Monday, January 25, 2016

I might be a little bit addicted

My sewing machines are sadly neglected while I've been knitting.



This colourful item is a shawl I made for a friend's birthday. She had been dropping extremely broad hints ever since clapping eyes on my version. It was a quick knit. And you can't go wrong with Kauni rainbow yarn.

And I've been machine knitting too. I made another zipped cardigan, this one for my husband. It's the same as the one I made for my son except for the colour.

This side view shows the ribbed detail rather well.

Again, I'm quite proud of the finishing on the collar.











And I've just started a hand knitting project - a cabled cardigan for myself. The pattern is challenging as it's knitted top down with all shaping built in by increases, and the back panel requires cabling on every single row. I should be absolutely comfortable with cabling without a cable needle by the end of this project. The photo shows the back. No points for finding my mistake.



My final knitting news is that I acquired yet another knitting machine - a standard gauge Singer with ribber and punchcard mechanism, which excites me excessively. I spent some quality time cleaning and oiling it on the weekend, and then I put it through some of its paces.

Fair Isle



The two samples above are knitted with the same card and technique - the crazy mosaic is the knit side when knitted in two colours and the white sample is the purl side in (obviously) one colour only. Both are tuck knitting.



These two samples are also made with the same card but different knitting techniques. To the left is slip knitting and to the right is fair isle.












12 comments:

  1. Nothing is as exciting as a new knitting machine! I'm still enthralled about how different techniques produce such fabulous results with the same card/pattern. Truly a creative machine. Your work is lovely, too. The knitting machine is something that you can produce professional results immediately yet continue to learn for years.

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  2. Amazing results with your knitting machine. Never knew you could do this kind of knitting with a non-industrial machine. Love the cable you're hand knitting. I'm working on a cable sweater too, takes me forever though.

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  3. I love the sweater you are knitting, the red one. What is the name of the pattern?

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    1. It's called Persistence is Key by Amanda Woeger - available on Ravelry.

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  4. I'm hand-knitting a pair of gloves with that two-color crazy mosaic pattern. It's fascinating to see how it looks on the wrong side in one color. Stop trying to drag me into a new hobby with all these wonderful examples of what can be done with knitting machines!

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  5. Is your new machine a Singer 700? I have one, untouched for years since I got it secondhand - time shortage and the little detail that it intimidates me more than a bit keep me from setting it up.

    Do you have any pointers on books, videos or other ways to learn how to use it? I don't know of anyone with a knitting machine, let alone anyone that give lessons near enough to drive to.

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    1. It is a Singer 360, which is very similar to the 700 I think, but the 700 is a bit more advanced in ways that I'm not quite sure of. Pointers for learning would include: purchase the Craftsy class on machine knitting (Susan Guagliumi is the instructor and she has also written several books on the subject); get yourself on one or more of the Ravelry machine knitting groups and ask questions (you may find someone in your area); work through the lessons in your manuals (using a sock yarn at the heaviest in wool or acrylic). But the most important step is getting it out and playing with it.

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  6. Wow! Someone gave me a knitting machine, and I have yet to get it out and see what it's all about. I think I have punch cards. I don't know what it is. I'll have to look when I get home.

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  7. I don't knit but I love knit garments. Your work is stunning. Love all of your knits!

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  8. Did I read somewhere you're near Ottawa? There's a MK group there, lucky you! I love my Singer 327 and will be posting a couple new projects this week on my blog. That last pattern you show....that was one of the first cards I played with too LOL.
    To Anonymous, I highly recommend Diana Sullivan's videos.

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  9. I love the rainbow shawl!! Is there a pattern for it?

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  10. Can I ask what patterns did you use for your husband sweater, I too have the singer 360 and yes I too have been distracted from my sewing because of my knitting machines

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