Hand Techniques – Page 2 – alessandrina.com

More on combining lace patterning with added stitch types

Far older posts: Combining tuck stitches with lace 1, Combining tuck stitches with lace 2 (automating them), the arrow points to operator error, both from 2015
Lace meets weaving on Brother Machines 1, 2020 Lace meets weaving on Brother Machines 2, 2020Lace meets FI on Brother machines 2020 Lace meets tuck on Brother machines , 2020
Punchcard volumes offer many variations for this technique.
Both the knit and the lace carriages select needles in pattern.
It is necessary to keep in mind when planning to attempt using the published card repeats on electronic models that they advance the design with every carriage pass, while the punch card models repeat the same needle selection when the alternate carriage makes its first pass from the opposite side. To match results, the electronic repeat would need to be edited.
A sample knit on the 930:2026
Pinterest inspirations vs implementation, tuck and lace combos 2 Pinterest inspirations vs implementation, tuck and lace combos 1 2025
Combining automated tuck patterning with hand transfers to form eyelets in vertical columns on a tuck stitch ground
For working on the single bed, the spreadsheet plan includes markings for transfers, magenta cells to the right, cyan to the left.
The repeat is 16 stitches wide, knit on a multiple of 16 needles +5.
The grey columns represent needles that are emptied and pushed back to the A position; ladders will be formed in those spaces.
The first and last stitches in each group of 5, marked with blue cells, remain undisturbed throughout.
Though the repeat could be shorter, it was tested in a 40 row height, 16X40on 56 sts, mirrored horizontally for use on the 930, air knitting the preselection row: as hand transfers are made, emptied needles and the remainder of each group of 5 must be in or returned to the work D, or E position to form eyelets amid kit stitches on the next pass. Watch that empty needles are not accidentally brought back into work. Vertical lace columns and rib:
End needle selection is cancelled, as in any case where not every needle is used on the knit bed
The knit carriage may be set to select, but no cam buttons are pushed in, knitting every stitch
Needle preselection guides the transfers, as with tuck lace, proper needles need to be taken out of work, and while hand transfers are being made, watch for needles being accidentally pushed out of work, or out of work needles being accidentally pushed back into work.
A vertical column is added on each side for a knit row, aside eyelets formed by transfers, the full repeat width remains a multiple of 5. Programmed repeat, 38X12The swatch needle setup with added needles in work for more knit stitches, first and last needles on the top bed: All transfers were made toward the center stitch, beginning consistently with the stitch on the left. The yarn used initially was a 2/20 silk/wool blend, which lost surface texture and flattened permanently with steaming and light pressing. The same proved true with a slightly different design using the same needle setup but with transfers on alternating sides. Using 100% wool yarn produced designs with a more defined texture. These knits narrow considerably when off the machine, and wool has spring back that may be diminished but not eliminated with blocking.
The programmed repeat used was the same 38X12 as in the first sample in the series.
The needle setup, first and last on the ribber

The repeat for the second test was changed to bring the eyelets a row closer together,
programmed on 38X18

Revisiting patterns inspired by waffle weaves

Waffle weaves have a structure that is not duplicable on home knitting machines.
Interlock explorations 2; adding needles out of work
introduced efforts using circular slip settings got Milano waffle knitting in asingle color
4 passes are made with every needle knitting on both beds, followed by 4 passes tubular slip stitch. The main bed is programmed, set to slip both ways after the first preselection row.
After 2 rows are knit on both beds, the ribber is then switched to slip in one direction, knit in the other in response to needle selection on the top bed.
Main bed needles out ribber slips, main bed needles in B, ribber knits.
After 4 circular passes, the ribber is again set to knit for 2 rows.
The appearance during knit rows,followed by float formation when only the top bed knits The number of needles in work on the main bed remains fixed.
The resulting grid may be used as a guide for hand techniques off the machine in isolated areas or all over. Repeating the experiment with 2 knit vertical stitch columns on each edge, this time disengaging the ribber and knitting 2 rows only on the top bed rather than knitting circular rows and changing ribber settings.
The floats are brought closer together, and the fabric is far quicker to knit. Needle arrangements may be varied to accommodate thicker yarns or alter the texture by varying both the number of knit rows and circular ones. The new, added variation:
The main bed is programmed for every needle, allowing spacing variations for vertical knit columns to number preferred
The knit carriage is set to knit while also selecting needles,
end needle selection is canceled.
Every needle remains in work on the ribber throughout.
When needles are selected on the top bed the ribber is set to knit in both directions, while when there are no needles selected on the top bed, it is manually set to slip in both directions.
While the ribber does not knit, ladders are formed on the top bed between the needles in work for as many rows as planned until needle selection returns and the ribber is set to knit again.
Automating the function: a 16X16 PNG that can be programmed across the bed using the electronic built in selection has a 6 double bed to 2 single bed rows ratio, the full repeat chart usable on punch card machines,the needle set up used in the swatch:

A review of brioche patterning

Nearing the end of another year, reviewing previous drafts, I find myself coming across posts that were never quite completed or published.
This content began to be brought together in 2022.

