My Knitting Machines And Me

The Bond Mags

susyranner@yahoo.co.uk (Susan) — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 18:47:00 +0000

A couple of years ago I started scanning the Bond magazines that I'd collected and saving them as PDF files. I saved them onto a disc and forgot all about them.

Then a few weeks ago while I was looking for something else I found them again and thought about putting them into the sidebar for people to download.

I emailed Bond America to ask them if it would be OK but when I didn't receive a reply after a couple of weeks I just assumed they didn't want me to.

Anyway, this evening I received an email saying it was alright so I've uploaded them to Box.net and put links to them in my previous post.

I've linked to that post in the sidebar under Bond Magazines and will add more to it as I get more of them scanned.

The magazines weren't in brilliant condition when I scanned them, I had punched holes in them to store them in ring binders. Also they didn't scan very well. They might be interesting for some of you to read as they do contain some useful hints and tips about the Bond machine.

Some of the garments are a bit dated - these magazines are from the mid 80s - but you might find a few things that you'd like to make.

I hope some of you find them useful.

Talk to you later,

Susan.

Bond Magazines

susyranner@yahoo.co.uk (Susan) — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 18:43:00 +0000

Bond Mag 01
Bond Mag 02
Bond Mag 03
Bond Mag 04
Bond Mag 05
Bond Mag 06
Bond Mag 07
Bond Mag 08
Bond Mag 09
Bond Mag 10
Bond Mag 11
Bond Mag 12
Bond Mag 13
Bond Mag Winter '87

The Green Ruler

susyranner@yahoo.co.uk (Susan) — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 14:31:00 +0000

May Lard left me a message in the message box saying she couldn't remember how to use the green ruler.

For you, May and anyone else who's interested, here are the instructions from the Knit Radar manual.

The tension swatch must be knitted in the same yarn and same stitch type that you will be using for the garment.

1) Push up 35 needles on both sides of "0" on the needlebed and work the closed edge cast on.

Knit 20 rows checking the tension of the fabric.

2) After knitting 20 rows, knit 2 rows with a contrast coloured yarn. (In pattern knitting, knit 2 rows in stockinette with a contrast coloured yarn)

3)At the 30th row from contrast yarn, put yarn marks on the 21st needles from 0 by knitting a contrast yarn manually.

Then knit another 30 rows and knit 2 rows in contrast coloured yarn.

4) After knitting another 20 rows, remove the swatch from the machine.

The instructions then say to press the swatch lightly with a steam iron or with an ordinary iron over a damp cloth. What I do is wash and dry the swatch in the same way as the finished garment will be washed and dried.

You can then measure the swatch using the green ruler.

Stitch (Horizontal)

Place the scale with the "S" side up, onto the swatch so as the left end of the scale is touching the inside of the stitch in a contrast yarn. Measure to the point of the other contrast stitch and the number which corresponds with this stitch. The scale should be read from the side indicated by the arrow, ie. from the left side.

This number is the number of stitches per 4".

Row (Vertical)

Place the scale with the "R" side up onto the swatch so as it covers the length in between the rows knitted in a contrast yarn. Measure this length and the number indicated on the scale. The scale should be read from the side indicated by the arrow.

This number is the number of rows per 4".

I have to refer to these instructions every time I make a swatch - I can never remember how to do it.

Talk to you later,

Susan.

All I Wanted Was A Scarf

susyranner@yahoo.co.uk (Susan) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 18:21:00 +0000

Dear Knitmaster 700,

all I wanted you to do was to knit a scarf. It wasn't too much to ask was it?

For a while you co-operated, you managed to knit nearly 350 rows in houndstooth double jacquard, you know, that thing I've been trying to coax you into doing for a while. I really thought you'd got it sussed.

But no. You decided you weren't going to let me finish my houndstooth scarf. You sneakily dropped a couple of stitches, knowing full well that I would have no chance of picking them up again.

So that was half a scarf - not much use to me.

Then I thought I'd make it a bit easier for you and asked you to knit me just a plain scarf in fisherman's rib. I went through the instructions with you so you'd know exactly what to do but no, stubborn thing that you are, you just wouldn't play the game would you?

