# Long fair isle floats



## showperson (Mar 7, 2012)

I am knitting a gauge swatch on a bulky kh260 punchcard machine using a card I punched myself in a dragon pattern. The pattern produces long floats. I tried to weave the floats in by hanging the long floats on every 3-4 needle by lifting the float into the hook of the next row. Sometimes the float was woven in as I intended. Other times the float was knit through to the right side. Is there a better way to do this? I was not using my weaving brushes. Should I be using them?


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## susanjoy (Aug 13, 2013)

It may be better to knit the whole pattern then hook up the long floats with the latch tool and hook the last loop on to a needle. If the floats are very long, you might have to latch them up in several places.
The other possibility would be to repunch the pattern, leaving appropriate holes unpunched so that the floats are shorter.


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## etrnlife (Jun 10, 2014)

showperson said:


> I am knitting a gauge swatch on a bulky kh260 punchcard machine using a card I punched myself in a dragon pattern. The pattern produces long floats. I tried to weave the floats in by hanging the long floats on every 3-4 needle by lifting the float into the hook of the next row. Sometimes the float was woven in as I intended. Other times the float was knit through to the right side. Is there a better way to do this? I was not using my weaving brushes. Should I be using them?


Other than latching up the floats with the latch tool, after you are done, how about using the ribber? You can do full DBJ or just have a few needle in work on the ribber at the center of the floats. I've not done the latter myself, but have heard of others doing it.


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## GrammaAnn (Dec 16, 2011)

I have had similar experience with the float showing on the knit side if I hung them. I have a knitting machine book and she suggests just taking a thread and needle after the project is done and stitching/tacking the floats to the back. Works well. If you have a really large project perhaps that would be too hard - but it was a simple fix for mine.  Ann


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## sharronaw (Jul 12, 2013)

I have had this happen too, just ordered a color changer hoping this is an answer, does anyone know if it helps with the long floats? Thanks Sharron


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## KateWood (Apr 30, 2011)

How much of the knit fabric is the dragon on? It's only 24 stitches wide, have you tried knitting it as a motif?


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## Rita in Raleigh (Aug 20, 2011)

I once knit a sweater on the standard gauge in a fairisle which had a lot....and I mean a lot....of floats. After I wore it one time I declared I could not stand it. So I took it to the sewing machine and sewed vertical lines between the stitches about 2 inches apart over most of the sweater. I chose the thread to match the background color. It worked great to hold down those floats and was not noticeable when I wore the sweater!

Another method could be done as you are knitting the sweater. Using a thread, or a thin yarn to match the background yarn (or split a piece of main yarn to make a matching thinner yarn) do an e wrap up the sweater in the middle of each long float area. If the floats are every 24 stitches, then do that e wrap every 24 stitches.

If you have a garter bar you could thread lengths of these wrapping yarns through the garter bar every 24 stitches or as often as needed. Then you could do all the e wraps at once each row or two by maneuvering the garter bar.

Rita



GrammaAnn said:


> I have had similar experience with the float showing on the knit side if I hung them. I have a knitting machine book and she suggests just taking a thread and needle after the project is done and stitching/tacking the floats to the back. Works well. If you have a really large project perhaps that would be too hard - but it was a simple fix for mine.  Ann


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## lburns93 (Feb 8, 2014)

If you machine sew and have a thread color that matches your yarn, run a few rows of stitching in between the stitches down the sweater. It will catch the floats and be invisible. I use a fairly long stitch length and a reduced pressure.


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## charmknits (Jan 26, 2014)

sharronaw said:


> I have had this happen too, just ordered a color changer hoping this is an answer, does anyone know if it helps with the long floats? Thanks Sharron


Don't think that will help - it only expedites changing the yarns. :thumbdown:


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## Lucasade (Sep 8, 2012)

I recently came across this tutorial which I intend to try I the new year. You use a DB colour changer with your ribber to automatically "ladder up" the floats. Looks like a good solution. 
http://www.slideshare.net/lornahamiltonbrown/ladderback-jacquard


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## sharronaw (Jul 12, 2013)

Lucasade- what a wonderful presentation! Thank you so much for sharing. Sharron


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## mtnmama67 (Dec 16, 2011)

sharronaw said:


> Lucasade- what a wonderful presentation! Thank you so much for sharing. Sharron


Agree!! Thanks so much for taking your time to share..


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## Jokruger (Nov 11, 2014)

Ha good idea: google "ladder back" . It gives another option to long floats.


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## susieknitter (Jul 14, 2011)

The link to Lorna's ladder back technique that Lucasade has given is so easy to follow. If you use this form of DJ it doesn't alter the fabric that much from normal single bed Fair-Isle so it is ideal for sweaters. To be honest once I discovered this technique I never went back to latching up long floats; catching them on needles above; sewing them down; knitting a separate backing; or trying other ways suggested. If you have a color changer, can turn a Fair-Isle pattern card into a Double Jacquard card it's so much better. For those that have an electronic machine it's easier because you can just use a switch to convert the pattern. It's harder for those with a punch card machine because you have to understand the way to convert the pattern and then you have to go to the trouble of making a new card, but it's still worth the effort.


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## sharronaw (Jul 12, 2013)

Sue, I have an 881 punchcard machine and a 910. You said in your post that with an electronic machine you use a switch to use the color changer, could you explain more? Thanks, Sharron


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## Rita in Raleigh (Aug 20, 2011)

To use the color changer you are doing a slip stitch and the ribber connector arm. You cannot knit fairisle with two colors of yarn both threaded in the carriage at the same time. You use only one color at a time.

For the punchcard machine you need specially punched cards which for the brother machine are called KHC for single bed multi color slip stitch and for the double bed jacquard the cards are called KRC (meaning Knit Ribber Card). See them at http://needlesofsteel.org.uk/ look at the punchcards.

For your 910, check your manual. It involves using the KRC button. See page 59 of your instruction manual for the 910.

Rita in Raleigh



sharronaw said:


> Sue, I have an 881 punchcard machine and a 910. You said in your post that with an electronic machine you use a switch to use the color changer, could you explain more? Thanks, Sharron


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## susieknitter (Jul 14, 2011)

sharronaw said:


> Sue, I have an 881 punchcard machine and a 910. You said in your post that with an electronic machine you use a switch to use the color changer, could you explain more? Thanks, Sharron


On the pattern variation panel of the KH910 you use the last switch number 7. Refer to page 59 in your manual where there are further details. This is for doing Double Jacquard for which you need to use the ribber along with the main bed in full needle rib set up.

Whoops, Rita obviously types quicker than me. :thumbup: :lol: :lol:


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