Category: Lace

More on combining lace patterning with knit weaving

Brother Punch Card Pattern Volume 5 is a great tool for learning about the various technique possibilities on any machine.
The accompanying swatch images are guides to visualizing the results and the relationship between punched holes and stitch structures and textures.
Some designs may be used as published on electronic models, while others need some adjustments.
When 2 carriages are used to select needles from opposite sides, punch card machines do not advance the card with the first pass of the second carriage from the opposite side, repeating the selection in the previous row, while electronic models advance a design row with each carriage pass.
When traveling between machine models and developing DIY variations, test the lace portion of the design first; depending on the machine type or the software used to download to the machine, the PNGs provided may need to be mirrored horizontally. The big clue pointing to mirroring being required in testing is if there are two empty needles side by side after any of the transfers.
Electronic models can do that with the selection of a button. Keep good notes for future reference of the specific patterns.
This series began with a ready-to-knit repeat for the technique.
End needle selection is canceled; the goal is to maintain the weaving pattern along the side edges.
The smallest repeat segment in the card #275 is isolated, in this instance, to 12X28. The image on the far right shows areas where selection rows are repeated with the change of the carriages.
The chart for the repeat was plotted first in a spreadsheet, 12 columns X 36 rows, with arrows indicating the direction of the carriage moves, and the knit-woven rows were also noted with red cells. The sample was drawn in repeat X3 to 36X36, and a border column was added to each side, adjusted for an evenly distributed woven floats, used as is on the 930, no mirroring required, 38X36, Using a random card design for transfer lace, #623, with the smallest repeat isolated to 8X18,8X24doubled in height, altered to maintain the weaving pattern repeat,8X48tiling checked on 96X96knit tested on 33X48, mirrored horizontally on the 930Choosing a pattern from a published design for electronic Brother models, repeating the process with #182 Drawing the initial 13X66 file drawin in repeatX 2 in width revealed areas with double cells in the weaving rows, shown edited on the rightthe new PNG, 26X66, with tested tiling knit on 44X66 to accommodate edge transfers and with pixels added to maintain weaving pattern required mirroring on the 930
The weaving yarn used is the same space dyed wool worsted, and the lace yarn thickness matches the 2/18 yellow. A larger motif, still using comparable weight yarns, #161, 24X48.The process, summarized, the knittable 24X72 BW PNG, and its tiling alignment

The tested repeat, 50X72, required mirroring on the 930

A spreadsheet offers easy editing of cell groups and rows. The concept applies to any available and familiar tools that allow for planning the sequences.
The steps in my process using Tables and Mac Numbers in summary:
begin with a published design with 2 knit rows occurring after each series of LC carriage passes, filling the corresponding cells with an easy-to-see color. It is useful to have a symbol or shape to add to any column, indicating Lace Carriage movements.  Selecting either of the 2 yellow rows, expand the chart by consistently choosing either the top or bottom row, adding a row below the top or above the bottom one X2, yielding 4 yellow rows.
The red cells in the column on the right indicate planned knit carriage passes.  Adding BW cells indicates the placement of alternating pairs of weaving patterns.   When programming repeats for the number of needles used in the piece,
verify that the direction of the transfers works so as not to produce side-by-side empty needles. Some machines and download software require horizontal mirroring of lace patterns; electronic models have buttons that will perform the mirroring without added programming.
Tile the weaving design in height, isolated in this sequence, and illustrated simply as a BW file, 24X16, with correct tiling in height. Check that it is maintained with the full “final” LC, and the weave repeat is doubled in height; look for any same row repetitions. In those instances, adjustments will need to be made in the top half of the design by shifting and redrawing cells. Add needles in work on either or both sides if needed to avoid side edge stitch transfers.
For better finishes on side edges, maintain the weaving pattern repeat, filling in cells in the PNG, or pulling needles out by hand if needed.
Returning to my episodic leaf lace obsession, #576. The 24X56 startTwo-stitch side borders were added, marked with magenta cells in the corresponding chart, resulting in a multiple of 24X2=48+4=52 stitch width repeat, no mirroring required on 930Sampling was planned using a 2/8 green wool for the lace, which test-knit fairly easily at tension 9.
Then the fun began: the yellow, thicker yarn was a loose, three-stranded variety, and began to separate and skip getting caught. The second shade of green worked fine after a tension adjustment, until I forgot I was weaving, almost transferred a whole EON selection row, got a lovely LC carriage jam, and was not happy at the degree of contrast between the two greens. Thought I had sailed through this sample, and then, when steaming it, I found the many dropped stitches that had gotten away from me and my eyeballs.
May consider regrouping and a third try, but not today!

