# Machine Plating



## SometimesaKnitter (Sep 4, 2011)

As a new machine knitter I am curious about this subject. I can find no videos or really anything to explain what it is.
This topic http://www.knittingparadise.com/t-253939-1.html has a link to Country Knitting of Maine that has a book on this subject for a small fee. 
Is this something interesting? I am curious!


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## susanjoy (Aug 13, 2013)

Plating is a technique that uses 2 yarns knitted together. Most machines have a separate feeder which has to be placed in to the sinker plate. One yarn shows on the front of the knitting and the other forms a backing. The second yarn shows through to the front of the knitting evenly, producing a pleasing effect. It can be used to bulk up two fine yarns, create a backing for wool and when worked on the ribber (not all ribbers have the facility to plate) produces vertical stripes as the plain and purl stitches show the two colours. It also produces some interesting fabrics when used with a punch card on the Tuck setting.
The Toyota 901 plating feeder can be turned to change the position of the colours and make patterns.


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## susieknitter (Jul 14, 2011)

The following sites may also answer you question, though Susan as already told you most of what you need to know.

http://www.knittedthreads.com/br/tips/machine/tipknit.htm

http://www.ravelry.com/projects/estherkate/machine-knitting---plating


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## KateWood (Apr 30, 2011)

I sent you a pm.


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## maggieandrews (Jan 21, 2013)

Brother machines need a separate plating feeder.

Silver, Studio, Knitmaster etc etc have plating feeder built into the carriage / presser plate,

It will be explained in your instruction book.

Maggie Andrews. Harlow. Essex. England.


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## randiejg (Oct 29, 2011)

Plating is useful when you are knitting with a yarn that might be a bit scratchy or irritating to the skin. You use that yarn on the "public" or "right side" and the plating yarn (something smoother and non-irritating) on the "private" or wrong side.

It also comes in handy when you are working with thinner yarns that you may be using two strands together, but that have slightly different dye lots. If you just run the two strands through the same feeder you will likely see striations in the knitting, but if you plate them, putting one in the main feeder, and one in the plating feeder, you won't see the differences in the dye lot.


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## pfromenthal (Mar 3, 2013)

I guess I should have gotten out my book.
Not that I think I did anything out of the ordinary. I was doing up the pattern Greensleeves out of the Monthly Knitting Machine magazine and I didn't have 2 cones of the thread I wanted to use. I decided to run a creamy white along with a soft green and I did the cables and once off of the machine I absolutely loved the way the white accented the cables. If I had known or read my books would have seen that I could done it more in a plating style. Well next time I should read.... But you know I do love the way my top came out.


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## SometimesaKnitter (Sep 4, 2011)

Thanks all for your responses. I will have to give this a try! This and weaving too! Learning is always fun.


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## Linuxgirl (May 25, 2013)

Yep, plating is fun. It's also a nice way to double up yarn if you don't have the right thickness. I just made a dishtowel out of hemp that way. The yarn is very thin, so the towel wouldn't have enough "body" to dry something. Plating worked fine.
And for the next towel I will try weaving.


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## pfromenthal (Mar 3, 2013)

Oh the weaving sounds nice, I just went to TVMK seminar in Pigeon Forge, TN. Carol, she worked as a teacher of textiles, she was a teacher at this seminar and showed us some weaving. It was so much fun. I can't wait to do some of the things she showed us.


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## Huckleberry (May 27, 2013)

susieknitter said:


> The following sites may also answer you question, though Susan as already told you most of what you need to know.
> 
> http://www.knittedthreads.com/br/tips/machine/tipknit.htm
> 
> http://www.ravelry.com/projects/estherkate/machine-knitting---plating


susieknitter
thank you for the info.


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