# Machine Knitting Lace



## Entity (Sep 13, 2011)

I hope you know that you can do many more beautiful stitch patterns other than the ones that were provided with your knitting machines, right?

This is the lace stitch pattern that I'm working with at the moment. It is hand manipulated on the knitting machine. With a little organization, you can do this pattern quite quickly.










I have a Brother KH-965 which is an electronic pattern maker. It is capable to be programmed with new stitch patterns. Yet, I haven't found the time nor the money to purchase accessories in order to achieve this task.

Plus, I was warned that using the lace carriage tends to bend needles easily. So, I avoid using it for extensive stitch patterns such as this one. Besides, with extensive lace patterns, hand manipulating doesn't really take that much more time than using the lace carriage.

To speed up the work, I mark the needles according to the chart of the stitch pattern (shown below). I use a permanent marker to mark on the metal area right above the needles. On metal, the marks will come off easily using alcohol or acetone. Then, I apply oil over the area to keep the carriage moving swiftly.










After repeating the same patterns a few times, the work speed up a bit.

Hope this post will motivate some of you to venture more in machine knitting.


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## Deb-Babbles (Mar 4, 2011)

Ohhh, I love it. I have been working on doing lace with my Bond. Now I am not saying that I can not do lace work by hand but this allows me to add some lace texture into a sweater, hat or scarf. It takes time to learn how to do it. I do not have a special key-plate for doing lace but it is so worth the effort to learn to do manually. 
Yours looks great!


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## susieknitter (Jul 14, 2011)

Entity, I do love your lace it's very pretty. I was surprised to see that you have stated that the lace carriage tends to damage the needles. I have never had a problem with any of my machines needles when using the lace carriage, and I have done quite a lot of lace. The other thing that has puzzled me is why do you say that you haven't had the time or money to buy accessories in order to put in other stitch patterns? You can put any stitch patterns of your choice into the KH965 without having to buy any extras and it is really easy and quick to do.


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## Entity (Sep 13, 2011)

Hi Sue, thanks for your feedback on the lace carriage. I've read it online and from one or more machine knitting books about this. I've used it a few times and found a bit... boring. 

As for programming a new stitch, I've always thought that we'd need a PPD or some sort of programming device, cable, software, etc. in order to program a new stitch pattern into the KM electronic system. Guess not. I need to read more details on the manual when I get a chance. 

As for now, I still like to do hand manipulating stitches instead of letting the machine do all the work and have all the fun. I don't care much about speeding the work for now. I like to see myself doing the work. This is how I get to learn with the way stitches are formed since I've never been able to do hand knitting and comprehend the techniques.

It's good to know. Thanks.


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## Omnivore (Apr 16, 2012)

Good tip about marking the areas above the needles. My first hand-lace was with the basic and simple Empisal Brother when I was 15. Bought with money from washing dishes at a restaurant during the school holidays.

I gave it away and would like to buy another Empisal for me and the grandchildren as I miss it.


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## KateWood (Apr 30, 2011)

Pretty lace pattern.


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## susieknitter (Jul 14, 2011)

Entity, you can put 98 stitch patterns in that machine.A pattern can be from 1-200st wide and loads of rows long. When you press the enter key it should give you your first pattern number as 901. If it comes up with any number higher the previous owners patterns will be in the computer. These will need deleting, you could take a guess at what they are, but I wouldn't advice it. Don't be afraid of deleting them, you cant lose the inbuilt patterns. You then pick the input mode, 1 for standard patterns, 2 for multi colour rib/skip st. You then tell it how many st in your pattern and then how many rows. From there you type in your pattern using the black and white keys. This is similar to making a punch card, what would be holes in the punch card (the needles that differ from st/st) are the black key. Have some fun and try it. If you need any help, the manuals are not that clear to understand, PM me and I will phone you and help you out.