Knit-weaving methods and associated swatches
Knit weaving 5: manipulated floats 8/24
Knit weaving 4: combining stitch types 7/24
Knit weaving 3  5/24
Knit weaving 2: swatches, experiments 2/21
Knit weaving 1 2/21

More on combining lace patterning with added stitch types

Far older posts:  Combining tuck stitches with lace 1,knit swatch Combining tuck stitches with lace 2 (automating them), the arrow points to operator error, both from 2015
mylar_purl1Lace 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 930:2025
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

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 1Lace 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

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.

Returning to thread lace, adding bulky knit samples

IN PROGRESS

Many knits are named referring to the resulting open spaces with the term lace.
Links to more information on the technique are listed at the end of this post.
Thread lace uses thick and thin yarns for the illusion of eyelets.
Beginning with published designs can provide a springboard for DIY, an opportunity to observe the size of eyelets and lines formed by the respective white cells/unpunched holes in cards, ot the companion black cells/punched holes.
This test is knit using #12 from the Brother punchcard set P. The thick yarn is a 4/10 wool, the thin a woolly nylon, which, although a good color match, proved to be a poor choice. It has some stretch, and off the machine, the resulting illusion eyelets were far smaller in size than expected. Steaming with light pressing and a mild tug to enlarge them broke the nylon in several places, as well as making the knit surface appear irregular.  The results improved vastly with a switch to sewing thread as the thin yarn. Representational designs can have blurred details from the floats of the thick yarn showing through the thinner yarn stitches. This rose design was used in a garment years ago, and began with this 24X56 file.
Some needle selection was eliminated in the card used in the piece to allow for the transition to a new, smaller design repeat.
The standard KM version was knit using contrasting colors using wool-rayon and sewing thread
The thicker yarn in this test on the bulky is an unscoured worsted with natural oils, intended for hand-knitting on #7 or 8 needles to produce 5-4.5 sts per inch. It was stiff and hard to knit on the machine, required a loose tension, and the eyelets were quite large. It took aggressive pressing and steaming for the best reading of the design; any final piece would likely grow in length over time. I unraveled the swatch before realizing I had not measured it.
A slightly different, continuous repeat, 24X60was knit on the standard using wool and a nylon thread, and the bulky, using worsted-weight acrylic and the same nylon thread.The size of both swatches, knit on the same number of stitches/rows, compared in size.A return to a leaf shapes knit using a 3-strand worsted-weight wool yarn and a 16/2 durene, and the Brother 25p card.  This was in my stash of self-punched cards; neither side has any marks of any kind.   The 24X54  matching PNG used in other samples, scaled and gridded as a guide for punching

Thread “Lace”
Revisiting Fair Isle, thread lace, 3D surface potential 
Tuck stitch meets thread lace repeats and vice versa 
Unconventional uses for punchcards 2: thread lace cards for “filet” mesh 
Thread Lace on Brother KM bulky samples
Thread lace and punchcard knit carriage use on Brother 910_1 
Thread lace and punchcard knit carriage use on Brother 910_2   ribber  

The setting may be used to achieve textured knits and mock cables using elastic ie as seen in:
Knitting with “unusual” fibers/ elastic 1

 

 

