Category: Hand Techniques

Geometric shapes on ribber fabrics formed with tuck stitches 4

The term brioche in knitting is often used loosely in any references to tuck stitches. Here the term refers to vertical designs specifically produced with hand techniques, moving groups of stitches on the top bed.
Designs may be worked in single colors, or with more complicated planning, they may be executed in 2 colors.
For executing blocks of texture in one or two colors with and without racking  see Fisherman_ English tuck stitch rib 1_ checks patterns_ Brother, Passap 
racked, single-color sample. Other explorations of the use of tuck stitch settings in 2-color double-bed every needle rib fabric began with attempting to create a solid color shape on a vertically striped ground in Geometric shapes on ribber fabrics with tuck stitches 1  Another simple shape was programmed, and varied carriage settings on either or both beds were explored in Geometric shapes on ribber fabrics with tuck stitches 2; knitting with 4 carriages. Geometric shapes on ribber fabrics with tuck stitches 3  uses self-drawn repeats and  multiple colors. varying carriage settings while using only 2 colors  Lace transfers meet fisherman rib in 2 colors on Brother KM 1Lace transfers meet fisherman rib, 2 color ribbed brioche on Brother machines 2 , one of several swatches. These are advanced, complex fabrics. The repeats for 2 colors can grow exponentially in length.
Returning to designing suitable repeats, beginning in a spreadsheet: grey vertical lines represent stitches on the ribber, which will force apart stitches created on the top bed forming the more familiar tuck rib surface. Mac Numbers offers the opportunity to hide either/ both columns and rows. In this instance, with the 10 grey columns hidden, one begins to get the sense of shapes and movements needed on the top bed   Working toward a repeat for knitting the shapes in a single color, imagining the location of eyelets resulting from stitch transfers, I used two repeats, adjusting the first one to vary the resulting shape slightly A 11X30 repeat mirrored horizontally for use on my 930, tiled twice horizontally before programming and downloading, used as a 23X30 single motif to obtain a matching border on each side, A 9X28 repeat, my second try, programmed as a 20X28 single motif, As described in previous posts, in knitting using only one color, the machine is set with the main bed tucking on every needle in one direction, followed by knitting on every needle as it returns to the starting side, the ribber does the same but in the opposite direction. It is a circular tuck, also referred to as fisherman’s rib. A slight shift in patterning may change the outline of the desired shape, requiring introducing or removing stray lines or secondary shapes.
The cam setting options: In a two-color brioche, when no needles are selected on the top bed (white squares), the top bed will tuck every needle; the ribber is set to knit. 

When needles are selected on the top bed (black squares), the ribber is set to tuck in both directions. Brother preselects needles for the next row to be knit, on rows with partial selection and some needles in the B rather than the D position, with an appropriate transfer tool, move the stitches on the non-selected needles to the adjacent selected needles to their right after pushing it (them) back to the B position.
After each transfer, push all needles involved in the transfer and the now empty needle to the E position.
As the carriage returns to the opposite side an all-knit row will be completed. Several tension adjustments may be needed to ensure loops are not hung up on gate pegs as stitches move across the bed, while still being loose enough to knit off properly.
A first repeat, plotted in a spreadsheet including borders Here groups of columns are eliminated to bring the shapes close together The yarns used are white 2/15 and red 2/10 wool.  The latter is coarsely spun and tends to split and occasionally not properly knit off, resulting in the specks on the white columns on the reverse, making it a poor choice for final projects.

Studio/Silver Reed machines published some designs for pile knitting in their punchcard volume  

The inspiration page   The #14 24X42 repeat used in this sample was color-reversed before being downloaded to the 930  checking tiling punchcard machine users would punch all black cells. The pattern is worked with end needle selection canceled, the knit carriage is set to tuck in both directions and the ribber carriage to knit in both.
The first and last needles in work are on the ribber bed.

The #13 design, is composed of 24X16 segments  repeated X2
The 16X32 rendered double length to 24X32 was used to knit this slip-stitch double bed fabric  The 24X16, file color was reversed and this 26X32 file added black pixels in width for more definition of the shapes The yarn used is a 2/20 wool, so thin that there is less definition between the two stitch types and enough open space between the stitches to show the surface beneath the swatch, which measures 13.5 inches in width, 7.25 in height A DIY attempt at a large scale design: the 24X38 was found in Pinterest, published in 2018 and credited to a Russian site.
The starting design, in BW indexed mode 24X38 the tiled repeat results in a horizontal striping 24X38 scaled in Gimp X4 to 96X152 Mode >RGB
open a new file, in this case, 8X2 using a color and white
white color to alpha, copy to clipboard to use it as a brush
bucket fill the first image with the pattern click on the select by color tool, click on the red, and use the bucket fill tool again, making certain that the background or foreground colors are selected, not pattern fill  click on the rectangle select tool and back in the work window to fix the layer, Mode >BW indexed, color invert the result for knitting using the tuck double bed setting
The yarn used in this swatch is a 2/20 coarse and unevenly spun wool, which leads to the variable moiret-like bleed-through of the fabric colors behind it.  The same yarn was then used double-stranded. Some spots were harder to knit than others due to changes in ply quality resulting in snags in texture as well. The shapes are more clearly defined, the largest shape measures 7.5 inches of the 11-inch swatch width and 3 3/8 inches in height. This swatch began with a 25X25 pixel file, processed in Arahpaint drawn in repeat using the random >preview option until a final version was chosen and rendered double-length. Brush fill was used to expose every other row, and the resulting 75X150 file was color-inverted for use with the tuck setting These knits produce a subtle texture easily on both sides and lie flat.