The term brioche in knitting is used loosely at times in any references to tuck stitches. Designs may be worked in single colors, or with more complicated planning, they may be executed in 2 colors.
Some patterns are fully automated, with the knit carriage set to tuck in both directions, the ribber set to knit in both, others are worked as a tubular tuck, and lastly, some require frequent changes in cam settings in either or both beds.
My explorations for the use of tuck stitch settings in double bed every needle rib fabrics began with attempting to create a solid color shape on a vertically striped ground in Geometric shapes on ribber fabrics with tuck stitches 1.
The arrow marks the spot where both colors used were picked up from the changer. C1 and 2 show indicate cam setting changes used in the last part of the swatch.
Here, a simple shape was programmed, and varied carriage settings on either or both beds were explored Geometric shapes on ribber fabrics with tuck stitches 2; knitting with 4 carriages. Geometric shapes on ribber fabrics with tuck stitches 3 explores self-drawn repeats in multiple colors. Added samples and files in the subsequent post New double bed swatches based on published sources of inspiration 2
Lace transfers meet fisherman rib in 2 colors on Brother KM 1 Lace transfers meet fisherman rib, 2 color ribbed brioche on Brother machines 2 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, creating the more familiar tuck rib surface.
Mac Numbers offers the opportunity to hide 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 repeat 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, When 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, introducing or removing stray lines or secondary shapes.
The possible cam setting options: In two-color brioche combined with hand-transferred stitches, the main bed is set to tuck in both directions, white cells tuck, black cells knit.
Brother machines preselect needles for the next row with each pass of the carriage, so on even-numbered design rows, as the carriage moves to the opposite side, all needles will form tuck loops on the main bed. The next row will be preselected, with some needles now back in B rather than D position.
With an appropriate transfer tool, move the stitches on the non-selected needles to the adjacent selected needle to their right after pushing it back to the B position. After each transfer, push all worked needles and their stitches, as well as 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 do not get hung up on gate pegs as stitches move across the bed, while still being loose enough to knit off properly.

Planning a fully automated design, reducing the ground, and staggering the color of the shapes. In these knits, the colors in the background form clear vertical lines:
24X44
brick repeat 24X88tiled.

A half-drop tiling error was revealed, and the file was reduced to 23X44. The half drop repeat 46X44 Using the 24 stitch repeat executable on a punchcard machine as well, planning to knit the test swatch on 72 stitches, anticipating what will happen with color of the alternating pairs of rows forming the shapes, noting that the total number of rows is an odd multiple of 4:adjusting the repeat to 48X40with the total rows an even multiple of 4, tiling check, 72X80the stitches composing the all the shapes will knit in the same color The pattern, tested in thin yarns reveals the stitch structure even more. That said, the dark color was 2 thin yarns threaded on the same side of the mast. At one point, one of the 2 began to loop around needles, causing a carriage jam and a bent needle hook, hence the short height of the sample. Passap to Brother 6, exploring a possible tuck stitch design
More shapes on ribber fabrics with tuck patterning, fantasy fair isle

More designs worked on the double bed using tuck cam settings on either or both beds:
Ribber fabrics with main bed tuck patterning 1/ pick rib
Fisherman and English tuck stitch rib 1_ checks patterns_ Brother, Passap

Knitting with more than 2 carriages
Pintucks 1 vs shadow pleats
Geometric shapes on ribber fabrics with tuck stitches 2; knitting with 4 carriages
Interlock explorations 1

Modifying a sinker plate for use with double bed knits
Knitting with “unusual” fibers/ elastic 2
Ribber fabrics with stitch transfers between beds 2
Ribber fabrics produced with 2 knit carriages selecting needles
Multiple color drop stitch lace using img2track and more

New double bed swatches based on published sources of inspiration 2

Published a few months ago: New double bed swatches based on published sources of inspiration

At year’s end, I commonly find myself reviewing earlier blog posts and am drawn to testing previously developed repeats in new or different ways.

