One repeat explored in many ways

Questions as to how to design for specific knit structures or how to use randomly found repeats appropriately turn up regularly in forums.
A review of punch card repeats found in downloadable volumes, which provides clues as to the suitability of random finds for different techniques, can be found in  Punch cards to electronics: book symbols and samples.
This post began with a random published find from an electronic pattern book. The initial goal was simply to evaluate and play with the design, and then it evolved into a project growing in size as more ideas were sparked for added swatches. the match, 24X3648X72 is potentially usable for
1: knitting as FI, with a wide maximum float of 9 stitches, which would merit control
2: thread lace, both yarns knit white pixels, the thin yarn forms the stitch on the knit side, the thicker yarn floats behind it
3: knit weaving, deciding whether to manipulate the long floats that are formed intermittently
4: tuck stitch, must be color inverted, white pixels form tuck loops for 1, 2, and 3 rows in various spots in the design.DIY editing of the first repeat, seeking uniformity, eliminating rows, and shifting pixels for added possibilities.  24X24in full repeat X2, 48X48doubled in height, 48X96 color inverted, 48X96potentially knittable doubled in height once more, test with thin yarn, 48X192tested single bed for 60 rows, an obvious change in texture and aspect ratio. Single bed using the original, color-inverted file, 48X72. The yarn is a 2/20 wool; the resulting stitches are open enough to allow the dark bleeding through from the background to influence the appearance of its color. The swatch measures 7.25 inches in width.  Double bed
The knit carriage is set to tuck in both directions, the ribber to knit in both for what is often called pintuck or punch tuck rib. The knit lies flat and is “reversible”. Using the same number of stitches and knit tension as the above, this swatch measures 10.75 inches.  With the tuck stitch file easily color-reversed on the electronic, the knit carriage set to slip in both directions, and the ribber to knit in one, slip in the other, the density and width of the resulting knit change significantly.
Punchcard knitters would need to punch a second card.
Blisters are formed on the knit side while stitches on the ribber become elongated when slipped.
As the knit carriage returns to the left and skips needles, floats are formed to a max of 9 needle spaces, and eventually form pockets in the white pixel areas. As the ribber knits in one direction, it slips in the other, and stitches become elongated until they knit once more. The yarn needs to be able to tolerate being held for the necessary number of rows without breaking. The swatch measures just under 5 inches in width, although worked on the same number of needles as the tuck samples.
Some of the color difference is due to a change in natural light, but also to less bleed-through of the background as a result of the fabric density. As double bed knitters know, several inches of knitting happen before you can crawl under the machine or get creative with a mirror and/ or + lighting, to see whether you are actually knitting the intended pattern. This design, using the same yellow yarn with the added blue yarn of the same weight, and the same carriage tensions as for other double bed samples, made it hard to see whether anything but stripes was being produced while on the machine. The bottom of the swatch was knit with striper backing, the ribber set to N/N, and measures 6.5 inches in width. The top was knit with birdseye backing, using both lili buttons, the ribber set to slip in both directions, and measures 5.75 inches in width.
The color placement for background or design can simply be chosen by which color knits first, so either the color-reversed or the original repeat may be programmed. Original 48X72Single bed
This swatch was knit using the thread lace setting, and two slippery yarns, a rayon and a nylon thread of an unknown brand. Serger monofilament is an option, but my supply is multiple decades old and broke easily halfway up the first repeat. Testing large swatches and blocking them in the same manner as the finished piece would serve as guides in making choices.
End selection needle is canceled, but if end needles are brought out to D as part of the pattern design, they need to be pushed back to the B position manually before the next row is knit.
Width comparison does not apply, since the tension required was double that used in the other swatches.
There are less common applications when choosing designs. For example, the same repeat was tested to create a single-bed lace transfer design, with a single row knit after the transfers in each design row have been completed. It finally took using a 4th yarn to get the stitches to knit properly, unlikely something I would knit in a large piece, but it helps to understand what happens with reversals of directions in the mesh.  An explanation of the technique, with added swatch samples and designs, may be found in the post Unconventional uses for punchcards 2: thread lace cards for “filet” mesh 
The slip stitch double bed blister knit was shown previously, using the starting 48X72 repeat. Here is a double bed version, using the plaiting feeder and with the knit carriage set for thread lace. The results differ with placing the yarns in alternative positions, and both swatches measure 9.75 inches in width.

