Accessories – alessandrina.com

3D printed slider, drop stitch lace review

D sliders, also known as P carriages in Studio-Silver Reed language, only move/ push the needles; they do not manipulate any stitches.
The needles are pushed to various working positions, B, C for Studio, D for Brother, depending on the starting position of the needles.
Drop stitch “lace” is also referred to as drive lace in Studio pubs, and summer fair isle in Passap ones.
The first samples of the stitch type I was exposed to were shared at a Passap Seminar that explored the built-in console color separation techniques in the E6000, introduced in 1988. Two passes with no yarn, and both locks were required until the Passap version of the D slider was developed in Australia. The E6000 magazines then began offering designs producing what they named as summer fair isle, and in seminars, added reader techniques that were shared for use when planning to knit designs in 3 or 4 colors.
Many brand-specific magazines provided patterns produced with devices or accessories as they were introduced, with pubs on the topic ebbing and waning with the passage of time.
The first reference I have been able to find on the Studio P carriage dates back to the introduction of the SRP50 ribber in 1978. A grainy copy of the early manual is downloadable and illustrates its use on page 12, applied to drive lace on pages 36-38, and to pile knitting continuing to page 42.
This post is intended to address using sliders on Brother models, in theory, to facilitate the process of dropping stitches when continuous design patterning is in use.
Links to my historical posts on the definition and execution of this “lace” on different machines using varying methods are provided at the bottom.
The resulting knit benefits from the use of yarn that responds to blocking by lying flat and retaining scale differences between the different stitch sizes.
Knitting begins with all stitches on one bed, and loops formed on the opposite bed, that dropped at varying intervals, depending on the intended pattern, to produce elongated stitches between stocking stitch ones.
Dropping the stitches can be achieved manually with any tool on hand, by sliding the ribber carriage only back and forth if loops are formed on it, or with the aid of stitch ditchers/ dumpers.
Maintaining proper needle selection and not having needles accidentally pushed back to the A position, resulting in possible pattern errors, is made easier and quicker with specific tools, often called sliders and sometimes referred to in early manuals as carriages, although they have no moving parts.
Knit bubbles and “stitch ditchers/dumpers” and Brother KMs “pile knitting”/ ribber stitch dropping tools share images of such tools.
Usual dropping sequences in Brother models are made from right to left on needles in B position, with a return of the needles to B after the stitches have been dropped. The next preselection pattern row is made as the paired carriage return to the left, then repeating paired rows.
The appearance in machines that keep the needles in the equivalent of Brother B position after carriage pattern passes, i.e., Studio, Superba, Passap, with the possibility of dropping stitches every row, can produce shapes composed of simple long stitches.
To maintain Brother preselection, if the knit bed is used to form loops for the long stitches, there will be an added knit row on the ribber as the carriages return to the left, with a different final appearance.
I was able to obtain a 3D printed model for the Brother 4.5 mm machine from cults3D at the time of my blog post; the site is often unavailable according to forums, and the present pricing is said to be set to discourage downloads pending resolution in a related court case.
For those without access to 3D printing, this site may be worth exploring for direct purchase of items, ie, the slider, for $21.
The use of the tool is clearly demonstrated here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGjPwGqFJhQ.
Note that sliders presently available are used on knit beds with slotted rails, as in the 930 on the right, and it is open to question if the use is possible on the solid and slightly narrower rails found in earlier electronic and punch card models. Also an issue, if the rail happens to disrupted in any way in the center. The Studio slider is shown in the center, and, on the right, the only Brother-produced slider, intended for use on the bulky machine.
The needle butts enter unimpeded and follow the tracks marked with arrows. They can be used on both the knit and the ribber beds.
Just as easily, stitches on the ribber can be dropped using only the ribber carriage for 2 passes.
The traditional method in published designs found in punchcard volumes uses alternating black pixels/punched holes to produce the loops that are, in turn, dropped, and all-white/unpunched rows, which allow for the loops being dropped when there is no pattern selection on the top bed.
For the 3D model, it is useful to “read the manual”, or in this case, follow the video.
I chose to mark my slider for future use.
The proper placements on respective needle beds to match the traditional method. This top bed placement is wrong, needles are still brought forward, moving right to left, but are left out to D, not B, on the return to the right. Beginning with single color samples.
A Studio drive lace published repeat for use with the technique
knit 2 rows, drop, repeat
12X16

test knit on 37 stitches results are in hard to read stitch size differencesbreaking the common rules and appearance for this type of fabric, a “what if” version, double height, 12X32 test knit on 50 stitches, knit 4 rows, drop, repeat. Larger designs can be more effective, 24X22 rendered double height, 24X44 EOR rendered all white/ erased for traditional use and approach. Test knit on 48 stitches. I have a perennial curiosity in terms of using nearly anything in a way other than that intended when designed.
This is a first experiment using the 24X44 fair isle design,
with each row selection repeating twice and changing the position of the slider on the needle bed, no blank rows are required.
Stitches are still dropped when moving from right to left.
The slider is turned around and placed on the bed in front of the rail to move stitches forward. Note the relative position of the needle butts and the nub on the slider.
From left to right, to drop stitches, the slider is placed to rest on the rail, with the nub pointing down. With the knit carriage set for slip stitch, and the pattern programmed as fair isle, the black pixels or punched holes will be selected forward, when the carriages move to the left, picking up loops on the selected needles on the next carriage pass to the right. With carriages on the right, the stitches are dropped.
The small proof of concept. A larger test, the first PNG, 20X40 in brick configuration, doubled in length, 20X80 and then doubled in width for a guess at better aspect ratio, 40X80. After loops are formed, left to right, the slider operates from the right, will advance all needles out to E as it moves to the left, and drop all loops as it returns to the left.
The needles will be empty and aligned in B.
The next pass will preselect the next row of the design on the top bed, and the process is repeated. When planning to drop stitches on the ribber, the designs often include racking to form secondary shapes.
The traditional placement is on the left after loops are formed. As the tool moves to the right, needles are raised, moving all loops behind the latches. With its return to the left, loops are dropped, forming the long stitches. The stitches on the ribber are hand selected each row, knit, and dropped, with the top bed knitting single rows rather than 2 for each row of the design when the beds are reversed.
This giant swatch shows the results; the stitches in the dropped pattern tend to get larger as they move further away from the knit stitches beside them. These were my earlier samples testing my hacked Studio tool, which failed double bed, then reverting to using the uncoupled ribber carriage to drop stitches.
Knitting details in the 2022 post Geometric shapes in drop stitch lace 4, stitch release, added racking. A larger test, with the idea begun in a spreadsheet including shapes in black, knit rows in purple, racking positions in green text with row numbers in black: keeping it more practical. The slider may be used, as described above, the tiny swatch. In my experience, moving the uncoupled ribber carriage back and forth is quicker. The difference in the stitch formation that happens with the ribber knitting two rows with automated loop formation patterning for dropped stitches on the top bed, while the top bed knits a single row between formation of loops on hand-selected needles on the ribber, with loops dropped after being formed on each row.
End release may be used on simple geometric shapes that do not contain knit rows. If the repeat or the item being produced is long in the number of rows, it can be performed periodically.
The knit carriage is set to slip in both directions, including on the first preselection row.
End needle selection is canceled.
It is best to use a tightly twisted fiber that does not split.
When programming the number of stitches for the number of needles in work, black pixel columns may be added on as borders on the left and right to stabilize the knit edges.
Contrary to other slip stitch designs, in automating the process, there are mostly blank areas, which will result in knit stitches on the ribber, while the black areas will result in the loops for dropping on the knit bed.
These shapes do not have vertical lines. As selection changes, the initial loops will be held until the last ones in each shape are formed.
The 10X24 repeat chart. When there is no needle preselection, rows 7 and 19 of the 24 rows, stitches on the knit bed are dropped.
The programmed repeat is 40X24. On the 930, the programmed designs match the direction in which they appear on the purl side. End release long stitches on the left, compared to those with the traditional paired row method used in the flower shapes on the right. Previously published related post links in reverse chronological order, followed by a low- resolution collage of some of the test swatches explored in them
Multiple color drop stitch lace using img2track and more
Revisiting drop/release stitch lace 1
Drop stitch lace using Ayab software 2/ HOP
Tuck stitch/ combination fabrics
Drop stitch lace using Ayab software
Geometric shapes in drop stitch lace 3, end release
Geometric shapes in drop stitch lace 2, Brother KM
Geometric shapes in drop stitch lace 1, Brother KM
Drop stitch lace, 2 colors per row, Passap KM
Drop stitch lace, 2 colors per row, Japanese machines
Revisiting knit “bubbles” brother KM
Brother KMs “pile knitting”/ ribber stitch dropping tools includes a downloadable PDF with instructions published by Brother for their KR 260 compatible slider model
Dropping whole rows:
Long stitches meet transfer lace
A tuck stitch combination fabric
Working with block shapes
More knit bubbles
More play with dropped stitches
Knit bubbles and “stitch ditchers/dumpers”
Working out the kinks in my drop stitch lace saga

