A Disagreement

Well, there is at least one person who has disagreed with my "assumption" that a designer is in error when not placing a technique in a book so that the end user has the info to complete the pattern.

This person says that not every technique should be put into the book on the basis of the author having the assumption of knowledge of techniques, in this case for machine knitting.

Well, that would be true in most cases. Take for instance the case of knowing how to do an e-wrapped cast on, or standard machine cast on, these are something you learn right from the beginning in your practices in machine knitting.

Then again, the broken toed cast on is not something I had ever heard of or seen till I opened this book I have complained about and I have been through a lot of books in the past few months. So in my little head this tells me this is a "special" cast on. Not one that is of common knowledge to everyone. Even in doing searches for this "broken toed cast on" I found very little reference to it and all those did not explain how to do this.

So if the cast on is not something of common use, or knowledge being used consistently then it should be an addition to the book in question. Especially when that book is an "easy" to do set of patterns. Doesn't easy mean not hard, and what could be harder then not having techniques be of "common" use. If a technique is not something commonly used then it a special technique and should be explained in the pattern. It is a simple matter of common sense to give the "doer" the means to "do" the entire thing and not expect them to go searching for the means to "do" even a part of the pattern.

In this case, since the designer refers the person to other product they themselves sell, then this sure looks like a means to sell other products. That is the criminal part of what I say. I am enticed into purchasing one thing, then to have the means to complete something in the first product I must buy another product to finish the first. Can we say, buyer beware. That is what this is and I intended and still intend to inform other buyers to beware.

If I buy a car, I want to be able to drive it. I do not expect that after buying the car that I now have to buy the engine to make it go, and then to find out that I also have to buy the transmission as another whole separate piece to complete the deal. Oh I also expect that car to have tires and seats, and a steering wheel. I do not expect it to be full of gas, that would be nice, but that is the thing that the buy expects to have to do themselves. There are things that are common to the thing you buy then those that are not.

If I buy a knit and purl pattern, I am expected to know how to knit and purl. That's a given, but if I buy a pattern and I find the writer has used a technique that doesn't have a common use anywhere, then that should be explained in the pattern. Thus you have those little sections at the beginning or even at the point of the start of the technique.

You know the ones that go something like this:
Techniques:
Knit
Purl

Plaited Basket Stitch:

Any odd number

"R1 (RS): k2, *insert needle in back loop of second st on left needle, k and leave on needle. Then knit the first st, then slip both sts from needle together; rep from *, end k1.

R2: p2, * skip next st and purl the second st, then purl the skipped st, then sl both sts from needle together; rep from *, end p1.

The plaited basket stitch is not something of "common knowledge". This is true of many stitch patterns that you can run across and in this case this one might be even more common then the "broken toe cast on". Even at it being more common it is still something I think should be entered into the technical section so the end user doesn't have to go looking for it. Just makes sense to me that you want those who buy your pattern to have it as easy as possible to work it.

I do understand, being that I have spent many a day helping someone to "get" something, that there will be times when you just cannot put everything into a pattern. In this case this is special, this is the start of the pattern, not some little knit purl combination somewhere along the way that you should be able to search out in some common book or website. For goodness sake, why alienate those you want to purchase your patterns but saying in any that you must buy my other book to do this one. Just isn't in my way of thinking.

So though someone might believe I have overstepped the boundaries of what should be said or thought, I do not believe I have. I spent time searching for this cast on, I found references to it, and one site with videos that didn't work. If it had not been for people posting comments here, I might still be looking for how to do this broken toed method of cast on, and that book might still be destined for the trash can. I do not pass on books that I consider "incomplete". It is just so much garbage.

3 Ways To Lower Gas Prices

YouTube Video

Broken toe cast on

Thanks to a couple of machine knitting friends I now know how to do a machine broken toed cast on. On message was posted at ravelry, the other lead me to a video (set of videos), at youtube by hugking. If you get a chance to watch them do so. He does very well at leading me on my way to understanding this cast on.

