Mixed stitch types – alessandrina.com

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

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

Revisiting patterns inspired by waffle weaves

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

A review of brioche patterning

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

The term brioche in knitting is used loosely at times in any references to tuck stitches. Designs may be worked in single colors, or with more complicated planning, they may be executed in 2 colors.
Some patterns are fully automated, with the knit carriage set to tuck in both directions, the ribber set to knit in both, others are worked as a tubular tuck, and lastly, some require frequent changes in cam settings in either or both beds.
My explorations for the use of tuck stitch settings in double bed every needle rib fabrics began with attempting to create a solid color shape on a vertically striped ground in Geometric shapes on ribber fabrics with tuck stitches 1.
The arrow marks the spot where both colors used were picked up from the changer. C1 and 2 show indicate cam setting changes used in the last part of the swatch.
Here, a simple shape was programmed, and varied carriage settings on either or both beds were explored Geometric shapes on ribber fabrics with tuck stitches 2; knitting with 4 carriages. Geometric shapes on ribber fabrics with tuck stitches 3 explores self-drawn repeats in multiple colors. Added samples and files in the subsequent post New double bed swatches based on published sources of inspiration 2
Lace transfers meet fisherman rib in 2 colors on Brother KM 1 Lace transfers meet fisherman rib, 2 color ribbed brioche on Brother machines 2 These are advanced, complex fabrics. The repeats for 2 colors can grow exponentially in length.
Returning to designing suitable repeats, beginning in a spreadsheet: grey vertical lines represent stitches on the ribber, which will force apart stitches created on the top bed, creating the more familiar tuck rib surface.
Mac Numbers offers the opportunity to hide both columns and rows. In this instance, with the 10 grey columns hidden, one begins to get the sense of shapes and movements needed on the top bed Working toward a repeat for knitting the shapes in a single color, imagining the location of eyelets resulting from stitch transfers, I used two repeats, adjusting the first repeat to vary the resulting shape slightly A 11X30 repeat mirrored horizontally for use on my 930, tiled twice horizontally before programming and downloading, used as a 23X30 single motif to obtain a matching border on each side, A 9X28 repeat, my second try, programmed as a 20X28 single motif, When knitting using only one color, the machine is set with the main bed tucking on every needle in one direction, followed by knitting on every needle as it returns to the starting side, the ribber does the same but in the opposite direction. It is a circular tuck, also referred to as fisherman’s rib.
A slight shift in patterning may change the outline of the desired shape, introducing or removing stray lines or secondary shapes.
The possible cam setting options: In two-color brioche combined with hand-transferred stitches, the main bed is set to tuck in both directions, white cells tuck, black cells knit.
Brother machines preselect needles for the next row with each pass of the carriage, so on even-numbered design rows, as the carriage moves to the opposite side, all needles will form tuck loops on the main bed. The next row will be preselected, with some needles now back in B rather than D position.
With an appropriate transfer tool, move the stitches on the non-selected needles to the adjacent selected needle to their right after pushing it back to the B position. After each transfer, push all worked needles and their stitches, as well as the now-empty needle, to the E position.
As the carriage returns to the opposite side, an all-knit row will be completed. Several tension adjustments may be needed to ensure loops do not get hung up on gate pegs as stitches move across the bed, while still being loose enough to knit off properly.

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

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

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

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

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

Swatches > seasonal knits 2025

Some repeats are immediately identifiable as not suitable for fair isle knitting due to the length of some of the floats.
Any of the PNGs in the blog can be enlarged to check on any areas with more than 5 black or white pixels side by side, the guideline for the suggested maximum.
The original width and height of design are not clues by default, issues may not be evident until after the motifs are drawn in repeat.
In wearables, a compromise can be reached by taking any of a number of measures, or even by adding lining or iron on facing (woven or stretch), depending on end use.
This 30X30 repeat plays with rotating a half shape around the full first design, forms suitably short floats, while this 18X24 design has several areas that merit attention. This design plays with paired color reversals to create secondary patterns, identifiable here as would-be six sided snowflakes, and is a clear candidate for knitting as DBJ.
Each row of double jacquard consists of two rows of slip stitch patterning, one with ground yarn, the other with contrast.
It is not only newbies that encounter problems with any technique.
There are some days that offer the opportunity for testing patience, persistence, and expletive vocabulary.
The first knitting attempt was with the ribber set to knit every stitch on every row for striper backing, using 2/10 wools. The carriages were hard to push and with some lovely holes including these, even after tension and weight adjustments. Troubleshooting included:
with weather changes especially, think about static, a culprit often named in situations otherwise not explainable
checked needles, they looked fine, had some sticky latches, oiled them
checked alignment, OK
discovered the ribber had dropped slightly on one side, raised that side to match the space between the beds on the other, and on the first next carriage pass there was this.That safety pin was not placed for special effect or aspect ratio, it probably entered through the slots that allow the belt to rotate, but where it came from remains a mystery.
With the yarn selection changed to thinner, similar color 2/20 wools, there were no dropped stitches> holes.
The first test, with striper backing, measured 9.35X10 inches, and with birdseye backing, 7.75 X 6.75 inches