This design is not suitable for this exercise but is another illustration of the horizontal/vertical striping that can happen when large-scale designs repeat proving the need to tile the patterns before knitting them to visualize whether they meet one’s personal preferences
71X64

Using programming with punched holes or pixels in other ways:
Using punchcards (3) or electronics to track small cables in pattern
Using  punchcards to track cables and twists in pattern 2
Using punchcards to track small cables in pattern (1) 

Unconventional uses for punchcards 3: lace in rib
Unconventional uses for punchcards 2: thread lace cards for filet mesh 
Unconventional uses for punchcards 1: tracking racking positions in ribbed fabric

Knit weaving 5: manipulated floats

Most pubs include variations of sequences such as in this illustration showing the first float traveling under subsequent ones. This chart visualizing the process for a specific repeat was generated using Mac Numbers.
The side edges need to be planned for the best effect, the columns marked with yellow cells indicate possible repeat starts and stops.
The 8X16 design is suitable for use on electronic and punch card models,   A minimum punchcard repeat is 24stitches X32 rows  This swatch was knit using a chenille yarn for weaving, its fibers expand as the fabric rests, lessening the space that can enhance the definition between the floats
Translating published patterns sometimes requires testing the process by hand-selecting needles to develop programmable DIY designs.  The Brother cassette knitting pattern book  includes a series of samples utilizing the technique, and these illustrations
In fabrics such as these, the latch hook is inserted under floats from the first formed up, the last float is caught in the hook of the tool, pulled down behind them, brought forward, up, and lifted onto specific needle locations before further weaving or plain knitting resumes on all needles in work. A random selection:   The repeats are represented in a clockwise rotation,  the first swatch however, disregarded that fact and was a best guess at DIY based on hand-selection of needles.
As already mentioned, the latch tool is used to slide under the first 3 floats grabbing the yarn in the newly created longer float, bringing it under and then to the front of the group of three, and the single loop in the tool hook is lifted onto the hook of the needle in the center position between groups of newly preselected needles. That needle must be pushed back to the B position before knitting the next row so as not to pick up the weaving yarn.  the 6X8 repeat    The swatch on the left is the result of hand selection, and to its right both sides of the result from knitting with the programmed repeat As a general principle when multiple colors are used, if they are planned for color changes occurring for odd numbers of passes, the yarn may need to be cut and brought to the opposite side regularly, or 2 different ends starting from opposite sides may in some cases make the process easier and reduce yarn ends.
For speed and ease in tracking, the compromise choice can be made to change the repeat so that actions happen after knitting even numbers of rows.
End needle selection is on with selective hand moving end needles out to catch the weaving yarn if the repeat is used as provided.
A new, 6X8 repeat:  the 24X40 full punchcard,   If programming the width of the finished piece on electronic machines, pixels for border needle selections can be added, knit with end needle selection off.   Some steps in the process, with # 4 showing the single chained through loops rehung across the row The 930 automatically mirrors any design horizontally. When an odd-numbered design is downloaded and centered with no subsequent changes, the odd-number half of the repeat occurs on the right of 0.
The proof of concept was knit on needles 20 L to 21 R  Here the background yarn is switched to a far thinner cotton, making the woven threads and their bleed-through on the knit side more prominent. In a final piece planned for this effect, side borders could be planned for better edges.   From a Brother electronic pub, an illustration of hooking up multiple loops at once If the needle onto which the floats are transferred is left in work, it will pick up the weaving yarn on the next pass as part of the design and should remain in D or be pulled to E position if preferred.  If that is not the goal, that same needle is pushed back to the B position.  Just as in managing long floats in FI, in this fabric, they may be latched up as well Lifting the stitch in the latch hook onto a needle other than in the center of the space between needle selection or one of the preselected needles, will result in the chain moving permanently in different directions.
A second early resource for samples of these techniques offered this version along with advice on how to knit it. Such translations are not always understandable. Based on row counts of patterning in the accompanying swatch it is possible to develop a repeat by assigning black pixel locations to specific squares in the stitch symbol chart rather than using the repeat provided.
The horizontal marks for purl stitches can be thought of as needles on the machine.
The squares where the traveling weaving thread “wave” in the position above the line are filled are represented with green cells in the spreadsheet and will be converted to black pixels in BW pngs for use in download programs, or punched holes in cards.
The under “waves” symbolize floats and are disregarded in final repeats.
Yellow is used to mark spots for visual reminders of where the floats are to be rehung. They are disregarded in the final BW single repeat. The corresponding needles in those locations must pushed back to the B position before knitting the next row.  

The 8X14 smallest repeat was tested on 48 stitches hand selecting end needles if needed.   Working in vertical columns, a 9X12 design planned on 39 stitches for equal side edges the floats are lifted in pairs every 2 rows, in alternate directions onto preselected needles, which can be brought out to the E position after the transfer.  Those needles are marked with red dots.   The swatch was knit in wool yarns of equal weight. The weaving yarn split easily. Each row should be checked for any errors after hooking before continuing to knit to avoid permanent errors. The result of both is marked with red dots in the photo on the left In summary, black squares indicate yarn over selected needles, and white squares the yarn slipping under non-selected needles, represented in this chart for a 2X2 design repeat/ paintbrush in DIY.  Side by side punched holes or black pixels produce floats in a corresponding stitch width. Blocks of either color can be planned in any direction, with the floats left alone as color blocks or manipulated to echo their movement ie in this illustration

Knit weaving 4: combining stitch types

Knit weaving 3  reviews some basics, and a list of associated blog post links is provided at the bottom of the page, including
Lace meets weaving on Brother Machines 2
Lace meets weaving on Brother Machines

