it. A couple of years ago I wrote on the topic of  illusion / shadow knitting. The repeat is 24 stitches wide, so it is suitable for use on punchcard machines as well.

a chart from that blog posttry_drop_stitch

the resulting hand knit, on the purl side
IMG_0823

While working out the circle in the previous post it occurred to me that the results were quite similar to shadow knits, where depending on the angle from which the fabric is viewed, images begin to appear in the striped fabric. The above chart is missing those all blank rows that result in no needle selection. The solution for using this type of color separation for drop stitch on the machine is to use double length. Other KM settings remain the same as in the previous post. The first selection row is from left to right. The big difference is that once again, there will be the same needle selection on the next row. With some needles in B and some in D, a slider or pusher will not move across the needle bed. In the past, I tried to drop stitches selectively on the main bed with rulers or whatever was handy. Now, instead, I found pushing the whole row back to B, allowed me to use my new tool to move back and forth across the needle bed, making faster work of the process, and returning needles in position for the next main bed row to be selected on the first pass, knit on the second. The swatch was casually steamed

knit side 500_987

purl side, viewed as it would appear in a sideways knit 500_988

Without the “tool”, all stitches can be brought to E and back to B with a ruler, piece of garter bar, ribber cast on comb, or another handy toy. Dropping stitches is done while carriages are on the right, they return to the left knitting only on the ribber. In the previous post, the ribber only knit first, both beds knit on the second row, and stitches were, in turn, dropped with carriages and yarn on the color changer side (L), after no needle pre-selection across the main bed.

Geometric shapes in drop stitch lace 1, Brother KM

These pattern repeats may become quite large, and are suitable for designing and downloading with software. Testing repeats in a small section to start with insures methods and accuracy when planning the larger ones. Here I would prefer a wider, brick repeat, however, I am working with mylar on a 910 so in this test, settled for a vertical repeat, the result is shown below. The pattern reminds me of shadow knits.

knit side 500_986purl side 500flippedpurl side, as it would appear in a sideways knit 500charting things outcircle drop stitch

As it stands, the repeat is 32 stitches wide, 32 rows high. The colored 3-row segments on right, if collapsed would result in an all-black row, with no overlap. Colors are changed every 2 rows unless the repeat is designed differently. Care is needed on the color changer side, making certain both colors are not picked up together as the color is changed, resulting in the ribber knitting both yarns together. KCII is used, canceling needle selection. An extra needle is put into work at each end on the main bed. This fabric widens considerably, so casting on and binding off need special consideration. Before pattern knitting starts, all stitches must be on the ribber bed alone, with needles in work, but empty, on the main bed.

I chose to knit my swatch with a first-row selection from left to right. The KC is set to slip in both directions, the ribber N/N throughout. This knits all stitches on the ribber, selects needles for main bed stitches to be knit on the next row. On RC 2, selected stitches will knit, while preselection for the next row will place all main bed needles in B position as the carriage moves to the left, leaving them ready to get “dropped”. Use your tool of choice to drop stitches and return them to the B position once again.  Color is changed, and the sequence repeats.

Previous blog posts on the topic: 2 colors per row, Japanese machines, on the Passap, an edging, stitch dropping tools, and occasional bits of info in other threads, ie. on drop stitch “bubbles”.

I prefer to automate needle selection whenever possible. Published material often requires hand techniques. Some samples are readily available for inspiration: the first image shows basic settings and some variations from the Brother pattern books. Stitches to be dropped are created on the ribber. Pattern 942 may be released at end of knitting. Cards (or mylars) may be marked to track racking handle positions, addressed in my previous post:  2015/11/07/unconventional-uses-for-punchcards-1/, or rows marked in color for other repetitive functions

from the ribber techniques book page 23:For a cumulative list of related posts please see: 2017/11/04/revisiting-drop-release-stitch-lace/ 

 

A block lace pattern on KM 3 (punchcard, LC, HT)

This is the original lace working repeat as seen in previous post. It needs to be reduced in repeat width, with segments then moved to accommodate the required changes in height as well

original repeatgetting things down to 12 sts repeat width, eliminating sts and rows: easy task with software and virtual “graph paper”minus rowsthe segments, collaged together; black squares now to become  punched holesrepeat_cardmarking out borders to suit mylar or brand of blank punchcard makes placing the markings for transfers accurately easier ie.

every 5 squares every5                           every 6 squares                           every6

chart with actions of lace carriage included, the 14 stitch by 24 rows electronic repeat now reduced to a 12 stitch by 16 row repeat; see previous post for symbols keyLCactiona brief test of the resulting fabric: blue circles highlight a couple of the intersecting spots where the punchcard produced lace fabric looks different from the electronic version, because of its shortened and narrowed repeats marked

A block lace pattern on KM 2 (electronic LC, HT)

Sometimes I begin by analyzing the moves on large print paper to get a sense of the direction for the required transfer moves. This pattern is fairly straightforward, single moves to the right or to the left. What makes it different is what I have referred to as the knit side “chain” in the previous post. To achieve this, sets of stitches are transferred, doubled up, and moved back to the original position to create the proper eyelet placement.

