# Knitting double Jacquard on a standard Silver Reed machine



## AAKnits (Jan 21, 2014)

Dear friends,
I am looking for resources that would explain in an easy manner how to do double Jacquard on a standard Silver Reed machine with and without an RJ-1 ribber carriage. I have a standard SRPN-60N ribber manual, and my RJ-1 manual, the book "The machine knitter's guide to Double Jacquard, by Betty Bailey" , and "Understanding your ribber! written by Alles Hutchinson, published by Linda Williams, Country Knitting of Maine", but I am having difficulty figuring out some of the instructions in some of those publications.

Also, I am still struggling figuring out how to do double Jacquard on the mid-gauge 860 (a Silver Reed machine, for which I have the arm rest bar.)

I would love to hear your candid experiences with Double Jacquard, and start a discussion on this subject, may be give all of us some tips you may like to share, and /or some "dos and don'ts" on this particular subject.
I think our whole machine knitting community on "Knitting Paradise" will benefit.
I hope I am not asking too much there...
Thank you all in advance,
Alexandra
In CO-MO, USA


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## etrnlife (Jun 10, 2014)

What machine are you using, a punch card or electronic? I made my samples with the information from the Studio 840 manual. I like the solid backing the best, but it takes swatching to get the tension setting right to avoid major grin through.


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## AAKnits (Jan 21, 2014)

etrnlife said:


> What machine are you using, a punch card or electronic? I made my samples with the information from the Studio 840 manual. I like the solid backing the best, but it takes swatching to get the tension setting right to avoid major grin through.


My sk 280 is a punchcard machine, my sk 860 is an electronic one, equipped with an EC-1.
One very good point, swatching is indeed essential to adjust the grins. 
Thanks!👍


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## MaryAnneCutler (Jul 31, 2013)

AAKnits said:


> My sk 280 is a punchcard machine, my sk 860 is an electronic one, equipped with an EC-1.
> One very good point, swatching is indeed essential to adjust the grins.
> Thanks!👍


The EC1 does present the patterning nicely, but the biggest problem is the constant yarn changing without a yarn changer.


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## aussieHC (Oct 21, 2013)

I've done quite a bit of double jacquard on a Silver Reed and usually use a yarn changer. However, I always use an electronic machine. If you use a punch card machine you will need to punch the rows to allow for the colour changes in the one row of knitting whereas if you use an electronic machine, the computer takes care of all that. I haven't used the EC1, I use DAK8, but the settings on the carriages should be the same - there is a setting on the main bed that you set for jacquard and the ribber will be set at half pitch with every needle in work (though you can vary this depending on the effect you want with the fabric. Just follow the chart that gives the settings for the ribber and main carriage - in the Ribber manual titled' Double Face Knitting with Automatic Yarn Changer'. 
The RJ-1 carriage gives a few options with the pattern on the back. I've attached a sample pic of some complex jacquard.


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## AAKnits (Jan 21, 2014)

A lovely design. I love the colors too.


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## LeJean (Oct 21, 2015)

Hello, thank you for asking this question! I would love to find resources to learn Dbl Jacquard myself. I have a Brother 940 with Ribber and Color changer but have not had any luck in finding any beginner information on the subject. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated. Thank you and have a great day

Sincerely,

LeJean


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## susieknitter (Jul 14, 2011)

Most of the baby blankets that I have pictured on here are done in DJ. It's not as complicated to do as people think it is.

For a punch card machine you need to re-punch a Fair-Isle card.

For an electronic machine you just press a key. This is usually the last key in the row of variation keys, details are in your manuals.

The Brother and Silver Reed machines are used in more or less the same way.

Cast on in full needle rib, the instructions for doing this is in the ribber manuals.

For Bird's Eye backing you must have an even number of needles on the ribber and the end needles on the main bed. I make this the rule for any of the backings that can be done.

Put the card/pattern in the machine and start from the left
The Brother machines carriages needs to be behind the turn mark; the card locked; the KC1 button on.
The Silver Reed carriage is as norm.

Take the carriage to the right to read the pattern.

Put the part buttons in on the Brother carriage.
Put the Silver Reed carriage to slip.
Do nothing with the ribber carriages.

Knit back to the left and you have the striped back DJ.
To get the other types of backing the ribber carriages have different settings that are used. I have done a list of these on here in the past.
The striped back one is a good one to start off with.

It's best to use fine yarns, I usually use 2 strands of 2/30 for each colour.

You also are advised to put the fine knit bar in place.

The following link shows swatches that I knit in different techniques of DJ.......
http://www.knittingparadise.com/t-324248-1.html

I hope this helps to get you started,
Sue.