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## Patrina (May 17, 2011)

susieknitter said:


> Entity, you can put 98 stitch patterns in that machine.A pattern can be from 1-200st wide and loads of rows long. When you press the enter key it should give you your first pattern number as 901. If it comes up with any number higher the previous owners patterns will be in the computer. These will need deleting, you could take a guess at what they are, but I wouldn't advice it. Don't be afraid of deleting them, you cant lose the inbuilt patterns. You then pick the input mode, 1 for standard patterns, 2 for multi colour rib/skip st. You then tell it how many st in your pattern and then how many rows. From there you type in your pattern using the black and white keys. This is similar to making a punch card, what would be holes in the punch card (the needles that differ from st/st) are the black key. Have some fun and try it. If you need any help, the manuals are not that clear to understand, PM me and I will phone you and help you out.


Give it a try Natalie, with a fantastic helper like this at your aid I would like to know how you get on. I was drooling over photos of your machine I'm envious but happy with my punch card reader for the time being.

Can relate to you enjoying hand manipulating though, my bulky machine is just the bed can do tuck but I've really enjoyed doing lace and patterns by selff selecting stitches very rewarding.


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## Entity (Sep 13, 2011)

Sue, did you just offered to call from UK to me, in the US?  You will be sorry when the bills arrive :] LOL.

I appreciate your offer but do not have the concentration at this time. In a few months, I may have more time to look into it. I will certainly take your offer with the help if I'll need it. Thank you!

Right now, I want to do the work, that's what I enjoy. I don't care much about letting the machine doing it all for me nor am I in a hurry to get a project done. It's also the reason why I haven't put up the motor to run the carriage for me. 

Due to a disability, I'm not capable of hand knitting. Using a machine to help me knit is a wonderful way to achieve this hobby. When I have grown with more knowledge of knitting techniques and tired of hand manipulating, I will definitely be using my electronic KM capability to its fullest.


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## susieknitter (Jul 14, 2011)

Yes Entity, I did offer to phone you in the USA. I have phoned others on the forum and some of those have been over the pond. Seeing that my daughter lives in New York I have special rates and I enjoy and don't mind helping anyone. I hate to think that people have wonderful machines and have no one to tell them how to use them. You have one of the best machines and I know when you are ready you will make it sing.


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## funthreads623 (May 25, 2011)

Hi there--- I also have the 965, and have made several lace tops using the lace carriage (carefully, and not too fast) and as far as I know, it didn't harm the machine needles. I would think that since they made it to do those stitches, that it should. But, I love doing the hand manipulated stitches too, especially cables.


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## Entity (Sep 13, 2011)

You are so wonderful Sue and an encouraging machine knitters to all of us. 

You know, I actually gave up a KH-940 for the KH-965. Although, there aren't very much differences in the 2, I felt that the 965 has more storage capability and will allow me to do much more than the 940. So, believe me, I will make it sing. LOL, not sure if you can stand the singing when it starts though :] 

Thanks again for your kindness.


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## susieknitter (Jul 14, 2011)

If you start sing Entity make it rain over there and then we might get your sunshine.


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## nwjasu (Nov 8, 2011)

Thanks for the marking idea. That can be used to speed up so many stitch patterns.


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## Entity (Sep 13, 2011)

Oh Sue, I've been watching the olympic and the rain over there has been one of the top topic. We certainly have alot of sunshine here, too much in a matter of fact. It is hot! 

What is the earth coming to? So much abnormal in the weather worldwide. China is suffering from major flood and we, in the US, are suffering major drought. 

Back to this post. John Dornan had PM me with a tip. I was going to share it here but he said he did post it already. Humm... I don't see it. Did it get lost?


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## Entity (Sep 13, 2011)

Ok, I searched and found it in the Picture section.

Here's a tip from John Dornan about other use for part of the lace pattern above:
http://www.knittingparadise.com/t-99451-1.html#1881664

Thanks John!


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## Leonora (Apr 22, 2011)

Hi Entity, I have the very same knitting machine that you have. When I was using it a lot, most of my work was lace garments. I never had any problems with the lace carraige bending needles at all. It all depends on how you move the carraige over the bed. Treat it right, and you will have no problems at all. I used to make a ladies /sweater or cardigan, from start to completion, ready to wear in less than a day. Leonora.