Tension may have to be adjusted to accommodate the double travel of stitches. If it is just a tad off and occasional stitches sit on a closed latch, that may not be noticed, and runs in lace are no fun. Edge stitches get fussy as the knitting grows, edge weights moved up at regular intervals can help with that problem. Where 2 stitches need to move to their right or left, I have chosen to do so by hand rather than relying on the lace carriage to move them onto the single needle, and in turn back onto the center one of the group of 3.  My initial notes on paper:PAPER SKETCHAssigning colors for transfer, charting in excel: green to left, pink to right, checking where markings need to be for full KM repeat:FULL REPEAT

Expanding the repeat, adding 2 blank rows between pairs of transfers with the intent to white out square for “wrong” transfer rows places transfers to right on wrong chart rowwrong

all markings, shifted to proper locationfull mylar

symbols used: black squares = mylar markingschart symbols

The lace carriage begins on left as usual, makes 4 passes before each 2 rows knit. The first sequence hand transfer occurs on row 2 of the 4 LC passes. The second sequence hand transfer on row 1 of 4 passes. After the 3 onto one hand transfer, be certain all 3 needles line up in B position before the lace carriage makes its transfers as well.

the resulting fabric’s knit side 500_954

purl side 500_955

A block lace pattern on the KM 1

A friend recently posted a forum query on a published pattern that has led to my exploring another hand to machine knit transfer lace. The “flemish block lace” design from the second treasury of knitting patterns by Barbara Walker, p. 270 seemed to be the lace pattern motif used. Here is a partial detail from the fabric that began the discussion

try to copy

Below is a chart for the Walker repeat produced with Intwined. The repeat is a multiple of 14 + 3 border stitches, the first row is purl, but I could not enter an all purl for row one and not have the remaining symbols altered by the program, which assumes in lace the first row is knitflemish block lacethe program’s generated HK instructions for one repeat plus 3 border stitches screenshot_04In attempting the machine knit version I chose to use the HK chart for my transfers as it stood, the directions of the transfers being mirrored vertically did not matter to me.

This design has “chains” traveling along some of the edges of the diagonal shapes. A lot of moving stitches in groups of 2 or 3 is required to achieve the look. It may be possible to achieve the fabric knitting with the aid of a lace carriage,  but planning the punchcard or electronic repeat and correcting any dropped stitches pose special challenges. My first samples were knit on the bulky KM, working in width of the 17 sts illustrated above.

I began to test transfers by moving stitches every row. Interesting things happen when single rows are knit on the machine as opposed to the traditional 2 in multiple transfer lace, as well as the resulting shape being half the number of rows long. The eyelet yarn lies single, without the twist usually seen, and begins to look more like ladders (see previous posts on zig zag ladder lace).

knit sideIMG_1938purl sideIMG_1939

with 2 knit rows between transfers (the missing eyelet in marked spot is due to operator error) the familiar look of multiple transfer lace appears1940

IMG_1941

below the swatch image is flipped horizontally for a different perspective, approaching the original hand-knit inspiration1940looking at charting differently, back to Excel: single repeat

BW repeat_12

                    checking alignment, adding border stitches4 repeatbw                                                adding colorcolored repeat

moves                    checking alignment, adding border stitches4 repeat color2The next consideration might be how to make executing the pattern easier on a standard machine. Needle pre-selection may be used to guide hand transfers. Working out the electronic repeat, represented by black squares:isolating mylar rep                                         the transfer directions

transfers                        the chart in repeat , including bordersmylarx4_borderThere is no transfer on row 3 of the repeat next to border on the chart left, it is omitted in the bottom of the chart, shown on the top half. End needle selection is canceled throughout. The resulting test swatch, one operator error transfer missing on mid left:

                                                    knit side 500_1945                                                     purl side500_1944One of the issues I encountered during the initial tests was that of occasional needles “sneaking”/ dropping back on the machine, so ladders rather than eyelets were formed. The needle retainer bar is old, and I like to work lace with the ribber off and a tilted main bed, explaining the possible cause.

