Lace – Page 2 – alessandrina.com

Returning to thread lace, adding bulky knit samples

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, 24X60 was 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 36R The 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 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

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 PNG Movement 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, 22X30 46X30, 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 The above repeat, visualized tiled. At present, using custom-printed needle tapes has proven useful in tracking actions required in hand-manipulated stitches.
The attached PDFs have been printed in the proper aspect ratio with the following changes from default settings using Mac Preview, and Acrobat Reader 7 needles
single 4.5
Whether the knit tests are worth pursuing in large pieces with or without modifications is subject to end-use and personal preferences.
To begin with, stitches were transferred, the empty needles were pushed back to the A position, Out Of Work, and returned to the work, B position, for reversing or shifting the shapes.
Forming ladders: the chevron shapes are created by single stitch transfers, and bringing needles in and out of work.
A starting chart: Keeping the same palette as in previous charts, yellow cells represent needle positions where stitches are not disturbed, and the white cells where needles are taken OOW. The up-arrow needles mobed to A/OOW, and the down-arrow needles returned to B.
The work in progress:
1: to reduce the line length formed by the single stitches, the point at which needles are returned to work can be varied
2: in this instance, as 5 empty needles side by side are reached, bring needles into work for the next shape on each side of the single stitch decreasing the number of empty needles to four. As the knit carriage returns to the opposite side, loops are formed on each of the needles returned to work
3: continue to bring an empty needle into work aside each pre-existing loop
4: after the last 2 empty needles are returned to work and are followed by a knit row the last two loops are formed
5: knit one last row across all the needles, and begin transfers for the alternate shape. This yarn is a 2/8 wool, which worked nicely for holding ladder edge stitches in the leaf swatches but yielded a stiff knit in this case, and the elongated single stitches fold over at the top, creating extra nubs on the surface of the knit. Continuing designs with similarly shaped outlines but leaving the emptied needles in work, B position, produces different shapes. All needles remain in B throughout.
The yellow columns in the chart indicate the locations on the needle bed where stitches are never moved.
Visualizing the tiled repeat and the direction of the transfers: the initial experiment is also a 12-row repeat. The magenta cells indicate spots where extra all-knit rows may be added in DIY.
The work in progress:
A 7-prong tool is handy in making the 5 and 4-stitch transfers.
After each transfer, loops will form on the empty needles with the next carriage pass
3: the loop becomes part of the subsequent transfer, and the newly emptied needle remains in work
The first swatch began with a 12-row repeat and an all-knit row before transfers began for the alternate shape. Visualized in larger BW tiling The transfers are made away from the circles in the chart using multiple transfer tools.
After each transfer, the empty needles are left in B or pushed out to E.
As the knit carriage moves to the opposite side, loops are formed on the empty needles.
Each loop becomes part of the next transfer.
Setting up the first design row using a 7-prong tool with 5 prongs selected: the numbers in the lower image indicate the number of stitches on each of those needles as the setup row is completed. The second group moves 4 stitches at a time. Loops are treated as stitches.
After the transfers, there will be groups of 2 stitches adjacent to those holding 3 in the previous row.
The outline in the lower image points to one pair of transfers in the process of being completed.
1: When this configuration is reached, knit one more row to the opposite side,
2: begin transfers away from the midpoint between the shapes to form the brick repeat. The result forms a bump once more due to the length of the single knit stitch columns. The above yarn is a 2/8 wool, the swatch was quite stiff. A second swatch was knit using a softer, thinner, alpaca-silk blend.
The relaxed knit after removal from the machine was very textured and narrow, this result followed some light pressing and steaming.
Traditional wet blocking would be required to maintain the shapes in a final piece. Eliminating the all-knit row to reduce the extra lengths of those single-stitch columns did not produce what to my eye was an improved knit.
In a last what-if test, the chart was turned 180 degrees, with transfers beginning with a single stitch, and ending with moving five. The results, knit in 2/15 wool and lightly steamed and pressed, appeared more successful to my eye. relaxed overnight, the surface is a bit more 3D Using a similar technique for multiple transfer lace designs: a 14-row repeat, magenta cells mark all knit rows, and all transfers are made toward stitches aside every 7 stitches except for on rows 6 and 13, circles in the chart now indicate eyelets, transfers are made every row. 1: the setup row.
Empty needles are left in work, B. Cyan dots mark needles holding 2 stitches after the beginning transfers
2: the next knit carriage pass forms loops on the empty needles
3: with the next transfer, an empty needle results adjacent to each loop, the start of the next eyelet On Row 6 the last transfer results in 3 stitches on the normally undisturbed vertical stitch columns, 6A as the next carriage pass is made, 6B, loops are formed on the empty needles. A second row is knit on every needle, 7, and transfers begin to be reversed for the top half of the shape, 8. The result shares some similarities with another hand technique .

