Many eons ago, this flyer was included with purchases of new Brother knitting machines, still makes me smile
Broomstick lace on the knitting machine
Some illustrations of this fabric may be found in my previous posts: forming long loops and stitches using cast on comb and weights or ruler, some long stitch swatches, a few more tips and ideas from the earliest post on the topic.
Here are some ideas on creating a basic 3 loops “broomstick” cross. Most of my teaching has been on 4.5 mm machines, so the above swatches were executed in thinner yarns. For this post, my swatch is knit in a random scrap yarn from my studio, on the 260 Brother Bulky machine.
The basis of this type of stitch is to create long loop stitches, and in turn, to re-hang them in various configurations. The look I prefer among others I have tested, results when loops are hung in on every other needle, whether singly or in groups, and the next row is simply knit. Here, as in any machine-knit fabric, if there are 2 or more empty needles side by side, any other than a single needle must be e wrapped, cast on, or have a loop lifted up from the row below (used in increases), or the result will be a ladder vs. knit stitch formation on that needle.
Begin with waste yarn and some rows of knitting. As long stitches are formed, some weight will be required to keep loops from jumping up, forward, and off the KM. Since you are asking the loops to stretch quite a bit on a fixed-width metal base, some testing is required to determine the best tool for forming the optimum loop length. Yarn thickness factors into this as well. I found knitting stitches back to A loops too short and using a cast on combs and paper clips or any of my rulers made them too long, so I opted for the plastic rod insert from one of my window shades.
I like to work my loops from left to right, so the last row is knit from right to left. They may certainly be formed in either direction. In this instance, COL needs to be returned to the right before resuming knitting. This can happen before or after forming long stitches, by any method you like. Consistency helps eliminate errors.
I bring needles out to hold/ E position, lining them up to form new stitches one at a time, the yarn is brought around to the end of the “ruler”
guided under the needles yet to be wrapped, resting to the right of the next needle out to E on the left side
placed in the needle hook
and knit through, repeating the process across the row: the number of loops should match the original number of stitches
the spacing tool is removed; the next 2 steps may be easier to perform if the needles are once again brought out to holding / E first
pulling down on your knit will create the long stitches
working in groups of 3: remove first 2 loops on right, transfer to needle 3 on left
insert tool in the center of the group of 3, lift strands onto needle 1 on right
bring center needle (2 of 3) out and over multiple loops, all 3 to E position
repeat across row 
COR: knit 3 rows (or more, odd #), ending with COL, so the yarn tail will once again be on the left to begin the process of wrapping.
knit next row carefully, adjust stitch size and loop length if needed
the top row in the photo shows all 3 loops transferred onto the center needle, with crochet cast on (indicated on purl side by the blue arrow) on all needles involved in the plain knit areas before the next row of knitting
Hairpin lace diagrams can be a source of design inspiration for designing loop configurations. The crochet cast on any empty needles could be used where chains occur in crochet diagrams, and it needs to be loose enough for the next knit row to be formed easily. In my swatch, I actually had to hand-knit the first/ next row, my carriage jammed in the areas where the triple loops were in needle hooks as well as my cast-on chain.
The number of knit rows between forming the long stitches may be odd or even, providing one gets comfortable with working in both directions. The carriage gets switched frequently from side to side. Sometimes the least likely to drop your work carriage “free pass” is simply to take it off the machine on one side, bring it to the opposite side, and engage it on the machine once again, with no need to change cam settings or worry about traveling with it across your knit piece.
October 24, 2019: for folks who prefer videos, I recently found a very good youtube series on the technique by Elena Luneva. Knitting takes place on a Studio Machine. The ribber cast-on comb is used to create the loops/ stitches (Studio did not have a single bed accessory for that supposed purpose), the videos add another interesting accessory to use for this purpose on any machine. It is also always fun to watch the way experienced knitters handle everyday tools.