A tale of lace knit counterpanes

Decades ago, long before English language magazines intended for machine knitters were published, several Japanese language ones were available.
I recall a particular dealer who used to attend seminars and made them available in the associated marketplace, occasionally with free issues for anyone able to execute and knit a “guess how this is made” handout.
Publishers included Nihon Vogue, ZaZa, Studio/Silver Reed, and Brother.
Before electronic machine models became available, pattern repeats were offered for use on punchcard models or simply as hand-knit charts.
This Brother pub introduced counterpane-inspired designs, such as seen in this hand-knit version found online, from an unclear source. The circular lace movement is created by the gathers at the cast-on edge of flat horizontal knit bands.
Partial repeats from the pub, a 16X14and a 20X16both designs may be scaled in size, adjusting width, height, and the number of transfers.
Many previous blog posts here have analyzed how to convert hand-knit patterns for automated lace knitting on Brother machines.
Hand-knit patterns often show transfers on the knit face side, making it necessary to mirror the charts horizontally to match them on the machine, where only the purl side is in view to the knitter.
Punchcard machines mirror punched designs horizontally automatically.
On electronic models such as my 930, downloaded PNGs are automatically mirrored, necessitating one of 2 choices. One is to mirror the PNG before downloading it to the machine, and the other is to use the built-in image reverse button to do so.
Testing a single repeat first helps isolate pattern errors. If 2 needles are selected by the LC side by side, the cause may be that the image needs to be mirrored due to the machine brand/model or the download software being used.
Assigning colors to the left and right LC transfers is useful in expanding hand transfer charts to automated designs.
Cyan cells indicate transfers to the left, magenta ones indicate transfers to the right, in this 14-stitches by 12-rows repeat.
The expanded chart that follows was created using Mac Numbers to develop a repeat for a square pane using four petals.
A blank column on either side edge will include transferred stitches and will be used to seam the knit.
Yellow/ blank rows do not always reflect knit rows in the chart; in some cases, they include passes needed for the LC to return to its proper location on the left side.
A single design repeat is expanded to 14X44. Following the built-in machine prompts rather than the row counter, the red cells indicate knit rows after each transfer segment is completed.  With pattern mirroring, needles 28L to 29R are in use. 57X44 matching the chart, used with the 930 #1 reverse key.To reduce the bulk when the band is gathered at the end of the knitting, e-wrap cast-on every other needle, leaving a long tail to be used for gathering the center of the square.
To gather the loops formed by the cast on, the same yarn may be used, or even a thinner, stronger yarn. Testing on a small swatch helps one make the choice.
The technique can happen off the machine, but it is also possible to thread through the loops close to the start of the piece on the machine.
To knit:
E wrap EON, from right to left
hang the cast-on comb,
knit 5 rows, ending with COR,
begin using the lace carriage,
when the piece is completed, bind off around 2 gate pegs for enough stretch, leaving a long enough yarn end to seam the piece together.
The completed band, ready for bind offSteam/press the finished band for the initial blocking, and seam it into a tube.
Gather the loops from the cast-on with the gathering thread around, over the join, up to two times, pull tight, and secure the thread.
Lightly block once more into a square. To knit a pentagon, a fifth repeat is added, mirrored 71X44 PNG, ready for download and knitting on the 930 needles 35L to 36RThe design can be expanded to achieve a 24-stitch repeat usable for automated patterning on punchcard model machines.
The chart is scaled up first in size to 24X26 to be followed for a possible hand-transferred lace. A single segment was tested on needles 13L to 12R; transfers proved challenging, with stitches dropping, yarn splitting, and generally resisting group moves. Finally, a 2/20 wool, with one operator error, a missing transfer/ eylet, completed the test. The 24X26 design, now expanded for use with a punch card, 24X184.
The repeat, rendered in BW. The PNG for the 4-petal +1 repeat, mirrored and ready to knit on the 930, 97X184,   was divided into two tracks by img2track, with the first 50 rows in track 1, the remainder in track 2, changing the machine prompt numbers if relying on those for row numbers rather than the counter.
A 24-stitch portion of the design, avoiding the multiple tracks.  The swatch was knit on needles 48L to 49R, using 2/8 wool commonly used at tension 8, too thick for the LC to transfer without problems.
I chose to proceed manually with transfers occurring away from the knit carriage, checking that no needles were accidentally pushed back to the A position or that extra stitches were not transferred if wrong needle selection is affected when correcting dropped stitches.
1: the e wrap cast-on on every other needle with the comb in place, leaving a yarn end longer than the width of the needles in work
2: the first pass knits to the opposite side
3: the cast on comb is brought forward
4: the yarn end is threaded through a needle, and gradually stitched over, under the yarn loops moving across the row
5: the completed band, about to be bound off around 2 gate pegs. After binding off, the piece was removed from the machine and steamed and blocked lightly. After seaming it into a tube, the cast-on edge was then gathered, and a bit more ironing and steaming followed. Comparing the size of the two square pieces. This is a throwback swatch, knit in a softly spun rayon, which proved to be out of control in terms of forming a hexagonal seamable shape.
Yarn choice and tension contribute to successful sizing or fails. The quickest version, a 16X22 repeat forming a pentagon, knits with a programmed pattern to guide stitch transfers beginning with a 7-prong tool.
The yarn is 2/8 wool, knit slowly and with more patience.
The chart may be printed and followed as an added guide.
Needles 40L to 41R, 16X22 PNG
81X22was programmed in addition with the 930 #1 reverse key selected.
A nylon cord was carefully threaded through the cast-on loops at the start of knitting.
The intent was to steam/ iron the band lightly as the initial blocking before seaming, the universe intervened, letting me know it is time to replace my iron as part of the piece was immediately scorched and the cording spot melted.  Regrouping, the cast-on loops were visibly clear and easy to gather at the center after seaming using a saved long yarn end from the cast-on row. This pentagon, compared in size to the red yarn version
For some 2D doilies, see:
From automated lace edging pattern to doilies and ruffles
Doilies: Lace meets hold and goes round