Revisiting lace leaf design repeats 2

I am constantly drawn into multiple knitting rabbit holes. Along with my revisiting of 3D surfaces, more leaves are still in my line of sight for further exploration.
Follow-up post with hand-manipulated designs: Inspiration for varied stitches from a single chart offers more variations. A sample spreadsheet pattern visualization. Here, the shapes are surrounded by a traveling mesh ground: a 12X52 repeat, marked for punchcard use,

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

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

To mesh or not to mesh 10: more large eyelet variations

Some of the relevant previous posts and a few of the associated test swatches for quick comparisons:
Large scale mesh, a punchcard repeat adapted for electronic 4/21 Tuck setting used in both directions, one of 3 variations Revisiting large eyelet lace, hand transferred (or not) 7/20 Large diagonal eyelet lace 6/12, electronic sample follows at the bottom of this post: Large eyelet lace, hand transferred (or not) 9/13 Large scale mesh, breaking the rules, the start of the explorations 4/11Single bed slits aka horizontal “button holes” 11/16 “Buttonholes” and “make many – increase” “lace” 5/15 2024
Seasonal knits inspired by published repeats 2_hearts
36X88 introduced a combination of standard and large eyelets along the edges of the shape for a better definition of the design.
A recent FB share prompted a discussion of a different fabric combining selections by both the LC operating from the left, and the KC operating from the right, using the slip setting to secure the extra loops that result after a knit pass when side-by-side transfers are made in opposing directions.
When two carriages are selecting needles from opposite sides, each needs to clear past the respective set lines on the needle bed so as not to engage the belt while the other carriage is selecting and transferring or knitting, extension rails are a must.
Although this design repeat is 6 stitches in width, and in theory, it could be reproduced on a punchcard, it is not suitable for doing so.
On electronic machine models, each carriage pass advances the design by a single row.
When the alternate carriage is brought into action from the opposite side, punchcard models do not advance the card, repeating the last preselection, so the same stitch type is repeated for a second time. Some illustrations of the differences and contrasts can be found in the posts on doilies and edgings.
Planning the repeat in a spreadsheet helps to ensure that the direction of the lace carriage passes is kept accurate when the LC returns to selecting and transferring, as marked with the arrows on the left of the chart. The yellow cells and the arrows on the right reflect KC passes. To knit: cancel end needle selection, KCII.
If any end needle is selected before a LC pass, manually push it back to the B position. If any end needle is not selected before a KC pass, push it out to D or E
position.
The LC, set to N, consistently makes 4 passes starting from and returning to the left, followed by 2 passes of the KC set to slip in both directions starting from and returning to the right.
On the 4th LC pass, as it moves from right to left all needles will be preselected forward, a clear marker that the next pass will be with the KC.
The repeat is 6 stitches in width by 24 rows in height. The empty cells on rows 12 and 22 will produce slip-stitch floats below skipped needles that secure the second loop formed by the side-to-side transfers.
This is the pixel or punched-hole configuration that produces the side-by-side transfers.
The 6X24 png