Tuck stitch meets knit-weaving introduced the combined technique.
Many of these repeats are suitable for punchcard models as well. The caveat there is that there is no option for eliminating knit carriage cam button setting changes by using a second carriage to select and knit. They would need to be performed manually.
More on DIY combinations of tuck and knit weaving: if using a single carriage to execute these designs, then it is necessary to switch cam button settings from tuck in both directions to knit with needle selection for the knit woven rows frequently, as in this first swatch.
Actions: Altering the repeat while planning on cam settings to be changed every even number of rows also brings the possibility of using 2 carriages in electronic models, with one set to tuck in both directions, the other to normal knit (no cam buttons) but with needle selection for weaving rows, KCII  Here tuck shapes are introduced, again planning for setting or carriage changes every even number of rows, in this case every 6, The tuck diamond is surrounded by a vertically woven one. The original design repeat was color inverted observing tuck “rules”.
The 1X2 white pixels will tuck, and the 2X1 side-by-side ones will serve as guides to the placement of the vertical weaving yarn. They are placed on rows with no conflicting selections.  When the side-by-side needles are not selected, they are manually pushed forward to E and needles are double-wrapped away from the center at the bottom of each shape, toward the center (row30) when the top of the shape is reached.
Start of the second shape in the swatch: While retaining the outer shape of the design, the inner content may altered to provide a guide for horizontal weaving. The 24X48 design The PNG was isolated in the center of 40 stitches.
The surface woven floats may become visually lost when using space-dyed yarns with shades in similar families to the background, as seen in the bottom center diamond.
In the second center diamond, a different color-way yarn was also used double thickness without any change in tension. This resulted in the second thread not always getting caught properly, slowing speed and added caution improved the result.
The swatch was narrower than the sample knit using tuck stitch. The best way to weave in yarn ends would need working out. Combining weaving types with the intent to create a plaid effect:
the starting chart created in Mac Numbers  The 24X28 repeat  The choice of the yarns may require tension or color choice adjustments, when the weaving yarn is not caught properly, the longer floats are formed.  Here simple color striping is added. The background red yarn is a thin 2/10 wool, the horizontal weaving yarn a space-dyed sock one, and the vertical weaving one a varied fiber space dyed hand knitting yarn by Noro.
The image on the left shows the vertical weaving setup work on the machine, the ribber gate pegs and needle butts appeared to help to keep the yarn lengths from twisting around each other as the work progressed.  Adding needles out of work:
A common base for knit-weave published patterns is seen in the pattern configuration seen in what is known to many punchcard knitters as card #1  When there are needles out of work in combination with patterning, end needle selection must be canceled.
The set up row for adding ladder spaces is planned so that patterning in 3 stitch columns begins and ends on a pair of selected needle In this sample with horizontally woven rows, the ground yarn is a 2/20 wool, the weaving yarn a space dyed sock yarn resulting in random color blocking. Relaxed the knit resembled shadow pleating, here it is shown after pressing and steaming Using separate strands, vertical weaving may be performed along each 3 stitch vertical columns.
The work on the machine: the ribber gate pegs and needle butts helped keep the yarn lengths separate.
Yarn is always laid over needles with the continuing, long end away from the carriage. In this case, the it was lifted over single selected needles to the right, then over pairs of selected needles to the left. Slip stitch is known for compressing the height of the knit and narrowing its width. This attempts to alternate knit woven stripes with slip-stitch ones utilizing a similar repeat. For the slip texture to be more visible, the related segment is rendered double height, and color reversed.
Here setting changes to occur in even-numbered blocks of rows. The design is shared repeating across a punchcard width, 24, X 24 rows in height.  Eight rows are knit with the carriage set to knit but selecting needles, and 16 rows with the carriage set to slip in both directions. Comparable or the same yarns are used to evaluate the results when varying techniques and stitch types.
Here a 2/20 wool in a color similar to that used in the above sample forms the ground.
The woven section has some drape and stretch, the stitches are forced apart producing interesting bleed-through on the knit side and making the fabric reversible.
The same repeat and yarns are used in the top half of the swatch as a fair isle, without any change in tension. The knit is dense, stiff, and narrower with no stretch to speak of.
The 10X10 design

Knit weaving 3

The first single-bed machines to produce what is now referred to as knit-weaving were the Japanese model ones from the early to mid-1960s.
The Knitmaster 302 had a separate brush unit operated manually to guide the yarn above and below stitches.
On the Brother 585 and 588 models the weaving brushes were built-in and were pressed into place.
Early patterns used aran-weight yarns as weft on 12-stitch machines.
From 1971 onward as 24 stitch machines came on the market, the wider repeat allowed for the use of thinner yarns in the technique.
Later manuals including those for some electronic models describe this achingly slow method when using a single-color weaving yarn fed through the yarn mast  The subsequent technique shift advice was made for using an intarsia-like method for more colors:  The method is so much faster than when using the mast and knit carriage it makes little sense to use the former.
The technique begins with the carriage on your preferred side,  from the right or left, the yarn is generally laid in starting on the carriage side, with the long end to cone or ball away from it.
The wraps are needed in each direction: For work on the machine, swatches, punchcards, tools, and more information on types of weaves, ie laying in the yarn with vertical wrappings Another illustration of the movements in the laying in of the yarn on specific needles.  For more info on horizontal weaving, see Knit Weaving 1.
The resulting knits often lose stretch and drape widthwise, a consideration when making garments. As an alternative, one may knit pieces sideways.

