Customized Knitting Machine Patterns

Knitting Machine Patterns

I am going to go against all of the rules here and do something that I was told never to do. I am going to write an article all about ME ME MEEEEEEE! Okay, it is not all about me really but about some of the knitting that I have discovered is much easier (for me at least) using knitting machine patterns and playing around with them a little bit. Now this is not entirely true for all of them but for quite a few of them, what I have done is taken basic patterns and embellished on them as well rather than just using the knitting machine to create embellishments for my other works.

Now one of the most common things I use the knitting machines for is the simple knots … simple for most people at least. The Celtic Knots are among my favorites but while I am able to do quite a bit of needlework without too many problems, the slight shaking in my hands prevents me from doing much detail work with knitting needles … especially when it comes to some of the more lightweight yarns. I enjoy using the smaller knots as decorative items on larger pieces I create for other uses.

Knitting the Celtic Knots around a small, round magnet allows me to create really neat little refrigerator magnets that are decorative as well as functional. Additional uses can include using them to highlight other items as well. There are the ever-popular decorations for throw-pillows which will likely always remain very popular. Additionally, I make hems for lampshades, curtains and even for valances over windows and doorways. The smaller decorations help to highlight the work and make it stand out as opposed to the more simple knitted lace trim or hemming.

fairly cheap knitting machine

Neck chains are very popular and if you are looking for a part-time and profitable hobby, you may be surprised how much you can accomplish with the right patterns and a fairly cheap knitting machine. Again, due to the shaking in my hands, I have a difficult time with the Ribbon Yarn. However, the Ribbon Yarn does make some really nice “bolo” like necklaces which I knit into a small plastic clip which can then be used to hold pens, id cards and even cell phones. If you do not like the Ribbon Yarn, the very Lightweight Yarns also work very well for this. There is almost no limit to what can be created here. The same techniques can be used for watch chains, bracelets and even small, colorful and cheap rings that can easily be sold for a couple of dollars each.

I have knitted covers for about everything in my home short of the furniture. Given time, I may do that as well but for things like cookie jars, flour containers, spice racks and other common household items, a custom made knitted cover just gives it a bit of a personal touch. However, in some areas, the common knots made with the Chunky Yarn not only attract dust and dirt, it seems to capture it and hold onto it for dear life making it very difficult to clean.

The custom knots made with the Lightweight Yarn allow for a more decorative touch without being so difficult to clean or requiring nearly as many washings … which even in cold water will eventually wear on your knitting work. Now here I have to cheat a little bit since most of my personalized covers are made with the heavier yarn and the lace or knots I knit are not about to go in with the same stitching. I do have to use a few stitches of thread to sew them on but if you use close colors, you can make this seam almost invisible.

If you want to make it stand out, use a gold or blue metallic thread and make an actual border around the embellishments to make them stand out even more. The contrasting colors can work just as well for highlighting as the similar color yarns and threads do for making it more subtle. It all depends on your personal tastes. Knitting Machine Patterns are very similar to recipes in this aspect; while you can generally rest assured that the pattern will work, it is sometimes just fun to see what can be done to make it just a little better and a little more “you”.

How to Choose a Knitting Machine

There are many commonly held misconceptions about knitting machines. In order to decide which knitting machine will or will not work for you, it is first important to know exactly what you plan to be doing with the knitting machine. You also need to factor in what types of yarn you will be using to knit with as the different knitting machines are set up only for specific types and sizes of yarn. In short, before you decide which knitting machine is the one that you are going to purchase, you need to make certain that it will fit your personal needs.

If you are a very versatile person and commonly knit with many different types, sizes and styles of knitting yarn, it is highly unlikely that you are going to find any single knitting machine that will do everything that you are already able to complete by hand. Furthermore, the knitting machines are not going to be able to create all of the specific knots and stitches that you do. Again, the basic mechanics of knitting make it extremely difficult for all but the most expensive commercial knitting machines to perform even a fraction of what you are currently doing by hand.

Even then, the knitting machines will have different uses and there is still a need for many different and “specialized” knitting machines. Contrary to popular belief, the knitting machines will not fully automate the entire process and greatly increase your output … at least not until you learn all of the little quirks in regards to whatever brand knitting machine you ultimately decide on purchasing. That is because each individual machine is going to be different for more than just the types and sizes of yarn that you are using.