Having written instructions, and someone else learning this also was a great way to see how to do this. So maybe my book won't be worthless after all. Still I think I will not buy any more books from this designer. Once bitten, twice shy.

Mock ribbing

I have read lots of stuff that talks about mock ribbing.  I have seen it done in a couple of videos and even done it myself on a couple of my knitting machines, but today I found something new.  Well not new, but new to me.  New names for this technique.  

I was browsing through a couple of manuals for various machines and ran across the Continental or Double rib that is said to be an elastic cast on.  I haven't heard these names mentioned before so I stopped to read and found the mock ribbing being described.

I know that there are not all the manuals for all the brother machines available but there are some on this site Knitting machine manuals for Brother machines.  From time to time I open up a new one just to look through the different machines.  

I have found some things are general to most machines, but some of the manuals have other stuff that are not in my manuals.  So it is interesting to read them or at least browse through them.  Give it a try, you might find surprises that help you along the way.  I have.

Oh and the Continental ribbing instructions show not only a 1x1 ribbing they show a 2x1 ribbing.  I was looking in the manual for the Brother KH 820.

A bit put out

I saw this book on ebay for making gloves.  It is Easy Gloves for All Knitting Machines, by Leslye Solomon.  Well, I bid and I won it.  I was excited as this would be great for me a newbie.

So I get the book and I open it to the first pattern, The Plain Glove, and I start to read.  Bummer, I am not happy at all.  What do you mean easy, the pattern states "cast on using the broken toe method for ribbing" and that "this can be found in the book, "The Uncomplicated Knitting Machine".

Well, now how can they be easy gloves if the darn book has to send you to another book just to start the darn things.  Do you not think that if you are going to make a book you should include in that book the techniques to make the things in the book.  This is dumb, no it is out right criminal.  It is like I just got taken.  Now I have to buy another book to do this pattern in the first book and I cannot help but wonder if after buying the second book (if I so choose, not thinking I will right now), if I will be referred to a third book to get parts for the second book to complete the pattern in the first book.  Maybe there is a fourth book for the third for the second for the first.  

Oh my that was quite a brain twister but then so is this pattern right now.  I threw the book down in disgust.  It was all I could do to keep from ripping it from cover to cover.  There are other patterns and maybe one of those might, yes I said might, be of use to me.  For now I am so disgusted that I don't even want to look at this.

You know I never watch the season endings of programs as they mostly leave you hanging for weeks to months for them to come back on to catch the continued second half.  So why in the world would I want to buy a book that is continued in another book or started from another with no lead to completion in the one you have.  Criminal I say, just criminal.  I feel like I have been robbed.  NOTE:  I have to add here that it is not the ebay seller I feel cheated by, but the designer of this pattern.

So folks unless you can find the technique online, I would not advise buying the book.  Of course you might already have the other book/s and be just fine.  I myself have to think on this one.  I do not throw good money after the bad.

Last post

Can you tell I was a little tiny bit angry.  If not then let me say roaring mad.

Just updates

I still have not finished the loom knitted baby ghan I have on a double rake.  Life has its way of taking things and throwing then in the path creating huge detours in the best of plans.  So I will be working on it again and then I think I have discovered the way to do an edging that is a bit different on this piece.  

I hope to have it done soon so I can post the pattern.  It is really a nice looking afghan, and it will be great for one of the new baby's as a winter cover.  

Over the last week the only thing I have touched in the way of crafting is working on my innovations knitting machine.  I had tried a time or two to do flat panels, but failed.  Oh what a failure those were.  I had side stitches that were way too big and loops that were such a mess.  I just couldn't figure it out.

Then I started (as a result of learning a bit on the innovations machine), to learn to machine knit on my bigger machines.  So the loom knitting started me on the innovations, the innovations started me on the brother machines, and now the brother machines are bringing me full round back to things I can do on knitting looms and also how to do a flat panel on the innovations machine.