A simple shape, an exercise in DBJ, Brother KM

When first learning how color separations work for DBJ on any machine, it is helpful to begin with a simple, easily recognized shape, to play with as many variations as possible, and study the results both in terms of the resulting fabric, and how the motif is altered by changing the machine settings. Below are copies of the handout I used when I introduced new knitters to rib jacquard. They are Brother specific. Out of habit, I tend to leave the slide lever in its center position. If a ribbed edging is needed, it is a lovely surprise if one plays with lever settings, finishes a second piece of knitting, to find after its completion that the second piece has a rib that is a different size than the other due to a missed change in lever position. My design is planned for use with punchcard machines, but a single repeat may be isolated and used to knit patterns on electronic machines as shown at bottom of the second page.

For Passap knitters, a bible on using a single shape (triangle) and creating infinite variations by technique modifications, adaptable for use on the E6000, was published in 1988

passap deco

 

Brother KM

Brother Ribber Techniques Book illustration is missing lili position for the slide lever

lili_rib

500_3

C500_2

some of my previous posts on  DBJ color separations 

More slip stitch experiments

Slip-stitch fabrics are capable of creating interesting textures. When blocks of stitches are slipped, the floats that may appear on the purl side are considered problematic by some knitters. One solution is to work using mosaic and maze “floatless FI” designs. This was addressed in previous posts, including color separation methods for planning them, and a variety of knit swatches.
The images below have often appeared in knitting boards on Pinterest, I am returning to the slipstitch design thread.

A Missoni  knit  missoni comboSportmax Armida sweater   lyst combo

I decided to plan a “square/block” shape to sort out the technique; it could easily be adapted to a diamond one. By necessity, larger repeats need to be executed on an electronic machine whether via mylar or download program. The plan is to change colors by any means available, usually, every 2 or every 4 rows, requiring a motif repeat that totals an even number of rows. In hand-knitting garter stitches can become part of the resulting texture, but they are impractical here. Often commercial knits are produced on machines that can automate many more functions and surfaces per row. The Missoni sweater is a fine knit, and on a detailed examination, reveals lace eyelets in some of the stripes in addition to plain knit and slipped stitches. Not impossible to do on a standard KM “home” electronic, but the simplest way to add lace eyelets would be via hand transfers.

my starting chart

repeat start

 checking that that repeats line up

multiple repeats

possible mylar repeats

mylar repeats

I drew the top repeat above onto mylar for use on a 910. The sample swatch was knit using 2 carriages (and lace extension rails). I selected R 1 from right to left, with the carriage that was to remain on that side, and began knitting with the second carriage, placed on the right, holding the alternate color. There are a few ways to achieve the pre-selection row, depending on the choice of start to the fabric, and whether a color changer as opposed to a second carriage is in use.  Contrasting colors help us see and understand stitch formation. For the bottom of the swatch I used double length as well as color reverse, with color (carriage) changes every 4 rows. The top of the swatch is knit with color changes every 2 rows. Slip-stitch is short and thin. Since there are more stitches slipped on the bottom of the swatch, the fabric is pulled in in those areas, making the knit on either side “bubble” in a way that the top of the swatch, do not, and resulting shapes no longer appear as straight lines horizontally.

striped slip ksidepurl side

striped slip p side

The single-width blocks that form the stitch pattern are usable for tuck knitting as well. Whether the motif may be elongated on standard machines depends on the yarn thickness used. Tuck-stitch fabric tends to be short and wide so that the finished knit piece will be wider than the slip-stitch version.

Taking this shape to a punchcard requires editing, and the results are quite different. One sample idea, moving stitch groups around to fit a 24-stitch repeat:

punchcard repeatAll the white squares would need to be punched to form knit stitches, the yellow left unpunched, to form the slipped ones, the look of the fabric would be very different.

Previous blog posts on related topics: tuck and slip color striping, block stitch color separations, where the term block stitch is used based on publications that refer to floating, staggered designs rather than to square shapes.