If DBJ is preferred, an interesting variation using thick and thin yarns produces a stable and reversible knit with an interesting peek-through evocative of drop stitch lace.

On select machine knitting tools, old and new

I began to knit in the heyday of machine knitting, when local, national, and international seminars were held with accompanying marketplaces that made imported magazines and tools available directly from factories in Japan and Europe. As a result, I accumulated a huge stash of tools, including those for the Passap models, which also included duplicates of the Japanese tools with 5mm spacings.
I no longer own my Passap equipment.
My present shares address 4.5 and 9mm tools. Of those pictured below,
most were easily and commonly found, except for the accessory at the upper right and the gadget that accompanied the one on the bottom right (which I do not own). A few more:

Some have been frequently used, others were handy in demos, and a few have been waiting to meet machines or knits.
My remaining stash of 9mm tools is not pictured; that said, several pairs of now hard-to-find tools marked MT Stitch Tender are among them. Both German and Japanese manufacturers, at one point, provided an accessory to help in manual needle selection in patterns. Some were called Jac-40s, and the Brother model immediately became rare.
Adding to the confusion in terms of branding is that Knittax and the all-metal German-made KnitKing were closely related, effectively the same product marketed under different names in different regions during the 1950s and 1960s. Knittax was a 5mm machine.
The KnitKing name later became associated with Japanese plastic and metal Brother machines.
Some knitting machine history may be found in Daisyknits Brother compatibility charts and history, and Knitting machine history and information, Silver Reed +.
Information on the Passap Jac-40 and how to use it can be downloaded for free in two versions:
https://mkmanuals.com/downloadable/download/sample/sample_id/1001/
https://mkmanuals.com/downloadable/download/sample/sample_id/1002/
The Brother Jac is described as having been blue, while the Passaps were supplied in more than one color, sometimes marked with made in Germany. Early studio 9 mm metal beds came with no card reader or pattern selector.
My first machine was one, a Singer SK 150 metal bed. The PS 150 became available, a 12-stitch pattern selector that used punch cards as well, a collection of such card designs.
An excerpt from the PS manual:
The first few pages of how to use the 9mm version pictured at the top right of the first photo begin to explain its potential use for manually selecting and knitting patterns, sometimes with changes required every single row.

Added images in More on Brother DBJ, including KR 260 bulky KM options.
As built-in card readers were added to machines, adjustable tools were modified, with some are still available to aid in hand selection of needles or pushers, ie, the Passap 30 count model for 5mm machines, and now, with the advent of 3D printing, a version for the file for a 4.5 mm version with 36 slots: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5252410,
the description by the designer; 16.5 cm long ruler with 36 spaces for removable needle pushers for a flat bed knitting machine. Can be used to create unique patterns with a 36-stitch repeat. Designed for a standard gauge knitting machine, the spaces are 4.5 mm apart. Works equally well on a 9 mm gauge bulky knitting machine, just omit every other space.
Accessories and tools can be a boon in repetitive needle selections on either bed when automatic pattern selection is not available or possible.
I do not own a 3D printer, but have been able to acquire the adjustable selector and a stitch ditcher-slider for use on my 4.5mm Brother machines; info on its use to follow in a separate blog post. The 3D printed 36 selector operates akin to the factory-manufactured ones discussed above.
On wider needle groups, if moving from left to right, match some of the selections on the left of the tool to those on the needle bed on the right, and continue to select from there.
Some literature refers to the small companion pieces as needle pushers, in eBay Passap listings as pusher teeth, and here they are referred to as pins.
Some tips: not consistently inserting the pins in the same direction leads to incorrect spacing, as seen in the two groups on the right. To avoid that, mark to identify the facing side, and insert pins consistently with the nub side up or down. Having additional color pins or tools can help with irregular needle selections. One possible use of the tool on the single/ knit bed is to use it to make repeated selections in short rows. Pins may be inserted for needle arrangements between opposite beds at custom intervals. For illustration, here the selections are fixed.
Placing the required number of pins on either side of the tool, the rest can be used as a handle to maneuver the pins to move stitches out to the hold position or push them back into the work position.
When working on both beds with the ribber pitch set on P:
pins need to be inserted consistently, ie, beginning with nubs up in the slots on the top and nubs down into the slots at the bottom. This was my test selection; there is consistent spacing between and touching of adjacent pins across both sides of the tool. When the ribber pitch is set to H, the spacing is altered between the groups on the top bed and those on the bottom, as seen on the left, requiring adjustments. The tool, used with the marked side up and with pins inserted with nubs facing down, toward the back of the marked side, resulted in the following selection. The single pin on the left serves as an aid in its placement.Pins are so easily moved/ turned that custom placement can be tested to fulfill desired needle selection sequences.