Some ways to push limits, and new swatches:
Knitweaving encompasses an extensive range of fabrics. At times the type of machine available places constraints on materials.
One way to use chunky and bulky yarns on standard machines when they do not work with the ground knit on every needle, an option is to use every other needle patterning.
A visual comparison of yarn thicknesses for beginning experiments Here a commercial twine is used, programming a 4X4 repeat,  and laying the weaving yarn over the preselected needles when the long end of the yarn is away from the knit carriage, thus adding extra all-knit rows between woven ones.  This yarn has been in my stash for decades unused, it is 92% wool, and 8% polyamide. It was e-wrapped in alternate directions on every row, with care to maintain the thrumbs below sinker plate levels during carriage passes.  An option for electronic models: open a PNG suitable for knit weaving, as this 24X24 one, double the PNG in width before downloading it, or use the double-wide button after the fact, cast on every other needle, and continue in the technique. Planning the repeat on the needle bed would render better edges than in my swatch, if there are multiple non-selected needles on either side, bring the last needle on that side out to E before laying the yarn for the next row of pattern.  The floats created through knit weaving can share similarities with those from fair isle or slip stitch.
Slip stitch textures compress the knit lengthwise, and narrow it, while knit woven pieces lie flat, and provide far more predictable gauges.
This sample explores various float widths, beginning with a 24X24 pixel PNG.
When sampling on an electronic, one can plan for repeat widths equal in number to the needles in work or greater based on preference or a requirement by some software.
In designing for planned fabric widths, borders for better side edges than those resulting only from engaging end needle selection may be isolated or added with a preferred pattern fill.
The 24-stitch repeat was drawn in repeat X4  and cropped to 50X48, retaining a 2-stitch vertical border on each side and shared repeated in height X2, a final 50X48  Samples of the three yarn thicknesses used in the test swatch are shown at the bottom of the image on the right

More links for browsing
A return to loopy knits
Machine knit fringes 4, long loop patterning 
Long loops: a bit on method
Knit weaving 2: swatches, experiments
Knit weaving 1
Tuck stitch meets knit-weaving
Lace meets weaving on Brother Machines 2 
Lace meets weaving on Brother Machines

2024: lately I have been obsessed with designing seasonal repeats and expanded my initial library of them to include more “star’ designs in Seasonal knits inspired by published repeats 1
This design, 36X56, was knit first using a worsted-weight acrylic as the weaving yarn and a 20/2 wool for the background, then replacing the worsted with a 2/8 wool.
The design has long floats that tend to droop in front of the small stitches in the red ground as the knit is removed from the machine and rests.
The white acrylic was hard to knit, resulting in patterning errors because of its quality, noticeable on both sides.
In a final piece, borders could be added to make side edges cleaner than in this first swatch.  For use in a scarf or table runner, the repeat was altered slightly, and vertical side borders were added to 82X56Visualizing the repeat multiplied in height The yarns used in the swatch were a 2/8 wool and a softly spun worsted, challenging to work with even at the loosest tension.
The worsted wanted to split and knit with the ground yarn while forming the floats in front of those same needles, occasionally mounting a few gatepegs or jamming.
The mispatterning in the lower part of the swatch improved as the numbers were slowly adjusted to more than 10 on the knit carriage dial.
This time of year static can also be a problem, the humidifier got turned on. Both steps led to better results.
As with any technique, good yarn choices, and knitting machine gauge considerations make for successful projects.

Working with needles out of work, NOOW
In this first sample, after a crochet cast on, every 3d stitch based on pattern preselection is dropped, and the corresponding needle (grey columns) is pushed out of work (OOW), back to the A position. Ladders will form in those locations on the needle bed.
The yellow cells mark the stitch columns left undisturbed, while the pink and blue mark the stitch/needle locations involved in the cable crossings. The latter are consistently made in the same direction.
After each cable is made, restore needle preselection to maintain correct patterning.  The swatch may be knit monochromatic or as here, using contrasting colors

A return to loopy knits

Fringes, loops, and pile/carpet knits are populating Fall knitwear runways.
Pile knitting is best executed on Studio knitting machines. Love the knit structure? find a Studio KM to borrow for the project.
Fringes are essentially long loops, and share principles with knitweaving.
Previous posts
Pile knitting on Passap and Brother KMs 4
Pile_carpet stitch knitting on Passap and Brother KMs 3  
Pile knitting on Passap and Brother KMs 2 
Pile knitting on Passap, Brother, and Studio KMs 1
With Studio KMs outside the range of possible use, there are loop techniques that can be executed manually on any gauge machine
The first sample is knit on a 4.5 mm 930.
A downloadable punchcard volume for Studio aka Silver Reed machines offers punchcards for the double bed technique referred to as punch pile In analyzing the repeats, the black cell rows represent loops picked up on the main bed, the blank rows the carriage passes knitting every stitch on the ribber alone holding the loops down.
Applying permanent loops to the surface of a knit using Brother knitting machines falls into the knit weaving family.
The knitter can choose color placement and changes, as one might in intarsia.
Previous related posts:
Machine knit fringes 4, long loop patterning , my first use of straws, bulky loop yarn, the main bed programmed repeat:  Long loops: a bit on method includes instructions on the use of single bed cast on comb, rulers, ribber gate pegs.
As usual, my swatches begin with random yarn choices from my stash, using colors that will help identify proper stitch formation, and just as a random return to designs intended for other fabrics in previous shares.
Developing a repeat: since the loops are created by hand, the goal is to work with larger loops than those in automated punch pile designs.
In the past, I was drawn to and explored truchet tilings
Truchet tiling design inspiration 1
Truchet/Smith inspired designs 2 meet ArahPaint
More Truchet inspired tiles, a brief look at gradient filter use included this 3-color knit sample resulting from an img2track color-separated DBJ repeat Aiming to form large loops and a larger scale motif with more than one knit row between rows of them, the original 24X48 repeat,  evolved into a very different 48X48 repeat.   The full design in gridded view: The process used to attain it: the original repeat was scaled x3 in height, and then again in width X2 for visual balance  Working in RGB mode the 48X144 image was opened in Gimp, and a new image file in the same size was added with a white ground, and then a third 48X3 image with rows 2 and 3 colored in red. The latter saved to the clipboard, may be used to bucket-fill the all-white second image.
The white is rendered clear using layer, transparency, and color to alpha.
The result is copied and pasted on the original.
The red is selected by color, filled with white, and fixed by clicking on the rectangle tool.
The mode is changed to BW indexed, and the image is saved for knitting. I grabbed yarns for color visibility and thickness, not fiber content, and in the resulting knit the loops flattened permanently in the red acrylic and the blue acrylic blend. The technique might be better served using a 3/8 wool for the loops.
The work in progress:  The full repeat in the final swatch measures 6X11.5 inches The same repeat was used again, and the red acrylic yarn was switched to the background for a result that would steam flatter permanently, while the loops were formed with triple yarn strands.
It took testing adjustments in tension and loop length, noticeable at the bottom of the swatch images, to achieve consistent coverage and a new tool to form them.   When searching through published sources and adapting them, results can be random or outright failures. Pondering patterning on every other needle, with end needle selection off, this design from:   for 12 stitch punchcard models came to mind, including this chunky machine design The what if repeat, expanding it to a 22 stitch version with every other column blank and checking for proper tiling was not useful as a knit woven pattern, but when used to form loops on preselected needles and graduating the height of the loops the result proved interesting.
Rulers of different widths and thicknesses were used as tools used to form the loops including but not shown, the metric ruler supplied with Brother knit leaders. Diagonal designs, in particular, can be hard to force into 12 or 24-stitch conventions. With further editing, the published repeat is adjusted to larger 23X18 pixel dimensions, appears to align correctly, and will be returned to in a post containing more knitwoven samples.   This test begins with caution, then produces a dense pile testing the limits on yarn thickness using the repeat:   Pony beads were threaded on a double strand of cotton from an unmarked cone, and loops were formed with beads advanced and placed between and below preselected needles.
Spacing was tested before committing to the final choice, the same repeat as in the above swatch.
The bead-carrying yarn was pulled to tighten it across the previous woven row just before laying it in place for the next patterned row.
Bead addition was also tested between chains in bind-off.