I tried to make it even easier and cast on for a 1x1 rib scarf. This was your sneakiest trick yet. You dropped a stitch when I was casting on but concealed this fact from me until I had knitted about a dozen rows. That's when I noticed the big hole. So you got your own way - I didn't knit the 1x1 rib scarf.

I was determined though and decided you would knit a double rib scarf.

So 6 hours after I started knitting I had a scarf. It's not as long as I would have liked as quite a bit of the wool was still knitted up into half a houndstooth scarf and I didn't have time to unpick it. So the only way I can wear the double rib scarf is as a neckwarmer.

But I don't care because I've got something to tell you, Knitmaster 700. I wanted the scarf for in the morning when I'm riding my bike to work at half past five. That's right, I'm working again which means I can start saving up again. Do you know what I'm saving up for? A new knitting machine. Did you hear that, Knitmaster 700? A brand new knitting machine.

Not so clever now are you? You've only got yourself to blame, I've warned you plenty of times but you still do exactly what you want to do. Well, that's it, this time you've blown it - I hope you're pleased with yourself.

Lilac Slip Stitch Jumper

susyranner@yahoo.co.uk (Susan) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 17:43:00 +0000

I started this on Friday and finished it last night.

I knitted the tension swatch a couple of months ago so thought it was about time I made the jumper.

It is knitted with one of the bargain cones of acrylic that I found in a charity shop a while back. I used punchcard number 9 from the Knitmaster set and had the carriage set on slip at T8.

I did a cut and sew neckline - I must practice those a bit more.

When it was finished it felt a bit stiff but after a quick wash in the machine it ended up nice and soft. So that's another bargain jumper - I think the cone of yarn cost about £1.

Talk to you later,

Susan.

Blue V Neck Jumper

susyranner@yahoo.co.uk (Susan) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:04:00 +0000

Cross Stitch Update #4

susyranner@yahoo.co.uk (Susan) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:54:00 +0000

Today I decided to knit the houndstooth scarf.

I tried five times and each time the wool snapped after about a dozen rows or so.

I don't know why the wool kept snapping, I don't think I was doing anything wrong.

I'm not making a houndstooth scarf now.

Tonight I am going to sew up the blue V neck jumper. Surely that can't go wrong can it?

Talk to you later,

Susan.

Blue Jumper

susyranner@yahoo.co.uk (Susan) — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 20:57:00 +0000

As you can see I've almost finished the blue v neck jumper. I only need to sew it up and add the neckband - I might do that tomorrow. I had intended to do it today but I got sidetracked with other things and just haven't had time.

I've been thinking about the houndstooth double jacquard that I tried. I think I'll take the easy way out and just make myself a scarf instead of a cardi or jacket.

I know, where's the challenge in that? I did make a jumper a couple of years ago that had stripes of plain and houndstooth but I just can't really see myself wearing something with an all over houndstooth pattern.

So a scarf it will be. I will make it after I've finished the blue jumper.

Talk to you later,

Susan.

Cross Stitch Update #3

susyranner@yahoo.co.uk (Susan) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:56:00 +0000

I've only worked on this a couple of times in the last fortnight as can be seen from the lack of progress.

I'll do a bit more at the weekend.

Talk to you later,

Susan.

Knitting Fair Isle Without A Punchcard

susyranner@yahoo.co.uk (Susan) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 15:15:00 +0000

A few weeks ago someone landed on my blog by Googling 'knitting fair isle without a punchcard' so I thought I'd make a video showing how to do just that:

It is quite time consuming but would be worth it if you have a design that has a repeat of more than the 24 stitches of your punchcard.

It might be better if you knitted in some of the floats at the back which I didn't do. I should maybe have done it when there were more than about five stitches between the contrast stitches.

You also have to be careful when you're knitting in the contrast colour by hand that you don't get the main yarn float caught in the needle hook, you need to make sure it goes behind the latch and doesn't get knitted in with the contrast yarn.

I hope some of you found this video useful.

EDITED:

Thanks Aaron and Mariam (who left a comment on YouTube) for telling me about the easy way to do this!

You don't need to knit the contrast colour through by hand.

Just thread up the carriage with the main colour in feeder one and the contrast colour in feeder two.

Put the front Russell levers to ll and set the carriage for fair isle.

Pull the needles for the contrast colours forward to holding position as I did in the video and just knit the row.