Tuck and garter stitch: from hand knit to machine knit 2

I don’t usually write posts narrating in the first person, but here I am making an exception.
At the end of 2015, I attempted to reproduce a free hand-knit pattern shared and published on the Purl SOHO website and on Ravelry on the machine, and the related test swatch was a whopping 9 stitches wide.
At the time, I used the hold setting in the knit carriage to form alternating loops.
With my bulky now set up again, I wondered about a different approach.
The necessary loops can form with the use the tuck <-> setting.
The carriage needs to be on the side where the yarn is available on every pattern row before following carriage passes.
Using the hold button to bring the carriage to the opposite side after turning the work over would require all needles to be in the E position, making consideration for needle manual preselection for 2 positions necessary.
For this swatch, I chose to take the carriage off the bed and move it to the appropriate side as needed.
The knit carriage can perform tuck or slip functions without the addition of automatic patterning.
Needles hand-selected to the D or E position will knit; any remaining in the B position will tuck.
In this instance, colored cells in the chart represent D or E position needles, and white cells represent needles in B.
The repeat is an odd number of needles in width, 6 rows in height. The work is turned over after selecting and knitting rows 1 and 2, 4 and 5, but not after rows 3 and 6. The only row that knits with the carriage starting from the left is row 6.
Tools that can increase speed: any flat, hard-edged one to push groups of needles forward or back, in this case, my single bed cast-on comb, one to facilitate every other needle selection, and a bulky garter bar. The bulky machine was equipped with a single bed cast on comb. I do not find it pleasingly useful, and resort to the single bed one if needed.
The yarns I initially chose were painfully prone to splitting, helping to expand my use of expletives.
Once I found a more manageable yarn pairing, the actions became rhythmic as the piece grew in length.
My hack for evenly distributed weight and stitch management was to use the standard cast-on comb poked through some waste yarn, with the addition of a small ribber weight placed in the center hole. Both were left on throughout the process. When it was time to use the garter bar to turn the work over, with all the needles pushed out to the E position, it was easy to tug down on the comb and pull the knitting forward on the bed after checking that all the latches were closed and that the grooved side of the garter bar was facing up.
If some of the stitches are not moved properly and the work needs to be pushed back for another attempt, some eyelets of the garter bar may be stuck behind any closed needle latches and cannot come past them. Push the bar further back, make certain all latches are open, and it will then be able to move past them.
With the yarn removed from the carriage, the work can then be turned over.
With all needles in the E position, check that all latches are open, and replace stitches in the needle hooks.
After checking visually that the yarn is transferred properly and present in all needle hooks, the bar is shifted forward, free and away from both. It is possible at that point to use the straight edge to push the needle butts back to move all the needles/ stitches back to the B position, and then to pull down on the bar to remove it.
The carriage is brought to the opposite side, yarn is returned to the feeder, needle selection is made, and knitting continues.
The proof of concept:

Midjourney inspired knits 1: single bed diamond shaped strips

My son recently introduced me to Midjourney and generated many images capable of inspiring a range of machine knits. The interpretation and execution may not be as simple as would initially appear, particularly to non-knitters.
Commercial knitting machines are left out of this conversation. The fact that they have multiple beds, and compound needles that facilitate whole garment shaping makes complex structures possible that may only be partially reproduced on home models.
Japanese machines such as mine use two beds, with the ribber/ second bed added for knit and purl combinations, which may be lowered as seen below when not in use, or removed altogether. One accessory that would make things easier to reproduce more textured knit and purl variations would be a Brother G carriage, which operates on the top bed and slowly and loudly produces programmed patterns on both punchcard and electronic Brother models.
The initial Midjourney inspiration, and a “simpler” variation.

In hand-knitting concurrent shaping of both sides can be considered.
When working on 2 needles, because the work is turned over, knit and purl execution will change when ridges visible on both faces are planned.
Knit stitches are rectangular as opposed to square, often in a 4/3 ratio.
This chart begins to illustrate the actions involved. Machine knitters constantly look at the purl side when working on the top bed unless ladders are manually reworked into knit stitches or the work is turned over.
Turning the work over is executable using a garter bar accessory, available for use on multiple gauge machines. The standard and bulky garter bars offer sections that may be joined together for use on the whole needle bed, while the tool for holding, transferring, or turning over small stitches offers only 30 eyelets, the red lines on it were made with red nail polish, a handy way to mark KM tools or even linkers at fixed intervals to save constant counting.
The work is pushed off onto the garter bar with the curved ridges up and returned to the machine to create the purl ridges after turning the bar over.
At that time, the needle hooks will grab the stitches from back to front and the bar can be removed. If the yarn supply is to be kept continuous, the knit carriage and yarn need to be brought to the opposite side before resuming knitting.
Spreadsheets offer a way of visualizing steps ahead of any swatching. Not aiming for a direct copy of any of the Midjourney results, this is a start with 4-row sequences
and an illustration of how strips might be joined to produce slightly different side edges. The diamonds are formed by increasing and decreasing on both side edges.
The sample is knit in a 2/8 wool, which even when knitting at tension 9 yielded stitches far too tight to remove onto the standard gauge garter bar, the 30 stitch tool was used.
Stocking stitch tends to roll to the purl side. For a cleaner edge, fully fashioned shaping is used.
From the Brother knitting techniques book, to decrease a stitch: To increase one If both sides are shaped at the same time, the length may get affected by slight differences in stitch height formations on the carriage side as opposed to opposite the carriage.
In the test swatch increases and decreases were made consistently opposite the carriage, resulting in shaping on alternate sides every 2 rows.
Charting out the concept: the arrows represent the direction the carriage will be moving.
The blank row occurs where the knit is turned over.
A single row is knit across all stitches to the opposite side after the knit is turned before returning to shaping.
The last 2 rows in the chart would be the first 2 in the following shape.
The black cells represent what will become purl rows on the knit ground. The proof of concept: The machine-knit sample aside from a quick hand-knit on #8 needles, attempting garter ridges, offering a lesson in gauge and texture.
In a final piece, the shaping in the hand-knit would be carefully considered. A first draft plotting out arrangements for alternating knit/ purl ridges: the center column can be adjusted to any width, and cables or other manipulations could occur at the narrow pivot points.
Seaming or joining would occur in areas where rows are outlined in blue. Those areas could be lengthened as well.
The chart can be further marked for beginning with either a half or a full diamond. For hand knitters, the yellow cells would be purled with knit side facing, and knit with purl side facing. A Youtube video showing building the fabric using the short row technique: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7WrYOV2A6w&t=1297s
For anyone with intarsia or multicolor fondness, some AI color renditions based on triangles as well

On a very different note, large, nonrepetitive AI-generated portrait images may be superimposed with brushes in any chosen design repeat to render designs such as these:

Long vertical button holes/ slits in knit fabric 1: intarsia

There has been a long thread in the machine knitting FB page lately that arose from a share of these 2 images. There are three hand-manipulated methods available on most machines. True intarsia knits all parts of a design simultaneously and is best suited for complicated designs. Short-rowing is best suited to diagonal shapes, while the slip method is to vertical shapes. Both knit designs one section at a time and have no floats between shapes on the purl side.
True intarsia is also called bobbin or tapestry knitting.
Members contributed their concepts along with some of their swatches illustrating the idea that effects similar to the cables on the left could be executed in intarsia.
One member shared an Instagram link with a body of work by cari + carl using the technique.
I have been knitting for decades. Intarsia on the knitting machine along with cables or most hand-technique-only finished garments is something I have avoided at times, simply because they were too time-consuming when knitting items for sale in shows or even galleries, at others because some evoke my personal flight response.
I used to hand knit as well, preferred lace, intarsia, and most definitely complex cables knit on 2 needles.
Prior to attending a design school as a student, I worked in a shop that happened to sell knitting machines but whose main income came from selling yarn and lessons to hand knitters. As part of my responsibility, I had the job of hand knitting bulky intarsia sweater samples which at the time featured large images, often of birds or other animals, that were sometimes wrapped over the shoulder and onto the back or sleeves.
As I began to work on Brother machines, I acquired all the related accessories. My intarsia carriages other than in demos were stored unused for years. I gave away my yarn-brake years ago, and very recently shipped my Brother 260 bulky intarsia carriage to a Parsons student, so by default any of my experiments at present will be knit on a standard km.
I was stuck on the idea at first of large stitch count cable crossings being made by using holding techniques and initially could not imagine how the same could be done using an intarsia carriage. It took a while for me to sort out in my brain that slits may be created in intarsia by simply not wrapping stitches as the knitting continues and maintaining color changes across the row of knitting, resuming yarn crossings in the areas that require joining.
Some considerations: using the intarsia carriage, the stitches are formed in stocking stitch, so the resulting knit strips will tend to curl to the purl side, far more noticeable in narrow strips, perhaps less so in yarns that will result in stitches that are permanently set by blocking. Using bulky yarns on appropriate gauge machines may also lessen the curling.
Experimenting with familiar yarns helps determine whether the familiar knit carriage tension when using them on the single-bed matches that achieved when the intarsia carriage is in use.
My Brother Machine Intarsia Standard carriage is the KA-8210 model: It was intended for use on early Brother punchcard models listed in the manual. Trippers were required to advance the row counter in later models.