Many publications, whether for electronic machines or punchcard models, group patterns in separate categories, not offering many clues as to whether each design may be used for other knit structures.
Some punchcard manuals do offer a page with limited guidance, such as this in the 860 manual. Truchet tiling design inspiration 1 and Truchet/Smith inspired designs 2 meet ArahPaint, introduced resources and methods for developing DIY knittable designs inspired by them.
Blistered DBJ 2 and technique variations on a single repeat. used this tiling in several ways, followed up on the previous post, Blistered stitches DBJ
Revisiting both posts, developing some new pattern variations.
The starting repeat, 74X74, drawn in repeat to test tiling alignment, 148X148ArahPaint, Tools > Layer -> Brush saved the 74X74 picture is loaded
the white palette color is locked with filled rectangle, using the brush and bucket fill on whole image, the new 74X74 file was test knit on the 930, which automatically mirrors the image horizontally, centered on 60 stitches.
End needle selection on the knit carriage was canceled.
The slip setting in both directions was selected after the first preselection row.
First and last needles were in work on the ribber, with the carriage set to N.
If large groups of stitches were not selected on the sides, an end stitch was brought out to E manually before knitting the next row.
Slipped stitches elongate, as seen in the image on the right. The elongated X2 design did not work on the Brother, with too many rows knitting only on one bed; they start jumping off, and the length of the slipped stitches is a potential added problem, with too many rows knitting only on one bed, they will start jumping off and the length of the slipped stitches are potential added problems.
Blistered DBJ 3 began with a punchcard design untested at the time, modified for use in knitting a patterned half fisherman rib, 24X112. The knit carriage is set to tuck in both directions, the ribber carriage to knit in both. The resulting knit has subtle textures on both sides, lies flat. Related stitch structures and samples in Geometric shapes on ribber fabrics formed with tuck stitches 4
The same design, 24X112, color inverted, has applications as well, among them, pile knitting, best knit on Studio machines, and single color drop stitch lace.
The first of several blog posts on the technique, Geometric shapes in drop stitch lace 1, Brother KM.
To knit, cast on EON, transfer all knit bed stitches to the ribber, except for the first and last.
Cancel end needle selection.
On rows where no needles are selected, drop the stitches formed on the main bed. Return all the same needles to the B position, checking that no extra needles are accidentally pushed in or out of work.
The knit grows quickly. The yarn used is a 2/10 W/LYO, a wool and lyocell blend. Lyocell is a versatile, semi-synthetic fiber made from wood pulp, particularly eucalyptus trees, and was originally trademarked as Tencel in 1992.
A thinner yarn would highlight the open areas more.
The swatch, knit on 48 stitches for 90 rows of the pattern, measures 9 X 11.75 inches.
Returning to the inspiration, 24X32
using double height, 24X64 color invert every other row, double height, 24X128
renders the color separation that, when knit as DBJ, produces the elongated design version where each color in each design row knits twice.
Preselection for the first row is from the right. Using the tubular tuck setting, either pair of opposite cams, the result is evocative of illusion knits; the texture is more 3D than in the images. There are distinct changes in appearance if one is willing to invest in manually changing cam settings as often as every two rows.
The latter is more feasible using two pairs of carriages operating from opposite sides.
The knit is compressed in height and quite wide, with 48 stitches and 150 rows of pattern measuring 14.75X8.25 inches.

More to explore:
Tuck stitch meets thread lace repeats and vice versa
Using punchcards (3) or electronics to track small cables in pattern
Using punchcards to track cables and twists in pattern 2
Unconventional uses for punchcards 1: tracking racking positions in ribbed fabric Unconventional uses for punchcards 2: thread lace cards for “filet” mesh
Using punchcards to track small cables in pattern (1)
Punch cards to electronics: book symbols and samples 12/17

Modified hexagons meet stars

This site is maintained as a living document, retaining starting points for ideas followed by their proofs of concept and evolution over time.
The following links share historical references to my descriptions of using miters and spirals in shaping knits.
My earlier posts tended to be brief; the first in the series below dates back to more than a decade ago.
Miters and spirals: visualizing, charting (and more) 1
Miters and spirals: visualizing, charting (and more) 2
Miters and spirals: visualizing, charting (and more) 3
From Revisiting miters, spirals, going square, round, and more
For miter with shaping and resulting eyelets at the center of the triangle: begin with all knit row(s) (red line) at the start.
To shape a full wedge: *green segment is worked, bringing stitches into hold opposite the carriage at the determined rate until all the needles are in hold. Shaping is next reversed with the yellow segment, pushing needles back at the determined rate until all needles are returned to work.
End with all knit row(s) (red line) *. The sides of this miter are all knit rows, an easier place to seam/ graft joins if needed.
Shaping with resulting eyelets at the center of the triangle: the final shape working with starts with COR (Carriage On the Right).The knitting sequences for when shaping from the left and from the right. If the color changer comes into play, then the design repeats, and their starting sides may need to be adjusted accordingly.
Pursuing the six-pointed star/ snowflake challenge, the first test in this series was executed with hand selection, and the knit carriage set for hold.
To get points, not curves, sequential miter shapes are used, and for the easiest counting of segments and seaming/ grafting at the end of each piece, the eyelets are planned to occur at the center of each miter and are retained as design features.
In the photograph:
1: 2/8 wool, random color, casually planned holding sequences2: using the formula for hexagons planning for 4 stitches being held every six rows, using a 1, 1, 2 sequence The repeat, 14X38, as a BW PNG planned for use with the knit carriage set to slip in both directions to knit on the 930 as it is drawn, it needs to be reversed The first preselection row is made from right to left, picking up the yarn for the star on the left, knitting the first row back to the right, and then repeating selections for pairs of rows until the last segment has been knit, ending with one last row knit across all the stitches.
On punchcard machines the shapes are punched as provided, consider that the punched holes in the card represent what happens on the purl side, and is automatically reversed. One way to correct for that is to insert the card flipped over, thus losing numbering sequences in many cases, or to mark up and punch the card on its back side, then insert it in the usual orientation when ready to knit.
Punching need not be centered, air knit to double check proper needle placement for the first all knit row.
On any machine, end needle selection is canceled.
3: when you don’t have enough light on to notice the yarn you you just pulled from the yarn mast you are about to use is not the same, even in color, as you plan a slightly smaller repeat, the repeat is 12X34