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## Peanut Tinker (Oct 10, 2012)

susieknitter said:


> Most of the baby blankets that I have pictured on here are done in DJ. It's not as complicated to do as people think it is.
> 
> For a punch card machine you need to re-punch a Fair-Isle card.
> 
> ...


I have been starting to try this out lately and needed more time to really focus on it. These instructions are great and I cannot wait to get home and try them. Thank YOU for the clarity and the details.


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## etrnlife (Jun 10, 2014)

aussieHC said:


> If you use a punch card machine you will need to punch the rows to allow for the colour changes in the one row of knitting whereas if you use an electronic machine, the computer takes care of all that.


Sadly with the EC-1, alone, you still must redraw the pattern for multi colored patterns.  It will automatically do it for 2 color jacquard. Even if I had the PE-1 I'd have to draw a mylar for each color.  The only nice thing is that I have 60 sts not 24 and I can use the double width button.


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## etrnlife (Jun 10, 2014)

Another great resource for Jacquard knitting is the supplement manuals for the SK 580 and and the 890. Even if you have a punch card some of the tips are helpful.

http://machineknittingetc.com/studio-sk890-electronic-knitting-machine-supplimentary-manual.html

http://machineknittingetc.com/studio-580-electronic-knitting-machine-supplimentary-manual.html


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## LeJean (Oct 21, 2015)

WOW, thank you SO MUCH!!!! I can't wait to set things up and give this a try. Thank you, thank you, thank you


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## Susie2016 (Feb 28, 2016)

I don't have a ribber, waaaah, because I love jacquard. I would save up and get one but I am too intimidated to try and learn one. I'm still a beginner on my 280. (I also have a chunky 155 but I've never seen a ribber for it for sale.) :-(


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## AAKnits (Jan 21, 2014)

Dear Friends, 
You are awesome! 
Thank you thank you so much for taking the time to share your knowledge. This is invaluable information for all of us newbies, and intermediate machine knitters. 
Here is one question that has been unresolved in my mind.
Suppose I just finished knitting a double Jacquard design using a double Jacquard punch card. I want to continue further the knitting using one color only, namely the background color, in such a way that the resulting knitting matches the double Jacquard knitted part. Does one have to continue punching the punch card with two rows of holes followed by two rows of no holes over and over to achieve this?
I could not make sense of my SK 280 manual there. 
Would anyone explain how to continue the knitting so that the resulting knit matches the double Jacquard knitted part?
Thank you all in advance,
Alexandra
In CO-MO, USA


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## AAKnits (Jan 21, 2014)

Just looked at Sues samples! A must see! They are awesome!
Congratulations Sue! 
Thank you so much for all the info you have shared with us. I am now really motivated to learn and do some double jacquard knitting.
T H A N K. Y O U !
Alexandra
In CO-MO, USA


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## etrnlife (Jun 10, 2014)

No you don't need to do anything to the punch card with your design on it. You can do one of two things:

Swatch your design in DBJ and then another in Full Needle Rib (FNR). Before and after your DBJ design, you can change to the tension needed, and the carriage settings, for FNR at the same gauge as the DBJ.

Or, use card #1 with the DBJ settings and two strands of the main yarn. You'll use each strand separately as if you were knitting DBJ with a second color. This will give you a similar weight fabric, but again swatch so the gauge matches your gauge with the pattern section.


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## AAKnits (Jan 21, 2014)

etrnlife said:


> No you don't need to do anything to the punch card with your design on it. You can do one of two things:
> 
> Swatch your design in DBJ and then another in Full Needle Rib (FNR). Before and after your DBJ design, you can change to the tension needed, and the carriage settings, for FNR at the same gauge as the DBJ.
> 
> Or, use card #1 with the DBJ settings and two strands of the main yarn. You'll use each strand separately as if you were knitting DBJ with a second color. This will give you a similar weight fabric, but again swatch so the gauge matches your gauge with the pattern section.


Great information! T h a n k Y o u ! 
Alexandra 
In CO-MO, USA


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## nonak (Sep 18, 2013)

i bought my first machine because i wanted to learn this technique. A year and a half later - i haven't tried YET -- but now i'm inspired. I hope we can keep this thread going


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## AAKnits (Jan 21, 2014)

Here is a question regarding double jacquard.
I followed the machine manual, the SRP-60N ribber manual and the YC-6 manual.
I created this design.
The sails of the boat and the backing are not attached. Is that how it is supposed to be? I.e. The places where the contrast yarn knits to form the design floats over a knitted background in the main yarn. I e they are detached from each other. Is that how it is supposed to be?


