# Who Says You Can't Make Lace On The Bulky?



## GrammaAnn (Dec 16, 2011)

Just kidding.  Not true lace...but I thought I'd try my hand at thread lace on my Brother 260 bulky punch card machine with card 15P over 30 needles. I think I have done almost everything else in the manual but this. I used some 2/24 with a heavier yarn - an odd ball skein I had acquired somewhere. Almost the same color as the 2/24. I made a scarf until the heavier yarn ran out - about 370 rows. I made another sample using a pink 2/24 with white yarn, but I think I prefer the same color yarns. It seems like I could see the lace pattern more and the lighter weight thread blended in while a contrasting color drew attention to the lighter thread. Anyway... my experiment produced a quick gift.  Ann


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## crafterwantabe (Feb 26, 2013)

Turned out beautifully


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## dancewithmarg (Oct 2, 2012)

I love the blue scarf, Ann. Is this done with the machine on the fairisle setting? And did you have the edge needles on the ribber? I'll have to search for my manual and check out thread lace again.

Marg
NS Canada


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## KarlaHW (Jan 6, 2012)

Very nice scarf. I have not tried thread lace yet. But you can do lace on a bulky, just have to hand manipulate.


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## linalu (Jun 20, 2013)

I LOVE doing thread lace! Isn't it fun to watch it come alive? Especially trying different weights of yarn!


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## GrammaAnn (Dec 16, 2011)

KarlaHW said:


> Very nice scarf. I have not tried thread lace yet. But you can do lace on a bulky, just have to hand manipulate.


That is true, Karla, I meant with a punch card.  Ann


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## GrammaAnn (Dec 16, 2011)

dancewithmarg said:


> I love the blue scarf, Ann. Is this done with the machine on the fairisle setting? And did you have the edge needles on the ribber? I'll have to search for my manual and check out thread lace again.
> 
> Marg
> NS Canada


Marg, I do have the fair isle button in, as well as the button right under it on my 260. The edge is made automatically with that punch card - it is not ribbed.  Ann


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## Tallie9 (Jul 24, 2012)

Lacework always shows up better on the lighter colored yarns...
Nice scarf!


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## rita3 (Oct 3, 2012)

love the scarf and the blue shade


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## littlewind53 (Apr 25, 2011)

Very pretty


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## Gullasel (Jan 17, 2014)

I love the lace motifs .. it is so rewarding to be able to do a gift scarf, warm and cozy with either Fair Isle, Lace stitch, or Tuck. and makes the time go by not to mention the wonderful feeling of satisfaction when the job is done and well finished 

you have done so many awesome things GrammaAnn .. I am still learning on the machines and quite enjoy them though I will say knitting with the PASSAP is a joy, getting the Duomatic to work is another thing but I perservere .. I now just need a bulky machine and my workshop will be complete .. thank you for sharing 

G


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## susieknitter (Jul 14, 2011)

Very nice Ann, I like the blue best.


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## dancewithmarg (Oct 2, 2012)

Thanks Ann for the info. What needles did you use each side of 0?



dancewithmarg said:


> I love the blue scarf, Ann. Is this done with the machine on the fairisle setting? And did you have the edge needles on the ribber? I'll have to search for my manual and check out thread lace again.
> 
> Marg
> NS Canada


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## Nanna Kath (Apr 3, 2011)

It looks lovely, hopefully it will inspire me to do great things also


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## rainbirdoz (Nov 7, 2012)

The blue scarf is really nice and very smart, Ann. Love the non-roll edges. Another way to make lace with a punchcard on the 260 is to knit tuck lace, I.e. Tuck stitch with needles out of work, that can be very pretty too. Really like the thread lace though.
Sheila


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## boots (Jan 24, 2011)

How fun is that, Ann? Looks great.


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## Elora (Sep 1, 2014)

Oh!!! How pretty. Ann! I'm inspired (with Ann's projects especially because they "speak to me" since they're on a 260 Bulky machine like mine!) Thanks for showing this, Ann! It is truly a work of art! Not quite ready for this level, but I'm getting there and will store the image for later!