Visualizing some of the differences in shaping between the 2 sizes
4: the same repeat, trying out a softly spun rayon to perhaps render a flatter item, it measures 6 inches across the diagonals. A tempting cone of an unknown fiber spun combined with a strand of sparkly led to one last try with the 14 stitch design repeat, the result measures seven inches along its diagonals. The swatch was folded, steamed, and lightly pressed on the knit side along eyelets, measures 7 inches on its diagonal.
The center hole is inevitable in these techniques.With practice gathering to close it can be improved, here it is performed casually.How small can one pursue the shape? 10X18
The result diagonals measure 2.75 inches. The best intentions for grafting the join were met with tiny stitches and stiff yarn not wanting any part of it, so the closure was with a latch tool again.
If the latch tool bind off is used, the work can be removed and turned over to have it appear on the purl face rather than the knt.
Groups of swatches may be layered, exploring their relationships in different ways.
Increasing the number of rows at the center edge of each segment repeat may create a sharper point.
More seaming ideas including including grafting on both the knit or the purl side in Seaming, joining, picking up stitches on knits 1 .
There are always beads or crochet edgings to ponder adding, then deciding when more is less.
Stiffening knits for sculptural effects can be achieved using any mixtures described as suitable for stiffening crochet doilies. Video and written directions are easy to find online.
The formulas include mixtures using:
sugar, 2 parts sugar to 1 water
white glue, 1 part glue to 1 part water
commercial products such as Mod Podge Stiffy and Aleen’s Stiffen Quick.
A fellow student back in my textile degree days wove yardage for a tryptic that was intended to be displayed on a wall, was draped over life size forms after being dipped in wall paper glue as stiffener, something that worked well, though it was summer and fans were used to speed up drying. Not sure if at the time that was a necessity or out of need for meeting a critique deadline.
If symmetry matters for flat images consider a template drawn on a non permeable surface and patting the item in place.
Felting yields stiffening of a different sort.
As for stiffening felt itself, acrylic medium mixed with water, gelatin sizing used in millinery, PVA glue, and a range of bad for your lungs or melt in the rain concoctions have been mentioned, and then there is the simple, “beat it vigorously” approach, which may not be the best for retaining 3D or sculptural forms.
There are always more rabbit holes to explore.

Revisiting double bed knits with stitch transfers between beds

A reminder for Brother machine users. When automating any pattern by programming the top bed, if there are any needles out of work, end needle selection must be canceled, or stitches on either side of the empty needles will knit, not tuck, slip, or knit in the proper color, altering the planned design.
This latest repeat is worked using hand transferring stitches at regular intervals between the main bed and the ribber.
To facilitate tracking, the transfers were executed every 10 rows with the guidance of a marked-up, custom-printed needle tape.
The knitting can begin on the top bed with waste yarn.
Even weight is needed for the stitches to form properly.
The ribber is set to full pitch, P > point to point, during the knitting of the piece.
It is possible to start on waste knitting and to use the ribber comb for an open cast on the top bed.
Alternatively, the single bed comb may be used, with ribber weights evenly spaced apart on it before transferring stitches down to the ribber, or a ribber comb may be poked through the waste knitting evenly, followed by the addition of weights.
1: the initial needle transfer set up, on a multiple of 7 stitches +2. The cells marked with red on the tape represent stitch groups that are never returned to the main bed during the knitting of the piece
2: the transfer set up for the first 10 row group
3: the transfer set up for the alternate 10 row group.