 

 

 

3D printed slider, drop stitch lace review

Bringing needles on the top bed to various positions can be handy in other instances, but, in this case, the discussion is on double bed work with purposely dropped stitches.
Drop stitch “lace” is also referred to as drive lace in Studio pubs, and summer fair isle in Passap ones.
The resulting knit benefits from use of yarn that responds to blocking for lying flat and retaining scale differences between the different stitch sizes.
Knitting begins with all stitches on one bed, loops formed on the opposite, and the loops are dropped at varying intervals, depending on the intended pattern, to produce elongated stitches .
Dropping the stitches can be achieved manually with any tool on hand, by sliding the ribber carriage only back and forth if loops are formed on it, or with the aid of stitch ditchers/ dumpers.
Maintaining proper needle selection and not having needles accidentally pushed  back to the A position resulting in possible pattern errors is made easier and quicker with specific tools, often called sliders and sometimes referred to in early manuals as carriages, although they have no moving parts.
Knit bubbles and “stitch ditchers/dumpers”   and Brother KMs “pile knitting”/ ribber stitch dropping tools  share images of such tools.
I was able to obtain a 3D printed model for the Brother 4.5 mm machine, with this file available for purchase from cults3D,  and its use clearly demonstrated here  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGjPwGqFJhQ.
It is useful to “read the manual”, or in this case, follow the video.
I chose to mark my slider for future use.
The proper placements on respective needle beds: This top bed placement is wrong, needles are still brought forward moving right to left, but are left out to D, not B on the return to the right. Beginning with single color samples.
A Studio drive lace published repeat for use with the technique
knit 2 rows, drop, repeat
12X16

test knit on 37 stitches results are in hard to read stitch size differencesbreaking the common rules and appearance for this type of fabric, a “what if” version, double height, 12X32 test knit on 50 stitches knit 4 rows, drop, repeat Larger designs can be more effective, 24X22 rendered double height, 24X44 EOR rendered all white/ erased test knit on 48 stitches Previously published related post links in reverse chronological order, followed by a low- resolution collage of some of the test swatches explored in them
Multiple color drop stitch lace using img2track and more
Revisiting drop/release stitch lace 1  
Drop stitch lace using Ayab software 2/ HOP
Tuck stitch/ combination fabrics
Drop stitch lace using Ayab software
Geometric shapes in drop stitch lace 3, end release  
Geometric shapes in drop stitch lace 2, Brother KM  
Geometric shapes in drop stitch lace 1, Brother KM  
Drop stitch lace, 2 colors per row, Passap KM
Drop stitch lace, 2 colors per row, Japanese machines  
Revisiting knit “bubbles” brother KM
Brother KMs “pile knitting”/ ribber stitch dropping tools 
A bubbles cousin
More knit bubbles  
More play with dropped stitches
Knit bubbles and “stitch ditchers/dumpers”  
Working out the kinks in my drop stitch lace saga  

 

More DBJ variations: tubular FI, quilting, backings

Recent FB MK posts shared Toyota Simulknit samples.
The company offered attachments for pile knitting and for Simulknit. The latter produced a FI pattern on one side, with a solid color backing on the reverse.
A Brother imitation, DBJ with a solid color backing, is a method that will knit each color in each design row twice, resulting in expected elongation of the design, not a factor in single-bed FI.
Each two-row sequence must be identical, unlike the double jacquard fabric, where each row in a sequence may be different. This remains true even if the KRC-style separations are programmed to start with preselection from the right.
The Knitmaster SRP 60N ribber changes the cam settings automatically from slip to knit and back to knit, saving some time. The ribber carriage must be taken to the extreme left of the needle bed for the autocam lever to trip the driving cam.
From the manual