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## etrnlife (Jun 10, 2014)

That's a really great swatch!

The floats that would normally occur with Fair Isle still occur with DBJ. The difference is in DBJ the floats are sandwiched between the MB sts and the RB sts, hence the grin through of the red. In Fair Isle you'd have to tack them down or latch them up. This is why in Fair Isle you keep your design so that there are few spaces between color changes, so the floats are short. In DBJ you can do a big picture, like your sail, as the long float is stuck inside the knitting.


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## AAKnits (Jan 21, 2014)

etrnlife said:


> That's a really great swatch!
> 
> The floats that would normally occur with Fair Isle still occur with DBJ. The difference is in DBJ the floats are sandwiched between the MB sts and the RB sts, hence the grin through of the red. In Fair Isle you'd have to tack them down or latch them up. This is why in Fair Isle you keep your design so that there are few spaces between color changes, so the floats are short. In DBJ you can do a big picture, like your sail, as the long float is stuck inside the knitting.


i

Thank you Etrnlife. So then this is correct.

Now my next goal is to figure out how to get the contrast yarn to be less visible in the "grins". Would decreasing the ribber dial by one do it? 
What has worked for you? 
Does Birdseye on the backside diminish the grins? 
What backside (for example, alternating stripes, every two rows alternating, ladder back, vertical strips, or Birdseye) eliminates the grins most? 
Is it better to make the backside the same color as the contrast yarn, or to make the backside to knit in the main yarn? I guess it may depend on the colors being knitted...
Following the manual knits the backside in main yarn.
I just purchased an RJ-1 ribber carriage, but have not used it yet.
I don't know why I feel intimidated by double Jacquard, but I am determined to learn. I think it should be great for baby blankets and Afghans, hats and scarves.

Thanks again,
Alexandra
In CO-MO, USA


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## susieknitter (Jul 14, 2011)

Alexandra I am not sure what you mean by the "The sails of the boat and the backing are not attached" there shouldn't be gaps that you can sort of lift up one section from the other. Perhaps you need the tensions set tighter on both of the carriages and the mast.

The following is one of the baby blankets that I have put on here in the past and it should be something like this........
http://www.knittingparadise.com/t-321931-1.html

I usually prefer bird's eye backing because of the texture of the knit and because I believe it has less grin through.
It isn't hard to do...you set the machine/pattern up the same....the main carriage is set the same....it's just that on the right you have to set the RJ-1 ribber carriage to what it tells you to do.


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## AAKnits (Jan 21, 2014)

susieknitter said:


> Alexandra I am not sure what you mean by the "The sails of the boat and the backing are not attached" there shouldn't be gaps that you can sort of lift up one section from the other. Perhaps you need the tensions set tighter on both of the carriages and the mast.
> 
> The following is one of the baby blankets that I have put on here in the past and it should be something like this........
> http://www.knittingparadise.com/t-321931-1.html
> ...


Thanks Sue.
The blue area has a blue front and a solid blue back (main yarn), and you can see through the long red floats embeded in between ( the grins). If you pinch the front and the back, they are glued, there is no separation possible. The red part, (contrast yarn) has also a solid blue backing. However, if you pinch the red area and its blue backing, they are separate ( like a pocket). They are not adherent to each other like the blue area with the grins. 
Is this how it works? 
Your baby blanket is fabulous! It's lovely! My goal is to create something like that for my nephew's son due any day now.😄
Thanks again Sue for all your help,
Alexandra 
In CO-MO, USA


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## AAKnits (Jan 21, 2014)

Just found a helpful article on double Jacquard.
Http://www.guagliumi.com 
Then Go to Free stuff downloads.
The article's name is "Double Jacquard".


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## AAKnits (Jan 21, 2014)

Just found a helpful article on double Jacquard.
Http://www.guagliumi.com 
Then Go to Free stuff downloads.
The article's name is "Double Jacquard".


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## susieknitter (Jul 14, 2011)

AAKnits said:


> Thanks Sue.
> The blue area has a blue front and a solid blue back (main yarn), and you can see through the long red floats embeded in between ( the grins). If you pinch the front and the back, they are glued, there is no separation possible. The red part, (contrast yarn) has also a solid blue backing. However, if you pinch the red area and its blue backing, they are separate ( like a pocket). They are not adherent to each other like the blue area with the grins.
> Is this how it works?
> Your baby blanket is fabulous! It's lovely! My goal is to create something like that for my nephew's son due any day now.😄
> ...