Pleats: ribbed , folding fabrics
RIBBED, FOLDING PLEATS result from varying the needle arrangement on both beds, usually in every needle rib. As with any knit fabric, the knit piece will fold toward the purl side along the length of the piece, not away from it. The bend can be put permanently into the fabric by leaving one or more consecutive needles on the same bed out of work. The non-working needle(s) will create a narrow vertical column of stocking stitch on the opposite bed which will roll itself toward its purl surface. By spacing the groups of non-working needles alternately between the beds, the fabric will immediately fold into pleats when taken off the machine. The same principle could be applied to hand knitting. The symbols: black dots indicate needles out of work, purple arrows the direction of the fold in the resulting fabric, and the needles in work on either bed, or any machine.
Sharp angles occur when there are enough needles in work on both beds to allow the fabric to fold over itself crisply before it is forced by the next group of out-of-work needles to fold once again in the opposite direction
alternating direction of folds to create sharp or knife pleats
repeat the above configuration across the needle bed, going as narrow or as wide as desired, the series of pleats will face in one direction. Crystal pleats are very fine knife pleats often seen in sewing tuxedo shirts
double sharp or box pleats are a variation where the direction of every other pleat is reversed, extra stitch groups may be added between pleats to vary their spacing. The pleats are folded away from each other on the outside of the garment. Inverted box pleats are the same as a box pleat, but face inside the garment
added stitch group represented by a star, stitch count varied to suit
fold up as
accordion sharp pleats out of work needles evenly staggered on both beds
fold up as
Putting out-of-work needles on one bed close to out-of-work needles on the other will not allow the fabric to fold over completely before reversing direction, and will result in rounded or rolled, rather than sharp pleats. There should be one full needle rib stitch between needles out of work, highlighted below in red. Repeating the same selection results in rolled single pleats
fold up as
double rolled pleats mirror needle groups
fold up as
in accordion rolled OOW needles are spaced evenly on both beds
fold up as
Types of pleats, their width, spacing, and mixing with stretches of every needle rib, may be used in whole garments or garment details ie cuffs, peplums, single-fold large pleats in skirts and jackets, etc.
Brother Ribber Techniques Book page 37 illustration
Some considerations:
Normal shaping procedures are not practical in these fabrics. Tension changes are used from loose to tight to achieve shaping from wider at the bottom to narrower at the top, requiring extended swatches. The larger the finished items, such as skirts, produce more predictable results if the test swatch is a large one. A minimum of 100 rows for gauging is recommended. A test segment is made for each tension change. Swatches should be allowed to rest after being treated like the finished garment will be: blocked, pressed, washed, etc., then hung vertically and allowed to rest. After deciding the length, 2-4 inches need to be subtracted from the desired measurement to allow for the “drop” that is likely in the finished piece over time.
The fabric may look a bit different on one side than the other, either works as the exterior of the piece and is a matter of preference.
These are knits where the clicks between numbers on tension dials on machines come into use. In addition to the usual gauge calculations for knitting garments, a bit more math is needed.
The number of needles used needs to be divisible by the number of stitches used for any pleat.
Joining on inner folds rather than outer ones produces better results. Having an extra stitch at joining edges, with seaming using half a stitch on each side, will keep pleat widths constant.
The larger the pleat, the more bulk is created. Most skirts will require 3 panels with one seam worn on the center back. Yokes may be added to decrease bulk rather than having pleats meet at the waistline.
Ribbers on Japanese machines tend to knit tighter than main beds. At times an increase of 2 tension numbers may be required to get stitch sizes created by both beds to approach being equal. The other factor to consider is that the wider the plain knit vertical portion of the pleats, for stitches to knit off properly, the more tension needs to approach the # used to knit the same yarn in stocking stitch on the respective single bed. Tolerance varies between machines.
Experimentation is needed even before knitting the large swatches. It pays to be familiar with both your ribber and your yarn before trying these fabrics and to keep good notes.
Folded / true pleats occur when the groups of NOOW (needles out of work) that make the fold lines are spaced far enough apart so that the underlap of the pleat is quite wide. Rolled/ mock pleats occur when the groups of NOOW that form the fold lines are fairly close together. Stockinette/rib combinations: vertical columns of stocking stitches are created, sometimes combined with ribbed ones. The fabric lies flat and does not fold.
Double jacquard is usually an every-needle rib fabric, so pleats can be created in conjunction with it, even planned to occur within specific areas of the design repeat. Consider yarn weight and backing technique in planning for drape.
A series of needle arrangements to try, including one worked on every other needle, which requires the pitch change from P to H. Charts were created as combined tables using Mac Numbers 5/2018
More from the Brother Ribber Techniques Book pp 108-112
Review of terms often used: full pitch = the needles of one bed are exactly opposite the needles of the other bed. Passap = racking handle up. Half pitch = the needles of one bed are directly opposite the gate pegs of the opposite bed. Passap = racking handle down. FNR: full needle rib = within the working area all needles on both beds are in working position, with the beds set at half-pitch. 1X1 rib set up= within the work area every other needle on both beds is in work in alternating positions, ribber set to full pitch. Tubular cast-on is often used for fabrics of this type, in both FNR and 1X1 rib setups.
“True” pleats have three components: the face, the fold-over or turn back, and the underside; they are formed by folding a piece of knitted fabric over. “Mock pleats” are produced by varying stitch patterns. Sometimes the terms S and Z are used in reference to how the pleat folds, with S pleats pointing the right and Z pointing to the left. The fold-over bulk is something that needs to be planned or even compensated for when creating garments ie such as skirts, where yokes are often added to minimize bulk at the waist and hips.
Studio tips and techniques #36, by Terry Burns, is now available for free download online and begins to cover Double bed pleated skirts tt-36-double_bed_skirts
A simple shape, an exercise in DBJ, Brother KM
When first learning how color separations work for DBJ on any machine, it is helpful to begin with a simple, easily recognized shape, to play with as many variations as possible, and study the results both in terms of the resulting fabric, and how the motif is altered by changing the machine settings. Below are copies of the handout I used when I introduced new knitters to rib jacquard. They are Brother specific. Out of habit, I tend to leave the slide lever in its center position. If a ribbed edging is needed, it is a lovely surprise if one plays with lever settings, finishes a second piece of knitting, to find after its completion that the second piece has a rib that is a different size than the other due to a missed change in lever position. My design is planned for use with punchcard machines, but a single repeat may be isolated and used to knit patterns on electronic machines as shown at bottom of the second page.
For Passap knitters, a bible on using a single shape (triangle) and creating infinite variations by technique modifications, adaptable for use on the E6000, was published in 1988
Brother KM
Brother Ribber Techniques Book illustration is missing lili position for the slide lever
some of my previous posts on DBJ color separations
More slip stitch experiments
Slip-stitch fabrics are capable of creating interesting textures. When blocks of stitches are slipped, the floats that may appear on the purl side are considered problematic by some knitters. One solution is to work using mosaic and maze “floatless FI” designs. This was addressed in previous posts, including color separation methods for planning them, and a variety of knit swatches.
The images below have often appeared in knitting boards on Pinterest, I am returning to the slipstitch design thread.
A Missoni knit 
Sportmax Armida sweater 
I decided to plan a “square/block” shape to sort out the technique; it could easily be adapted to a diamond one. By necessity, larger repeats need to be executed on an electronic machine whether via mylar or download program. The plan is to change colors by any means available, usually, every 2 or every 4 rows, requiring a motif repeat that totals an even number of rows. In hand-knitting garter stitches can become part of the resulting texture, but they are impractical here. Often commercial knits are produced on machines that can automate many more functions and surfaces per row. The Missoni sweater is a fine knit, and on a detailed examination, reveals lace eyelets in some of the stripes in addition to plain knit and slipped stitches. Not impossible to do on a standard KM “home” electronic, but the simplest way to add lace eyelets would be via hand transfers.
my starting chart
checking that that repeats line up
possible mylar repeats
I drew the top repeat above onto mylar for use on a 910. The sample swatch was knit using 2 carriages (and lace extension rails). I selected R 1 from right to left, with the carriage that was to remain on that side, and began knitting with the second carriage, placed on the right, holding the alternate color. There are a few ways to achieve the pre-selection row, depending on the choice of start to the fabric, and whether a color changer as opposed to a second carriage is in use. Contrasting colors help us see and understand stitch formation. For the bottom of the swatch I used double length as well as color reverse, with color (carriage) changes every 4 rows. The top of the swatch is knit with color changes every 2 rows. Slip-stitch is short and thin. Since there are more stitches slipped on the bottom of the swatch, the fabric is pulled in in those areas, making the knit on either side “bubble” in a way that the top of the swatch, do not, and resulting shapes no longer appear as straight lines horizontally.
purl side
The single-width blocks that form the stitch pattern are usable for tuck knitting as well. Whether the motif may be elongated on standard machines depends on the yarn thickness used. Tuck-stitch fabric tends to be short and wide so that the finished knit piece will be wider than the slip-stitch version.
Taking this shape to a punchcard requires editing, and the results are quite different. One sample idea, moving stitch groups around to fit a 24-stitch repeat:
All the white squares would need to be punched to form knit stitches, the yellow left unpunched, to form the slipped ones, the look of the fabric would be very different.
Previous blog posts on related topics: tuck and slip color striping, block stitch color separations, where the term block stitch is used based on publications that refer to floating, staggered designs rather than to square shapes.
As for creating “solid” block shapes: an initial repeat is charted below, 16 W X 24 H. Black blocks are drawn on mylar or downloaded, is used color reversed with no elongation. Knitting starts with base rows knit in the color that will form the “block” on the knit side of the finished fabric
the knit side
and the purl, note floats as wide as the “block”
Combining tuck stitches with lace 2 (automating them)
Working with 2 carriages when both are selecting needles brings up some interesting issues. Studio machines are able in most instances to select and knit in the same row. Brother preselects needles for the subsequent row, and on that row, while knitting the preselection, once again, the preselection is made for the next pattern row to be knit.
A couple of my earlier posts on the topic: knitting with 2 carriages and a lace round doily which combines lace with slip stitch selection to emulate holding for creating the needed spiral.
Following up on the previous post, now attempting to automate the stitch, some of the logic in needle selection needs to be explored. The chart as drawn below simply addresses functions that may create the desired fabric. It is incorrect in terms of accuracy in actual knitting it
symbols used
reworking the repeat for use with mylar
the drawn mylar repeat, numbers reflect placement on my sheet
When both carriages are in use for pattern selection, they will both engage the belt. While either carriage is in use, the alternate one needs to be off the needle bed, or the belt may actually break as one carriage holds it in a fixed position, while the other tugs at it toward the fixed spot from the opposite side of the machine. Lace extension rails are used on both sides. There were variations over the years, including a pair to fit the bulky 260 KM. They are not always exchangeable between models, need to sit properly on the machine for carriages to be stable while stored to the side, and also for moving them off and onto the machine easily.
Pre-punched standard Brother lace cards usually begin with the lace carriage selecting the first pattern row moving from the left side to the right. As with any lace or tuck fabric, knitting begins with waste yarn that is weighted evenly and any edge treatment of choice. On the 910, because of the preselection factor, and to keep the pattern continuous in proper order, the knit carriage is removed from the right side of the machine, and the lace carriage does a preselection row from right to left. That will be its start and return position for the remainder of the fabric. The knit carriage is returned in turn to its home on the right end of the machine, on the extension rail.
Two types of fabric are being created. The goal is to have the edge stitches knitting throughout. To accomplish this, if the LC is in use, eliminate any end needle selection by pushing needles back to B; when the KC is in use, if the end needle is not selected, to get it to knit, it needs to be pushed out to E. The pattern sequence is an easy one when up and running, with 2 passes of the LC, and 4 of the KC, as seen in the charts above.
The knit side is shown below, the arrow locating the larger eyelet points to operator error: I had a stitch caught on a gate peg, and was not aware of the problem for several rows. The extra loop of yarn can actually be seen. Tuck fabrics are often far more interesting on the purl than on the knit side
the purl side, with an arrow indicating the same problem spot
The question that follows is how to program the same design for use with a punchcard machine. Here things get a bit more confusing. The electronic machines advance the program or card a single row for each carriage pass, no matter their direction or sequence. When the punchcard carriage is at rest on either side and the alternate carriage moves toward it, the card does not advance, so the needle selection stays the same, is repeated for a second time. A bit more planning is required and the repeat needs to be shortened to accommodate for this fact.
The chart below shows the amended repeat for punching a card. The first selection row is made with the card locked, and the LC moving from left to right. The card is then released, LC moves to the left, transferring stitches selected from the previous row to the left while selecting those for the first row of tuck. The next row, using the alternate carriage, begins the ongoing sequence
the actions of the carriages with each pass
The actual punched holes are shown below. The writing on the card is a ghost from a previous experiment. The red line marks starting row 1 for Brother knitting, blue border outlines a single repeat. A minimum of 3 repeats are needed for continuous reading by the KM
Fabrics with color change every 2 rows such as mazes and mosaics are easily knit on the electronic with 2 carriages. If worked on a punchcard machine, they would have to be executed using a yarn changer and only the knit carriage, unless the design motif is redrawn to factor in the issue discussed above. A previous post, part of a thread on mazes and mosaics, with a punchcard swatch photo.
The first preselection row in any patterning that involves color or carriage changes every 2 rows, is usually done toward the side of the machine that holds either the color changer or the carriage next in use. As seen above, there are exceptions to that “rule” as well.
Machine knit “dragon scales” update
I had previously posted on an Armani-inspired knit scale-like pattern that sometimes was described online as a machine knit “crocodile stitch”. A fellow Raveler just shared on her project page an interesting variation that includes variations in the scale of the scales themselves. All her transfers are made onto a single center point, eliminating the vertical separation that appears at the center of my version.
my previous smaller, machine-knit sample
a hand-knit lace cousin to try with full repeat and directions, chart, and text generated in Intwined, border stitches not shown
Combining tuck stitches with lace 1
A simple chart, from a random Japanese publication
the isolated repeat outlined
symbols used
of note: in the above pattern, all transfers are in the same direction. My test swatches were knit on bulky 260 KM. Held stitches form loops on top of needles brought out to E position. The original stitch formerly in the needle hook grows in length, behind the newly formed loops. When patterning is automated using the tuck cam setting, the non selected needle will not be worked. The original stitch gets longer here as well, while the loops that in the hand technique rest on top of the needles, will now be held in the hook of the needle along with the last knit stitch. The latter fact is the limiting factor determining the number of rows that may actually be tucked, especially on Japanese machines. Yarn used and needle gauge also matter. Tucked fabrics, like lace, need to be weighted evenly for loops formed to knit off properly.
How to for my swatches:
knit base row (s), set up repeat so some stitches knit every row on each side creating a border, set machine to hold stitches
row 1: transfer every 4th stitch to the right. If you are in the habit of pulling needles holding multiples stitches to D before knitting the next row after transferring multiple stitches onto a single needle, this is ruled out when the carriage is set for holding, as those stitches would then not knit as intended on the next pass. To produce an eyelet, emptied needles are returned to B position after each transfer sequence
rows 2, 3, 4 bring alternate every 4th needle as shown in chart into hold, knit 3 rows
row 5: push held needles back into work (D on brother km), knit one row across all needles. Held stitches will knit off as a group, check that they have done so uniformly
rows 6, 7, 8: transfer alternate every 4th needle out to hold, knit 3 rows
row 9: begin sequence again, repeating rows 1-8
When transfers are made in a single direction, the fabric will bias in the direction of those transfers. In the bottom section of the photo below, the resulting lean to the left is easily seen. If a bias leaning fabric is desired, this is an easy way to get there. However, if the goal is to achieve a balanced fabric, then the transfers need to happen in opposite directions as seen in the top segment of the swatch.