The original file was chosen randomly based on the number of side-by-side squares in either color, since the color not chosen for the backing will form floats between stitches knit on the top bed.
End needle selection is on.
The backing color is worked with the ribber set to knit in both directions, the alternate color is knit with the ribber set to slip in both directions for two rows, and setting changes are made manually.
Since each repeat is 8 stitches wide, it is usable in punch card models.
The separation is 32 rows in height, enough to squeeze by in terms of punched areas. The usual recommended height for smooth, continuous rotation of cards in the drum is 36 rows; a second 32-row card could be punched and joined if needed.
The visual summary of the process.
The starting 8X8 PNG, doubled in height to 8X16,  color separated, inverting every other row, then rendering the result double height so that each color in each design row will knit twice, 8X32, 4 times the height of the original 8X8, test knit on 40 stitches, but programmed for 48.  The work on the machine, illustrating the pairs of floats formed by the light color after it has completed its two passes only on the top bed.     

A sinker plate hack for knitting on the top bed only with the ribber in work. More ideas for working in one or more colors to produce knits with pockets in them, listed in historical order from latest to first
Blistered stitches DBJ single color
References for double bed single color fabrics with pockets 
Quilting using Ayab software  
Revisiting machine knit “quilting”  includes Passap info
Quilting on the Brother KM 2, solid color back DBJ
includes a method for producing a single color background with the same color outlining/ joining the planned quilted shapes in the second color; the repeat is not separated, is a design where the original is rendered double height, is not color separated,  and additional ribber cam lever settings changes are required. Quilting on the knitting machine 1 single bed
Tubular fair isle is possible, the problem is that the backing fabric is often loose when compared to the slip stitch FI patterning.
The blog post includes Passap info.
The color separation used in the swatch for solid color backing can be altered to produce a tubular fair isle. The preselection row is from right to left. End needle selection is on, and the first and last needles in use are on the ribber to produce the beaded, sealed edging.
Each color will form a single float behind the needles/stitches that are skipped and do not knit.
The carriage settings for each bed and work in progress.  The first test was knit using matching tensions on the main bed and ribber, 4/4, with poor gauge balance between the sides of the tube. The difference is due to the slip stitch in the patterning bed, making for a narrow and short knit. A much improved result, with the tension changed to 7 on the knit bed.

Birdseye backing meets a different color separation to result in each color in each row knitting only once: the  8X8 design did not knit properly when separated with that goal in mind,  using manual separation, the Gimp script, and finally, the KRC function in the 930.
All needles were selected every few rows, spaced in different numbers for each method, with no indication of software download or machine issues, leading to this exploration using the same color separation as above.  The concept should apply when working with more than 2 colors as well.
To avoid extra rows being knit on the ribber, slip/ lili/ birdseye backing is used. A side-by-side comparison of the change in the aspect ratio of the design using the single color DBJ backing on the left, as opposed to the birdseye version on the right, although both were knit at the same carriage tensions.  