The side-by-side empty needles after the first pass with the KC to the left, with needles not selected, in B position, matching white cell placements in otherwise all black cell rows with slip-stitch floats holding down the first loop after the second KC pass as it returns to the right The proof of concept Pamela Cruse devised and shared another similarly mixed eyelet size knit. Her repeat is 6X16, with only the LC selecting needles, the KC remains set to knit, making it suitable for punchcard machines as well. The full card, a single repeat, and the tiny PNG The knit in progress: after the two side-by-side needles are emptied, the next KC passes produce two consecutive loops, the first does not stay on the needles, but rather, gets dropped, forming a float Needles will be preselected on each side of them, followed by transfers. As those transfers are completed to the left and then to the right, it is those moved stitches that anchor down each loop. The first KC pass to the left forms single loops on the now empty needles, and the second KC pass to the right completes an all-knit row. The process is repeated in brick configuration.
Mirroring horizontally was not required on the 930. When it was tested, an all-over single eyelet was produced, seen a the bottom of the swatch. This large eyelet variation was developed by Claudia Scarpa, who shared these repeats for Brother machines which use opposite tuck/part buttons to form stitches properly after the side-by-side empty needle transfers have been performed.
There are 2 versions, each beginning with 6 stitches X 16 rows design.
Aligning eyelets vertically and in a brick arrangement To knit: cancel end needle selection, KCII.
If any end needle is selected before an LC pass, manually push it back to the B position. If any end needle is not selected before a KC pass, push it out to the D or E position. The LC, set to N, consistently makes 4 passes starting from and returning to the left, followed by 4 passes of the KC set to tuck to the left, slip to the right, starting from and returning to the right of the needle bed.
After the LC transfers have formed the double eyelets, when rows for the formation of tuck loops followed by slip stitch floats have been preselected, there will be pairs of needles brought forward to the D position.
The first KC tuck pass to the left forms tuck loops on the non-selected needles the second slip pass to the right anchors the tuck loop as all needles are preselected for the pair of all knit rows that follow The process is repeated with the eyelets forming in either orientation As the KC makes its last pass to the right there is no needle preselection, a sign that it is time to return to the use of the LC operating from the left The vertically aligned repeat test swatch and the brick repeat test The 24X48 repeat for the diagonal mesh The lace carriage makes 4 passes left to right followed by 2 passes of the knit carriage from right to left for the full repeat.
The first KC pass creates double loops on the side-by-side empty needles as it returns to the right, the first double loop is dropped, and a second double loop is formed the next series of transfers will double up a single stitch on one of the two loops and the process is repeated as knitting progresses. The yarn used is knit wool rayon again, and the side edges were allowed to curl. There is one stitch that got away from me on the left.