The B tripper doesn’t engage in my carriage, the A tripper does, and triggers the row counter in my 930.
The yarn placement for intarsia knitting is the same as that used in knit weaving.
“Sinkers” are provided with the accessory, and frequently turn up in the “identify this please” questions in forums. I have a tendency developed early on to use clothes pins as small weights when needed, used them in the swatch that follows, and if bobbins filled with yarns are used instead of the yarn balls or cones, their weight will be enough to keep yarn lengths manageable.
Each area of color has its own yarn supply, usually wound on bobbins.
Yarn bobbins are available in a variety of materials and sizes from cardboard to plastic or even wood. The overall shape may vary, but the concept of wrapping yarn around the center of a narrowing shape and slipping an end through a slot to secure it is shared by all types related to the image on the left. It is possible to make your own in similar configurations out of any material that will hold its shape.
The clamshell version became my preferred version of the tool. The small ones come in handy for holding ravel cords or even wire. When knitting more than a swatch it is likely far easier to work without a ribber in place. I like to do all my knitting with the main bed anchored and angled with ribber clamps rather than flat. If the threader is missing from the supply of sinkers, floss threaders can help, and are also handy when beading on the machine. The used yarn here is 2/18 To knit: begin with a familiar yarn. This carriage may actually produce a different stitch size and resulting gauge than the result when using the same tension number on the knit carriage, a factor if the plan is to combine intarsia segments with the main carriage for any stocking stitch across all needles in use.
Brother knitters are familiar with the preselection of needles when patterning. When using the intarsia carriage all the needles in work, B, are aligned in the D position. They are seen below just behind the latches.
Knitting may begin on either side. Start on waste yarn and ravel cord if working on a large piece, cast on, and knit one row unless casting on in different colors matters.
Remove the knit carriage and continue using the intarsia carriage, beginning with it opposite the side on which the knit carriage had been removed, leaving a yarn end. If any latches are closed, the stitches will drop on the next intarsia carriage pass. They will drop as well if the yarn skips being laid over any of the needles in the D position. There will be an eyelet at the very start of the process which is eliminated when the yarn ends are woven in. A reminder for Studio knitters: Brother needle positions are A, B, D, and E, C was present in very early models but was then eliminated permanently, while Studio kept the alphabet in proper order.
Laying on the yarn An illustration of the crossings to eliminate holes. I had initially begun on an uneven number of stitches, then decided it was more practical to be able to use 7 prong tools for my planned cable crossing, so I decreased on each side accordingly.
Eliminating the crossings will deliberately cause separations between the colors.
If the intent is to cross the resulting strips, then the side of each where transfers stop matters. Using the appropriate tools remove the stitches onto them. The yarn ends need to be kept free for the next intarsia carriage pass, the needles are aligned in the B position after the cable crossing is created. Remove the carriage by sliding it off the bed or using the release knob Return it to the opposite side to make a free pass and return to the side of the needle bed where the necessary yarn ends will be available to proceed. Resume wrapping to join the strips once more Knit to the desired length, and bind off in one or more colors.
When off the machine the stocking stitch strips will curl. Here the knit is exposed to steam and some light pressing This gigantic swatch, for me, is the end of my intarsia knitting, though it is best to never say never.
Tips and techniques for the Studio AG 50 Intarsia Carriage
Brother Intarsia without an intarsia carriage
If cable crossings are the goal for this and following slit techniques, planning the crossings in color can help track the process. This is one of my earliest illustrations for doing so, from my Excel days, followed by a series of later blog posts on the topic.