Seeking blisters using a new design with a change in ground to contrast ratios, beginning with testing whether the design, simply doubled in height, and using tubular settings, can provide an alternative to color separations:
18X1818X36knit repeat, 40X36 with added borders.  The carriage settings, making certain the tuck lever is not “accidentally” placed in the up position,  both colors form floats. The resulting pattern is very different from the programmed repeat, forming a maze-like design; there are interesting bumps on the purl side, with alternating color single-row stripes.
The dropped stitches are from my having to cut yarns that got tangled around gate pegs just below the waste ribbing.  Is more less? The repeat is now color separated, so each color in each design row knits twice, bringing the total of rows to 4X the original, 18X72.  Visualized in 2 colors, the 18X72 separation was expanded with the intent of having the contrast knit for 4 rows only on the top bed, and the background for 2 on both beds.
The ribber settings change from A when knitting with the background color, to B when knitting with the contrast on only the top bed.  As the ribber set to A and moving from left to right knits the pre-selected needles on the top bed, the floats in those areas will be encased.
The swatch includes 3 errors in switching the ribber slip lever on the right from knit to slip, and are identifiable by the rows with every stitch in the same color.
The result does not immediately evoke the original design. Programming the 18X72 row color separation produced successful blisters with the identifiable design. The light color yarn is a tightly twisted rayon. To explore further the blister dimensions formed by blocks and lines, this repeat is drawn from one referencing Truchet tilings, which explored varied techniques and pattern management, including DBJ pockets in single color knitting with repeats drawn on dotted grounds such as this, 36X36.
The starting repeat, 21×18,  doubled in height to 21×36,  and color separated so each color in each design row is knit twice,
21X72, 4X the height of the original, test knit on 42 stitches.  There are large areas of non-selected needles when only the contrast knits on the top bed, forming long floats, which did not appear to be problematic.

In ArahPaint in knit design 5, some fonts were tested and produced clean BW text for knitting.
Here, several rows in only the ground color are included in the repeat.
44X37 doubled in height, 44X74, color separated, 44X148.In this method, as the ribber is set to knit and the carriages move to the right, they knit every stitch on the ribber bed and any preselected stitches on the top bed; those areas seal some floats in.  As the carriages return to the left, floats are formed behind the alternate color.  The end needle selection is needed to seal the sides.
As in fair isle knitting, in areas patterning with several non-selected needles on the top bed at the side edges, before any carriage movements, end needles should be moved forward to D or E positions manually.
Conversely, when knitting only on the top bed and the whole row is not selected except for the end needles,  push them back to A manually to avoid a float forming from one side to the other; the result is seen at the bottom of the purl view on the right. A birdseye version from Truchet tiling design inspiration 1 .
used to explore wide floats on the top bed as only the contrast color knits, the starting repeat 48X112,  

doubled in height to 48X224,  

color-separated, 48X448;  img2 track on the 930 broke the design into multiple tracks, the first track, 180 rows, was test-knit.
With the ribber knitting the contrast with the levers set to slip from left and knit to right, there were consistent issues with dropped stitches when these areas were reached.   As a compromise, the ribber was then set to knit in both directions when knitting the ground color, and issues with dropped stitches were eliminated. Pockets/blisters still formed, and the floats in the contrast were trapped between the background knitting on both beds, with visible horizontal lines bleeding through.  Blistered stitches dbj  single-colorwork pockets formed over whole rows
Pintucks 1 vs shadow pleats, fair isle pintucks Pintucks 2, ripples in knits using the ribber some published designs, racked variations, more links

 

Revisiting patterns inspired by waffle weaves

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

A review of brioche patterning

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

New double bed swatches based on published sources of inspiration 2

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

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

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

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

Using punchcards to track small cables in pattern (1) 
Punch cards to electronics: book symbols and samples 12/17

An army of frogs, some DBJ tips

A tale of crustaceans and critters ,
introduced an army of frogs that began with a border chart  the 27X83 PNG  

in half drop, 81X83

There is often a resistance to swatching. One of the benefits of large enough tests, even when gauge is not a factor, is to find that, as in this case, color separated for DBJ, knit in birdseye backing, well, look at this!

