Spring City Knitters Becomes Sophisticated Stitches

To all,

This past spring the Spring City Knitters Club has undergone many changes. Though our meeting time will remain from 10 to noon, we did try out meeting in the afternoon. We also have been varying our location. But the most significant change was made at yesterday's meeting. It involves our name. Yes, as of yesterday, our machine knitting club will no longer be known as the Spring City Knitters. Instead we have become The Sophisticated Stitches Club.

Though most of us were happy being known as the Spring City Knitters, the new name reflects the type of stitchwork our members have created over the years. With the name change it is our intent to create a Yahoo Group and eventually have a website for members only.

We will continue to work on our videos, though it is our intent to make them available again, to members only.

Thus our future is looking brighter than ever.

Regards,

Donna

Plating on Brother machine with Tammy Noble

It's been a while since I have been able to catch up with the Spring City Knitters' blog. Frankly like most people, life gets in the way due to changes. And like most people, the Spring City Knitters have been experiencing changes. Instead of meeting at Knit and Sew in Spring City, PA, we have been meeting at the Lower Providence Community Library in Eagleville, PA. For some club members like myself, the new meeting place is closer to my home. For others not going to the Knit and Sew store, is a disappointment since they love to shop.

Anyway, at the meeting held this past Saturday, May 30th, 2009, plating was demonstrated by our leader, Tammy Noble. Everyone at the meeting was quite impressed with the plated knitted jacket shown by Tammy. The white woolray yarn with a plated metallic yarn front zippered jacket with its dark green woolray yarn with a plated metallic yarn for the sleeves, back, and neckband was gorgeous.

The primary points of the plating demonstration were:

1. Plating can create a non-itchy fabric when knitted with a metallic yarn. Many people including me find having a metallic yarn next to one's skin itchy. Plating keeps the metallic yarn on the face of the fabric and away from the skin.

2. Plating can create a uniform fabric. Normally when two yarns are knitted at the same time they create an random stripe. Plating permits each yarn to stay in its place while knitting.

3. Plating creates a firmer fabric. When two yarns are knitted at the same time the resultant fabric is stable and firmer than it would be if it were created with one yarn.

4. A plated fabric can be knitted with as a stockinette stitch, tuck stitch or a slip stitch. Unfortunately a fairisle stitch is not possible.

A suggestion for keeping the main yarn and the plated yarn from crossing is to use a rubberband across the carriage. As a special treat, we have upload a video of the plating demonstration given at our meeting. Hope you will enjoy the video. Should anyone have any questions, just let me know. My email addy is donmarie@fast.net.

If you would like more information about our club, I would love to hear from you. Our next meeting will be at the Lower Providence Community Library, Eagleville, PA from 10AM to noon, 2nd Floor. The demonstration about "buttonhole bands" will be on the LK 150 machine.

Hope to hear from you.

Regards,

Donna

Happy New Year, 2009!!!

Happy New Year 2009 to all. Can't believe the Spring City Knitters accomplished so much in 2008. What was our greatest achievement: We held a SEMINAR in June which was awesome. Furthermore, we published a seminar book. These two acts proved, that when we set our mind to something we can get it done, and we did it well.

As a result of our seminar, we held a Knit-Along with Tammy for those who attended the seminar and belonged to our club and the Machine Knitters Guild of PA. This too was successful and many machine knitters came away with the knowledge of how to use the Brother lace carriage to make a successful and wearable summer lace top.

But all those deeds happened in 2008. So what's up for 2009. Well the Spring City Knitters are planning to have another DAK hands-on class with our awesome Jackie Willard. She proved at the seminar just how well she understood the Design-A-Knit software program.

A second Knit-Along with Tammy is planned for the summer months of July and August. This time we are going to knit an intarsia pillow.

Third, as a result of our demonstrations during our club meetings, we published a video. So our goal for this year is to create a video from start to finish of how too knit a garment and all of the "issues" one encounters during the knitting process. We also hope to upload "video clips" of information so everyone can see what we are doing.

So in the meantime, Happy New Year and Happy Machine Knitting.

Regards, Donna

Spring City Knitters, Video From March Meeting

Don't know about anyone else, but I would say we live in exciting times. The Spring City Knitters have been photographing our work for years and sharing it with each other. Now for the first time we are able to share an except from our March 2008 club meeting with the public.