Inspiration for varied stitches from a single chart

Nearly 9 years ago, I began exploring scale designs. At the time, my charts were generated using Excel and a program called Intwined Pattern Studio, which soon became inoperative  armani hkThe above repeat, visualized tiled.    At present, using custom-printed needle tapes has proven useful in tracking actions required in hand-manipulated stitches.
The attached PDFs have been printed in the proper aspect ratio with the following changes from default settings using Mac Preview,  and Acrobat Reader 7 needles
single 4.5
Whether the knit tests are worth pursuing in large pieces with or without modifications is subject to end-use and personal preferences.
To begin with, stitches were transferred, the empty needles were pushed back to the A position, Out Of Work, and returned to the work, B position, for reversing or shifting the shapes.
Forming ladders: the chevron shapes are created by single stitch transfers, and bringing needles in and out of work.
A starting chart:  Keeping the same palette as in previous charts, yellow cells represent needle positions where stitches are not disturbed, and the white cells where needles are taken OOW. The up-arrow needles mobed to A/OOW, and the down-arrow needles returned to B.
The work in progress:
1: to reduce the line length formed by the single stitches, the point at which needles are returned to work can be varied
2: in this instance, as 5 empty needles side by side are reached, bring needles into work for the next shape on each side of the single stitch decreasing the number of empty needles to four. As the knit carriage returns to the opposite side, loops are formed on each of the needles returned to work
3: continue to bring an empty needle into work aside each pre-existing loop
4: after the last 2 empty needles are returned to work and are followed by a knit row the last two loops are formed
5: knit one last row across all the needles, and begin transfers for the alternate shape.  This yarn is a 2/8 wool, which worked nicely for holding ladder edge stitches in the leaf swatches but yielded a stiff knit in this case, and the elongated single stitches fold over at the top, creating extra nubs on the surface of the knit.  Continuing designs with similarly shaped outlines but leaving the emptied needles in work, B position, produces different shapes. All needles remain in B throughout.
The yellow columns in the chart indicate the locations on the needle bed where stitches are never moved.
Visualizing the tiled repeat and the direction of the transfers: the initial experiment is also a 12-row repeat. The magenta cells indicate spots where extra all-knit rows may be added in DIY.
The work in progress:
A 7-prong tool is handy in making the 5 and 4-stitch transfers.
After each transfer, loops will form on the empty needles with the next carriage pass
3: the loop becomes part of the subsequent transfer, and the newly emptied needle remains in work
The first swatch began with a 12-row repeat and an all-knit row before transfers began for the alternate shape.  Visualized in larger BW tiling The transfers are made away from the circles in the chart using multiple transfer tools.
After each transfer, the empty needles are left in B or pushed out to E.
As the knit carriage moves to the opposite side, loops are formed on the empty needles.
Each loop becomes part of the next transfer.
Setting up the first design row using a 7-prong tool with 5 prongs selected:  the numbers in the lower image indicate the number of stitches on each of those needles as the setup row is completed.  The second group moves 4 stitches at a time. Loops are treated as stitches.
After the transfers, there will be groups of 2 stitches adjacent to those holding 3 in the previous row.
The outline in the lower image points to one pair of transfers in the process of being completed.
1: When this configuration is reached, knit one more row to the opposite side,
2: begin transfers away from the midpoint between the shapes to form the brick repeat. The result forms a bump once more due to the length of the single knit stitch columns. The above yarn is a 2/8 wool, the swatch was quite stiff. A second swatch was knit using a softer, thinner, alpaca-silk blend.
The relaxed knit after removal from the machine was very textured and narrow,   this result followed some light pressing and steaming.
Traditional wet blocking would be required to maintain the shapes in a final piece. Eliminating the all-knit row to reduce the extra lengths of those single-stitch columns did not produce what to my eye was an improved knit.
In a last what-if test, the chart was turned 180 degrees, with transfers beginning with a single stitch, and ending with moving five.  The results, knit in 2/15 wool and lightly steamed and pressed, appeared more successful to my eye.  relaxed overnight, the surface is a bit more 3D Using a similar technique for multiple transfer lace designs:  a 14-row repeat, magenta cells mark all knit rows, and all transfers are made toward stitches aside every 7 stitches except for on rows 6 and 13, circles in the chart now indicate eyelets, transfers are made every row.  1: the setup row.
Empty needles are left in work, B.  Cyan dots mark needles holding 2 stitches after the beginning transfers
2: the next knit carriage pass forms loops on the empty needles
3: with the next transfer, an empty needle results adjacent to each loop, the start of the next eyelet On Row 6 the last transfer results in 3 stitches on the normally undisturbed vertical stitch columns, 6A as the next carriage pass is made, 6B, loops are formed on the empty needles. A second row is knit on every needle, 7, and transfers begin to be reversed for the top half of the shape, 8.  The result shares some similarities with another hand technique .