I wish I'd known that before I made the video!

Talk to you later,

Susan.

Finished The Pink Jumper

susyranner@yahoo.co.uk (Susan) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:35:00 +0000

I finished knitting the pink jumper and sewed it up last night. It didn't look right before I washed it but now that it's washed and dried the wool has fluffed out a bit and it looks better.

I did fully fashioned decreases at the neckline thinking that it would look neater. Now that I've finished it I can't decide whether I like the look of the neckline or not. I think I may stick to doing the decreases on the first stitch in future or doing cut and sew.

Next I will be making a plain blue v neck jumper. I created the pattern for it with Knitware a few weeks ago so it's just a matter of printing it off and getting started on it.

I don't think I'll be making any more short sleeved jumpers for a while, I'm sticking to long sleeves now until the Spring - there's definitely a chill in the air.

Here's the houndstooth double jacquard sample that I knitted the other week:

I really don't know if I want to use it now,what do you all think? I think it looks a bit naff. This is probably going to be another one of my bright ideas that turns out to be not so bright after all.

Talk to you later,

Susan.

The Pink Jumper

susyranner@yahoo.co.uk (Susan) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 18:08:00 +0000

So far I've knitted the front, back and one sleeve of the pink jumper. I haven't had time to do any more of it today but I'm hoping to have it finished at the weekend.

I haven't done very much more of the cross stitch either, I think this one's going to take a lot longer to do than the last one. Cerita guessed what it is - The Last Supper. I've had the chart and all the materials to make it for ages and I'm hoping to get it finished by Christmas - next Christmas.

Talk to you later,

Susan.

Cross Stitch Update #2

susyranner@yahoo.co.uk (Susan) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:52:00 +0000

The Bolero

susyranner@yahoo.co.uk (Susan) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 19:13:00 +0000

Last time I made one of these I knitted the smaller size and thought it was just a touch too small. This time I knitted the larger size and it's ended up just a touch too big. Never mind, it doesn't look too bad.

I've made a start on the pink short sleeved jumper that I knitted the sample for weeks ago. So far I've knitted the back. This one should be quick and easy to finish as it's just plain.

I still haven't got round to trying out the Shadow Lace tool, I'll have to wait for a day when I'm in a trying-out-new-things mood. I also bought a linker a few weeks ago(SC-1? I can't remember and I can't be bothered to go and have a look) so when I'm in the trying-out-new-things mood I'll have a go at that as well.

Talk to you later,

Susan.

Cross Stitch Update #1

susyranner@yahoo.co.uk (Susan) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 16:02:00 +0000

The Bolero

susyranner@yahoo.co.uk (Susan) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 17:00:00 +0000

Oh the bolero. What can I say? It is fighting me now but it won't beat me.

On Saturday I joined the shoulder seams and set about doing the first cuff. I hung the stitches onto the machine and knitted one row. Next the instructions told me to put every second stitch into holding position and knit two rows. Then I had to put the third then every second stitch into holding position and knit two rows. I had to repeat these four rows until I had knitted 76 rows.

Oh, you think so? Not a chance. I'd done about 30 rows when I noticed that it didn't look right. Every so often a stitch had dropped without me realising it and there was no way I could figure out how to re-latch the stitches to fix it.

The thing with the Knitmaster 4500 is that all the latches have to be open before you lay the yarn across to knit the row. You only need to miss one and leave it closed for it to go wrong. If the latch is closed the yarn doesn't go into the hook so when you pass the carriage across the stitch drops off.

So I had a second attempt. I was very careful and checked the needles before every row but I obviously missed one and lost a stitch again. So I took it off the machine and left it.

Today I decided to try again. I did it very slowly and carefully but yet again I lost a stitch.

I'd had enough of it by then so I decided to try and do it on the Knitmaster 700 instead. I hung the stitches and used punchcard number one on tuck stitch.

It looked near enough how it should of except that it had knitted far to loose.

So off it came again.

I had another go, this time at a tighter tension. By the time I'd reached 50 rows I decided to cast off - the 76 that the pattern said to do would have been far too many.

I cast off and I think it will be OK.

I never had this trouble the last time I knitted a bolero using this pattern so I don't know why it kept going wrong this time.

I will get this thing finished.

Talk to you later,

Susan.