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## sweetpeamo (May 11, 2012)

Yes but did you have a hosepipe ban when you had floods and torrential rain like us in the UK??? How do you figure that out?

I also would like to say the lace is lovely you have done a really good job there.


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## MadsWeb (May 27, 2011)

Your pattern is lovely. You always do such a great job with your knitting. I am in hopes that once school starts I will have at least a day to play with my machines more. It seems like all I can create are socks on my CSM. I have to many flatbed machines to not be making something else.


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## busysuzy (Jun 21, 2012)

Entity Your lace is gorgeous,


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## xarriage1952 (Mar 22, 2011)

I mark my needles with a black eye brow pencil and then just
wipe them off with a cloth.


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## Celt Knitter (Jul 13, 2011)

Very interesting and beautiful lace.
BTW Entity and SusieKnitter...you could use SKYPE for free calls over the internet. I use it every day for a couple of hours to family in different parts of the world, and you can video call as well. I haven't paid for an international call since the early 2000's. There are others but I've found this more stable and less prone to abuse.


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## Lillysmom (Aug 9, 2011)

Entity,

Your lace pattern is beautiful! What will it be when you are finished?


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## Entity (Sep 13, 2011)

nosie said:


> Yes but did you have a hosepipe ban when you had floods and torrential rain like us in the UK??? How do you figure that out?


??Huh??

Thanks Leonora and everyone. I believe I need to make things more clear.

I am awared of my machine capability and the hundreds of stitches already programmed in it. In a matter of fact, when I first got it, the electronic stitch pattern maker was the first thing I tried out and have used, up until it bored me. For a long while, it seemed that all I did was moving the carriages back 'n forth.

Again, I don't like for the machine to have all the fun. I want to have fun with it too :mrgreen:. I'm not knitting for business purpose, no need to hurry and complete a project.

Due to a disability, I'm not able to hand knit. So, hand manipulating on a knitting machine allows me to understand how stitch patterns are formed. It also taught me about charting and creating my own patterns. These are the advantages of not letting the machine do it all. It opens room for creativity and designing to grow.

I know many of you have a simple Bond KM. I simply want to pass on some encouragement and show that you don't need to have a machine with all the bells and whistles in order to create something delicate and beautiful.

Ok, 'nuf said


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## Entity (Sep 13, 2011)

Celt Knitter said:


> Very interesting and beautiful lace.
> BTW Entity and SusieKnitter...you could use SKYPE for free calls over the internet. I use it every day for a couple of hours to family in different parts of the world, and you can video call as well. I haven't paid for an international call since the early 2000's. There are others but I've found this more stable and less prone to abuse.


Ah yes, Skype. I do have an account with them. The problem is... my relatives don't care much to get on it and I haven't used it since the registration. Guess, they don't love me enough :mrgreen:


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## KateWood (Apr 30, 2011)

Entity your lace pattern is very pretty. I saw a you tube video with a knitter creating the most beautiful lace on a mid-gauge machine with such speed and percision it was Honestly Impressive. This kind of work keeps the mind sharp and eye hand coordination precise. It works as a great therapy, for many conditions including aging))


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## Celt Knitter (Jul 13, 2011)

We rarely use video...that would mean I have to get dressed, and young ones tend to be silly so it's distracting. However, if I want to show my husband something that has gone wrong that I can't fix, I can show it to him and he can suggest something. It's how I help him fix his computer. We just talk to the ones who want to talk. A few years ago, I was in China, my husband was in the US, one son in Baghdad and another in the UK and we talked together many times. The other 2 children were far too busy with their lives to be bothered with us!The trouble is that most of the younger generation now prefer to text....in the UK, it has overtaken voice calls. One of these days there'll be an invention that you just pick up and speak in to....what shall we call it....tele something:roll: :roll: :roll: 


Entity said:


> Celt Knitter said:
> 
> 
> > Very interesting and beautiful lace.
> ...