Knit weaving 1

In knit weaving, the knit carriage is threaded with the main yarn as usual. The choice of pattern is determined by needle selection. The most basic technique involves pulling the desired weaving needles forward manually or by using needle pushers, which are available in a range of selection options. Automatic needle selection makes the process faster, consistent, and capable of more variations.
The weaving yarn, according to instructions in manuals, may be threaded through the tension mast and guided through the weaving yarn guide. Feeding thicker yarn smoothly through the standard mast may become problematic. Moving yarn from the groove on one side to that on the other is cumbersome. The punchcard machine manual for the 860 machines has some clear illustrations and directions. From the 260 manual: The “yarn guide” is that mysterious notch in each arm of the sinker plate. In the Studio accessory, the AW1 weaving arm, the yarn is also fed through the yarn mast, and moved physically from side to side after each pass of the carriage. Start the piece with waste yarn and some evenly distributed weight based on fabric width. Make sure the weaving brushes are activated. In the Brother standard, their position is changed using the corresponding lever; in the bulky 260, the L and R wheel brushes need to be placed in their corresponding slots. A good repeat, to begin with, selects every other needle, every other row. The card is a standard factory issue with punchcard machines. In general, the knitting yarn is thinner than the weaving yarn. The tension needs to be adjusted to accommodate the surface yarn, not the background one. The tighter the tension, the firmer and narrower the weave. It is also possible to create soft knits with a lot of drape, i.e., by using sewing thread for the ground and fine mohair for the weft, there is a huge range for exploration.
The “weft” precedes the base knitting yarn, which knits the stitch. It is laid over the top loop of the old stitch on a needle selected by a hole in the card and goes underneath the top loop of a previous stitch on a needle not selected by a blank on the card. When card 1, above, is in use, the weaving yarn is caught in a series of two loops, one above and one below, forming a honeycomb effect. The structure is typically illustrated in these ways in Japanese reference books and magazines in particular. Early Brother punchcard volumes have illustrations of the over_under structures and in-between floats, along with providing the pattern repeats. Setting things up: the weaving yarn is in front of the machine, fed from the floor. The short end goes to the carriage side, and the long end is away from it. It is laid in front of the gate pegs, atop selected needles. A clothespin can provide enough weight on the short end to keep it from riding up and having to be managed with one’s hand. “Weaving” can begin from either side; here, it starts on the left. Knitting in 2-row sequences will return the yarn ends to the starting position. Locking the card, as with any other pattern, will repeat the same needle selection, creating vertical repeats that resemble twill weaving on a loom.
a: card set to advance normally, b: card locked a: because stitches are actually knitting every other row, slipping while the needles on each side of them knit, they will alternately be a bit elongated; b: same needles knit every row, so their appearance is consistent. Depending on the difference in yarn thickness, the knit stitches in the ground become forced apart with what can be significant “bleed-through” on the reverse of the weaving to make that a really interesting fabric feature as well.
Some weaving patterns with variable floats will produce better edges if the end needles are brought out to E in every row, if not selected to that position by the reader.
If a hairy or fuzzy yarn such as mohair is used, the fabric may start to bunch up; it may be necessary to reach up from behind the knitting and gently pull to release the little hairs from the gate pegs.
Most punchcards designed for weaving aim for short floats formed by unpunched areas; longer ones, on occasion, are planned for added manipulation.
Moving the yarn from the groove on one side to that on the other is cumbersome. Another way of working: the main yarn is threaded as usual, and the weaving yarn sits on the floor. The method is often referred to as intarsia weaving. The shapes may be created using various punchcard designs, i.e., diamonds, squares, etc, free-forming, or even by following planned drawings on knitleader mylar garment shapes.
The knitter guides the yarn. If the yarn is held too loosely, it may jump off the knitting while weaving and thus create long loops. It should be guided and held just enough to slip through the hand as the carriage is passed.
Preselect for the first row of knitting. Lay the weaving yarn across selected needles in the direction in which the carriage will be moving.
If using yarns of different yarn weights within the piece, multiple strands of the thinner yarn may be used together, but test how the strands feed and if plying might lead to problems. Using wrapping methods on some rows or even creating floats and hooking them up periodically can produce added interest.
If using more than one yarn per row, the approach is similar to intarsia. In true intarsia, every needle is in use. These illustrations are from an intarsia carriage manual; positioning the yarns for a first row from right to left, the “wraps” needed in each direction In knit weaving, assuming the first pattern row is preselected from left to right, with COR, the short end of the yarn of the carriage side, bring the first weaving yarn up from the floor, and lay it to the left across the selected needles, bringing it down between the last selected needle for A, and the first selected needle for B. In one method, bring the long end of the second yarn, B, up on the right side of the needle over which A just crossed, and lay it over the remaining selected needles and down to the floor. Small clothespins may be used to hold the short ends in place. When all the yarns have been laid in, grasp the ends loosely, pass the carriage to the left, and the first woven row will have been completed. The carriage will now be on the left, COL. For the next row, begin on the right, bring A up and between the two needles directly above it, take it over selected needles to the end of selected needles, and down to the floor. Then take yarn B and bring it up around the left-hand needle, over and to between the two needles that served as the starting position for A. The yarns do not overlap the same needle going to the right, but they do to the left.
The more traditional intarsia crossings may also be used, with the new yarn passing under and over the old between needles, as seen here with the next row to be knit from left to right. a: crossings made using the traditional intarsia method, b: wrapping over the adjacent needle moving from left to right, c: no crossing at all, also revealing single knit stitches between weaving yarns. In some spots, my weaving yarn split and got knitted along with the ground yarn. To create isolated shapes: lay the yarn in any chosen area. Shaping may happen in a straight vertical, a, there may be a slight separation along that edge. Increases are possible on both sides at the same time, and are best done by adding a single new selected needle to the pattern, b. Moving further out, crossing over more weaving needles will cause floats, as seen in c and d. The woven segment forces the knit stitches apart, so the stocking stitch on either side of the shapes, e, appears to be formed by smaller stitches, and pulls in toward the shape
The ground yarn and color may be changed for added striping and color interest. Sharp angles are created by crossing over two weaving needles, and more gradual ones by crossing over more needles. Blank areas of ground may be left as well.
The intarsia approach may also be used with other cards designed for all-over patterning.

Using far thicker yarns may be made manageable when changing the card repeat or using weaving repeats with 12-stitch wide repeats, working on specific needles on a punchcard machine, or simply programmed twice as wide on electronic ones. The expanded version of every other needle set up for the punchcard models. Sometimes plain knit rows need to be added between lines of weaving to help manage thicker yarns in any configuration or to add color interest and width changes to the piece.
Woven rows may be used to create folds in pleats.

Other weaving techniques include the pulling-up method, as a stand-alone or combined with lace patterning: from a Brother punchcard volume. Three more hooking-up variations, including latching graduated-size floats
A later experiment combining weaving with tuck patterning Hand techniques: e-wrap rows may also be incorporated with any of the above or used alone, sketches of some varieties may be used around every needle or every other depending on the thickness of the yarn: a sketch eons ago. Commercial warp knit structures are often represented as in this illustration. On domestic knitting machine models, a knit ground is needed to anchor the moving loops, which in turn are added on as a hand technique, referred to as vertical weaving, sometimes simply as embroidery.
Japanese instructions that came with the purchase of the standard garter bar had schematics for a variety of surface treatments. The accessory came with foam-backed strips intended to be clipped onto the width of the garter bar segment being used, useful in maintaining even spacing between yarn threads when working on wide areas of vertical weaving, as well as providing helpful weight. Any weight used to help handle the long ends of the weaving yarn on any number of threads will need to be moved down periodically. More wrap ideas from the Jones punchcard volume. Added variations can happen by changing the spacing between wrapped stitches, the number of rows between the moves, spacing threads apart, and using yarns in different thicknesses and colors.
In terms of tools to hold the weaving yarns, in addition to the garter bar, multiple transfer tools may be used, even bobbins. That said, the most efficient way is to have a guide suitable for the overall fabric, especially when creating wider pieces with spaced weaving repeats.
It is possible to create cardboard guides with holes based on gauge, whether on the standard or the bulky, and with 3D printing, nowadays, a whole other world for custom tools is open.
Matching the gauge with guides has some leeway, but the closer the match, the faster and easier the process.
When using thicker yarns for the warp knit, spacing in both stitches and rows becomes a necessity.
A half-hearted attempt at a template. Markings were generated to be point/mm specific. Directions for needle tapes and a downloadable spreadsheet may be found in the post on doing so using a Mac computer.
If working in narrow panels, individual segments may be more effectively managed if a bit slower to use than a wider tool.
This is the wrong way to feed the yarn, as the row gets knit woven in, the yarn will be locked in place and cannot be advanced to proceed up the knit The way to have continuously available yarn Adding a second set of holes for the yarn stabilize the short yarn ends and maintain even spacing throughout, some tape could be used in addition to secure the ends on wider widths of vertical weave A spreadsheet or graph paper may be used to plan the configuration of the weaves including double wraps, this was executed using Numbers, individual bobbins might be a practical consideration In my own experience most hand techniques and single bed textures are far easier to execute with the ribber removed. It is easier to view progress, move up weights, and correct mistakes. That said, my machines are all set up with the ribber brackets, not flat. I feel it helps slide the knit down toward the gate pegs, and in my opinion, that makes textures and even lace easier to produce. I have ribber covers, they can be improvised if needed with paper or cloth, never use them since I see no reason for moving the knit on the top bed in front of the ribber. If the ribber is removed, it is worth checking its balance once more prior to returning to any rib knit. Ultimately, this sort of thing is about personal preference; no steps are ever universally applicable and correct.

Tufting may be created with the help of a sewing machine.