Cabled Cardigan Finished

susyranner@yahoo.co.uk (Susan) — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 15:14:00 +0000

The child's cabled cardigan is finished:

I wasn't really happy with it, I thought it looked a bit untidy but the person who asked me to knit it seemed pleased with it - and she paid me - so it can't have been too bad.

I'm now going to concentrate on finishing the bolero. I need to join the shoulder seams so that I can knit the cuffs. It's the sewing up bit that's putting me off (as always) but it needs to be done or else I'll never get it finished!

I've started one of the many cross stitch projects that's been sitting in the cupboard for the last 3 or 4 years. I'm going to do what I did with the last one and post a progress picture every week. I won't tell you what it is, I'll let you try and guess. I don't think it will take any of you very long before you figure out what it is.

Talk to you later,

Susan.

Raglan Jumper Finished

susyranner@yahoo.co.uk (Susan) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 18:42:00 +0000

I finished the raglan jumper:

On Sunday I knitted the second front of the bolero. I need to sew the shoulder seams before I can knit the cuffs and I haven't got round to that yet.

I've got it into my head that I want to knit something in a houndstooth pattern but I want to do it in double jacquard. I have a regular punchcard in a houndstooth pattern and I know it's possible to convert them to double jacquard but I have no idea how.

I Googled to see if I could find the punchcard I was after and came across this jacquard punchcard generator. So I had a go at converting my houndstooth card and it worked.

I tested it out this morning and the pattern is correct but I didn't use the right thickness of yarn. The first time I tried it the yarn was way too fine and for the second attempt the yarn was slightly too thick - I thought it was 3ply but maybe it was 4ply. I have some more that I'm going to try which I think will work better.

I don't know exactly what it is that I want to make in this houndstooth pattern, it will probably be a jacket rather than a jumper - that's if I ever get round to it.

For anyone who is interested, I've added a link to the punchcard generator in the sidebar under 'Useful Sites.'

Talk to you later,

Susan.

I Didn't Get It Finished

susyranner@yahoo.co.uk (Susan) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 18:35:00 +0000

I was hoping to have the pink cardigan finished for tomorrow so I could take it to work for my co-worker but I didn't quite manage it.

Here's how far I've got:

Sorry the picture's so dark.

It only needs sewing up and the buttons sewing in place but I haven't managed to build up the enthusiasm to do it yet. I'll just have to make sure I've finished it by this time next week when I call into the shop for my final pay packet.

I haven't sewn up the raglan jumper yet. Never mind, I'll have plenty of time to do that next week.

Talk to you later,

Susan.

Cabled Cardigan

susyranner@yahoo.co.uk (Susan) — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 18:27:00 +0000

I had planned to knit some more of the bolero today but instead I made a start on this:

This is the back and both fronts of a child's cardigan which I'm knitting on the Bond. A few weeks ago one of my co-workers asked me if I would knit a cardigan for her neice and I reluctantly agreed.

I've had the yarn since a couple of days after she asked me but I never got round to making a start on it. Well, now I have to get it finished because I won't be working at the shop any more after this coming Friday and I'd like to be able to give it to her before I leave.

It shouldn't take much longer to knit it so I'll probably get some more of the bolero done next weekend.

I finished knitting the sleeves and the neckband of the raglan jumper yesterday so I just need to sew it up now:

I couldn't decide whether to do the neckband in the brown or the blue but in the end I decided that the brown would look better.

So that's all my knitting updates for now.

Talk to you later,

Susan.

Cotton Top Finished

susyranner@yahoo.co.uk (Susan) — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 16:05:00 +0000

The cotton top is finished:

I had to fiddle with the photos to make it show up properly, it was so bright and sunny today that the colour was all washed out.

The top knitted up just as I wanted it so I'm very pleased with the end result.

Now I'm going to go and knit the front of the raglan top.

Talk to you later,

Susan.

2ply Top

susyranner@yahoo.co.uk (Susan) — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 17:21:00 +0000

The 2ply top is now finished:

It didn't come out too badly though I think the neckline could have been better.

I'm now sewing up the cotton top which shouldn't take long provided I put my mind to it and don't get bored with it.