As for creating “solid” block shapes: an initial repeat is charted below, 16 W X 24 H. Black blocks are drawn on mylar or downloaded, is used color reversed with no elongation. Knitting starts with base rows knit in the color that will form the “block” on the knit side of the finished fabric

block shape

the knit side

block_front

and the purl, note floats as wide as the “block”

block_back

Some notes on machine knitting color changers

One double-bed example, the Brother 900 E DB changer for use on both standard and bulky

The Studio/singer YC6 may be used either on the single or double bed simply by repositioning one piece. It includes a 4 color tension unit, a special sinker plate,  and a set of cards that are for use only for DBJ.  It has a 4-button yarn changer, which can be set for automatic 2-color changing.
Brother/Knitking comes with a supplementary two-color yarn mast, a special sinker plate, and a four-button changer. A button must be pressed manually for each color change.
To color change on Studio, the next color button is pushed/selected when the KC is on the right, in Brother machines, the button for the next color selection is pushed after the KC is in the yarn changing area after the audible “click” is produced when the carriage has traveled far enough.

The wires and tension units exert more tension on the yarn than standard tension units, which affects gauge so if one is knitting garments, the units should not be changed while working on the same piece, nor should calculations for gauge be used if they were produced in the same yarn, but using the alternate tension unit. Tension may have to be raised by at least one number or more to prevent dropped stitches and obtain the desired feel/drape.

If a carriage jam occurs, the sinker plate needs to be removed before using the release lever for KC.

If using changers for fair isle: in cards punched for FI knitting single bed,  normally the contrast color, corresponding to punchcard holes (black squares on mylar, or pixels, depending on machine and programming) is placed in the B sinker plate feeder, and background yarn in the A.
When using the color changer, the manuals will state that the main color is normally in B while the contrast color is in A, where it can be changed automatically. However, that depends on which part of the design is to include the color striping.  If it is to occur in the motif, the card needs to be modified by being punched in reverse. If the striping is to occur in the background, a standard card and position may be used. If one wishes to alternate, both ground and motif may need to be punched separately as for use in 2 color slip stitch.

More than 2 colors per row require color separations of the original design for knitting with slip stitch setting, carrying one color at a time, in 2-row sequences.

The double bed color changer is used often for DBJ with color-separated cards though other fabric options are possible. It may also be used for single bed work, but the ribber must remain raised and the ribber connecting plate is used. This means that single-bed fair isle knitting is not possible, because there is only one feeder in the ribber connecting plate.
Using the changer is a viable option for knitting striped patterns on bulky machines. There are no brushes to help anchor the knitting like the ones in the single bed sinker plate, so even though the fabrics may be worked only on the top bed, careful choosing of repeat and adequate weighting is required ie in color tuck/slip mosaics, etc, knit with color changes every 2 rows.
I have read that Toyota did not have a color changer due to its built-in simulknit/automatic DBJ, with only 2 colors knit in any one row.

Sometimes metal parts/wires get bent in storage or handling even on ribber sinker plate, and may need a bit of bending and tweaking if colors are not getting properly picked up. Some Brother color changers have small adjustment screws under the arm that may loosen, and change their alignment to the needle bed, which is easily solved by adjusting/tightening the screw. Sinker plates should be cleaned and may be adjusted if required, just like the standard ones.

Some references: Studio YC6, Brother manuals

The set up as described in an early Brother Fashion magazine 

from the KRC 900 manual

High tech version: 1 set up 2 in use Automatic knitting system based on the Brother KH-970, consisting of a knitting machine Brother KH-970, set for the ribbing attachment KR-850, KE-100 motor drive, and automatic color changer KRC-1000E (6 color changer). 

The Brother single bed changers are the only ones I know of where the yarn remains in the changer after the color change, never leaving it.
A later post including some single bed color changer info: https://alessandrina.com/2017/05/01/knitting-in-pattern-with-2-carriages-brother-punchcard-kms-2/.
Excerpts from the 820 manual:  The auxiliary yarn tension stand was eliminated when later models introduced a place in the machine casing for the extra mast, my 930 actually offers 2 spots  

It is possible to cast on while the color changer sinker plate is in use, making certain the yarn is used and retained in its proper placement in its roller. I prefer to cast on with the standard sinker plate, knit some rows, weigh the piece, sort the required tension, place the yarn in its position in the changer with COR, and then continue.
It is always a good idea to test color-changing sequences on some waste yarn rows prior to the permanent cast-on of the finished piece.
A common cause of color-changer crankiness is simply not moving far enough to the left before changing colors, a step that definitely requires using that “lace” extension rail.
The use of waste knitting is shown in the directions found in the manual as well.