“Weaving” foreign objects can be achieved by picking up loops from other knits, woven, trims, crochet chains, etc. Beads may be threaded onto weaving yarn as well. Experimental swatches may be found in the post

Brother shadow lace, rib transfer carriage

I have probably owned this accessory since the early 90s. After making a faint-hearted attempt at using it at the time and failing, it has been stored in the original box in the interim and just came out of retirement. The multiple languages operating manual for its use may be downloaded from http://machineknittingetc.com/brother-ka7100-ka8300-transfer-carriage-user-guide.html. There are several video tutorials available on Youtube. As a group, they generally illustrate simple transfers across an entire row in structures such as ribs used for bands and cuffs. This one is offered by Knitology 1×1, Elena Berenghean, a young knitter publishing very good machine knitting video instruction on a huge range of techniques.
The tool is designed for the standard gauge and transfers only from the ribber up to the main bed. It is best to use yarn that has some stretch. The recommendation in the manual and in youtube videos is to perform the transfers with the pitch set to H. My own ribber is balanced, I found I had problems with transfers in that position, several carriage jams, and to get things to work properly in half-pitch I had to use the racking handle to move the ribber needles slightly more to the left for the transfers. The needles containing stitches to be moved, need to be slightly to the right of the needles with which they will share yarn, that spot may turn out to also be just wide enough to allow for the pattern to be worked without changing the ribber pitch. The yarn used is a 2/18 Merino, knit at tensions 3/5. In terms of positioning the carriage, a wire that is akin to that found on Passap strippers is on its underneath. In positioning the carriage on the beds, check visually that it is indeed lying between the gate pegs of both beds prior to attempting to travel with it to the opposite side If any carriage jam occurs, it takes cautious wriggling to release the wire and carriage. Upon completion of the transfers, simply lift up to remove it from the beds.
Generally, the ribber tension used needs to be set on 4 at the minimum. The last row just prior to transfers will likely need to be knit at a looser tension than the remaining rib. If the stitches are too small they will not be picked up for the transfer. Folks familiar with lace knitting are aware that just the right amount of weight can make a difference in forming proper transfers. With these fabrics, too little weight may result in loops forming on gate pegs, too much weight, and stitches may remain over closed latches on the ribber needles and not share their yarn for transfers. Again, the transfer carriage operates only from right to left.
Studio instructions for their version of the accessory actually offer some different and more specific recommendations. When knitting full needle rib all the needles or pattern segments the machine generally will be in Half Pitch. Though there are needles in work on both beds, the ribber should be set to full pitch, aka P position, “point to point” prior to transfers, bringing them in close alignment in order to facilitate the process. Passap machines accomplish the same by changing the angle of the racking handle to other than the full, up placement in order to achieve the necessary alignment.
The Brother accessory and its parts, have clear imprinted illustrations for use

The change lever has only 2 positions, up and down respectively Its position is determined by the number of needles on the ribber one wishes to transfer.
The carriage manual recommends its use after knitting a last ribbed row to the left, but it is possible to use it with both knitting carriages on either side, as long as there is generous space to clear all stitches when the accessory is placed on the bed, moved to the opposite side, and removed. An extension rail may be needed to achieve that amount of clearance.
Operating slowly, one can watch the process of transfers while moving from right to left. Though skeptical, I found the transfers happened easily, with occasional skips. I worked with hand-selection of needles on the ribber to create a pattern, first with hand-selection, then with racking the ribber position to change the relationship of needles on one bed to the other, initially transferred after every 2 rows knit. The knit carriage was set to knit both ways, the ribber to knit in one direction, creating loops on the selected needles, and securing them in the other, allowing for the loops on the ribber needles to be transferred up to the main bed, before working 2 more rows. The “errors” in patterning were operator errors in needle selection as stitches were dropped, and not all the required needles were then returned to work position. Not a technique I would use for all-over fabric, but good practice. When the transfer occurs properly, the ribber needles will have yarn placed over closed latches, ready to be dropped, the yarn is shared and looped over stitches on the main bed, akin to tuck loops, outlined in the photo with the black oval. The first image is from the manual for the accessory, while in the photo, one improperly transferred stitch is outlined in red. To prevent dropped stitches from happening, any such locations will require a hand transfer to the opposite bed before dropping the remaining ribber bed shared stitches For my test I used EON needles on the ribber, planned alternating selection for each new transfer. This could be done by selecting dashes and blank spots on needle tape ie. dash in the above photo, blank spaces below It was faster to achieve the effect by changing the ribber relationship to the main bed using racking by one position ie 10, 9, 10, 9, etc. prior to picking up the subsequent set of loops. The errors in the test swatch were from failing to bring all the needles back up to work after dropping their stitches. Using a tool ie. a ribber comb placed over the out-of-work needles prior to dropping stitches made the racking process far less error-prone, will keep the appropriate needles from being accidentally taken out of work. My first attempt at creating shapes includes a band at the bottom where the EON transfers as above were made, but every row. Simply bringing needles into work on the opposite bed creates an eyelet. They can be eliminated by sharing stitch “bumps” on the opposite bed, but for the moment they are a design feature. The texture created appears in the areas involved on both sides of the knit It is possible to transfer single needles at sides of shapes ie or whole rows, but the change lever needs to be set to position accordingly.

Many knitters have one of these tools in their stash, they are sometimes referred to as “jaws”, intended to facilitate transferring between both beds, and patterning was intended for Studio punchcard machines. The enclosed punchcards: Shadow lace tools are marked side 1 and side 2. Some are blue on one side, cream or white on the other, the blue side is side 1. The process always begins with side 1, or blue. When the stitches have been removed, the jaws are closed, allowing the stitches to slide over to side 2. The jaws are once again opened, and the stitches are transferred to the opposite bed. Studio machines select and knit in single pass rows. Brother preselects for the next row of knitting while knitting any one row in pattern as well, so transferring in pattern from the top bed down with such a tool would be problematic to maintain proper pattern needle selection.
To transfer from the ribber up on any machine, place the teeth of the jaws on the needles on the ribber, holding it with both hands. Pull needles up until all stitches are behind the latches, then push down with another tool or one of your hands until all stitches are on the jaws.
Release the tool from the ribber needles, and rotate it away from you, toward the main bed. Close its teeth so the stitches are transferred onto side 2.
Open teeth, place eyelets over the main bed needles, and stitches are transferred onto the main bed by rotating the tool away from you just a little and tugging down a bit.
On Brother, the possibility of having patterning on the top bed to help track patterning on the ribber in some way comes to mind. This was my start, with the first draft of electronic repeats. I stopped when I began to have some tension issues, loops on gate pegs, and a distracted brain.
Transfers of stitch groups, whether by hand or using the accessories are made on rows where no needle preselection occurs on the main bed This series is a proof of concept for my approach to developing electronic cuesThe original repeats were modified to include 2 blank rows between segments that allow for transfers between beds not hampered by needle preselection on the top bed. The motifs are color reversed, but not the blank rows between them. The knit carriage is set to select needles KC I or II, end needle selection does not matter. All needles on the top bed knit every stitch, every row, whether or not those design rows contain black pixels. No cam buttons are pushed in. Blank areas between black ones indicate the number of needles that actually need to pick up loops on the ribber to create shapes, filling in spaces between selected needles until an all-blank row is reached for making transfers. The chart on the far right illustrates a shape where the easiest method becomes one where stitches on the ribber are manually transferred to the top bed in order to reverse the shape and maintain every row preselection. The selected needle corresponding to the black square marked with the top of the red arrows is pushed back, the ribber stitch below is transferred onto it, the needle with the couples stitches is brought to E position, moving across the bed in proper locations prior to knitting the next row. In this repeat, the side vertical panels of ribbed stitches are added. The knit stitches on each side of them roll nicely to the purl side, creating what in some fabrics can actually be planned as an edging. My takeaway is to test the accessory with some patience, sort out the sweet spot for the ribber needles in relation to main bed ones in terms of handling transfers and yarn thickness, use colors that allow for easy recognition of proper stitch formation, keep good notes, and “go for it”.