The first and third images from the left show the piece when first removed from the machine, and the other pairs show the swatch after steaming and pressing. The yarn used is a 2/8 wool. Since the fiber has memory, it retains its spring back after blocking and resting, but with some loss of the 3D effect.
Man-made fibers and some natural ones would flatten completely and permanently with pressing/ steaming. When testing pattern design ideas that require few needles in work on the ribber, it is possible to cast on the single bed, weigh the knit evenly, and transfer or bring needles into work as needed.
The ribber cast on comb can be used to cast on the single bed using the ribber arm, not the single bed sinker plate.
Doing so, EON (every other needle) on the first row, followed by bringing the remaining needles into work before the next carriage pass, matches the EON e-wrap cast on single bed and allows immediate use of the ribber weights.
Arrangements on the machine for the first pair of samples.
Working with cell repeats in spreadsheets serves as an aid in plotting out the required actions before committing to a design and reproducing the chosen file in BW mode.
In this instance, the needles represented by the yellow cells were transferred down to the ribber first, with the empty needles pushed back to OOW (out of work), A position.
A row was knit, and then the ribber needles represented by the orange cells were brought into work to complete the ribber needle pairs.
The ribber pitch can be in P for straight transfers, but needs to be on H when there are needles side by side with those on the top bed.
The knit carriage is set to tuck in both directions.
As in any case with NOOW on the top bed, end needle selection is canceled to preserve the pattern.
This first 8X14 design repeat is usable on punch card models as well as electronic ones, and produces horizontal striped effects.The needle arrangement on the machine:The appearance of those side-by-side stitches on the ribber forms columns that are quite different than those achieved by transfers to the ribber that match in numbers to needles emptied on the top bed and taken out of work there.
The half drop, 16X14 version. Breaking the tuck rules of side-by-side loop formation: The needle arrangement on the machine for the 11X24 repeat in half drop, 22X24 Tuck lace published designs may be used, instead of taking needles out of work, transfer needles in those blank vertical column locations down to the ribber. The 24X48 PNG tot pattern #620 A few of the previous experiments and samples in double bed knitting with stitch transfers between beds, at times only once, at others in repeating pattern blocks.
Knit and purl blocks to create folding fabric_ “pleats”
More fabrics with knit bed tuck patterning Unconventional uses for punchcards 3: lace in rib
Lace transfers meet fisherman rib, 2 color ribbed brioche on Brother machines 2. Ribber fabrics with stitch transfers between beds 1 Slip stitch patterns with hand transferred stitches, double bed Brother shadow lace, rib transfer carriage Combining knit carriage needle selection with racking More to explore
Transfers between needles on either or to and from both beds
Double bed embossed patterns
Bowknot aka butterfly or dragonfly stitch in more than one color
Slip stitch patterns with hand-transferred stitches, double bed
Ribber fabrics with stitch transfers between beds 1
Ribber fabrics with stitch transfers between beds 2
Origami-inspired 2: more pleats and folds using ribber
Pleats: ribbed, folding fabrics
Lace transfers meet fisherman rib in 2 colors on Brother KM 1

Added play with lace designs 1

This experiment began with this full published punchcard chart, 24X40 cellsThe related PNG, 24X20, was tested on the 930 electronic machine.
Weight and tension adjustments led to avoiding dropped stitches, familiar to many with experience using the lace carriage (LC) to make the needle selections and transfers.
The side borders can be planned to be vertical columns of knit stitches or with shaping created by the transfers. Reverse engineering, from punchcard repeat to a hand technique chart begins with color coding the transfers, cyan to the left, magenta to the right.
The punchcard machine automatically reverses programmed motifs, but in charting for hand techniques place the symbols and their direction are as intended with the purl side facing.
This startled to the first draft for use on the bulky.Needle beds and tapes may be marked in a variety of ways to help track hand techniques. Custom needle tapes on any model can be printed to scale and inserted under needles for similar guidance.
Claudia Scarpa has published tapes for a large range of needle spacings on her blog. They are numbered and in colors to match factory tapes for both full needle beds.
Mac experiments on printing needle tapes and punchcard templates to scale and other tips shares 4.55mm bed downloadable documents.
Each table cell in my bulky DIY measures 22X26 points in a Mac Numbers, an editable spreadsheet: bulky tape
The related PDF file, needle tapes only bulky , printed to the correct scale using these setting adjustments.The 23-cell table screen grabbed, opened in gimp, cropped to content, 1177X91,
also printed to proper scale and offers the opportunity to fill individual cells or blocks with specific colors using the fuzzy select/ magic wand tool The 9mm tape is shown in place with markings chosen to match the chart for alternate pairs of rows.The result is with knit rows after each series of transfers.A side-by-side view/comparison, highlighting differences in the number and size of the eyelets. Readjusting the repeat, shown in progress; the rows marked with red cells take into consideration the actions of the automated LC selection.
The transfer in each segment is made first, and then subsequent selections and transfers are made until the final eyelet is formed in the desired place for each of the following segments.
The yellow cells represent blank rows in the cards.
Multiple transfer tools, in this case a 2-prong one, can be used to make the multiple stitch transfers in single moves.
The final repeat is collapsed to place eyelets in the proper location and is reduced to 8 rows in height.The knitting in progress on the bulky machine illustrates transfer rows, and shares its appearance with this test on the 930 knit using 3/8 woolThis 31 stitch swatch was executed first on the bulky km following a chart, measures 8.75 inches, 22.25 cm in width at its widest point.On the standard machine, a 31 stitch X 15 row PNG program was used to help track transfers.
The chosen yarn was a 2/8 wool, the swatch measured 4.25 inches at its widest point, as opposed to the bulky, 8.75 inches at same.
Here the swatches are compared side by side.