Revisiting lace leaf design repeats 1

Just about a decade ago, I began one of my many temporary technique obsessions by finally attempting transfer lace knitting, and it continued for a few years during which I produced scarves and shawls for gifts and sale in galleries and craft shows.
Leaf shapes held a particular attraction for me.
That long ago I was not sharing the pattern repeats used in my production items, and my note-keeping was not what could be defined as consistent or compulsive, so in looking at yet another pin sharing a lace leaf pattern in the present time, I went looking for some of my early repeats and let us say I did not immediately locate them.
My lace production pieces were worked on a 910 with mylar or a Brother 892 punchcard model, long before I entered the world of spreadsheet tables, downloads from Mac with Ayab to the 910, and later owning and favoring to a 930 with img2track.
A review of previous shares:
Beginnings, 2/11, adapted from a design published by Susanna Lewis
In progress, 2/11 On the blocking board 2/11 Back to lace/ 2/12, hand knit More on those slanting lace leaves 2/12 hand knit, pattern graph available for download Back to leaf lace, add rib, and take it to the Passap, hand transfer, E6000 with console assist 3/12, added punchcard unrelated design
The post punchcard, reconstructed in 2024 using Mac Numbers, Gimp, and ArahPaint, with similarities to the design that evolved in later explorations producing the more successful 24X64 repeat reproduced on the right. Comparing the knitted results: Getting there hand transfer tech with card assist 3/12 The joys of lace on the KM 3/12, dropped knitting, or too many dropped stitches can happen. Getting there leaf motifs, adding borders 3/12, goal: find the related punchcard
2024 the punchcard was located.
A punch card roll was used. When purchased, it was advertised for Brother but factory number markings on the right are for Studio machines, with row 1 on row 5 from the bottom all punched rows as opposed to row 7 for Brother. Keeping the use of the roll continuous, the factory markings become irrelevant in such DIY long repeats.
In this instance, the card is 104 rows in length. Using Mac Numbers, Gimp, and ArahPaint, for easier reproduction, here it is shown with 6X6 grid block markings typical of Brother factory cards The card begins with a blank row, and the first transfers will be made to the right rather than to the typical left
In the swatch, only two knit rows were knit after each series of transfers occurring after 19, 22, 36, 52, 62,74, 88, 104.
Needles were taken out of work beginning with needle 1 on the right of 0, and 13 on the left, continuing every 12 stitches on wider knits.
The earlier swatch has extra rows knit between shapes A quick test on 24 stitches with 4 rows knit after 52 and 104 passes of the LC respectively Yes, a punchcard is possible leaf motifs 3/12, card, find repeat the card, also finally found exploring detail options ie adding knit rows, where to place the repeat for side edge variations, using ladders between motifs, latching the ladder to reproduce single row tuck stitches, applying the choices to a long-ago final shawl. The repeat shortened for swatching 2024: 24X52 needles out of work help define the leaf shapes the png proof of concept with 4 rows knit after the 52 LC passes that complete one pair of leaves. With so many transfers between knit rows on a long piece like a shawl or scarf, knitting 4, 6, or more rows upon completion of each full repeat is an option. Six appears to have been my choice in that work on the machine
This repeat is composed of 24X64 cells, there are 16 rows of LC transfers followed by 2 rows of knit stitches throughout, after 64 LC passes only 8 rows of actual knitting have taken place.
Remember to oil the LC as well as the KC, and look out for dropped stitches, like the one in the swatch followed by a lazy “repair” that is particularly noticeable on the purl side. The evolution of a simpler and easier-to-execute pattern with similar movement can be found at the bottom of this post.
Ladders with lace, (leaf) “making things work” 1 3/15
Ladders with lace, (leaf) “making things work” 2 3/15
A new “leaf” lace 4/17, chart provided The start of a new series aiming for DIY: this repeat is 24 stitches wide, suitable for punchcard models, but tested on a 930 where it was necessary to mirror it horizontally, and is knit using 2/18 wool.
Plotted on a spreadsheet with LC passes and direction of movement marked on the left side, knit rows after LC passes 2, 8, 12, 20, 26, 36, 40, 48, 54, 64, 72, 84 the 24X84 png Playing with more variations does not always lead to results worth pursuing, but they provide learning experiences that inform future choices. Anyone familiar with lace knitting, particularly where so many transfer rows occur between knit rows, has experienced a lot of this from time to time. Lace can only be described as temperamental.
I am perennially in awe of videos where some knitters appear able to knit lace yardage with a motor with no dropped stitches to be seen anywhere. That has not been my experience, though for a while I did manage to produce a line of one-off scarves and shawls knit in a variety of lace patterns. I got good at unraveling down to knit rows and rehanging.
Avoiding dropped stitches, and managing dropped ones have avid advocates for different methods, a topic for a different discussion.
It helps to have a needle retainer bar that is in really good condition, needles with latches that operate properly, tension and suitable weight of yarn based on the number of needles used, and begin testing with yarn colors that make it easy to identify transfer issues as they are happening as opposed to after the fact when large holes seem to magically appear.
Unless the goal is to create a large mesh, if side-by-side needles are preselected in most designs including these, the causes may be punching or drawing errors, or simply that in the specific machine model, or software used, the pattern needs to be mirrored horizontally, as in my 930.
New to me now: the assumption is made that the LC will be slipped off the belt when the other carriage is in use. That is not necessary if the knit carriage does not also select needles, locking onto the belt.
Generally, the patterns are advanced by any carriage set to select needles as it moves past the center of the needle bed.
If the lace carriage does not clear the set mark on the left side of the machine, the pattern may not advance sporadically, which is evocative of needle selection fails, but it will resume doing so when the LC is moved far enough to the left before making its next pass to the right.
In this repeat, the knit rows are easy to track. They happen after there is no needle preselection as the LC moves from right to left, ie. after 4, 8, 6, 10 carriage passes, etc.
The blank number of rows between black pixels is not always even and can be odd when a reversal of the direction of transfers is required with a Lace Carriage that operates only from the left.
If needles out of work are used, care should be taken not to accidentally bring them back into work during knitting. If several rows have been knit, the stitch is dropped, and the needle is brought out of work again, the resulting ladder will be wider than the one in the space below it.
Maintaining the goal of producing a design suitable for punchcard models as well, this new repeat is composed of 24X72 cells the png. adding needles out of work helps define the shapes which can also change appearance depending on yarn and color choices. A more successful swatch, knit in wool rayon: Modifying the design for use on electronic models only, an 18X48 repeat, knit in a 2/8 wool that really wanted to split upon being transferred, adding a ladder between repeats as above, and 4 knit rows rather than 2 upon the completion of each design segment Three would-be runaway stitch spots are visible. Wanting to shift eyelets, changing the repeat: The first try, 20X48 pixels repeat proved to be quicker and easier to knit, with only single transfers at any one time, two rows were knit after every 12 LC passes. A shift to a 19X48 row repeat, planning to add ladders between each of the repeats I like to program repeats taking into consideration the number of stitches required for the project, which offers the opportunity of adding extra blank columns for knit borders on either side and avoids any confusion with positioning when returning to the design at some future time.
The swatch on the machine, beginning with needle one on the right side of 0 taken out of work, followed by every 19th in either direction, 4 rows were knit after every 12 LC passes. Widening the repeat to 24 cells wide makes it suitable for use on punchcard models The extra columns of knit stitches allow for placements of twisted stitches upon completion of each row of shapes: In the final swatch 2 rows were knit after every 12 LC passes. Upon completion of a full row of shapes, 48 LC passes, 2 rows were knit again, the 2X2 cable crossings were made, followed by 2 more knit rows before returning to the use of the LC.
Having a ladder on each side and vertical columns of 3 stitches aside them will form a roll to the purl side that may in many instances be a satisfactory side edge.