One way to add color to the mix is to use the plating feeder.

In the first sample, equal thickness yarns were used, the colored yarn was a rayon slub with no stretch and slippery nature. The bottom of this test used a wool yarn of equal weight to the light color, which proved hard to knit. The red is a 2/48 cash-wooll A very narrow test for a possible pleated pattern

It is possible to construct the same type of fabric on a striped background. It can be achieved low tech with graph paper and pencils if needed, using a simple paint program, Gimp alone, this is my process using Numbers and Gimp:
1. determine the desired shape, width, and height, checking that it also tiles properly
2. create a table with square cells the same width as the number of stitches in your design, twice its height; use an even cell size ie 20X20 pt
3. hide all odd-numbered rows from the top of the table down, the table will shrink from 20 rows to 10
4. draw your repeat
5. unhide all rows
6. copy and paste the table; double the cell pt height only to 40, making the repeat twice as long
7. mark corners or part of the edges with another color to make it easier for Gimp to identify them, select all and remove borders, grab the image with an added surrounding colorless border
8. open the screengrab in Gimp, use crop to content, fill colored squares with white, change the mode to indexed BW, scale the result to the appropriate size, in this case, 18X40, export png Cast on for EN or EON rib. Transfer all the main bed stitches down to the ribber. Extra stitches can be cast on and transferred in addition to the planned width of the repeats to create a border on either side of the designs. During patterning there will be stitches in work on both beds at intervals, so the pitch needs to be set to H while knitting. When the top of the piece is reached, transfer all ribber stitches to the main bed and bind off.
The first preselection row is knit from right to left in the contrast ground color.
With COR bring all the needles to be worked in the pattern color to B position on the top bed.
The knit carriage is set to slip in both directions. End needle selection is canceled. The ribber remains set to N/N for the duration. Knit to the left and begin changing colors every 2 rows.
The shape increases are created automatically, with eyelets at the edges where each stitch is picked up for the first time on the top bed. COL when the first needle is preselected in this case for the start of the next shape, transfer all previously formed design stitches on the main bed down to the ribber, continue knitting If any stitches are pushed all the way back or in mixed alignment during transfers, be sure to return them all to B position, not disturbing the needles already preselected for the next pattern row, repeat as needed. Because one color knits with every carriage pass while the other slips behind it not knitting for those 2 rows, the striped background fabric will become distorted depending on yarn and stitch size used, most likely particularly noticeable at the top and bottom edges of the piece.

Seaming, joining, picking up stitches on knits 1

This time of year I am usually producing machine knit felt hats for sale, on my 260 Brother bulky KM. They are knit sideways and require seaming on their completion. Photos of some steps in the process, taken a previous year: screenshot_82 for a sense of scale before felting after blocking and drying
screenshot_84 My customer handout:
Knitting has traditionally been felted to make it weatherproof, warm, and long-lasting. Examples include Scandinavian mittens, caps, and jerseys, Estonian multicolored jackets, closely-knit felted jackets worn around the North Sea Coast from the 17^th century onwards, and knitted and felted Tudor caps.
Wool and hair fibers have microscopic scales, which all point in the same direction, and when such fibers are subjected to heat, moisture, movement, and friction, the fibers will become swollen and soft, and will move against each other in the direction of least resistance. Adjacent scaly surfaces cannot move against one another if the scales on each surface are opposed, and if they are forced to, the scales will lock. Felting is a progressive process that cannot be reversed, only halted.
These hats are knit (or crocheted) in very large, loose stitches. Their shape comes from varying the number of stitches along the surface of the hat, with many more rows on the brim area than on the crown. Most are reversible. In making them, I like to blend many shades of woolen yarn, sometimes adding boucles or mohair. The coloration and stitch structure varies whether viewing the purl or the knit side. The shaping is in the knit.
The large, loosely knit forms are felted by agitation and washing in hot and cold water until the desired shrinkage is obtained. The brim will fold and mold differently depending on whether the hat’s knit or purl side is worn on the outside. No two hats are exactly alike in size or color. They will retain their shape if folded flat and may be cared for as one would care for any fine, washable fabric.
If hand washing: use cool water only, mild soap, do not soak, some molding or blocking may be required.

There is a lot published on methods to graft open stitches using Kitchener. Hand-knit magazines both in Britain and here have begun to present joining a variety of pattern stitches with charts that visually clarify the process. A small portion of such a chart: With bulky knits such as my hats, I like to take open stitches onto circulars and sew them together by hand as shown below, beginning on right, and with the knit side facing me.

joining knit ending on waste yarn, purl side facing joining knit ending on waste yarn, knit side facing joining garter stitch ending in waste yarn Diana Sullivan offers youtube videos showing how to join pieces with waste yarn endings with their purl side or knit side facing respectively.

Seam-as-you-knit is an option for joining vertically. It is a technique that may be used to attach bands, parts of a sweater, or strips of knitting, whether for the sake of additional width, changes in color, or attached with purl side facing the knit side if that is the goal. The piece on the machine is always purl side facing. With each row knit, a “loop” is created on the carriage side, while a “knot” is formed on the opposite side as the row is completed. The process then reverses as the carriage returns to its original position. The technique may be done on either, or even both sides at once. The first piece(s) is (are) completed and taken off the machine. Begin the join to piece with the cast on row or waste yarn. For a test, with COR: pick up the first knot or loop on the completed piece. Hang it on the left end needle/ stitch on the cast on work (opposite the carriage). Knit 2 rows. Go to the next knot or loop on the completed piece, place it on the same left side needle/ stitch. You are hanging on the far needle opposite the carriage every 2 rows.

The knit fabric, purl side facing A one-eyed tool is inserted from front to back through either a loop or a knot, and hung on the first needle hook/stitch on the right, left, or even both sides of the piece every 2 rows. Joining “loops” generally works well in standard gauge knitting. On the bulky, or where a “tighter” seam line is needed, join “knots”.
The same method may be used to join the side edge of any piece of knitting to any portion or location on the one in progress.
When hems need to be hung at the top of a knit or within its body if only one color is used, if long seams are to be joined, or a width needs to be rehung for joining to match its mate, it is helpful to have yarn markers across the row, or periodically along the sides of the pieces at fixed intervals. These illustrations are from the Brother Knitting techniques Book

Brother KMs: punchcards and their use

I have recently become involved in a year-long project at UMass Lowell and will share details as they develop. Most of my blog posts are written for those who already have a basic knowledge of techniques. Since I may soon be involved in teaching basics to non-knitters on Brother models, I am in the process of getting some informational notes together and thought I would share them here as well.

