This week, I thought that I would write about my third craft love, machine knitting. I know that I have written about this in the past and I know that machine knitting is regarded by many as cheating or not requiring much skill, but nothing could be further from the truth.
I have caught up with my WIPs (actually ignoring the pile is more accurate) and decided to give the old standard gauge a whirl. I have a couple of knitting machines, okay four, all of them Singers from the eighties, three are standard gauge and one is a bulky machine. Three have matching ribbers. My first machine was a gift and the others were just too tempting a price to refuse once I caught the bug.
Silk Noil Tank Top With Hand Crocheted Edging
I am self taught and learned before the era of Youtube and other helpful online resources. I thought that using a machine would be breeze and, although I was already an accomplished crocheter and knitter at the time, I soon found out that this craft was a whole new ball game. The instruction books that come with the machines are good but there is no substitute for hands on help with this type of knitting. I joined a machine knitting group and that really helped to keep me going. I have learned so much more these last few years through facebook groups and Youtube that I am light years ahead of where I was when I packed up my machines thirteen years ago.
A standard gauge knitting machine will handle yarn from very fine to about sport weight. 3ply and 4ply (sock) are the perfect weight in my opinion. You can knit DK but it is a struggle and requires using only every other needle so is limiting in what you can make. My favourite machine is my Singer 560 (I have two in case one dies on me) and has built in electronic patterning which was state of the art in 1984, the year it was made.
This last couple of weeks of been a fun test of all of the knowledge that I have acquired but not used recently. I had rehabbed my machines a few months ago with new retainer bars and needles and, wow, what a difference! I cast on without dropping everything on my toes and I was off.
   
Cashmere, Silk and Merino Wrap, the photo doesn’t do it justice!
The first thing that I made was a wrap for myself. I collect yarn, did you know that? I have a few, okay some, okay a lot, of luxury yarn on cones that I buy online from Colourmart in the UK. I had a 150g cone of cashmere, silk, merino blend in a charcoal grey. Perfect, I thought. I played with some swatches (yes, you have to swatch for machine knitting too!) and settled on a simple tuck stitch pattern that gives the work some interest but allows the sheen of the yarn to come through. Thirteen hundred rows later I had a gorgeous wrap that only required some crochet around the edge to stop the curl. Three thousand single crochet stitches later and my wrap was done. It is really lovely, soft and drapey, and is my new favourite wrap.
Bunny Hop Cardigan
Well, the simple work was done, and I ventured on to something more challenging. I didn’t keep the patterns that I had written long ago but remembered enough to work out a simple girl’s cardigan. Having a lot of sewing experience in garment construction really can make a difference in success or failure when designing for another craft. A border of bunnies across the bottom above the ribbing made the sweater. I still needed to block everything and sew it together but, when that was done, it is really cute and I am proud of the way it turned out.
Cable Sweater Back, Unblocked
Next up is a more complicated pullover with hand manipulated cables and raglan sleeves. I had no trouble with the back but, of course, thinking that this would be a breeze, I needed to reknit the front a few times. All in the learning curve I guess but whew, I was glad when it was done. I have completed a sleeve and am working on the second. I should be done this weekend, yay!
   
Wrap Knit from a Youtube Video, this took some patience but was fun!
If you think that machine knitting might be for you, I highly, highly recommend that you join a group in your area if you can find one. I did that when I first started and it really does make a big difference in continuing or quitting in frustration. Youtube is your friend and an active facebook group will keep you inspired and encourage you to keep going.