Revisiting lace leaf design repeats 2

I am constantly drawn into multiple knitting rabbit holes.  Along with my revisiting 3D surfaces, more leaves are still in my line of sight for further exploration.
Here they are surrounded by a traveling mesh ground: a 12X52 repeat, marked for punchcard use:

the associated PNG The test swatch knit on 38 stitches:  This design was shared as an stp file for use with DAK by Claudia Scarpa.
Her blog post includes downloadable files with clear markings for knit row locations, a punchcard version, a schematic for working it as a possible hand technique, and more.
DAK does not allow for exports in other file formats ie PNG.
Charts for the designs can be screengrabbed and processed with other programs ie Gimp and ArahPaint to make them usable in other ways including download options.
This electronic repeat is 20X136 pixels.
Horizontal mirroring was not required when using it in my 930.   Knit on 40 stitches, using the same wool-rayon yarn as in the first sample, there is a considerable change in the size of the resulting leaf shapes  This is my chart for Claudia’s punchcard version, marked in 6X6 squares blocks as found in Brother factory punchcards,   the result is a longer repeat resulting in larger leaf shapes, 24X228 pixels And then there is the world of leaves formed with hand techniques and surrounded by ladder spaces.
This was published in an early Silver Reed/ Studio pub eons ago and got filed in my “someday” image folder.  Visualizing repeats and necessary actions in spreadsheets before any actual knitting is useful.
With practice, we develop a personal library of choices regarding symbols and any additional information.
This was my initial draft taking into consideration:
the direction of the transfers
the location of single-stitch columns that are left undisturbed throughout
the needles on which stitches are doubled after transfers
where stitches are decreased, every 2 rows, marked with orange cells in the second column from the left
where stitches are brought back into work on every row, marked with green cells and arrows that point up in the first column on the left
Printing custom needle tapes is an alternative to marking the needle beds or needle tapes to offer guides that help avoid errors or lots of needle counting in many hand techniques.
Mac Numbers version at present: 13.2. Its rulers can be set to centimeters for easy calculation of needle space cells with Japanese machine needles set 4.5 mm apart.
This PDF printed to the correct size for me when set to 100% landscape: 7 needles
4.5X7=31.5 mm: to convert the mm to cm in DIY move the decimal point one number to the left. Row height can vary with the limit being about 2 cm. The specs from the shared file:  The work in progress on the machine as transfers are being made and the empty needles are taken out of work back to the A position.  The end of transfers approach and needles are returned to work before each carriage pass, forming loops on them.  The test swatch, knit in 2/8 wool at tension 9, the color chosen randomly for weight and easy visibility The pattern is evocative of another Studio transfer lace #112, 12X104 a smaller design without the missing stitches and empty spaces.  Following some research, the chart for Studio punch card 123: The electronic equivalent, 14X92 cells The file adjusted for knitting on Brother is now reduced to 14X88 cells, and the cyan is marking areas where the knit carriage makes 4 passes rather than the usual 2 The result is a 14-stitch leaf in traditional transfer lace.  And then, the general shape begins to “appear” in other, older post swatches such as in this, part of the development of very different 12-24 stitch designs.  More leaves combined with open spaces, returning to hand techniques:
in DIY charts symbols can be developed to suit and included or eliminated in final directions. Convention matters if directions are to be published with patterns for general use, and matters less when for personal use.
Examples:
 the starting diagram:
The test swatch was begun on 2/8 wool, then switched to a 4/10 alpaca and silk because it was green, and the guess that the resulting looser stitches using it might make cable crossings and transfers easier, As can be seen in the work that follows, the size and definition of knit stitches at the edge of the vertical columns and the leaves are sharper and better retained in the thicker yarn.  A chain cast-on was performed on the number of needles as shown above, and chains were dropped to achieve the proper setup   To make a visually balanced increase from one to three stitches, the tool is inserted from back to front of the ladder on each side of the stitch, twisted clockwise on the right, counter-clockwise on the left, with the twisted loops lifted and placed on the empty needles each side of that center stitch.  An illustration from one of my earlier posts on leaf shapes surrounded by ladders e_wrap0-2It is helpful to have a couple of 7-prong transfer tools to speed transfers along, with one set to move 4 stitches, the other 5, or simply use a combination of the standard ones. Another variation: The slightly revised repeat  A few images of the work in progress: in this design, actions take place every 2 rows.
The dark segments on the custom-printed needle tape mark the needle positions for stitches that are never transferred, ie rows # 1, 7, 13, 19, etc. in the chart.
At this point in the work, there are 3 stitches on the needles holding the last transfers, marked with circles, and single stitches on the alternate needle locations, marked with squares.  After a row is knit to the opposite side, the groups of 3 stitches are reduced to a single stitch.  and it is time to begin to reduce the width of the floats.
Empty needles are brought to B position/work on each side of the single stitches.  Loops will form on each of those needles as the knit carriage moves to the opposite side.  Moving forward, empty needles are brought into work adjacent to each loop every 2 rows.
A closer look at the twist in the floats as the action continues and the number of needles out of work is reduced: The locations in which stitches are taken out of work form straight floats, where needles are returned to work, the floats form the familiar twists seen in transfer lace patterns.