Experiments on Brother 260 bulky KM 1

I no longer own any Passap equipment.
The added space has allowed my setting up the bulky model, perhaps the most underused of my km collection over the years, except for the winter season felt hat production. Although my yarn stash was reduced dramatically with my downsizing, there are still some balls and cones remaining from those days, or certainly, multiple strands of thinner yarns may be used together.
The post Brother machines, punchcards, and their use offers basic info, while the one sharing symbols and card samples will help identify suitable designs for potential knit settings.
Decades of knitting on the 4.5 mm models make for interesting adjustments in the switch of materials and scale.
I am including some results here that are found through searching through former posts, but were not categorized as bulky knits at the time they were initially published.

Cables can be hard to achieve across full needle beds because the yarn is forced to move across fixed distances on metal beds.
The links to the full series of previous posts on the topic can be found in the blog index.
This sequence was tried first on the standard; resulting crossings were nearly invisible.
The bulky swatch took some coaxing on the knit rows, and a very loose tension to make it possible.
The how-to: after casting on an uneven number of needles and some base rows, cable crossings are made every other row. Either side of the bed can serve as the starting side, depending on personal preference. If beginning on the left,
1: COL, begin cabling with the first pair of needles on the left, moving pairs of stitches in the same direction across the row; there will be a single remaining stitch on the right
2: knit one row to the right
3: COR, skip the first stitch on the left, and begin cabling with the second pair of stitches, moving them in the opposite direction of those in the first cable crossing row until COR is reached
4: COR, knit one row back to the left
Repeat steps 1-4

Lace
Producing large eyelets with hand manipulation of stitches is possible on the bulky machine as well.
Planning vertical straight bands in a spreadsheet: Some steps are illustrated in progress below.
The yarn used is a 4/10 wool with a soft hand.
The repeat is a multiple of 3+2 stitches that serve as single stitch vertical borders, along with single stitch eyelets on each side.
Transfers are made toward the center of each 3-stitch group every 4 rows.
The illustrations:
1. After the transfers are completed, there will be side-by-side empty needles. As the next row is knit, each empty needle will hold a loop. The method used to help them become stitches, except for the first row of eyelets, is one illustrated for buttonholes in a Brother manual.
2. The double loops are dropped
3, 4. A single eye tool is inserted from the back of the loop, twisted to the front, and the e-wrapped yarn is rehung on the first empty needle. The process is repeated with the second loop/empty needle
5. Formerly empty needles now hold twisted/wrapped yarn
6. The eyelets on the machine are approximately the size of a dime. The finished swatch, knit on 26 stitches, measures 6.25X4.25 inches in the patterned areas after steaming and pressing. In a different needle arrangement, the loops are secured by the next set of transfers. Every other group of transfers is planned for single eyelets along the side edges. At the top of the swatch, rather than e-wrapping, the empty needles were brought into work alternately over 2 carriage passes, creating a pair of smaller eyelets
A 2013 post looked at ladder “lace”, with the use of a card to aid with proper needle selection, yielding the bulky sample below. In this swatch, eyelets produced with hand transfers echo the movement.
Colored cell vertical columns represent locations for needle positions where stitches remain undisturbed throughout.
Arrows indicate the direction of the transfers made with a 3-prong tool in each 8-row stitch group.
Markings in DIY can be varied to suit. The 31-stitch swatch measures 8.75 inches, 22.25 cm in width at its widest point. The same 31X16 row repeat was knit on the standard machine, with a repeat programmed to help track transfers.
The result measured 4.25 inches at its widest point. This image shows the gauge difference side by side. This pattern is created by forming large eyelets as well. Symbols and charts exploring designs have evolved over the years.
Using the method seen in some of my latest posts: The series of double eyelets can be shortened, as seen at the bottom of the swatch.
The long floats created by the double empty needles are handled as described in the previous share.
The swatch was knit on 26 stitches, measures 6 inches in width. More inspiration may be found in the post on textures in needles out of workspaces.
Revisiting lace leaf design repeats 2 shared a 12X52 row design knit on 38 stitches. Lace punchcards_use on the Brother 260 Bulky offered a few methods for using both Brother and Studio lace published repeats.
This sample was used with a longer, 24X68 row punchcard using 2 carriages and extension rails.
The extension rails on the bulky have arms that are different lengths. The bulky rail is shown compared to the one for the standard, with a white tag on it. Their placement is easy to assess, but if the front arm has not clearly snapped into place with an audible noise, the rails can make it hard to push the carriage out to the needed position or even become flying projectiles.
Using 2 carriages
Knit some base rows.
The carriage used to select needles need not have a sinker plate in place.
Its end needle selection is cancelled, and it operates from the left side as the LC does on the standard.
It holds no yarn.
Deactivate its row counter.
Push in both its part/slip buttons.
The carriage used for the 2 knit rows separating design segments operates from the right, is set to knit, and does not advance the punchcard. Activate its row counter for future gauge calculations.
Knitting:
1. Lock the card on the first row as would be done on a standard machine.
2. COL, the first selection row is made left to right. Subsequent transfers can then be made by hand in the direction of the arrows on the card if they are available, or simply away from the carriage. All needles must be returned to the B position. When the KH carriage is set to slip, it is the selected needles that actually knit stitches. If the carriage moves across those same needles with no yarn in the feeder, selected needles will drop their corresponding stitches.
3. COR, set the card to advance “normally”, transfer selected needles to the left, and move the carriage itself to the left.
4. COL, transfer preselected needles to the right, and follow with a knit row to the right.
Continue to make transfers that the lace carriage would have made. In this instance, there will be 2 passes of the selecting carriage with no preselection, indicating the place for the next pair of knit rows from the right, end COL.
4. COR, knit 2 rows, or more if the lace pattern requires it, end COR.
Return to needle preselection with the selecting carriage from the left.
Although the bulky offered a single bed cast on comb, the ribber cast on comb and a single small ribber weight seemed to be the best way to ensure proper knitting. Areas where 3 stitches were placed on single needles needed occasional coaxing for the stitch in the next row to be knit through them completely.
The swatch was knitted on 37 stitches, for 2 full repeats in height, and measures 13X9.25 inches. Exploring a lace repeat in multiple ways: the punchcard repeat was developed from the hand transfers chart, shared with the corresponding standard gauge LC automated swatch, and hand transferred one on the 260 bulky.
The bulky swatch was knit on a multiple of 6+3 stitches, with a planned 2-stitch border on either side. A custom needle tape was in place to aid in proper needle selection. The repeat is easy to track once the pattern is established