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 cellsMy tested repeat, 43X28Forming eyelets at the edges of the shapeshalf drop, 26X28checking alignmentsdouble height, 26X56EOR rendered white pixels, 44X56 planned swatchUsing 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 37X20Using 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 46X32An attempt at having transferred stitches form a continuous shape outline, 10X36, programmed 42X36Aiming 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

 

A return to lace with automated patterning, adding color striping

To mesh or not to mesh 6: chevrons, and Striping in lace fabrics 1 offer a variety of ways to produce color striped movements in lace knits of varying complexity. Published repeats intended for use with the lace transfer carriage may appear different ie, when comparing the previously shared PNG on the left, to the one used in this post on the right, but are essentially the same with a shift in the placement of design segments. The “new” 24X60 PNG When adding color striping, the changes may be made manually or using the color changer.
Yarn ends and how to manage them are always a consideration when planning final pieces.
Side edge(s) may need small weights added to keep the yarn feeding so stitches remain even-sized or on the changer side when yarns are carried up rather than cut to keep them from gathering the knit.
When testing concepts, I prefer to use colors that allow for developing an understanding of how the stitches are formed and make it easier to identify dropped stitches, as well as tensions that do not challenge the transfers.
Striping with frequent color changes is easier to execute using the single bed color changer, which does not allow for operation of the lace carriage from the left.
To use the lace carriage operating from the right on Brother machines, the punchcard can be turned over and renumbered if needed, or choose a Toyota card, since in those patterns the LC operates from the right. In the electronic programming, the design can be left as is in software downloads or models that usually require mirroring, or left alone in those that do not.
Two variations. Many techniques can be developed from single full repeats and their close relatives. In DIY, that fact can be used to create large collections.
Personal preferences, taste, and sometimes simple patience serve as guidelines.
Needles out of work may be added to create ladder spaces, can outline shapes or interrupt them with simple vertical lines.
When side-by-side stitches are transferred, large eyelets will be formed. They begin with side-by-side loops that are anchored by the subsequent pair of transfers in opposing directions. 24X44 PNG After a break from looking at the swatch, I began to notice missing eyelets. It is easy to omit pixels in lace PNGs with so few markings.
The revised repeat chart with the missing pixel marked in magenta, the revised PNGand the new proof of concept with correct patterning. Lace knitting can be fiddly, the bottom of the swatch illustrates some of the fun variations in patterning that can result while one explores how to make things work with changes in yarn, tension, and weightsExploring what happens can only be discovered by trying it. Here, 3 colors and then 4 are rotated 1, 2, 3, and then 4 every 2 rows. The pattern is symmetrical, and the effect on the stripes’ movement or distortion is subtle. Tested in part of the search for getting the doubled-up transferred stitches to snake along the center of the design, a 24X70 design repeat using plied yarns to achieve self-striping, the spreadsheet chart including LC row counts, rotated counterclockwise, the PNGMovement of the stripes with softer angles is seen in this throwback sample found in: From lace chart to punchcard 3: adding stripes.  DIY can begin with a pretested lace pattern ie this 24X30 found in To mesh or not to mesh 7, lace knitting tips.The initial 24X30 PNGThe first adjustmentwas rejected after test knitting, and the repeat was changed, making it suitable for electronic kms only, 22X3046X30, mirrored for use on the 930 was more successful