The video demonstration upload is from our most respected member of our club, Dora Goren. Dora has been machine knitting for more years than she cares to remember. But remember she does. She often shares with our club members what it was like when she first started machine knitting. Her struggles to learn because there she didn't live in a world with an information highway, that we have today.

Her demonstration was on how to knit an upside-down raglan round neck pullover by Jodie Raymond. The video clip is from the end of her demonstration. Hope you find it enjoyable.

The next meeting of the Spring City Knitters will be Saturday, September 27th, 2008 at Knit and Sew, 44 N. Main Street, Spring City, PA 19475. Unlike other clubs I am familiar with guests are welcomed for three visits before being asked to join. Our yearly dues are reasonable. Hope reads of this blog will consider visiting our club.

For more information about the upcoming Spring City Knitters meeting feel free to email me at donmarie@fast.net

Regards,

Donna

Summer Lace Top Garment Worn by Donna Streets

Finally, a photo of me (Donna Streets) in the Summer Lace Top I knit. Notice I chose to compliment my top with gold jewelry. Deb Rogers watches as the photo is taken. As you can see from the photos below, the Spring City Knitters had a great time knitting the Summer Lace Top.

In the works are plans for the Spring City Knitters to bring their club meeting to the Internet via the webcam. At the moment we are "tweaking" the arrangements. But if all goes well, we should have our webcam service up and running within the next two months.

The Spring City Knitters are excited about this because it will permit us to reach out to the machine knitting community with educational services and support.

For more information, about when the webcam service will be available, you can email me at donmarie@fast.net or Tammy Noble at knitandsew44@yahoo.com.

Regards, Donna

Summer Lace Top Garment

Though still in need of finishing touches Cathy Bausman let's everyone know her garment fits her beautifully. Notice that Cathy chose to personalize her Summer Lace Top by incorporating a few different design elements such as lengthening the back.

Summer Lace Top Garment

As you can see, the Summer Lace Top designed by Tammy Noble (above) looks great on her. Love the black necklace and green bracelet.

Summer Lace Top Garment

Moving from the side seam area discussion, Mary Hummer now seeks advice from Tammy Noble on how to finish her neckline and Cathy Bausman and Toni O'Donnell listen.

Summer Lace Top Garment

Tammy Noble continues her discussion with Mary Hummer by providing specifics of how to finish the armhole and side seams.

Summer Lace Top Garments

Mary Hummer tries on her Summer Lace Top as Tammy Noble advises her on how to finish the garment. Cathy Bausman listens intently to Tammy's instruction so she too can finish her garment.

Summer Lace Top Garments

Tammy Noble offers Eileen Ferrero advise about finishing the Summer Lace Top she made for her daughter.

Summer Lace Top Garments

Spring City Knitter member Eileen Ferrero shows off the Summer Lace Top she knitted at the August knit along.

Summer Lace Top, Knit Along

Cathy Bausman watches Tammy Noble as she knits on the Brother knitting machine. Notice Tammy is wearing the Summer Lace Top she designed in Green. Notice also, she has side vents in her top.

Summer Lace Top, Knit Along

Marge Sume and Susan Moore concentrate on their knitting. Looks like this team really knows what they are doing when it comes to make their Summer Lace Top.

Summer Lace Top, Kint Along

Eileen Ferrero works on her Summer Lace Top. Looks like she is really concentrating on her knitting.

Summer Lace Top, Knit along

Deb Rogers and Shannon Strain work on their Summer Lace Tops at Knit and Sew.

Summer Lace Top, August Knit Along

Tammy Noble demonstrates to Cathy how to knit the Summer Lace Top.

Summer Lace Top Instructions

Summer Lace Top Designed by Tammy Noble

The Summer Lace Top is a simple sleeveless garment with a boat neckline.

The instructions for creating the Lace Top are generic so that you can make it with any yarn and in any size. In the example shown, I am using my own measurements.