From 2015, a hand technique, A block lace pattern on the machine

Ladder spaces meet cable crossings
This design was tested on both the standard and the bulky, on the same number of stitches, 31.
The design 12 row repeat: circles represent stitch transfer location with the corresponding needles taken out of work, while orange cells point to locations where empty needles are returned to work, becoming the center stitch in each new group of 3. The needle tape markings served served guides to actions, the cyan and blue dots mark empty needles in each group after transfers are completed. Check for any transfer errors, ie, the red dot marks a needle with a stitch on it that should be empty. The swatch measures 8.25 inches in width. Since all crossings are in the same direction, it is hard to know whether large pieces would have a tendency to bias. Its scale compared to its standard knit companion, which in turn measures 4.75 inches in width
Short rows
A leaf lace never fully completed, from 2017

Thread lace
2025 Returning to thread lace, adding bulky knit samples

Knitweaving
2026 This knit-woven loop sample was knit using a technique described further in
A return to loopy knits and Machine-knit fringes 4, long loop patterning
E-wrapping the edge loops both before and after coming around the straw made for a better side edge.

It will be a while before my ribber will be set up. In the interim, previous posts with related info
More on Brother DBJ, including KR 260 bulky KM options
carriage settings and tips
Revisiting drop / release stitch lace 1.

Slip stitch patterns with hand transferred stitches, single bed 2

The previous post, Slip stitch patterns with hand transferred stitches, single bed 1 grew quite lengthy; this one will host newer experiments.
This stitch pattern reminded me of bowknot/butterfly stitch design. Samples explored in the past were executed using both knit and ribber beds. This version is knit using the single bed.
The smallest repeat, 14X40, the plan is for a swatch 46X40 repeat, with a color change at the midpoint, the PNG. Knit the first 2 design rows. When the first row with groups of three non-selected needles occurs, bring the center needle of each group out, indicated by the red cell, moving from one side of the bed to the other, and knit the stitches through using a length of ravel cord, leaving some slack between them. Return the emptied needles to the B position. They will be skipped/slipped along with their pairs of side-by-side companions, forming floats. When the first row of every needle preselection occurs, beginning on either side, tug down on each stitch with the ravel cord, elongating it (L image). Insert a tool through its center front to back, lift it on the empty needle (R image), lining it up in position D or E.
The ravel cord can be unthreaded after each step while continuing the process, moving to the opposite side of the needle bed, or after reaching the opposite side. The first repeat used a yarn from a cone that “unexpectedly” ended