Alexandra I could be wrong but it sounds like you have done something similar to Quilted Jacquard.
The quilted rabbit shown in the picture of my swatches is like a pocket. You fill this pocket as you knit it with hollow fibre/toy stuffing. Another reason why I think you may have done a form of Quilted Jacquard is because it does have a solid back color.
However, having said this, the Quilted Jacquard technique is harder to do than than the other normal Jacquard techniques.

Seeing that I am under the opinion that you have a Silver Reed/Singer is it possible that you were following instructions for Lined Jacquard which is very much like the Quilted one?
With plain backed/lined the ribber carriage is set to knit 2 rows, then set to part/slip on the next 2 rows.
The colour of yarn that is chosen for the rows that are knitted will be the one that is on the back of the fabric.
This technique is far easier to do on your machine because the SRP60N ribber has an auto-set lever on the far left of the ribber bed that is used.

A very good book I advise people to read is.....
Machine Knitting. The Techniques of Slipstitch, by Denise Musk.


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## AAKnits (Jan 21, 2014)

susieknitter said:


> Alexandra I could be wrong but it sounds like you have done something similar to Quilted Jacquard.
> The quilted rabbit shown in the picture of my swatches is like a pocket. You fill this pocket as you knit it with hollow fibre/toy stuffing. Another reason why I think you may have done a form of Quilted Jacquard is because it does have a solid back color.
> However, having said this, the Quilted Jacquard technique is harder to do than than the other normal Jacquard techniques.
> 
> ...


Hello Sue,
Thank you so much for responding to my questions.
I have indeed a Silver Reed SK-280, which I used to make this sample using Woolike yarn. I followed the instructions in the manuals for the SRP-60N and YC-6 for double Jacquard. It was my first try at double Jacquard, and followed the manuals. 
I guess now that I read your articles and saw your pictures, I will try again. You are right! My sample looks more like your quilted bunny sample! 😄
I will also try and acquire Denise Musk's book. I saw it on Amazon.com yesterday.

Thank you Sue, 
I do appreciate all your help. 
Alexandra 
At Co-MO, USA


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## etrnlife (Jun 10, 2014)

You didn't do anything wrong. My samples also produced a "pocket" if you will when I did the solid backing. I prefer the solid backing, called Simulknit by Toyota users. I have yet to make a full project, I just played around with samples. I normally knit textures not pictures.


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## AAKnits (Jan 21, 2014)

etrnlife said:


> You didn't do anything wrong. My samples also produced a "pocket" if you will when I did the solid backing. I prefer the solid backing, called Simulknit by Toyota users. I have yet to make a full project, I just played around with samples. I normally knit textures not pictures.


Hello,
Do you also have a Silver Reed SK-280? 
Was your sample also done on an SK-280? 
Yes, the backing in mine was also solid in the main color. 
Thank you for confirming my results.
Alexandra
In CO-MO, USA


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## AAKnits (Jan 21, 2014)

susieknitter said:


> Alexandra I could be wrong but it sounds like you have done something similar to Quilted Jacquard.
> The quilted rabbit shown in the picture of my swatches is like a pocket. You fill this pocket as you knit it with hollow fibre/toy stuffing. Another reason why I think you may have done a form of Quilted Jacquard is because it does have a solid back color.
> However, having said this, the Quilted Jacquard technique is harder to do than than the other normal Jacquard techniques.
> 
> ...


Hello Sue,
Just ordered Denise Musk's book on Amazon. Will wait to do some Jacquard until it arrives. Thanks for the reference.
Alexandra
In CO-MO, USA


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## susieknitter (Jul 14, 2011)

I do hope you like the book Alexandra. It covers a lot of other different slip stitches..... which is what DJ is.
Although the reference to DJ seems a small amount I found it far easier to understand/follow than any of the other books that I have read. The other books go into DJ more extensively, but they can be mind blowing, and for a new knitter of DJ off putting in my opinion.


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## AAKnits (Jan 21, 2014)

&#128077;


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## AAKnits (Jan 21, 2014)

susieknitter said:


> I do hope you like the book Alexandra. It covers a lot of other different slip stitches..... which is what DJ is.
> Although the reference to DJ seems a small amount I found it far easier to understand/follow than any of the other books that I have read. The other books go into DJ more extensively, but they can be mind blowing, and for a new knitter of DJ off putting in my opinion.


 :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:


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## etrnlife (Jun 10, 2014)

AAKnits said:


> Hello,
> Do you also have a Silver Reed SK-280?
> Was your sample also done on an SK-280?
> Yes, the backing in mine was also solid in the main color.
> ...


My working standard gauges are a Singer 360 punch card and a Studio 840 electronic. I used the electronic with the SRP 60N and YC 6 for my experiments.