The needles will all be spaced at different intervals depending on the knitting machine that you choose. The latch hooks are all firmly locked into place so the number of threads and the stitch size will always be constrained by this. Thus, you can purchase a knitting machine to stitch heavy yarn for sweaters and such or a knitting machine that will allow you to knit socks but unless you want some really strange looking clothes, you are going to have to compromise some.

Patterns may also be substantially different for knitting by hand than it is for the knitting machines. When you are knitting by hand, all of your stitches will be measured as you go and you have at least a modicum of control over what the final product ends up as. With a knitting machine, you may still have the same control but you lose some of the flexibility that you would have when knitting by hand. The knitting machine cannot see and think the way that a human can so by its very nature, there are always going to be some limitations.

If you only want or need a knitting machine to perform one single function in your production, you will have a much easier time selecting the proper knitting machine. However, if you are looking for a flexible knitting machine that can handle a number of tasks for you, the decision may be a bit more difficult. The two most important things for you to remember are to clearly define what you need the knitting machine to handle and then to learn enough about the knitting machines so that you know which machine will perform that function with the least probability of additional work on your part. Then again, that is why we built this site … so that you could get all of the relevant information and make an informed decision regarding which knitting machine will be best for you. There is unfortunately, no simple answer to this question.

Do Hand Knitters Need A Knitting Machine?

Machine knitting fans are ecstatic about how fast their equipment can produce elaborate stitches. But even with speed and volume advantages, machine knitting can’t absolutely replace hand knitting. They are two totally different crafts and, often, you will need to do a combination of hand knitting, machine knitting and crochet trim to finish a project.

With a knitting machine, you can weave large pieces with knitting machine yarn in a short amount of time without inflicting your hand with carpal tunnel syndrome. Machine knitting brings out your creative side – blending delicate lace with fancy patterns in exotic color mixes that might otherwise be tough to achieve when knitting by hand. Machine knitting also provides you with hundreds of patterns to choose from, pre-installed with your equipment so you don’t have to browse through several shelves in a crafts shop. A Brother knitting machine has more than 500 pre-set pattern options.

Despite these benefits, there is a downside to machine knitting. And it’s important to know about these disadvantages before you fork over all that cash on a knitting machine. First of all, knitting machines are way too bulky to sit on your lap. They would take up a large amount of space in your house. Also, knitting machines require tons of spare time when setting up and learning their complicated features.

Knitting machines can mean a large investment of money. Brother knitting machines can cost around $500 or more, depending on how fancy the features are. A knitting machine works with only one weight class, so you will need a different knitting machine for each different yarn weight you will use, plus expensive special attachments for ribbing or working knit/purl mixes. A Silver Reed ribbing attachment goes for around $700, an Intarsia carriage for $90, and yarn changer for $300 – these are all added costs that could drive your costs through the roof.

Flexibility is one advantage that hand knitting has over machine knitting. You can increase or decrease as many stitches as you want in the middle of a row just as easily as the beginning or the end. But to do ribbing or purl stitches on a knitting machine, you have got to drop all of the stitches on the row that you need purled and work them back up again. You can see both sides of the pattern while you are hand knitting, but you can only see the purl side when you’re machine knitting, making it difficult to see how the final result would actually look like.

If you are still set on buying a knitting machine, try out several brands and models as you begin your search. Ask other machine knitters for recommendations or attend knitting seminars. Machine knitting chat groups online are also great sources of info when deciding on the appropriate knitting machine for you.

How To Use A Sock Knitting Machine

Knitting socks is a great hobby and it can also be a profitable side business for stay-at-home moms who have been practicing the craft for years. If you want to make money from knitting socks, mittens, or scarves, you will need a sock knitting machine.

Finding one can be a challenge because the sock knitting machine is obsolete. No one makes them anymore so you will have to look for a restored machine through antique dealers or a used furniture store. When buying a sock knitting machine, make sure it was thoroughly cleaned, polished, adjusted, timed and knitted on.

Now that you have a sock knitting machine sitting in front of you, learn first how to knit tubes, then heels and toes, using practice knitting machine yarn. Sock weight knitting yarn is ideal, but you can also use sport and worsted. Opal, Regia, Loma’s Laces, Trekking XXL, Fortissima and Alpaca are some of the popular types you can apply. Loose the tension when working with thicker knitting yarns.