In this design, the elongated slipped stitches are brought up and crossed behind groups of 3 knit stitches.
The idea began to be explored in a spreadsheet; the repeat is 14 stitches by 6 rows. Color 1 knits for 2 rows, forms the elongated stitches, and color 2 forms the background stripes.
The first preselection row is made from left to right with color 1, the knit carriage is set to slip in both directions, and the second row will be knit on the return to the color changer, where color 2 is picked up and knits for 4 rows.
A chart for a programmed repeat, 56X18. The groups of white cells with the associated non-selected needles on row 5 are guides for tracking the related hand technique.
Half the stitches are moved from the center forward, the slipped stitch is moved 3 stitches over, toward the center, and the group of 3 stitches is returned to the top bed on the 3 empty needles. The steps are repeated on the alternate half.
Bring all needles forward after the transfers, pick up color 1, knit 2 rows, change to color 2, knit for 4 rows in the tuck pattern, transfer stitches, change color, continue to repeat the process.

Manipulated slip stitches using the ribber:
Slip stitch patterns with hand transferred stitches, double bed
Bowknot aka butterfly or dragonfly stitch in more than one color
Bowknot/ Butterfly stitch on the machine

A return to hand transferred lace, adding color striping

Periodically, forums and pinboards suggest that using lace patterns with added color striping on home knitting machines may be used to produce knits inspired by Missoni designs.
Yarn availability, gauge, and the willingness to deal with lots of yarn ends influence choices, and appreciation of the results is a matter of personal taste and choice.
The swatches here are on small groups of repeats, and any movement in the horizontal lines may be more noticeable on larger pieces or more dramatic in other color sequences in the number of rows or their order of use.
Hand transferring groups of stitches with multiple transfer tools may avoid some of the pitfalls in LC transfers over sometimes dozens of rows until all stitches are finally knit.
Watch for needles accidentally being pushed back to A as knitting progresses, resulting in errors.
Inspiration for varied stitches from a single chart experimented with this chart as a starting point. Programmable repeats can be developed to aid in maintaining correct needle selection.
End needle selection is canceled.
Needles are preselected as usual in the places of each black square in the charts/ punched holes in those locations/ black pixels in the design downloads.
I am sampling on a 930, which automatically mirrors programmed motifs horizontally. This may vary depending on the model and download software used.
The methods here are not presented step by step; they assume some knowledge of the progression from drawing to color separating for specific stitches.
The knit carriage remains set to knit, without the use of any cam buttons.
Black pixels represent transferred groups of stitches. In the bottom half of the repeat, they are moved toward the left, in the top half toward the right of the needle bed.
The experiments began with the maximum number of stitches transferred at 7, using the seven-prong adjustable tool to facilitate the moves.
This chart was generated using Mac Numbers, with eyelets formed at the center of the shapes, and the doubled stitches formed by the transfers outlining them. To separate the knitting design, working with a spreadsheet, every other even-numbered row can be hidden. The shapes may be drawn as desired, and when rows are unhidden, color sequences, transfers, etc, can be visualized before committing to grabbing an image of the final design and processing it to render a downloadable PNG.
The planned shapes may also be rendered using any preferred paint program techniques:
20X14 initial design double length, 20X28 using transparencies/ color to alpha or even a pencil to fill in every other even # row with white cells My tested repeat, 43X28 Forming eyelets at the edges of the shapeshalf drop, 26X28checking alignmentsdouble height, 26X56EOR rendered white pixels, 44X56 planned swatch Using half shapes drawn in repeats may need to be mirrored horizontally depending on machine model and the download program used.
Border vertical columns on each side may be added in the PNGs or by adding needles in work; they will not be selected, continue to be formed as knit stitches.
This 12X20 design may be repeated twice in width and height for punchcard use,24X20 checking alignments, and drawn repeat. The transferred stitches on row 11 tend to cramp the eyelets produced by the last set of transfers in the opposite direction immediately below them. The swatch was knit 37X20 Using triangular repeats:
16X28, repeat an added third segment for punchcard use, visualized in progress, and for color changes, test repeat 40X28: Adjusting the repeat to produce taller horizontal stripes, 11X40 programmed on 33X40 Adding NOOW ladder spaces, 14X32 programmed 46X32 An attempt at having transferred stitches form a continuous shape outline, 10X36, programmed 42X36 Aiming for the movement of the transferred stitches along a more central line, a punchcard repeat, 36X70, planned as a hand technique, 5-eyelet swatch, tested on a 33X20 repeat mirrored for use on the 930 7-eyelet swatchswatch a test 34X32, in the same orientation as the chart