The first 24-stitch punchcard readers appeared in the mid-1970s. The reader sits on the far right of the knitting machine; it actually reads 7 rows below the row visible at eye level on the machine exterior, establishing a numerical relationship between motif repeat design rows and those viewed

cards may be purchased pre-punched (1), as individual 24X60 blanks, or in continuous rolls (2); a card punch (3) is used to punch holes rows: for any card to roll in a continuous pattern vertically (rows), cards are joined to form a roll. A minimum of 36 punched rows is required. Snaps are used to join the beginning and end of a single card or multiple cards sequentially. There are excellent, free downloads now for pattern books including designs for all varieties of MK fabrics. It is possible to have the machine knit rows in double-length ‘automatically’, it is the only built-in possible alteration of the pattern. Masking or cello tape is a temporary solution to testing repeat variants or to repair errors (both sides of the card), otherwise re punching of the whole card is required for any changes

stitches: the maximum repeat width (stitches) is 24, 24 squares, one line on the card. On Brother KMs the repeat is centered with 12 stitches on either side of the center “0” marking (2). The needle position indicator is marked in thick and thin lines (1), each representing one whole design row repeated in width. If one wishes to shift motifs on the knit piece, invisibly join designs, etc., the only alternative is to determine the width and needle locations required and then to shift the knitting position on the bed by repeat or its segments.

needle tape

Motifs must fit together within the 24-stitch limit, so individually they must be factors of that number: 1,2,3,4,6,8,12,24 (height calculations must have a minimum of 36 rows punched, so different math is involved there as well)

Anatomy of a card: all squares are punched top and bottom for 2 rows each. They are not part of the design and overlap the first and last pairs of rows, respectively, when snaps are in place. Hence, the design motif remains continuous.

Any image will be reversed on the knit side, of note in planning lettering or motifs where direction matters. With the change knob set to KC or SM, punched holes in the card will preselect needles to the D (Brother models skip C) position, and unpunched holes will leave them in the B position. A 24-stitch repeat with needle selection for row 1 (card is from a set supplied by Brother with machine purchases).

Markings as they appear on the needle bed: The extra markings on the needle tape in my machine are water-soluble ink marks from one of my projects to help track techniques.
End needle selection: The card in place in the reader: line up the two pairs of holes at the right edge and clip those together with a card clip, do the same on the left.
The numbers on the right side of the card should be continuous. If there is a gap in the numbers, the back piece has been put in on top of the front one, and if fed in this manner the card may jam. Unsnap and join the card properly to knit patterns in a continuous loop.
Preparing for pattern knitting from a Brother manual: The elongated triangle is used to knit each punched row twice.

Working with motifs in networks with 24 stitch limit: checkerboard is formed with the isolated motif, originally measures 8 stitches by 16 rows; repeats in the charts below are outlined in green, and colored squares correspond to holes punched in the card

adding simple patterns staggering horizontally for brick repeat (now too wide for the card) staggering vertically for half drop repeat, (row adjustment)checkerboard begun with an 8 stitch repeat half drop: repeat begins to change in width brick triangle added larger repeat variations

Electronic machines are able to use punchcard designs as well. Only one pattern repeat needs to be programmed. Factors of available maximum width in stitch repeats, depending on machine brand:

24: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12 30: 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 10, 15 40:1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 10, 20 60: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 12, 15, 20, 30

More to ponder: knit stitches are not square; they are rectangular, so representational knits, no matter the size, require some mathematical adjustments to retain their aspect ratio. An interesting illustration of this is seen in attempts to knit a circle.
Common ratios for knitting are 4:5 and 2:3 (height to width), with stitches usually wider than tall.
Gauge is the stitch-to-row ratio that allows one to calculate height and width for finished knit pieces. It is the basis for creating and shaping the items, which in turn may then be assembled into garments or size-specific end products.
The Diophantine equation (referred to in knitting as the “magic formula”) may be used to calculate increases, decreases, and shaping. There are many excellent how-tos and calculators to aid in the process. The old Brother accessory calcuknit and its emulator took some of the “work” out of the process and were later replaced by similar functions in consoles or software. Sometimes charting out the shapes based on such calculations was referred to as “ragu charting”.

A postscript: punchcard machines continued to evolve and became easier to operate over the years. Those markings on the end of the needle bed did not always skip the letter C. The KH 800, 1971-72, which preceded the 24th punchcard models, had several more needle positions, including the now-missing C

An illustration of one of its fair isle cards and accompanying instructions for the settings Fine gauge machines with 3.6 mm needle spacings are considered fine gauge, ie. SK-270, SK-272, SK-370, and SK830 models. A punchcard volume with 30 stitch suitable repeats (Studio) can be adapted for electronic Brother models https://mkmanuals.com/empisal-knitmaster-fk-370-270-pattern-book.html

Brother KMs “pile knitting”/ ribber stitch dropping tools

I am pondering returning to some drop stitch lace experiments on my Brother KM. I have blogged previously on drop stitch lace and some of the tools that can help speed up the technique. Studio has marketed a “pile knitting” accessory usable for this purpose, still being manufactured. A recent web search revealed its cost is presently in the range of approximately 13 to 20 dollars per unit. As is, the tool does not work on the Brother machine. One of the critical differences between brands is in the shape of the rear rail. Brother KMS, in addition, has an elevated metal piece at the center of the KM, behind the rear rail and in front of the belt, as seen below in 2 of their different models, that hinders smooth movement by a tool across the length of the space it rests on. Issues with using the tool as manufactured: its back “rail” (1) is taller than the front (2), keeping the unit from sitting flat on the Brother bed, and also striking the metal rectangle pictured above. The front parts (3) and (4) do not align properly with the metal bed and further interfere with use. studio p carriage:presser

Some sliding of the tool along the Brother metal bed, comparing the placement for areas within which the needles need to move, led to my altering the carriage by trimming the rear rail (1). Initially, I used a handheld electric sander, followed by a nail file to “even” things out rather than making any effort to cut the plastic.
In my revision (1) is now shorter than (2), rather than taller, and flush with the top of the curved ridges between both.

The Brother Bulky 260 “D slider” was supplied with bulky kms. PDF directions on how to use it from the KR 260 Manual: D slider bulky.
So far, I have tried the altered Studio tool out on solid color knitting with hand needle selection. All knitting needs to be on the ribber if the main bed is going to make stitches for pile, drop/ long stitch (aka mesh in some references) lace. For a test: with both KC buttons selected to slip, hand select needles for long stitches, put out to holding, and knit across all needles. Selected stitches only will have caught loops on the main bed; all stitches will be knit on the ribber. Using the tool now that needles are back in B on the main bed, passing it from Right to Left brings all needles out to D, traveling back from Left to Right with it realigns them in B, dropping them. B is the needle position for needle selection on rows with no punched holes, black squares, or pixels when programmed patterning is used on the machine.
Instructions in the studio manual show it in use, with all parts in place. A reminder: Studio needle positions are A, B, C, D, while Brother skipped the third letter of the alphabet, using A, B, D, E on its beds.

Images from a 2026 search: Susan Guagliumi’s video from 8 years ago shows a version missing those front parts, views of the latter, grabbed from the video. A downloable manual with clear illustrations of use on Studio machines, including for a tighter ribber cast-on.
The only images I was able to find of it online, outside the video, were on this website, which states, “there is also a P-carriage for standard machines that is also equipped with a removable P-presser (a metal spring-loaded addition).”
A recent 3D printed model demonstrated here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGjPwGqFJhQ