Ruffles on the Knitting Machine

Slisen's post today  has the pattern for her adorable baby blanket with tuck hearts and a ruffled edge:  http://slisen.blogspot.com/
It's especially sweet in that pale yellow color.  Sandy hand pulled her needles to make the ruffles, a really labor intensive prospect. Sandy's pattern was published years ago in Knitwords----can't remember which issue right now.  Whomever received that blanket should know what a labor of love that was!!!

Since the theme for the contest this year at Purls of Joy (April, Princeton, MN) is "ruffles", I thought I'd post a little about a more automatic method of making ruffles.  You can try this method for doing ruffles on the machine that takes about 1/4 the time as hand pulling needles. 

These directions are for Brother electronic machines and use the part buttons to have the machine not knit the short side of the ruffle.  You could adapt it for a punchcard machine and if you speak different machine languages, you could probably convert it to a different machine.

The pattern is 24 st x 26 rows.  Copy the ruffle pattern and use whatever means you use to get the pattern to your machine (DAK, PPD, inputting the pattern by hand, etc.) The horizontal stitches knit and the vertical ones don't. 

Position the pattern at L7 to R 7. Cast on with waste yarn and K a few R over N L7 to R7 at desired tension.

E wrap cast on over these N left to right with MC right over the waste yarn and K 3 R. 

CAL, turn on machine to row zero, KC II, knit to the right outside the turn mark. Push in both part buttons and K to desired length. This will be hundreds of rows for a baby blanket. This is one time you can measure the length of the ruffle while it's on the machine.  Do a few extra rows so that you don't come up short and if doing a baby blanket, add rows to turn the corners.  

 Weight the ruffle slightly with your left hand while running the carriage with the right hand. (Saves time not having to move up the weights.)

When desired length is reached, bind off with latch tool on one of the plain rows. Run in yarn ends. Purl side can be the right side. The ruffle will look a little wild and out of control if you don't do any of the suggestions below.

Before felting:

After felting:  

If you are felting this ruffle, there is no need to do anything to your edge. It forms its own edge when felted.

If you are not felting the ruffle, you can wrap extra yarn, one or two strands, around the outer edge every other row. Or, you can crochet around the long edge until it behaves itself. (Pretty tedious and time consuming.) 

Another option--- on the long edge, transfer the second stitch in to the stitch to the right of it and transfer the original 4^th stitch to the 3^rd every other row . It makes a lacy edge and helps to minimize the curl. 

The vertical holes are noticeable on this yellow example.  They are a result of not wrapping the yarn before turning around and knitting the other way.  If you don't like them, wrap the yarn on the end needle before knitting back to the right.

If the whole ruffle is way too ruffly, change the pattern to knit more plain rows before repeating the pattern.

Maybe you can think of other ways of taming the beast.  Ruffles are kind of fun...if you don't get too much of them.  And, they do add a lot to baby clothes.

 

Machine knit scarf/shawl

I should be getting my tax info ready for the accountant....but I have to really be in the mood to do that stuff.  Maybe if I do a post, I'll get my head around it.  Bah.

I got this idea from Linda's blog:

http://myblueheavenknits.wordpress.com/free-patterns-page/projects-ruffled-swirl-scarf/

but I made some modifications to the pattern.  Used my late departed bulky machine, T10, and instead of the 22 stitches she used, I worked with 34 stitches to make more of a shawl.  It took two skeins of Joanne Fabrics' Sensations Boucle', the smaller skein which is 6 ounces, I think.  (or 9 ounces???)  Also, every 10 rows or so, I knit two extra plain rows.  It seemed to be going so slowly, I got impatient and I didn't really want it so ruffly.  I just kept on knitting until most of the yarn was gone and there was enough to bind off with.    Actually, instead of letting the ends just hang down as is pictured,  I usually tie it once and it stays on well.  It curls slightly and hugs the shoulders.

Sorry for the dumb, out of focus picture, but maybe you get the idea.   So easy!!!  Didn't steam it, let the edge roll slightly. I love the colors in this yarn and when it was so cold here, having this scarf/shawl around my shoulders really kept me toasty.

Certainly got enough of short rowing for the time being....

More Machine Knit Tiny Teds

You can check my previous blog post on how to make these cuties.  I seemed to get a little better at making them, i.e. better proportions,  as time went on.  Rather than knitting ears on the machine, I used the same technique to 'soft sculp' the ears by hand sewing the corners of the head.  If you know a charity that gives to little babies, this is a nice project.  After doing 12 of them, I had to move on, but maybe I'll make more later. (Check out the Feb. 8 blog post for directions.)

Cheat Sheets for Silver Reed Knitting machines

I mentioned on Ravelry that I had had a tough time memorizing the Silver Reed settings.  I am a dyed in the wool Brother lover, and the Silver Reed seemed pretty foreign to me.   So I bought a 3" x 5" card stock spiral notebook to write down in simple terms what the steps were for the most used settings.  This way I didn't have to keep thumbing through the manual.  Feel free to use these however you wish.  Right click, copy and paste into an image processing program (like PAINT, for PC users).  Hope it helps you out.  (If hard to read, click on the image and it should enlarge.)

Machine Knit Charity Patterns

BABY CARDI--- Size 3-6 months
This is for a standard gauge machine, only one size (sorry), T 6 with 7st and 10 rows to the inch.  Before I started the pattern, did a hem for the body pieces.    I cast on with waste yarn the specified number of stitches, knit 12 rows T 5, one turning row of T 7, 12 rows T 6.  Hung a hem and knit one row at T 8.  Back to T 6 and RC 000.  Knit as instructed to the top and took the final st off on waste yarn.  For the sleeves, I did a hem with the same tensions but only 8 rows.  For the front bands I picked up one whole st with the back side facing me and did the same kind of hem with just 6 rows.  Same as the front plackets for neckline at the very end after pieces were seamed.  I did full fashioned decreases on all pieces to make seaming easier.   Still debating whether to have a button closure at the top.  The sleeves are long enough to fold over as a cuff and lower as the arms grow.  PS-- DAK (where I created the pattern) names things from the perspective of the wearer, but as you sew the pieces together you'll see how the tops of the sleeves slant to create a nice neckline.  By changing the tensions for the hems, I didn't have any problems with curling.  Don't like to steam acrylics too much.

    

                 

The yarn I used was Trenzado, I think.  It was a mystery yarn given out for free at a guild meeting.  If you'd like to try this pattern, you could use any yarn that knits close to the gauge.

The hats I did are super simple.  Ewrapped on 110 stitches T 4 knit 8 rows.  Increased one stitch both sides.  RC 000, T 6 knit 78 rows.  Tried something different for the tops which saved some time.  I tranferred two stitches over two needles.  (2 in work, 2 out of work) to decrease.  Then knit 2 rows still T6 and took off on a threaded double eyed needle to cinch in and sew up the seam.  Makes a nice top!  Then I knit a 4 needle I cord for 160 rows, T4, to make a bow for the top.  Hid the ends of the I cord up into the I cord.  Tied the I cord into a bow, tacked it down well and hid the sewing ends on the inside.

Our guild has a challenge to its members to knit as many charity items as is our age.  Have done this before and it IS quite a challenge.  (I'm 39, after all.)  I think I'm about half ways there.  Have about 8 months to go.

Felted Mitts for Charity

Here's yet another way to make warm mittens.  I have a lot of wool on cones, but mostly not enough of any one color to make a garment.  So I decided to try this approach...

1.  I knitted up blanks---like 170 stitches x 200 rows with my 100% wool.  I did do a permanent cast on and cast off.  Some people don't when they knit blanks, but I didn't want to take the chance of things unraveling and getting wound around anything in the washing machine.  I used every needle on my standard gauge machine, but any machine works.  Try the loosest tension to help the felting.
2.  I did two cycles in the washing machine to get the fabric felted really well.
3.  Found a template on the internet for making mittens out of fleece.  This is size 2 to 4.  Cut it out of paper for a pattern.
4.  Once dry, I pinned the pattern onto the felted material and cut out 4 pieces for each set of mittens.
5.  I sewed around the doubled pieces at about 1/4" seam allowance.  My sewing machine didn't like this very much because there wasn't much for the feed dogs to catch onto and push forward.  The doubled fabric was pretty thick too.  A walking foot probably would have helped things along.
6.  I clipped the seam wherever there was a curve so that it would turn to the right side better.
7.  Cut a piece of fabric for each mitt about 1 inch by the circumference of the cuff (plus an inch to turn back and hide a raw edge).    Sewed this on by hand to not further irritate my sewing machine.  Adds a little decoration.
8.  I cord (Not felted) about 20" long to thread through the sleeves so that the mitts won't get lost.  Attached to side of mitts.

Did 2 pairs----but I'm sure they were more labor intensive than just knitting the %^&&*^ things.  I just had to try it and maybe you will find it more fun than knitting them outright.

Free Machine Knit Charity Bear

Darn.  I was going to be a better blogger this year and a whole 5 weeks have gone by.  I knit a shawl for my sister-in-law for Christmas and of course forgot to photo it.  I did a simple triangle and used one of Diana Sullivan's Enchanted Edges.  Really pretty.  Lots and lots of rows, though.  And I made some of Kris Basta's doubled wool felted slippers on my bulky machine for my brother-in-law because he's always cold due to Parkinson's.  And, let's see...a 1 x 1 rib scarf for my son.  That's about it for home-made knitted presents.  I had too much to do to prepare for Christmas company.  Seems like ages ago now, but it was a wonderful time.  Keeping up with the little one was an adventure.

Our machine knitting guild knits for many different charities.  My favorite one is the MN Visiting Nurses.  They help new mothers who don't otherwise have a lot of resources.  I thought it would be nice for them to give each new mother a tiny teddy bear.  I was inspired by this one I saw on Ravelry.  Hand knit, easily converted to machine knit.  If you want to make some, directions follow.

I got my idea here: Simple Knit Bear The Knitting Way: A Guide to Spiritual Self-Discovery           

by Linda Skolnik and Janice MacDaniels

www.theknittingway.com

www.facebook.com/theknittingway

© 2012 Janice MacDaniels www.theknittingway.com/simpleknitbear.pdf (hand knitting version)

because everyone needs a little someone to love.

Machine: Any; Gauge: Any; Yarn: Any; Other materials: Fiber fill. How accommodating is that?! (I'll give my info as one example at the end.)

Directions: Body---Figure out with the yarn and machine you are using what stitches and rows would be needed to produce a rectangle that is about 6” wide and 8” long. Ewrap on and knit this rectangle. Transfer every other stitch to its neighbor and leave an 18” yarn tail. Take the stitches off on this piece of yarn. Cinch up the stitches---this will be the top of his head. If you can't get the stitches tight enough, sew back and forth to cover up the hole. Now with the same yarn, do a mattress stitch a little more than 1/3 down the length for the head. Generously stuff with fiber fill so the head is firm. Now take this same yarn and wind around twice to make a neck. (See picture on the left above.) Cinch it in and knot off. Don't cut yarn. Now finish mattress stitching the rest of the seam but don't close the bottom yet. Let the yarn dangle for later use. Ears: Hang stitches on the machine where one ear would be, knit a few rows and bind off. Leave a yarn tail of about 8”. Sew around the ear with a whip stitch and pull a little on the last stitch. The ear will curl to the front a little. Secure the end and run it down through the head to hide.  Hide the other yarn end in the interior. Repeat for other ear. Now stuff the body firmly with the fiberfill. Fold in the bottom about 3/8” and stitch closed with the rest of the yarn tail you abandoned using an invisible kind of seam. Make a belly button: Thread about 8” of yarn doubled onto your needle. Come up through the stuffing and make a French knot. When you go back through the knot, hide the yarn end in the stuffing and snip. Arms and legs: Use a separate piece of yarn to define the arms and legs. Use a back stitch and sew all the way through front to back. Hide yarn ends in the interior. Scarf: CO about 8-10 stitches, knit enough rows to go around the neck and tie a bow. The knitting will fold in on itself and be quicker to knit than an I cord. You can, of course, knit a fancier scarf or tie a pretty ribbon around his neck.

MY specifics: Standard Gauge machine, mystery cotton yarn I've used for dishcloths, T 3, Cast on 50 stitches, knit 100 rows. Ears, 6 stitches, 6 rows. Scarf, 8 stitches 150 rows. Recommend that you knit at a tighter tension than you might usually use for the yarn so that the fiber fill doesn't show through. You could decrease at the end of the ears and make it look like a cat rather than a bear. Optional: embroider face details. I think he's cute enough plain. You could use the purl side as the right side if you like it better. Mine's a little fatter than the example. I might need to work on the ears a little....  This was just bear #1. Many more to come.