Not to be forgotten, fully automated lace edgings such as here
and this, with both patterns shared in the same blog post  

Revisiting “wisteria” 3D shapes and their possible automation

Present software makes automating textured designs in these families easier to plan and execute.
This method is limited to single colors being used at any one time and does not allow for additional patterning through fair isle or end needle selection.
Slip stitch in both directions results in black cells being knit sequentially, and the limit in width for the total design is limited to the width of the knitting machine and how the program is read and implemented.
End needle selection is canceled.
All needles in work need to be cleared with each carriage pass.
My electronic km samples are now knit on a 930, which automatically mirrors any downloaded repeats, an advantage for lettering, but not for many other situations. These designs require mirroring when using any machine or software that does so if the holding is to begin with the knit carriage on the right.  The direction of movement for the knit carriage is illustrated by arrows in the charts, which serve as guides in planning sequences.
The original charts were executed using Mac Numbers, the table was converted and scaled to size using Gimp as described in other posts, downloaded using img2track, and mirrored horizontally before test knitting on the 930.
Both swatches are 40 stitches wide, planned in blocks 8 stitches in width and height, the first repeat 40X178 pixels  

The first test: the knit carriage is set to slip in both directions. A wool yarn was used, retaining spring-back for more of a 3D texture. The design can be interrupted with all knit rows breaking up the shapes at varied intervals, with added colors if preferred. The second repeat, 40X 226 pixels.  A PDF for larger views of both files pdf
A quick test in a 2/18 wool produced a soft, loose, drapey knit.  The same swatch was photographed 48 hours later, in a relaxed state.  A 2/10 wool knit on the same number of stitches produced a firmer and more clearly 3D effect which remains unaltered with time.
Hems and a knit stripe were tested as a way of breaking up the shapes Possibilities with hand selection of needles: some samples from  Adding fair isle patterning to short row patterns creating eyelets.  
“Wisteria” meets hems “Wisteria” cousin 2, also called fern leaf, hand technique “Wisteria” cousin revisited (“holding” using slip stitch), the first programmed repeat, drawn on mylar. The 910 knit the image as drawn on the purl side, with no mirroring necessary  
“Wisteria” 2  Horizontal “cable”  

A slip stitch patterned ruffle and more

A recent Instagram share led to my being asked how the ruffle attached to the piece as partially shown on the left was created. The images on the right illustrate 2 of the color-way explorations prior to committing to a final one, all knit in rayon chenille yarns.   At that time a punchcard was used. The repeat technically is 24 stitches wide and 18 in height, repeated twice to meet minimum punchcard height requirements, while for electronic patterning the 18 row segment is used. That said, repeating and shifting the minimum pattern repeat in a paint program or spreadsheet allows for visualization of possible color change sequences,  A 24X36 electronic repeat beginning with 4 all knit rows:    Knitting does not always need to be programmed to start on the first design row.
When miles of trim ie when it is planned as an edging for items such as shawls are planned, there are other considerations.
I prefer to use the seam as you knit method. Since rows will be joined to rows, use a 1 to 1 ratio. Doubling up on stitches happens every 2 rows along the knit border’s vertical edges.
After estimating the number of rows in the final piece, any trims can be knit separately, taken off the machine on waste yarn, and joined as the piece progresses. If needed, after removing the waste yarn, more rows can be added to the trim or unraveled to shorten it before binding it off.
The other option is to finish the body of the knit item, and then join the trim as it is being knit.
The process is rendered easier if the ribber is off the machine.
Switching between punchcard and electronic models, it can get confusing as to whether the design needs to be mirrored horizontally or knot.
In this case, the png was used on my 930 in the same orientation as the punchcard design.
To reduce the roll to the purl side, it may be best to use yarns that will block flat ie rayon, or acrylic.
The knit is centered on the needle bed. My 930 has a punchcard needle tape in place, I prefer programming based on 24-stitch needle selections to avail myself of the position option available on the electronic.
The first preselection row is made toward the color changer.
End needle selection is canceled, or unwanted floats will be formed, pulling in the edge of the knit.
When the color changer is reached and the proper color is in the yarn feeder, set the machine to slip in both directions.
Continue color changes in the preplanned sequences.
In proper pattern selection, the slip stitch column/non-selected needles occur on the right (1).
The all-knit stitch column/ selected needles occur on the left (2). Rows, where every needle is preselected, will knit a solid color with the next carriage pass. As colors are changed small floats will be created between the stripes, a light edge weight may be needed, depending on the yarn used and its fiber content, to keep the edge stitches from being reduced in size or even gathered.
1. the same color is used for 4 consecutive rows when all needles are selected and are followed by color changes every 2 rows until all needles are preselected once more
2. color changes are made every 2 rows
The cyan arrows illustrate the floats on the purl side the differences in the stitch shapes on the knit when the end needle selection is on, and the lack of proper formation of color blocks, especially if the goal is a reversible knit. Added knit rows will result in less of a flounce, offer the opportunity to play with striping, and more colors may be added, accompanied inevitably by cut yarn ends  For a reduced roll on narrow edgings, add a 2-3 stitch every other row border,   the result illustrated in this close up of a different slip stitch ruffle, also joined to the shawl using the seam as you knit technique.  Ruffles may be created with other stitch types ie tuck, which shortens and gathers the knit stitches aside them in areas where they are used.  For those not familiar with slip and tuck stitch formation, it is reviewed in the post: Single bed tuck and slip stitch fabrics 1. Here hand-selected short-row techniques form the wedges, with ladders added for more surface interest on the far right.