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

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

Adding hems to varied knits

WORK IN PROGRESS

Machine knit hems 2 and Machine knit hems 1 discussed picking up stitches to form hems across full needle widths.
“Wisteria” meets hems introduced small hems in combination with short rows. Slip stitches may be formed and brought to the front of the knit; they tend to get elongated in proportion to the number of rows for which they are held.
Single bed tuck and slip stitch fabrics 2: adding color presents some of the visualizations for and distortion of horizontal stripe patterning resulting from frequent color changes.
Slip stitch patterns with hand-transferred stitches, single bed looks at methods to bring the elongated slipped stitches to the front of the knit.
With a start on the left and an even number of rows in each horizontal stripe allows for knitting away from and back to the color changer consistently.
The first sample, plotted in a spreadsheet, is purely a hand technique, no programmed clues, but a custom needle tape can be colored in to aid in correct needle selections.
In knits where stitches need to be held and not worked, one method used is to knit specific stitches back to the A position.
If using the color changer, each stripe must be formed by an even number of rows with selections from left to right.
The repeat is 40 rows in height. I chose to continue the hems on both sides of the swatch.Following the chart, knit 8 rows with color 1, end COL
COL: change color to 2, using ravel cord knit through stitches marked with white columns in the chart back to A across the row (1)
knit 4 rows, 9-12
return to COL, hang a hem on every needle
COL: change to color 3, knit 4 rows, 13-16
return to COL
COL: change to color 2
knit 4 rows, 17-20, return to COL
hang a hem, I chose to pick up the stitches in the row below the hem color (images 2 and 3), bringing needles out to E as I worked across the row, watching for any dropped stitches on each side of the ravel cord
COL: change to color 1, using any preferred tool, reach behind the floats formed in the areas of skipped stitches, lift the stitch held by the ravel cord back onto the needle bed across the row (3), knit 8 rows with color 1, 21-28, end with COL
COL: change to color 2, repeat the process for the alternate groups of needles, with color changes and action occurring on rows 29-32, 33-36, 37-40. Another method for creating the long stitches on the knit side is to use the short row technique, setting the knit carriage for holding.
Again, knitting is planned to start from the left side, using each color for an even number of rows. Three stitches were added beside the needle tape markings on the right.
Plotting the actions in a spreadsheet, and planning knit with no held stitches on either side. Symbols, numbering, and note keeping can be developed as preferred in personal DIY.During knitting, keep an eye out for stitches on either side of those placed out to hold; they may have a knack for dropping.
After the choice of base knitting, begin the pattern with COL and color 1
Knit 4 rows, returning to the left, hang the hem on every stitch
COL change to color 2, knit one row to the right
COR set knit carriage to hold, push first groups of 3 needles out to hold as indicated with the white cells in the chart, and the blue ones on the needle tape, knit back to the left
COL change to color 3, continue with the machine set to hold, knit 4 rows
COL change to color 2, cancel hold, knit 2 rows
COL change to color 1, knit 4 rows, hang hem on every needle
COL change to color 2, knit one row to the right
COR set the knit carriage to hold, push the alternate groups of 3 needles out to hold as indicated with the white cells in the chart, and the blue ones on the needle tape, knit back to the left
COL change to color 3, continue with the machine set to hold, knit 4 rows
COL change to color 2, cancel hold, knit 2 rows
COL change to color 1, knit 4 rows, hang hem on every needle
Continue in pattern.Using short rows: in a spreadsheet, the shapes can be planned in a variety of ways. Initially, I drew from left to right.