The color reversal seen at the top of the repeat, as return is made to the first row of the design, can be caused by making an error in changing colors appropriately. There is no evidence of that on the reverse; striping would be wider in areas where either color was carried for 4 rows.
If the planned design is to be used as a continuous pattern, with a return to row 1 after reaching its top, when knitting DBJ, the designs must be an even number of rows in height to start with. 
Tools or built-in functions that automate conversions do not always provide error warnings.
Another go at the frogs: 27X84
in half drop, 54X84
The GIMP script color separation, 54X168Color, and technique choices, and whether they are deemed successful or not, are determined by personal preference. Here, a space dyed thin cotton was plied with a white yarn as the light color.
The frog at the top of the repeat is no longer beheaded.
There is a snag around that area, however, that causes slight distortion, noticeable on both sides. Some notes on machine knitting color changers review their use.
The snags in the swatch were from the space dyed yarn getting picked up with the green/ dark ground.
That can happen from the ribber arm needing a minor adjustment, not clearing the color changer far enough (there is an audible click at that time), or, in this case, the thin yarn was snagging around the guide for the adjacent #2 dark color and getting picked up with it. Historical blog posts on DBJ can be found in the blog index
Keeping machines clean and oiled, along with balancing the ribber, aids in error-free stitch formation.
Always something new to learn, lili buttons will not rotate if the carriage is set with the slip levers in the up position.

 

More play with triangles

This post adds to my design repeat collections. Most of the files provided are intended as inspiration for DIY.
From Truchet/Smith inspired designs 2 meet ArahPaint
Quilters are familiar with block designs easily found in print and online that technically may be broken down into triangular blocks joined and meeting to form sharp points. Truchet, in his publication, used half-square triangles and assigned letters to the segments,   and a PNG to explore,   that when magnified shows the inevitable doubling of some same color pixels side by side or in sequential rows when drawing in random repeats; it becomes unavoidable. A DBJ test knit
Exploring how shapes meet and can be combined to make new shapes: this is a 12X10 file, shown in repeat,

and in multiple colors  makes it easier to identify intersections and secondary shapes

A 12X12 start,with added colors  

tiled in an adjusted colorway

18X1824X24different palette tilingBW versionWhen you want to knit no more than 2 colors per row, and large repeats with open spaces are appealing, in this 38X18 file, some same color pixels touching soon become evident, in progress 57X5857X58 BW.

Triangles and blocks forming broken ribbons, 36X34Tired of horizontal and vertical  movement, returning to diagonals, recognizing component shapes with clean edges ,

BW 16X48

knit as single bed fair isleIf broken shape edges are OK, this 24X48 repeat with underlying 8X8 blocks, is usable in punchcard models. Triangles are broken along the diagonal  solid lines.In electronic machines without the capacity of knit from screen or added storage, non repetitive image PNGs may need to be programmed in sequential segments.
When producing items such as scarves, there is an opportunity to play with extending the idea further.
Wolfram world is an online reference explaining the rules for building automata.
Cellular automata charts for knitting, etc. was written by me at a time when I produced a series of pieces inspired by their patterning such as this, knit on the Brother 930, with images of earlier automata samples knit on my E6000 shared in My new knitting projects

Triangles can be easily recognized forms when testing designing and related techniques and how textures and aspect scale can vary in machine knitting.
From Geometric shapes on ribber fabrics with tuck stitches 2; knitting with 4 carriagesTranslating Passap model book pattern/use on Brother 1
Early posts:
A simple shape, an exercise in DBJ, Brother KM
Double jacquard using punchcard machines

 

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

 

 

 