 

 

 

Revisiting 3D scales and shells, automated and not

Other posts exploring the 3D scale topic began in 2015 with a swatch experiment based on an Armani sweater.   This was followed by an update with associated, untested hand-knit directions generated by Intwined, a long-extinct program.
Over time one develops shorthand and symbols for visualizing and tracking actions. The scale design plotted out in Mac Numbers isolating repeats and added borders  Many knits with groups of stitch transfers and eyelets can have a 3D quality reduced with blocking. The yarn used in this swatch is a 2/8 wool, shown in the initial appearance and after pressing and steaming.
Printing custom needle tapes and marking them was an aid in tracking actions as opposed to following a printed chart. For many stitch transfer variations based similar design charts see
Inspiration for varied stitches from a single chartThe following group of shared experiments is listed by creation date and begins with the most recent
More mesh dragon scales, some striped and some not
Single bed scales made with stitch transfers
More dragon scales and chevrons in ribbed, racked (4) fabrics
Hand-knit “dragon scales”  as pointed out in comments, the stitch count on row 15 needed adjustment, a new chart  knit frontThe new chart aimed at keeping stitch counts constant  The proof of concept, knit on #7 needles with a random yarn on an unmarked cone  Incidental discoveries  Ribber trims 4 
Automating 3D textures across full rows of knitting:
Machine knit leaves using slip stitch with holding Revisiting automated shell shapes  Automated shapes across rows of knitting using slip stitch only  various designs
“Automated” shell shapes  When the construction of the scale and shell shapes was proposed, I did not always share the repeats for the automated version.
After the fact, a screen grab from the shell charts was cropped to its outline, opened in ArahPaint, and using the program’s tool “guess weave from grid“, the 36X98 png is obtained with a few mouse clicks,

and saved the file for further exploration.
Note that for the “shells”, the shapes are formed by all the triangles pointing in the same direction, while in the “scale” version they mirror vertically.
Tips and reminders:
I find it useful to test techniques in geometric shapes that are familiar and easy to imagine in 3D, hence the return to triangles.
The goal here is to automate needle selection to eliminate stitch counting and hand selection.
The 200 needle max on 4.5 mm machines, as well the amount of memory in the model of electronic being used, ie 2K in a 930 imposes more limitations.
Performing the selection of needles manually and using the setting for short rows may make varying shapes, their scale, row counts, and color changes possible in a way that traveling to and from the same side of the machine in 2 row sequences does not.
When using the slip stitch setting if every needle on the top bed is not in use, the end needle selection must be canceled.
The knit carriage must clear all needles in work with each carriage pass even though small stitch counts may be worked on at any one time.
Just as when working short rows, depending on the fiber content of the yarn, there may be some visible wear on the purl side from the many carriage passes required to complete full design rows.
Test on small swatches for accuracy and aesthetic personal appeal before committing to larger pieces.
A 36X166 pixel repeat:   The edge half repeats are eliminated in an attempt to yield straight vertical side edges, with the repeat reduced in height to 36X124.  The resulting scales, knit in a 2/8 wool, were resistant to getting completely poked through to the purl side.  Comparing the difference in the results when knitting the same number of stitches and rows in the pattern; the blue yarn is of a slightly different thickness than the pink.  Seeking striping at the center of the triangular shapes, I found what appears to be a one-off error in the spreadsheet numbering of cell rows vs actual design rows, which initially resulted in issues with a correct conversion to PNG.   Transitions are made after odd numbers of rows to allow starts from the right for each pattern segment ie. Yellow/ 8+1 rows at the top of the repeat for plain knit segments, orange for the 3-row contrasting color stripe at the peak of the shapes. There will be cut yarn ends at each transition.
The design, charted in black and white,  the 36X82 png One may choose on which side to display the resulting shapes, here to the knit side,   and to the purl, shown also after some pressing. A punchcard snap is inserted in one of the pockets in the last image on the lower right to hint at pocket size.  Steamed, flattened shapes may also be coaxed in different directions, stitched in place or even together with a contrasting stripe behind them, or added beads at the join  A first draft at adding a FI or slip stitch stripe at the center of the repeat still relies on some segments occurring for an odd number of rows, was rearranged in the later designs, measures 36X88 pixels.  

Analyzing the swatch:
the edges where the triangular shapes meet the striped bands jut out more when pointing down than when pointing up
the eyelet typical when knitting short rows for 2 rows is OK as part of the overall design
the 8 rows of plain knitting between the shapes are too many Altering the design 1:
the plan is to retain starting each segment of  scales from the right,
the fair isle band is now planned for an even number of rows, making it possible to operate more easily from the same side, but loosening the tension,
the 36X80 repeat: the side edges in the swatch differ from each other,   Altering the design 2: whether executed with cam button changes with the knit carriage always operating from the right, or operating a second carriage selecting needles from the left, the fair isle band in this experiment needs to occur for an odd number of rows, the repeat is 36X68. The cells highlighted in yellow on the right of the chart follow the carriage movement from the right when switched from slip to FI, and the gray cells the movements for a second carriage selecting needles from the left.
The recurring shapes are planned to produce straight side edges.
The 36X68 repeat Very often 3D knit structures can change dramatically with steaming and pressing.  They can literally be “killed” permanently if fibers such as acrylics are used, while wool has some spring back, but surface retention depends on the specific pattern. The temptation to press is in proportion to what degree the knit rolls, sometimes dramatically, to the purl side. In this instance, the depth of the shapes was lost, and the swatch grew significantly in length.