I haven't finished the bolero yet but I did re-knit the first front as I was convinced I'd done it wrong. I just hope the second front matches the first one. I think the thing that will take the longest with this bolero will be the front bands. I know I'll get bored with sewing them on when they're knitted - I did the last time I made one.

I made the back of the short sleeved raglan top. I'm knitting the back and front in Jaeger Dappelwul and only have 8 balls plus an oddment. I was getting a bit worried when I broke into the 4th ball while I was knitting the back - if I'd used all of that ball and still hadn't finished it then I knew I wouldn't have enough for the front and would have had to re-think my plans. I needn't have worried though, I finished the back with some to spare so I know I'll have enough for the front.

I managed to retrieve a few more deleted blog posts today along with the comments that were posted on them. They are all from April 2006 and I didn't think I would ever get them back. I went back to the wayback machine just on the off chance and there they were! They were originally posted on Blogdrive after I moved the blog there when I fell out with Blogger for a while.

I'm still clinging on to the hope that I might be able to get some of the earlier posts back. Last week I managed to get one back from August 2005 which I couldn't previously view - I kept getting a message saying my request couldn't be processed. I tried to view it one day and much to my amazement it popped up. I keep trying the other posts that I get the same message for in the hope that one of those will pop up as well! I refuse to give up.

Talk to you later,

Susan.

I Went And Bought Some More

susyranner@yahoo.co.uk (Susan) — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 19:54:00 +0000

You know I said I was going to work my way through all the yarn that I've got stashed away and that I wasn't going to buy any more? Well I had a bit of a setback today.

It wasn't my fault - it just happened.

I usually stay at work when I'm on my break but today I just had to get out of the shop - it was one of those days. So I decided that I'd spend my free half hour looking round the charity shops.

I was looking for a couple of cheap tops to wear for work and you can usually find something decent in the charity shops. Well I went in one of them and there in a basket near the counter were all these hanks of vintage wool. I'm a sucker for vintage wool. Well what could I do?

I came out with this:

All but the yellow is Munrospun 100% pure virgin wool.

Most of it is called Fairytex, there's 8oz of Rowanberry, 5oz of Frog Green and 3oz of Stone Beige.

Then there's 1oz of 2ply in Morning Haze. Lastly there's 2oz of an unlabelled cotton in yellow.

£2.25 for the lot. I couldn't pass that by could I? There was some more but I resisted the urge. It was brown and I think it was called Bronte. Maybe I'll call back in some time and see if it's still there or maybe I'll be strong and walk straight past.

I didn't find any tops for work.

Now, what shall I make with all this wool?

Talk to you later,

Susan.

Knitting Update

susyranner@yahoo.co.uk (Susan) — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 16:24:00 +0000

Here's how I'm getting on with my latest knitting projects.

The 2ply top that I knitted on the Knitmaster 4500 is nearly finished:

I just need to sew up the side seams.

I've knitted the back and one sleeve of the cotton top on the Knitmaster 700:

I didn't do a very good job of pinning it out - it isn't really all out of shape.

Finally, the right front of the bolero that I'm knitting on the Knitmaster 4500:

I have a feeling I will have to re-knit it. When I put it against the back it didn't line up properly - I think I missed out an increase on the top edge. I'll know once I've knitted the left front, if they don't match I'll re-knit this one.

That's all I've got to show you at the moment.

Talk to you later,

Susan.

Stripey Top Finished

susyranner@yahoo.co.uk (Susan) — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 17:59:00 +0000

The stripey top is now finished:

It came out better than I thought it would. I am pleased with the way the stripes lined up when I sewed the sleeves in. I did think about working it out so that the colours of the stripes would match but I changed my mind and decided to see how they turned out. It was a pure fluke that they even lined up at all.

I have almost finished the 2ply top that I started the other day, I just need to sew up the side seams. I think this will be one that will be for knocking about the house in - it's not exactly brilliant. But I don't mind, at least I've made a start at working my way through the stash.

I haven't knitted any more of the bolero yet, I'll probably do some of that during the week.

This afternoon I have created some patterns using Knitware for the tension swatches that I knitted a couple of days ago so I have plenty to keep me occupied for a few weeks. Maybe by having a few things on the go at the same time I might not get so bored - I might actually finish them quicker. On the other hand I might get bored with them all and take even longer to finish them! We shall see.

Talk to you later,

Susan.