Elora


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## 3butterflies (May 28, 2013)

Back in the late 80's I made thread lace curtains for my bathroom window using two different weights of yarn... no thread... and they came out beautiful. An Interior decorator could not believe I had made them on a knitting machine. Funny thing I just started playing around with thread lace wanting to see what it would look like using yarn instead of thread. I was fairly new to machine knitting and wanted to learn different techniques so what started out as a swatch soon became curtains. The "thread" was a shimmery type yarn and the weight of the yarn was just enough to see the "lace" effect. And to think it was to be a swatch. I hate doing swatches so I usually make mine larger with the thought of it being useful immediately. I know I know we should swatch but different strokes for different folks. I'm a charity knitter and it will fit someone.


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## Julie Eastman (Feb 1, 2013)

Looks great, makes a beautiful scarf!


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## Daisy Mae (Dec 7, 2012)

I think you "bulky" lace looks just lovely and the lace pattern takes away from the bulky look. :thumbup:


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## lilfawn83 (Aug 17, 2012)

GrammaAnn said:


> Just kidding.  Not true lace...but I thought I'd try my hand at thread lace on my Brother 260 bulky punch card machine with card 15P over 30 needles. I think I have done almost everything else in the manual but this. I used some 2/24 with a heavier yarn - an odd ball skein I had acquired somewhere. Almost the same color as the 2/24. I made a scarf until the heavier yarn ran out - about 370 rows. I made another sample using a pink 2/24 with white yarn, but I think I prefer the same color yarns. It seems like I could see the lace pattern more and the lighter weight thread blended in while a contrasting color drew attention to the lighter thread. Anyway... my experiment produced a quick gift.  Ann


Oh wow !! I like that.. You always make pretty things..


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## Ellie in Houston (Mar 10, 2011)

Great idea, Ann!! Ellie


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## GrammaAnn (Dec 16, 2011)

dancewithmarg said:


> Thanks Ann for the info. What needles did you use each side of 0?


Marg, I did 15 left and 15 right of 0.  
Thank you everyone for your sweet comments!  Ann


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## nannie343 (Aug 15, 2012)

Ann, your scarf is beautiful and inspiring. I have only made swatches of thread lace, I must give it another try.
Rhonda


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## Alna (Aug 26, 2012)

Ann
Thank-you for sharing your lovely scarf and inspiring us all to continue to try new and different projects on whatever machine we have.

I to have try this and I also like the color to match as close as possible and let the punchcard pattern do the work, and show the beauty of the lace.


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## Tapraol (Mar 15, 2013)

Beautiful blue scarf!


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## llamagenny (Feb 26, 2013)

What did you use to get the no roll edges? The scarves are beautiful.


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## GrammaAnn (Dec 16, 2011)

llamagenny said:


> What did you use to get the no roll edges? The scarves are beautiful.


I gave it a light press (up and down movement to not stretch it out of shape) quickly with a warm iron and lots of steam. Makes the scarf soft and drapey with no roll edges. I know...controversial...but that is what I do and love the results. Try it on a swatch to decide for yourself if you like the results.  Ann


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## KateWood (Apr 30, 2011)

TL is a very fast and easy technique with a much potential for very beautiful results. It is best to use a strong strand for the fine thread like wooly nylon in as close to the MC as possible, or just slightly darker if no match can be found, so that it won't distract from the pattern. Glad you enjoyed knitting it, your blue scarf is very pretty.


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## randiejg (Oct 29, 2011)

Very nice, Ann. I rarely knit lace, and I don't think I've tried thread lace since I got my first Studio standard gauge machine back in the 70's. Like you, I was going through the manual and trying different things.

What is the feel of the fabric like with such a difference between the worsted weight (assuming) yarn and the 2/24? I looks beautiful.


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## GrammaAnn (Dec 16, 2011)

randiejg said:


> Very nice, Ann. I rarely knit lace, and I don't think I've tried thread lace since I got my first Studio standard gauge machine back in the 70's. Like you, I was going through the manual and trying different things.
> 
> What is the feel of the fabric like with such a difference between the worsted weight (assuming) yarn and the 2/24? I looks beautiful.