In the sock knitting machine is a cylinder with slots for needles. Latches on these needles do the knitting as each needle passes through the cam shell path. To make socks on a knitting machine, set up a bonnet or webbing on the middle of the machine to make the needle move continuously. Thread some brightly colored scrap yarn and knit about two to three inches. Later on when your sock is done, you can clip and rip this scrap yarn from the hem of your sock.

Set the yarn firmly on the yarn ball winder to maintain an even tension. Turn the crank and count the number of rows made as the carrier goes around the cylinder. Take a stitch from the first row and hang it on the needle to knit the hem top.

Once the hem stitches of your machine knitted sock are done, you can put a ribber on the machine to produce purl stitches. With the ribber on, crank the machine to the desired length of the leg part of your sock. As you knit the ankle part of the sock, half of the stitches on the ribber needle will transfer to the cylinder needle. Note the red marks on the cylinder as your start and stop points for the heel and toes.

To knit the heel, raise the back half of the needles so you only work on the front of the machine. Raise a needle on one side and crank around. Raise the other side and knit back. Repeat this process until you reach the red mark. After the heel is knitted, move on to the foot of the sock. The toes are also knitted on the front half of the knitting machine, just like you did with the heels. Sew up the top of the toe with a Kitchener stitch and you’re done.

Learning the intricacies of a sock knitting machine takes patience and a lot of practice. But once you get the hang of it, you’ll enjoy your hobby more than you ever did.

The Right Knitting Machine For You

Hand knitting is a craft that is enjoyed by many people, but if you’re way past the novice level and want to take on the challenge of knitting larger patterns, or your knitting business is at the stage where you can’t keep up with demand by hand knitting alone, or you just want to be able to knit up more items per hour, then maybe it’s time for you to invest in a knitting machine.

When you knit by hand, you create one stitch using two needles. Imagine how much work you can do with a knitting machine that constructs an entire row all at once!

There are three common types of knitting machines: bulky machines, standard beds, and mid-gauge versions. Some are simple looms while some can be highly complex with buttons and dials operating computerized functions.

Heavy sweaters are knitted on a bulky machine, which has needles set 9mm apart and hook and latches that are large enough to work on thick yarns. Bulky machines can also carry out Fair Isle, tuck, slip, lace, intarsia, and other knitting techniques. Studio, Brother knitting machines, and Silver Reed are popular brands of chunky machines.

These knitting machines can be mechanical knitting machines, which allow you to choose from selection of pre-punched cards as well as create your own patterns. Electronic knitting machines have more flexibility and a wider range of uses. They can have around 300 patterns stored in memory which you can turn upside down, mirror, reverse, or double the width or length.

Standard knitting machine beds are typically used to knit suits and lace curtains. Needles are placed 4.5mm apart and the hook and latches are smaller than those on bulky or mid-gauge machines. A standard bed knitting machine usually offers numerous stitch type options and can accommodate very thin yarns.

Electronic standard bed knitting machines allow you to choose from more than 650 templates with more room for customized patterns. Advanced models like the Brother KH970 come with an automatic lace carriage and a computer program that enables you to knit the same sweater with different yarns, gauges and stitch design without re-entering the garment piece.

Mid-gauge knitting machines produce the closest quality to hand-knitted fabrics. With needles set 6.5mm apart, these machines can knit a wide variety of yarns, including baby, sport and worsted types. Lace is done by hand and most models do not have stored patterns or automatic selection of needles. Mid-gauge machines can do some of the most common knitting stitches like stockinet, slip and tuck, as well as techniques involving weaving, plating and ribbing.

When choosing a knitting machine, decide on what type of yarn you want to use, what features you need, and how much you’re willing to spend. A row counter, ribber, and tension mast are necessities in a knitting machine. Some special features you may want to consider are lace carriages, garter bars, punch cards, automatic color changers, and intarsia carriages.

It is best to get a knitting machine with these extended features so that as you get more confident with machine knitting, your machine will be able to grow with you and allow you to take on more challenging projects.

Welcome To Machine Knitting Advice

Welcome to Machine Knitting Advice! Here you will find lots of great information and advice about machine knitting, including tips on buying a knitting machine, how to choose the best knitting machine for your needs, how to maintain and run your knitting machine, and where to find machine knitting patterns, help and support. If you have any questions about machine knitting, please reply in the comments section of any post. I hope you find Machine Knitting Advice a helpful and informative resource!