Arrows along the sides of the designs or even along them can help plan the proper sequences of carriage movements.
The top is not across as many cells as the bottom view, and serves only to plan/illustrate transitions to shaping triangular segments to maintain straight side edges.
The image mirrored horizontally as it was knit, working from right to left.A needle tape was marked in groups of 12 to aid in maintaining stitch counts, the result of “winging it”.
Although the piece may be started from either side, the top half cannot begin on the same side, or the knit will be biased as seen at the bottom of the swatch.Rayons of different thicknesses and plies were used in the test swatches.
The held shapes were then reduced to 8 stitches in width.
When the chosen number is completed across the needles in work, knit 5 rows of contrast, hang the stitches from the first row of the same color on every needle, knit one last, 6th row to close the hem, return to shaping short row shapes with alternate color(s).
A chart with a visualized graphic usable to duplicate my swatch and knitting direction with elements that can be varied in building DIY designs, changing the scale of segments, the number of held rows on the same groups of stitches, the resulting eyelets, etc:A custom needle tape can be marked with as many or as few clues as preferred.Quicker knitting: the same shapes with the rows of contrast in plain knit, skipping the formation of the hemsRuching has been the term used to refer to knits where stitches are hooked up periodically on subsequent rows, essentially forming small hems.
More information may be found in the posts:
Ruching 2: more working with stitch groups
Ruching 1: fern “pretender” and more
The 16X18 repeat is planned in a spreadsheet, intended for use with the knitweaving technique.
The red arrows indicate stitches that are hooked up over each group of floats.
Knitting planned on a multiple of 16+3 will center the design: the 16X18 PNG knit on 52 stitchesCombining small hems with ladders created by leaving needles out of work: the plan had initially been to try the technique in a single color.
Color changes make it easier to pick up the proper stitches across the work; the result was a surprise worth playing with further.
The repeat evolved, beginning with different yarns, and with stitches at first hooked up after 4 rows, quickly changed to after every 6.
The germ of the idea, sketched in a spreadsheet, was planned for use on multiple of 18X11 stitches and 12 rows An adjusted repeat, worked on a multiple of 18X11 stitches and 16 rows.
Color changes are now planned after every 8 rows knit.
Stitches are picked up and paired on matching color stitches before the next stripe.
Arrows indicate areas for the small hems; the bottom ladder is picked up in each group, hooked on to the left for color 1, on the right for color 2. The second color here was chosen for added contrast. The swatch began with hooking up after 6 rows; the depth of the small hems was then increased to 8 rows.
The new colorway and hem depth make the secondary shapes and textures more noticeable. Hem “pretenders” evocative of some holding techniques as well, can be formed using slip stitch. The purl side will form floats in any areas left without pixels in the programmed repeat.
Revisiting double bed knits with stitch transfers between beds shared this repeat, knit using the tuck setting, with stitch in the all white columns moved down to the ribber.A similar design that meets the 24 stitch punchcard width convention using slip stitch to form automatic folds, 24X16 was tested on 66 stitches, with all knit side borders that form ruffles along both edges. The repeat was altered slightly in width and with the intent of producing straighter appearing side edges. It began with a 13X10 PNG, in half drop, 26X20,and knit on 63X20, with added borders, marked with orange cells, planned to catch the yarn in areas with blocks of all white cells on each of the corresponding rows. If there is a personal preference for knits with lots of floats, the purl side can be presented as the public one.