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## KarlaHW (Jan 6, 2012)

I was going to start a new topic, but I guess it fits in here.
I have started to input some pattern on the Brother 940, works well. I just forget the steps if I have not done it in a while.
Today I was going to try a lace pattern, very simple, 8 stitches wide, 18 rows. I am happy to say the knitted sample looks like what I was trying to achieve. But in the memo display it never reads the number 2 when to move the K carriage twice, nothing when to move the Lace carriage. How do I put this in? Memo display is always empty.



susieknitter said:


> Entity, you can put 98 stitch patterns in that machine.A pattern can be from 1-200st wide and loads of rows long. When you press the enter key it should give you your first pattern number as 901. If it comes up with any number higher the previous owners patterns will be in the computer. These will need deleting, you could take a guess at what they are, but I wouldn't advice it. Don't be afraid of deleting them, you cant lose the inbuilt patterns. You then pick the input mode, 1 for standard patterns, 2 for multi colour rib/skip st. You then tell it how many st in your pattern and then how many rows. From there you type in your pattern using the black and white keys. This is similar to making a punch card, what would be holes in the punch card (the needles that differ from st/st) are the black key. Have some fun and try it. If you need any help, the manuals are not that clear to understand, PM me and I will phone you and help you out.


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## susieknitter (Jul 14, 2011)

I have never used a Brother 940 but I believe that they all work the same. When you have inputted the pattern and the ready lamp is lit you need to push the memo key, the ready light goes off. Go to the row you want the info on (using the up/down keys} and enter the info required. Push the memo key when you have finished, the ready light should now be back on and the info should appear in the memo screen as you knit.


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## Entity (Sep 13, 2011)

Hi Karla! Did you keyed in 18 rows or 20? 

What I noticed from looking at different patterns is that there are 2 empty rows/lines left in between the next pattern. This allow the machine to know that there's no stitch transfer on these 2 rows. Not sure if this is the same with the electronic unit though. 

For example: Your actual stitch pattern is 18 rows. You'd need to key in 20 rows, leaving 2 rows blank.

OOps, never mind. Sue came to the rescue


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## Entity (Sep 13, 2011)

KateWood said:


> Entity your lace pattern is very pretty. I saw a you tube video with a knitter creating the most beautiful lace on a mid-gauge machine with such speed and percision it was Honestly Impressive. This kind of work keeps the mind sharp and eye hand coordination precise. It works as a great therapy, for many conditions including aging))


Thanks Kate. Your comment about keeping the mind young is absolutely :thumbup:

Someone asked me recently whether I use any of the Algebra we learned in school. My reply was: "Oh yes, quite often I need to solve for X, especially in knitting" :mrgreen:

*Celtknitter*, technology is wonderful but sometime, it is also disasterous. I wish text messaging is permanently banned while driving and operating dangerous equipments. Another thing text messaging is ruining is the writing of proper English or any other language. I think that a new language is forming within the younger generation. Soon, the dictionary will be twice its current size.


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## KarlaHW (Jan 6, 2012)

I keyed in 18 rows, 8 stitches. Seems to be right because sample looks good. Attached my knitting sample, bottom is the lace, top is fine lace pattern #206.
Instructions show the lace pattern, I outlined in red what I keyed in. the circled symbols in the middle with the question mark I do not understand.



Entity said:


> Hi Karla! Did you keyed in 18 rows or 20?
> 
> What I noticed from looking at different patterns is that there are 2 empty rows/lines left in between the next pattern. This allow the machine to know that there's no stitch transfer on these 2 rows. Not sure if this is the same with the electronic unit though.
> 
> ...


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## KarlaHW (Jan 6, 2012)

I think I am starting to understand how the pattern reading with the lace carriage works. My pattern has 6 rows, plus the return rows = 12. But on the pattern it's 18. When the stitch is moved over to the left by the lace carriage it passes over 4 times, stitch moved to the right it passes over 2 times. I was first wondering why there are more blank rows in the pattern, now I think I have figured it out.