Measurements needed:

1. Bust circumference divided by 2 = provisional number of stitches to cast on. Example 34 inches divided by 2 = 17 inches x 8 stitches per inch = 136 stitches

2. Armhole circumference divided by 2 = armhole length measurement. Example 13 inches divided by 2 = 6-1/2 inches x 10 rows = 72 rows

3. Shoulder to Shoulder. Example 13 inches

4. Back length of garment. Example 20 inches

Measurement Tips.

a. Take measurements in your underwear.

b. When measuring the armhole circumference, measure around the entire armhole.

Sketch out the schematic of the top seen above.

Equipment needed:

Brother standard gauge machine 4.5mm

Brother lace carriage.

Brother G-Carriage.

Brother Stitch World Pattern 148 (lace)

Brother Stitch World Pattern 537 (garter stitch)

Swatch. Prepare a swatch, which should include the lace pattern 148 and the number of repeats you wish to knit. I would make a swatch that is 90 sts by 200 rows. A swatch this large will give you a sense of the garment’s final appearance.

In the Stitch World Pattern book, it states the lace pattern 148 is a 22 sts by 16 rows repeat. For my Summer Lace Top, I knitted three repeats of the pattern, which equates to 48 rows. How many repeats of the rows in the pattern is really your choice.

The yarn choice is up to you too. But, I would recommend a single ply yarn suitable for a standard gauge machine. I used a no name brand single ply 2200 yards/pound cotton/rayon yarn. The gauge of my swatch was 8 stitches per inch by 10 rows per inch after care and blocking.

If you want to machine launder your garment, then machine launder your swatch prior to blocking. Remember once your garment is finished you will need to machine launder the front and back prior to blocking and assembly.

Once you have calculated the stitches per inch and the rows per inch for your swatch and decided on the number of lace repeats you want then you are ready to write the knitting instructions for the garment.

How to Calculate Knitting Instructions

1. Cast-on stitch number will depend on two things:

a. Bust measurement.

b. Number of stitches in the lace repeat.

For me, we know my bust measurement was 34 inches.

Divide this number in half and you get 17 inches.

Multiply 17 inches times 8 stitches per inch to get 136 stitches.

We also know there are 22 stitches in the lace repeat for pattern 148.

Divide 136 stitches by 22 stitches to get 6.18 repeats.

Round down to a whole number to get 6 repeats.

6 are the number of repeats in 17 inches.

Multiply 22 stitches x 6 repeats to get 132 stitches.

Next, we need two stitches on either side of the lace repeat for seaming.

136 stitches (bust measurement)

- 132 stitches (lace repeat, 6 times)

4 stitches remaining for seaming divided by 2 = 2 stitches on each side of lace pattern

But I did a cable stitch on each side of the lace pattern, so I added 4 more stitches to each side for a 2 by 2 cable stitch.

Therefore the total number of stitches to cast on for me was 144 stitches.

After casting on 144 stitches, I let the G-carriage cast on an “e” wrap.

I knit one row back in plain knitting.

For the next 8 rows I did the G-carriage in Stitch Pattern 537, which is the garter stitch.

After the garter stitch row, I knit 2 rows of stockinette.

The Row Count (RC) should be 10 rows at this point.

Now I switched to the lace pattern and knit 3 repeats of the pattern or 48 rows. Note, the last 8 rows of the lace pattern are plain knitting. I continued to do plain knitting until I reached the armhole. But there was one small problem; at the armhole I needed 136 stitches not 144 stitches. So I had to eliminate 8 stitches. I did this by decreasing two stitches each side, 4 times every twenty rows or so.

One thing I mentioned above is that I did a 2 x 2 cable stitch at the sides of the lace pattern. I did this every 6 rows until I reached the end of the lace pattern. You of course don't have to add extra stitches for a cable stitch at the sides.

Once at the armhole, I needed to decrease until I reached the shoulder to shoulder stitches number. In my case, the Shoulder-to-Shoulder dimension was 13 inches x 8 stitches per inch, which equaled 104 stitches.

136 stitches (bust dimensions)

- 104 stitches (shoulder to shoulder dimension)

32 stitches remaining divided by 2 = decrease 16 stitches per side

I bound off 8 stitches on right side. Bound off 8 stitches on left side. Then I decreased 1 stitch each side, every other row, 8 times. At the end of the decreasing I had 104 stitches on the machine. After the last armhole decrease I knit two rows, then I when into my lace pattern again.