New single bed swatches based on random sources of inspiration

I have had requests for detailed tutorials or videos on specific older samples.
The most recent posts on any stitch type do not offer detailed instructions; blog searches lead to the historical development of the designs and offer additional information.
The blog index allows for browsing by topic and offers direct links. That said, it is due for an update with the latest blog topics.
Proof of concept swatches usually follow the associated repeats.
A reminder, most are knit on Brother km models and rely on its preselection feature, absent in other models, ie. Studio. Using the provided punchcard repeats to automate needle selections may require more than just shifting the starting row number to match the results.
I endlessly encounter new sources of inspiration, adding them to the stack of saved stitches to explore, and reviewing old posts can also spark new ideas. A previous series of single bed work: Swatches based on adapting random online published repeats

This post will not be restricted to any stitch type but will include knit structures that currently attract my attention.

Tuck lace: all white columns correspond to needles out of work.
Sometimes, subtle effects are enough; here, EON is taken out of work. The punchcard repeat is 24X36. The swatch was knit on 63 stitches that included 3 knit stitch borders on either side.
The setup on the needle bed. The yarn used in the bottom was a 2/13 wool, the top a 2/8. This chart illustrates a 24X40 repeat suitable for punchcard models.
Although the minimum repeat segment suitable for electronic models is far smaller, I prefer to program based on the full number of stitches in use on the knitting machine and add row height to reduce the number of beeping reminders.
My 29X50 swatch repeat, including added side border knit stitches repeated twice in height, knit in 2/18 wool. In the design, the yarn tucks for 4 rows, generally the limit for loop tolerance on 4.5 mm machines. The number of tuck loops can be reduced if planning to test thicker yarns, such as in this 3-row version. Using 4-row tuck designs and adding wider NOOW/needle out of workspaces: the 3 stitch NOOW columns are represented in this punchcard 24X40 repeat chart by the pale green vertical columns.
The placement of the needles required to be in work may depend on which model knitting machine is used. The swatch was knit on 51 stitches, with added all-knit 2-stitch borders on each side. Returning to an EON setup: also suitable for punchcard machines, the 24X40 chart shows NOOW placements and locations for potential color changes The PNG for the test single color swatch, including 2 stitch knit columns on both sides, 63X24 the test adding the second color; gentle blocking helps retain the 3D quality of the surface on the knit sideThe last swatch in the post on Building more textures in needles out of work spaces was executed with hand manipulation using short rows, following this charted concept. Frequently, more rows may be tucked with manipulating needles than with automatic pattern selection. The design was automated, reducing the tuck loops on any needles to no more than four.
The proper needles must be pushed back out of work to produce a successful automated tuck lace knit. Depending on the machine models, the proper needles must be pushed back out of work, ie, 930 vs punch card, the design may be automatically mirrored horizontally.
The working chart was developed in a spreadsheet. The 24-stitch repeat may be used in a punchcard machine a 24X16 PNGmy programmed 51X16 repeat ensuring an all-knit vertical border on either side, the working needle arrangement the proof of concept using only one color and changing colors every 4 rows

Slip stitch textures
As the slipped stitches elongate, those horizontal striped areas become slightly distorted. Only one color will form floats on the purl side with each pass of the carriage, not two as in FI, making for a softer, less dense knit.
The FI initial design repeat, 10X8visualized in a potential color-way Color separated for use as a slip stitch design using method described in other posts.The last 10X8 result is rendered twice as high for use with color changes every 2 rows, the 10X16 single repeat checked for alignmentsThe proof of conceptThere are many ways to automate folds, including selecting the same needles for skipped stitches.
The rule of limited height of the vertical white bars does not apply.
The yarn creating the elongated slipped stitches must be strong enough not to break.
Single bed tuck/ mostly slip stitch fabrics 3 included this chart and sample for deep folds interrupted by plain knit horizontal bands its 30X84 repeat Applying the concept to a more overall design the 47X72 PNG the swatch knit on 71 stitches, using a 2/8 wool and a lone variegated sock yarn ball from my ancient stash Using repeated slip stitch blocks to produce folds and ruffles It is possible to play with taller color stripes or other DIY variations.
Selective weighting and adjustments in yarn thickness and tension may be required to “make things work.”
The yarn lengths between returns to specific colors may need to be cut and woven in.
The hand manipulation involved is often referred to as ruching.
“Winging it”: the test swatch was knit using 2 rows of white and 6 rows of each color on an even number of stitches, the work in progress on the machine the result For more deliberate placements, the color changes and locations for lifted stitches can be planned in a spreadsheet Single bed tuck and slip stitch fabrics 2: adding color
included this image from a Japanese Studio magazinein executing it, although the electronic repeat does not need a row adjustment, there are other factors to consider.
The Brother color changer uses numbers rather than letters.
This is the design plotted in a spreadsheet, the 10X22 corresponding PNG color reversed for use with tuck patterning instead of using the button available in the machine the programmed PNG for the proof of concept swatch, 48X22The color changes are not in a sequential order, and there are lots of yarn ends to weave in or disguise in a final project. The surfaces have more of a 3D quality than if knit using the slip stitch setting. Fair isle repeat from the post on Developing tiled repeats suitable for multiple stitch types, including tuck also suitable for DBJ, 30X30 a new design, angled lines replacing dots, 18X16
14X12 planned test as single bed fair isle, the recommended maximum for float width is generally across 5 needles, here some are across 7, marked with colored cells. Depending on the yarn used, end purpose, and personal preference, they can be left alone, secured in a variety of ways, or switch to DBJ Adapted from a weaving draft, 36X27 knit with some of the longer floats chained up during knitting on the purl side..

Geometric shapes on ribber fabrics formed with tuck stitches 4

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Knit weaving 4: combining stitch types

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

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