An untested converted design from pattern 201 the locations of knit rows marked with black cells on the far left of the mylar the 60X150 png

Some to try: from Stitchworld 12 stitch repeats are also suitable for punchcard models
144, 12X36159, 12X52 170, 12X60 158, 12X80 145, 10X56 168, 20X56

Seasonal knits inspired by published repeats 2_hearts

Charts are included for repeats suitable for punchcards, where the designs must repeat in height to a minimum of 36 rows.
Some reminders: the BW pngs here are intended for import into a paint program or image processor where they can be magnified to suit, with a grid view for counting cells to consider the width of floats if used in single bed fair isle, adjust the design in DIY variations, or import into download programs as provided.
The tiled repeats help to visualize how the final appearance on the knit side.
While the pngs are shared in BW indexed mode, when dragged to desktops or otherwise copied and are opened in image processors, they may change to RGB mode by default and will need to be converted back to BW indexed mode prior to use for import and download to knitting machines.
Some machine models will automatically mirror the image horizontally, depending on brand and model year as does Ayab software.
When direction matters, ie in representational designs or transfer lace, the mirroring may be performed on the image provided before using it, or by using the appropriate button or command after downloading to electronic machines.
Punchcard users can mirror after the fact by simply turning the card over before inserting it, after marking and numbering at least the starting row on its reverse.
To retain symmetry in developing half-drop or brick repeats, having an even number of stitches and rows in the original design is useful. Some designs are broken up in ways that are subject to use based on personal visual preferences.
If used for blankets, the repeats can be tiled to dimensions leaving room for coordinated borders.
12X10 12X10 to 12X20 brick

12X10 to 24X10 half drop

24X24 24X28 10X8
32X32 34X34 43X43 adjusted to 44X44, an all symmetrical suitable as a single motif or in larger formats brick 44X88 brick tile half drop tile 84X44

3 color 14X3, requires a different color separation than KRC, each color in each row needs to be knit twice the 2-color version From weaving drafts: a mosaic-like design the 68X58 png cropped to 67X58 to avoid double stitches
its half drop repeat 134X68 the source for a much smaller repeat the 14X20 png When all you need is a border, repeats that may be used vertically or horizontally, presented in punchcard configuration, 24X21: 24X20, rotated for horizontal use would become usable on electronic models only
From To mesh or not to mesh 9: more on mock filet design See the post for additional repeats and my method of developing the design.
I could not find the source for this Pinterest find on the upper left, which results in a combination of large mesh and single transfers to create the heart shape.
The initial 24X44 png brick repeat, 24X88

with more knit stitches between shapes, 36X88 the knit rows separating the stripes of heart motifs are highlighted in red.
On Brother machines the KC does advance the repeat in standard lace, so each of those red stripes is reduced to two rows of blank cells, resulting in the 36X88 repeat charted on the far right A small proof of concept knit in 2/18 wool A Studio 560 was my first electronic model machine, owned decades ago. Among the mylars saved even though the machine was sold many years ago, I found this repeat, 24X47 cells, the last offered in this series. Studio mylar sheets were marked in 6X5 blocks instead of Brother’s 5X5. The punchcard repeat chart here is outlined in 6X6 blocks of cells, the convention in Brother punchcards. the png

A series also shared in the post Seasonal knits inspired by published repeats 1
two from the various groupings
24X3924X78