the new working repeat
the number of held/tuck stitch rows has been changed to 4 rather than 3. When the row that knits off the loops occurs, the total number of knit rows for the sequence will be an odd one, resulting in the carriage being at opposite sides of the needle bed at the end of each pattern repeat. Transferring stitches may then be made toward the carriage: COR – transfer to right, COL transfer to left. This makes it easier to track direction when working the fabric as a hand technique.
Next up: automating the pattern for standard gauge machines using the lace carriage, and tuck patterning in the knit carriage as well.
Ladders with lace, “making things work” 2
My preferred, e wrapped 1 to 3 increase
knit side
purl side
The how: begin with transferring 2 side stitches onto the center one
knit row 1
knit row 2
insert tool as shown
turn clockwise, place yarn twist on needle to left of center one
insert tool as shown
twist counter clockwise, bring twisted stitch behind float on right of center, lift twisted loop and place it onto the empty needle to right of the center
pick up a loop from the triple stitch below last 2 knit rows as shown, and lift it onto center stitch
knit 2 rows, continue in pattern according to chart
Ladders with lace, “making things work” 1
Just about 2 years ago, I had an obsession with leaf shapes in lace and wrote a series of posts on approaches to both designing them and rendering them in knit on more than one machine.
From a ladder and lace early post. 
Recent publications reflect the increasing interest in bulkier knits and combining ladder “lace (created by needles remaining out of work) with shapes floating within the resulting open spaces. I thought I would address some issues in such fabrics while returning to a leaf as the focus “shape”. My samples are knit on a Brother 260, using hand techniques that require only the basic set of transfer tools.
Long verticals in knit may have problems with the edge stitches separating from the rest of the knit, i.e. in FI vertical stripes. In plain knit, the edge stitches may stretch, become distorted, and may encroach on the ladder space. A series of actions taken on the edge stitches of ladders will help prevent that, here I am choosing to use a simple 1 X 1 cable cross every 2 rows to stabilize them. Having the cables coincide with the rows on which transfers are made to create the chosen shape makes tracking them easier.
my first schematic (Excel chart)
symbols used
imagining in repeat
my first swatch
for decreasing stitches in work on the right or left at the top of the chart I used a simple decrease
using the “fully fashioned” option to provide a different look along that edge
For my test swatch I used a crochet cast on across 17 + 4 for single full pattern repeat, + 4 edge stitches on either side = a total of 29 stitches. To create the transition from 1 to 3 stitches in the center of the leaf, I e-wrapped an additional 2 empty needles
#1 reflects the e-wrapped increase just above the cast-on, and #2 shows the results of the same technique at the top of the established “leaf” pattern
the chart repeat was amended for a different start
for the second swatch, trying a different way of adding stitches
#1 shows a pattern beginning on a group of knit stitches, as opposed to a single center one for leaf
#2 shows a full “leaf” repeat as charted, the red arrow points to e-wrapped yarn traveling in front of the shaping
#3 the red arrow indicates the same is happening with the float, while the green shows my desired twist, with stitch to the front
Sorting it out: a third swatch, with an amended way of e-wrapping. To make sampling quicker, I modified the repeat, eliminating cables, and decreasing the number of stitches at the widest part of the leaf, making fewer eyelet transfers. The results show how much the shape of the “leaf” may be varied with just a few changes. Note the twist and location of floats in relationship to stitches just above #1
I will document the 1X3 increase method I liked best out of several trials in my next post.
If having a single pivot stitch for the repeat is not important, the chart below is amended again to accommodate that
if eyelets are eliminated to create a geometric pattern and/or for the sake of speed, increases may be created on both sides beginning on row 12 of the above chart by picking up from the row below