Randie, The scarf is very soft and drapey. It was a different kind of yarn - not one I would buy on purpose.  I think it came in a bag I got at a thrift store. It is Lion Brand Micro Spun - 2.5 ounces. It actually had 6 plys, but the overall strand of yarn was not as thick as a worsted weight. But the plys were not wound with each other - only laying together - so a very soft yarn. But the 2 yarns fit nicely together. I do not even notice the 2/24 in it. It was almost the same blue as the heavier yarn. Now when I did the sample pink/white - the white was a worsted 4 ply and the difference was really noticeable. Although the colors were different, as well. Ann


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## Huckleberry (May 27, 2013)

wonderful.


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## 30Knitter (Apr 9, 2012)

Very nice. You will get a lacier look if you use sewing thread in place of the 2/24. You are right the same color, I think gives a better look.


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## malfrench (Apr 7, 2011)

I don'T get how you did the edge. I can't wait to try it.


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## JeanneHolmes (May 4, 2011)

Do you ever stop Ann and how do you find the time?


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## GrammaAnn (Dec 16, 2011)

malfrench said:


> I don'T get how you did the edge. I can't wait to try it.


The edge was just part of the punch card - the 15P card for the 260 bulky. I did not do anything special to make it. 
Jeanne - I do some knitting almost every day and I have an endless number of new things I want to try all the time!  But I think a lot of folks do a lot - I just happen to post photos. Also, this scarf literally took 15 minutes to knit.  Ann


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## KatyJ (Feb 15, 2014)

Wow Ann! Very nice. I had to pull out my punch cards and see if I had 15P. I do but I have not tried using two different yarns yet. I will have to experiment. Thank you for sharing!!


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## Redhead1951 (Feb 7, 2013)

GrammaAnn said:


> Just kidding.  Not true lace...but I thought I'd try my hand at thread lace on my Brother 260 bulky punch card machine with card 15P over 30 needles. I think I have done almost everything else in the manual but this. I used some 2/24 with a heavier yarn - an odd ball skein I had acquired somewhere. Almost the same color as the 2/24. I made a scarf until the heavier yarn ran out - about 370 rows. I made another sample using a pink 2/24 with white yarn, but I think I prefer the same color yarns. It seems like I could see the lace pattern more and the lighter weight thread blended in while a contrasting color drew attention to the lighter thread. Anyway... my experiment produced a quick gift.  Ann


I am trying to duplicate this scarf but am having troubles. I will PM instead of belaboring everything here.


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## tpmcgoo2 (Mar 7, 2011)

beautiful!! Man oh man....I have to get busy!!


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## nannie343 (Aug 15, 2012)

Ann, I finally gave this a try. I had made a similar one on my standard machine when I first got it. But I loved making it on the bulky. Here is a picture, it's still on the blocking board.
Rhonda


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## GrammaAnn (Dec 16, 2011)

Rhonda, that is really great! I love the colors! So fun!  Ann


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## nannie343 (Aug 15, 2012)

Thanks, Ann for your inspiration. I made the scarf out of Cascade 220 superwash and a thin strand of a matching yarn. I sure hope it stays flat after I take out the blocking wires. I steamed it pretty well.
Rhonda


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## malfrench (Apr 7, 2011)

What card can be used beside p15?


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## GrammaAnn (Dec 16, 2011)

The manual for the 260 lists which cards can be used for thread lace.  Ann


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## Daeanarah (May 7, 2012)

of course you can knit lace on a bulky. I did that long time ago, knitted a lace tablecloth using crochet thread. I made it for my neighbor at that time.


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## malfrench (Apr 7, 2011)

What an undertaking. I'd love to see it.


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## Redhead1951 (Feb 7, 2013)

I finished my scarf today and here is a photo (of the wrong side). The right side has no visible pattern (poor yarn selection; all my fault) but it worked up fast and is my first project on my 260. Much thanks to Ann who guided me through step by step. Marilyn


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## GrammaAnn (Dec 16, 2011)

Yea for you! Great job! :thumbup:


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## Daeanarah (May 7, 2012)

that is very pretty


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## omnivore2 (Jul 23, 2013)

Your stuff is impressive. I would like to try thread lace. Bet it's much faster than grinding-out 2 ply lace : )

I scored three very fat cones of some acrylic-looking very fine ply at an op-shop; they can be the "holes". At the time I wondered if I was getting carried away wasting money but NO!


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