Remember your armhole length measurement is ½ the armhole circumference. Example: Armhole was 13 inches divided by 2 = 6-1/2 inches. Next multiply 6-1/2 inches x 10 rows, which equals 72 rows. This means you will need to knit 72 rows to get to the end of the pattern. However, the 72 rows much include the following:

Binding off for the armhole, and decreasing rows to get to 104 stitches

Knitting the lace pattern

Knitting 2 rows of plain knit before going into the garter stitch

Knitting 8 rows of garter stitches to match the bottom of the garment for a balanced appearance.

The number of rows you can knit the lace pattern will depend on how many rows there are between the last two rows knitted after the armhole decrease rows and the 2 rows of plain knitting before knitting the garter stitch rows. In my case I was able to knit 40 rows of the lace pattern.

Remember if you knit one or two rows more on either the front or back it won’t matter. Same thing goes for stitches, if you have 1 or 2 more stitches per panel it doesn’t matter. It only really matters if you knit an inch worth of stitches or rows. Then you have a problem.

Just before casting off, mark the shoulder stitches with a scrap of yarn. To be frank, I marked off 15 stitches. When I tried the garment on, it showed my bra. So I had to include an inch more of stitches on each side. This equates to 23 stitches for shoulder seaming.

Knit front and back the same.

If your swatch was machine launder, now is the time to machine launder the front and back. The block front and back panels. The best way to do this is to make a “full size” paper pattern and place the front and back panels on it (separately of course). Block to the paper pattern size. If your armhole is distorted, run a basting stitch through it to make sure it matches the paper pattern. Keep the basting stitch in until the armhole is “hung” on the knitting machine to attach the “piping”. After the garment is completed and you are satisifed with your armhole, remove the basting stitch.

Assemble front and back shoulders. Try garment on to see how it looks. If you need to adjust the shoulder seams now is the time to do it.

Next knit the “piping” at the armhole. Hold armhole up to the machine to determine number of needles for armhole piping. Note the number. Hang the armhole with wrong side facing you. In my case I needed 56 needles on the left and 56 needles on the right for the armhole piping. Once the armhole is hung, knit one row at garment tension. Then knit five more rows at one full tension plus 1 dot less than main tension. Bind off. Assemble sides of garment.

Try garment on to see how it looks. In my case I noticed the armhole at the shoulder was protruding. To address this issue, I did the following. I ran a basting stitch of the garment yarn through the piping. Then I tried on the garment and gathered the basing stitch to the desired armhole shape. Then I “steamed” the piping (with the basting stitch still in) in place. I also hung the garment on my dress form. I left the garment with the basting stitch on the dress form for several days. I tried it on again, and what do you know, my armhole looked great and the garment hung beautifully. I removed the basting stitch.

By leaving the garment on the dress form, it naturally created a “front” and “back” for me.

Hope you will think about making this garment.

Regards,

Donna

Sock Knitting Using the Circular Sock Machine

As a Spring City Knitter I am constantly amazed at the talent within our Club. The photo at the left was sent to me by a fellow member, Margo Ketchum.

Unknown to us Margo owned a sock machine in addition to her bulky knitting machine. At the recent seminar held by the Spring City Knitters and Machine Knitters Guild of PA in June, we invited circular sock machine knitters (CSM) Stephanie DeVoe and Gregory Wollon to demonstrate sock knitting on a circular sock knitting machine.

Little did we realize how popular this class would be. Those who went to this class were clearly motivated to continue working on their machines. As you can see Margo did a great job of knitting the socks.

In case you didn't know, circular sock knitting is enjoying a resurgence. Who knows, maybe a sock machine is in my future. Though I still have the issue of "where" to put another machine. Oh well, for now it's just a dream.

If you want to know more about the Spring City Knitters email Tammy Noble at knitandsew44@yahoo.com.

Regards,

Donna

Sock Knitting using the CSM

Samples of socks knitted on the circular sock machine.

Sock Knitting via CMS

WOW!! Stephanie and Gregory inpressed everyone at the Seminar with their talk about circular sock machine knitting.

Sock Knitting Using Circular Sock Machine

Stephanie DeVoe and Gregory Wollon speak about circular sock machine knitting at the Spring City Knitters/Machine Knitters Guild of PA Seminar, June 2008 as the attendees listen intently.