An added difference between brands, the Studio changer uses letters, and the Brother uses numbers for yarn positions in changers  

At the opposite end of the spectrum, the image below shows a low-tech “color changer” marketed beginning decades ago, and still available online. It is not practical to use in DBJ knitting because of the issues involved with removing the yarn from the ribber sinker arm in order to switch colors but can be an alternative for working single-bed on multiple gauge machines. It provides a way of holding the yarns that is easier and more successful than some of the other “creative” options for knitters who do not yet own a color changer accessory appropriate for their machine. An improvised “color changer” for knitting multiple color dbj by Chris Burdge, shared in the Ayab FB group.

Lace mesh motif charting_ Mac Numbers_ a touch of Excel

October 2021: I periodically return to old posts and find much has changed since they were written in terms of software or in my thinking on the specific technique.
Rebuilding the working 24 stitch repeat from the colored chart here is now quick and easy. More detailed instructions on using both Numbers and Gimp may be found in my posts in subsequent years.
In summary, the expanded colored image of the repeat was cropped to 24 cells wide, 92 cells high. A table with cells measuring 20 by 20 points, 24 units wide, and 92 units high was created with a red grid. The image of the repeat was sized to match the same width and height as those of the table. The table was then arranged in front of the image, and black was filled in cells over the colored cells below. The new table was then screengrabbed with all interior cell borders removed, but with a thin border around all content, opened in Gimp, changed to indexed mode. Because lace has so few black dots I find scaling to punchcard size is more accurate if colors are inverted first, and again after scaling to the 24 by 92 required repeat, shown on the right. the associated png  Previous content:
The symbols here were disregarded in building the repeat here, but they matter when developing designs for use with the lace module in DAK.
This lace “separation” was based on a mesh technique, created using Mac Numbers, for use on a Brother knitting machine, with the Lace Carriage operating from the left side. The final design requires 4 passes by the lace carriage followed by 2 rows of plain knit throughout. 
Hand knitting: a brief list of symbols, and a few of their associated directions The hand-knit motif inspiration and symbols remain unchanged in this post, The colors were assigned for coding the direction of transfers to maintain the mesh transfer sequence splitting rows, is an option eliminated by apple in later versions of numbers copy and paste the above in a “blank” part of spreadsheet creating a new table; resize cells by selecting all in the new table, and clicking/ dragging on the bottom line of any of the grey, numbered row cells on left to number/ measurements of cells in the original document. Release the mouse, and all cells will be uniform in size.
In later versions choose the round symbol on the top left of the table to select the whole table or select all cells in it, in the table menu on the far right, cell size may be adjusted to any numbers one desires. If the final file is for scaling in other programs, it is best to have both numbers match. I have grown fond of 20 by 20 as I continued to work between numbers and Gimp. Note: after elongation, on first and all odd-numbered rows colors occur, but no symbols. On even rows, there are both colors and symbols. On odd rows (no symbols) now “erase” the green, on even (symbols) erase the red, results below,  on the right

mark the outside of motif on the above right with a third color, beginning on the second row; cut and paste complete motif in a “clean area of your sheet so it is surrounded by blank space, this will save a lot of “erasing” (technically this creates a new table)select and copy blank rows as wide as your motif (blue outline on left)click on 3rd color square beginning at the bottom left, use the insert copied rows command, adding 2 blank rows between pairs of rows that will become markings for lace transfers,  moving up the design, ending with 2 blank rows as well the resulting “separated” mesh repeat is now 92 rows long:  spacing between repeats and number of knit rows at its top may be adjusted to suit preference/ taste. Red and green squares are what is punched, or black squares on mylar sheet, etc. Note: red containing rows have no symbols now, while green ones still do, another visual check with repeats this long, it is worth marking up the final template like that encountered on the card or mylar as described in previous posts: a pdf tree_lace for downloading and marking to suit, depending on mylar sheet or punchcard use. Each colored square represents a punched hole of a black cell. The resulting swatch:

the full repeat could be used singly, to create a border, or to become a  part of a much larger one 

the same motif  created in Excelany change to repasted motif affects the whole document in that area, unlike as in creating a new table in numbers as I recently “discovered” (a very convenient difference)
to elongate the design,  so far my solution has been to mark as above, click on third color cells on the left, beginning at the bottom, then using the insert row command. Doing so yields results that can be seen in the partially expanded chart below the remaining process may be carried out, using slightly different tools to achieve the same results.

A bit of seasonal lace mesh_charted_Intwined

a possible hand knit star motif, color coded transfers

flipped for machine knitting

planning the repeat for transfers with LC on left

correction for missing row  required, marked in red

rows to be punched or squares for mylar markings

(motif could be relocated for brick configuration)

2 knit rows follow any with no needle selection by LC

the result

+++