Entity said:


> Hi Karla! Did you keyed in 18 rows or 20?
> 
> What I noticed from looking at different patterns is that there are 2 empty rows/lines left in between the next pattern. This allow the machine to know that there's no stitch transfer on these 2 rows. Not sure if this is the same with the electronic unit though.
> 
> ...


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## susieknitter (Jul 14, 2011)

The blocks that you have circled with the question mark above are keys on your machine. The first seven are variation keys, it is showing that these must be in the down position because with lace you cant do any variation of the stitch. The eighth key is shown in the down position for all over patterning.


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## KarlaHW (Jan 6, 2012)

Thanks. I am beginning to understand more.



susieknitter said:


> The blocks that you have circled with the question mark above are keys on your machine. The first seven are variation keys, it is showing that these must be in the down position because with lace you cant do any variation of the stitch. The eighth key is shown in the down position for all over patterning.


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## jean2roy57 (Jun 11, 2012)

I love your hand tooled lace. I have just completed a summer top with the welts in hand tooled lace. I agree that it is almost as quick as using the lace carriage as quite a lot of transfers are needed

I normally use a Silver Reed (Knitmaster) punch card machine although I do have a Brother punchcard machine also

Best Wishes

Jean (from King's Lynn UK)


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## Entity (Sep 13, 2011)

Thanks Jean. And here's where I posted the finished project: http://www.knittingparadise.com/t-101054-1.html


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## jean2roy57 (Jun 11, 2012)

Hi

Many thanks for the website
I have downloaded the pattern and will try it out (after converting to my much larger size!!!)

Regards

Jean


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## Entity (Sep 13, 2011)

You're welcome Jean. As you noticed, my finished garment was a bit narrower at the shoulder. This made the neck and armholes a little larger. It was because I didn't use the 2 cm edging that the pattern called out for. My edging was much narrower. Don't forget to consider this when patterning to your size.


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## oksana999 (Apr 6, 2014)

FENKS VERI BJUTIFUL


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## oksana999 (Apr 6, 2014)

fenks veri bjuti fyl


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## Maryknits513 (Feb 12, 2011)

Entity said:


> Sue, did you just offered to call from UK to me, in the US? You will be sorry when the bills arrive :] LOL.


I will call you, and it won't cost me anything extra. I have unlimited calling on my phone, and I live in the same time zone. :thumbup:

You can do interesting things with combining the built-in patterns on the 965. You can put a couple together to create a whole new pattern. I have a 965, and have to refer to the manual when I use it. I use my 940 more, so I don't usually have to refer to the manual.

Do you have a garter carriage?

I will do some hand manipulation on the LK-150, but other than crossing cables or a special trim, don't want to do hand manipulation. On my first knitting machine, the Brother 551, it was almost all hand manipulation, so I had enough of it.

I have motors for my Brother and Passap knitting machines, but they aren't hooked up. I figure I need the exercise when I'm knitting. As some point, hopefully not for a long time, I will have to hook them up.


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## Entity (Sep 13, 2011)

Maryknits513 said:


> I will call you, and it won't cost me anything extra. I have unlimited calling on my phone, and I live in the same time zone. :thumbup:
> 
> You can do interesting things with combining the built-in patterns on the 965. You can put a couple together to create a whole new pattern. I have a 965, and have to refer to the manual when I use it. I use my 940 more, so I don't usually have to refer to the manual.
> 
> ...


This thread has been revived recently. It's been awhile. By now, I'm fine using the 965. Not that complicated to use. Just follow the instruction and I'm alright. Thanks for offering.

As for the garter carriage, yes, I obtained one a few months ago but have not had a chance to use it.

My 965 is having a hiccup now with the needle selection unit. I have yet to attack that problem. I have some idea what it is and have purchased part to replace it. Hopefully, I can get to fix it soon. Again, thanks for the offer.


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## Entity (Sep 13, 2011)

oksana999 said:


> FENKS VERI BJUTIFUL


Thank you.


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