Passap to Brother 7: more Duomatic inspiration

IN PROGRESS

My early posts were often quite brief, and some of the explored techniques were never returned to despite my intentions.
A shawl tale was written in 2009.
The designs explored in this post can be found in the Passap Duomatic baby book. A closer look: My attempt at a hand technique at that time, and the declaration of a planned challenge, “creating a downloadable stitch pattern that will automatically select appropriate needles and duplicate this texture.” It only took 16 years!
The pattern chart: on the Japanese machines, the beds are reversed. The back bed = ribber in our case, is set to knit every row.
Locks is the Passapese for carriages.
Many patterns can be achieved by lock settings and arrow keys without added programming. In Brother machines, a small cousin of the function is found in the use of lili buttons.
When an arrow key is pressed, it tells the Passap machine to engage the pushers.  Depending on the direction of the movement of the locks, the pushers will be lifted or pushed down. Their initial position is set up manually.
The left arrow key changes pusher selection when the locks move to the left.
The right arrow key changes pusher selection when the locks move to the right. Use of both arrow keys simultaneously will change the pusher selection every row.
With the Zero key, no arrow selected, the pushers do not change their position on that pass, repeating the selection.
Pushers preselect for the next pass, as happens with needle preselection in Brother.
AX is the tuck setting for Passap, pushers selected up knit, selected down tuck.
When setting up these patterns, it is best to have a needle on the ribber on each side, not observing the usual “needle rule” for rib knits.
When working on both beds, the default illustrations have a space > dot between needles in work to permit the illustration of needles between them on the opposite bed, so the chart is not for an every other needle design. In this instance,  stitches > needles in work occur in pairs on the top bed.
Programming the repeat: the first pass will knit or tuck alternate pairs of stitches.
The needle selection then stays fixed for 3 rows and reverts to the first selection, a 4-row design. Stitches will be tucked side by side, breaking another common rule.
The ribber needles in this case are extra, not transferred down to the ribber from the knit bed as in some of the fabrics recently explored in other posts.
They are brought into work between pairs of knit stitches on the top bed, represented by the red lines in this chart.

Because of their location, the ribber should be set for half pitch.
With use the beds can shift, for tips on ribber alignment please see post:
A bit on ribbers: Japanese KMs, alignment, and symbols 1.
The stitches on the ribber are outlined with cyan, the triple tuck loops as those needles are brought forward on the knit bed for knitting with white. The proof of concept, programmed on 46X24: The darker color was thicker, knit well, but since this was a test, seeing stitch formation while checking for accuracy mattered. Testing the pattern on the knit bed first determines any problems with the design before the ribber is brought into work, limiting visibility as the knit progressed.
The same repeat, with stitches transferred down to the ribber, leaving empty needles on the top bed, knit on every other needle with 2/8 wool, produced an interesting texture, but quite a narrow knit, 3.5 inches wide. Racking on EON rib: some considerations.
A different design, with the repeat cut in half widthwise for a more traditional tuck stitch configuration, 
also with stitches from the ribber between stitches on the main beda knot in the yarn knit right through and was missed, easy to do when working double bed if the yarn travels with no hesitationThis design uses a simple racking pattern, easy to execute in thin yarns, but not as impactful. In Brother the ribber performs the racking movements.
Both beds are set for plain knit.
The needle set up is on half pitch.
Cast-on for the test swatch was with the racking position starting on 8, with the plan to rack to 10, knit 2 rows, rack back to 8, knit 2 rows, and repeat, performing all position changes with the carriages on the left.
The yarn used is a 2/18 wool/silk blend that resisted the technique regardless of tension and weight adjustments, and began breaking, but there is enough knit to visualize the result. Pattern 2053 is for reversible checkerboards that use tuck settings on both beds,The strippers in the Passap system help push down on loops and knit stitches, anchoring them in a way simply not possible in Brother models. Even if a choice were to be made to push down between the beds with a hacked tool, the Brother needle preselection renders that impractical.
The concept behind the Duomatic version is then switched to automated patterning with the tuck setting on the main bed, and the ribber set to knit every row.
The two rows with one arrow key result in the repeat shifting locations by repeating the same selection, as seen in this chartThe 8X40 design was knit on 48 stitches, these knits are quite wide, loose bind off are required when the pieces are completed.
Each sample knit measures 11.5 inches in width.
Where 4 side by side needles are tucking for four rows, the stitches on the ribber may have a tendency to jump off, resulting in loops not being anchored, so those areas require special attention. The proof of concept for the above repeat in one color and then with color changes every 2 rows

More variations including racked ones are explored in Fisherman_ English tuck stitch rib 1_ checks patterns_ Brother, Passap.