Lace edgings on Brother machines- automated with slip stitch 3

This website offers inspiration for hand-knitting 100 lace collars, edgings and insertions. 
The charts may be used by machine knitters who enjoy portable hand-knit projects to complement their machine-knitting ones, or machine knitters whose only option is hand manipulation, can follow the charts provided considering whether they are presented with knit side or purl side facing.
The images alone can be a springboard to variations of edgings that have already been worked out and tested.
Previous related posts:
Lace edgings on Brother machines- automated with slip stitch 2
Lace edgings on Brother machines- automated with slip stitch .
A recent FB discussion suggested my edging repeats were “missing rows.”
The edgings shared up to this point were often shaped with transfers along the left edge, with the straight edge of the pieces on the right, and began with transfers to the right rather than to the left, with a fixed number of passes for both the LC and KC carriages throughout.
They were intentionally designed to minimize the number of LC passes.
As with many other knitting techniques, there are multiple ways to achieve similar goals.
The number of LC passes and whether the starting selections result in a start with transfers to the right or to the left vary depending on the project and the designer’s published source inspiration, if any, their preference, and end use.
There are no fixed rules.
The trims may be executed on any brand and gauge knitting machine, using hand needle selection and transfer techniques guided by specific charts.
They are not a new find or invention, were popular in the late 80s and 90s on punchcard models, shaped with hand transfers, and frequently taught at MK seminars.
If the edging is used as a border, the latter can be created horizontally rather than vertically, even adding the use of the ribber in some cases.
Automated versions make production practical in forming lengths to be joined onto projects ie shawls and blankets.
Lace can be temperamental to knit, and when experimenting one can begin with what has already been worked out.
In this first design, the shaped edge of the trim occurs on the right during knitting, and the straight edge on the left.
Assigning color values to the direction of the transfers facilitates decisions in determining starting points.
Beginning at the widest part of the design, the cyan cells represent transfers to the left, the magenta transfers to the right, and the black the all knit rows that will be formed with slip stitch.
End needle selection is turned on in both directions in the LC, canceled with the KC set on KCII.
The first preselection row is from the left with the KC set to knit.
When it reaches the right, the carriage is set to slip in both directions, makes 2 more passes, returning to rest on the right.
In the bottom of the design, at the decreasing angle, the LC starting from the left preselects but does not transfer any stitches on its way to the right, transfers to the left and preselects for all knit stitches as it returns to the left making only 2 passes to complete required transfers.
As the top of the design and the increasing angle are reached, four lace passes/rows in the design are required to make the necessary transfers to the right and allow the LC to return to its place on the left.
The charts are oriented this way to visualize how the direction of the transfers relates to the shaping. The 20X70 PNG may need mirroring depending on the KM model being used and/or the download program. When in doubt, the needle selections are easy to recognize and some air knitting helps ensure that the pngs are oriented properly on your needle bed.  The proof of concept swatch To begin at the narrow end of the trim with the LC making the first preselection row from the left, the repeat, provided here in a larger view, can be shifted as indicated by red markings and used after several rows of base knit This 22X60 png, is charted with a start at the narrow for use with the LC preselecting the first row from the left for the increasing angle, then divided in for a start with the decreasing angle and the KC preselecting the first row, also from the left. The chart on the right shows the BW pixels programmed.
The LC makes 4 passes followed by 2 passes of the KC throughout the piece.
The shared version of the PNG did not require added mirroring on the 930, which was done automatically by the machine.
Shaping occurs on the right, with the straight edge on the left. When charting in spreadsheets, in addition to assigning a color to the direction of transfers made by the LC, arrows may be added to indicate the direction of the respective carriage movements.
This design was published on a Brother Mylar sheet when the 910 was new to the market. It is wider than most such borders, intended for use in a blanket or afghan edge. The transfers were to be made by hand to attain the curved edge.

Working in Numbers the image was mirrored and duplicated, planned for a shaped edge on the left. Arrows mark the direction of movements for each of the carriages The repeat is adjusted for automated shaping The 40X40 png required mirroring on my 930  There is a non-selected needle on the left near the center of the design, it is not a selection error The proof of concept swatch If the chosen design inspiration is from a punchcard pattern and the goal is to match the transfer sequences intended by the pub beginning with the fist row of transfers to the left, the approach is different.
Using randomly chosen Brother 636 from Punchcard volume #5,  pairs of rows are added after each transfer segment, and in this case, a 42-row repeat becomes a 54-row one. In addition, pixels are shifted to form double eyelets along the straight edge on the right and added and subtracted for shaping with increases and decreases that form matching eyelets on the left.   The png 32X54 png used mirrored on the 930
and its proof-of-concept swatch

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 .