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## AAKnits (Jan 21, 2014)

etrnlife said:


> My working standard gauges are a Singer 360 punch card and a Studio 840 electronic. I used the electronic with the SRP 60N and YC 6 for my experiments.


Thank you Etrnlife.
Glad to know we have the same type of machines. My standard though is a punchcard. I also use with it my SRP-60N and YC-6.
I was lucky to find an RJ-1 carriage from Canada. I am waiting now for Denise Musk's book to arrive, hopefully in the next couple of days, to start exploring all the double Jacquard variations I can do on my SK-280 machine.
Wish me good luck! :thumbup: 
Alexandra
In CO-MO, USA


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## AAKnits (Jan 21, 2014)

Hello friends,
I spend the last couple of days making a few swatches in double Jacquard on my Silver Reed SK-280, using the SRP-60N and the YC-6 yarn changer. 
This is what I found out.
A. Using the SRP-60N plain ribber carriage.
---------------------------------------------------
I followed exactly the instructions given in the SRP-60 manual (p. 50) for double Jacquard.
1. DOUBLE JACQUARD WITHOUT STRIPES ON THE BACK.
If you follow the given instructions for double Jacquard without stripes on the back and using the driving Cam, the design which is knitted in the contrast yarn is in plain stockinette and blisters. I.e., it is not attached to the back side layer (knitted in stockinette too with main yarn) Pic 1. On the other hand, the long floats of the contrast yarn are interwoven between the visible front stockinette stitches and the back visible stockinette stitches (both of those stitches are in MY). No blistering in that area. In Pic 2, I pushed the stitches so you can see what I mean.
2. DOUBLE JACQUARD WITH TWO-ROW STRIPES.
I removed the Driving Cam, and set Auto-Set Lever to 1. There was no blistering this time of the design knitted in contrast yarn. The stitches, size and all, of the design knitted in contrast yarn were exactly the same as the background yarn. Pic 3. The back of the fabric produced two-stripes quite evenly knit. On the back you could see though a small shade of the design as the stitch size slightly changed where the design is.
Remark: 
On the front side of the fabric, every alternating row had more elongated stitches. I wonder whether that can be adjusted..
B). Using the RJ-1 carriage.
--------------------------------
I followed the instructions that are given in the RJ-1 manual. I successfully got to do Birds Eye. Pic 4. 
The resulting fabric is a third shorter than the double Jacquard with stripes on the back of the fabric, and narrower, by 1/2 an inch for every 9 inches of the plain stripped sample.
Remark: I noticed that the front of the fabric, looks a bit granular, somewhat like cross stitch?
It's awesome though as you cannot see any background threads showing through. I guess this depends on the yarn, the stitch size and the tension.
This is how far I have been. .
A note for someone doing double Jacquard for the first time.
Follow the instructions STEP-BY-STEP. Double check your settings at each step. I had to restart several times until I memorized the steps!&#128512;
Another note: the yarn has to be really fine. I used Woolike a yarn sold exclusively at Michael's, in the USA.

All comments, suggestions, and ways to improve the stitches to look more even would greatly appreciated. Let's keep the discussion going.
Thank you in advance,
Alexandra
In CO-MO, USA


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## AAKnits (Jan 21, 2014)

Pictures continued....


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## susieknitter (Jul 14, 2011)

I like the pictures of your swatches, and I am pleased that you have mastered some of the ways of doing this technique. I have always thought that the Bird's Eye backed DJ is a far nicer fabric, with a much more defined motif, and your swatches show this.
Knitting DJ for sometime now I have learned one important thing..... that you are always learning. Play around with different tension settings on both main bed and ribber, and although as you have stated a fine yarn must be used, try a slightly thicker one for one of the contrast colours because this too can have a stunning effect.

Looking forward to seeing more of your work.

PS. Thank you for the very kind words that you sent me in your PM. I am pleased that I could help you, and honored that you consider that I have inspired you. Sue. :thumbup:


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## dannygirl (Oct 19, 2019)

how thick is the yarn you use on your double jacquard? i also have a standard gauge silver reed and every time i try to do full needle rib or dj my carriage gets stuck! id love any suggestions


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## GrammaAnn (Dec 16, 2011)

dannygirl said:


> how thick is the yarn you use on your double jacquard? i also have a standard gauge silver reed and every time i try to do full needle rib or dj my carriage gets stuck! id love any suggestions


DBJ takes much thinner yarn than other techniques. You are doing full needle rib and it will just jam if the yarn is too thick. I use 2/24 cone yarn.


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