Wow, it's wonderful how one can help you learn another.  The simple trick to keeping the edges nice on the innovations machine is the same thing you do for the beginning row of machine knitting, especially in the case of something like a bond, just keep the tension tight and it will be alright.  Keep a thumb on the yarn just below the yarn guide, keeping a little sliding tension till the first needle knits and you are off an running on the row.  One more thing added to the knowledge I keep gaining.  As for the looms, well we shall see what comes about on those.

Knitting Machine Helps

So you got a knitting machine and now you are lost.  I have been there for several months.  I am learning but the process is so slow.  I have said before and will say again, I am not machine compliant.  So it is a hard long crawl down the path to machine knitting.

So towards the effort to learn I have purchase what VHS tapes and DVDs that I can to help me learn.  Most of those are even so confusing so I haven't bothered with them much.  It seems that most of them "assume" that you and your machine are already really friendly with each other and therefore what they have to say is only the next stage of learning.

So what about us who haven't hit that stage of even understanding the machine.  Are we to be left in the dust and at that point of "oh how I would love to throw this thing against the wall or out the window".  No I am if nothing but stubborn.  Mom and dad said I really was the most stubborn child they had, and they were parents to five of us.

So I plod along and I learn a bit here and a bit there.  This is nothing like all my other crafting.  I have had more mistakes and mess ups then in all the others put together.  

Then I did something I had been meaning to do for a while.  I bought another set of DVDs.  Well, first I saw a few little online videos made by the owner of a yahoo group that I joined.  She has posted a few for people to watch and they were quite excellent.  Makes you jump the bumps and sends you far ahead of the place you were stuck.  

So I finally stopped buying other things for these machines, and purchase these DVDs.  So here is a heads up.  These DVDs have very nice close ups of the techniques being taught.  They show quite well what you need to see to do the various things that you thought you would never understand.  So easy to follow and a great help with the "see it done".  I have never had to have that I need to see it before, but this machine thing is driving me crazy.

So the link to the DVDs:  Hobby Knitter.  I bought the three set and you do save some buy purchasing them all.

Disk I:
Beginning
Intro
Making a Cast On Comb
Threaded Rod
Holding yarn for Tension
Closed Casting on with WY
Casting on Different Ways
Starting out with WY and having Live Stitches
Increasing
Decreasing
Latchtool Bind Off
Mock Rib
Latch Tool Ribbing
Dropped Stitch
Worm Trim
Pie Crust Trim
Garter St on ends to stop curling
Short Rowing
SAYG (Sew As You Go)
Baby Hat - Pink - Including Picot Hem
Gathering Bind Off & Sewing up a Seam
Baby Hat - Blue
Converting a Hand Knit pattern to Machine Knit
Understanding A Pattern
Farewell

Disk II:
Basic Cable
Plaited Cable
Reverse or Horseshoe Cable
Wavy Cable
Intarsia
Fair Isle
Understanding Symbols

Disk III:
Butterfly Lace
Diamond Lace
Horizontal Zig Zag Lace
Fish Tail Lace
Candle Lace
Apple Leaf Lace

I have not viewed the disks two and three but soon.  I am still going through the first one.  I have bounced around picking up things I just have to know.

Light Bulbs

Now this one is scary.  I bought these "energy saver", "environment saver" light bulbs.  Then I read the package.  They came out of my house faster then they went in.  They might save energy,  and the environment but at what cost to my grands, children, my husband, sister, and myself, not to mention possible visitors to my home.

Light bulbs many of us like to use,  to be a thing of past, your reps are doing it again, controlling your life and putting you in danger

Watch this person talking about these bulbs and what your representatives want to do to you.  Since when do I need them telling me what kind of light I can use in my house.  Looks like I might have to buy a lot of candles in the future as I will not use those bulbs.  I will not put my family in the kind of danger that my reps are willing to.  What are they all crazy or is  it some new money scam?  When it comes to the reps in Congress, I do expect them to scam me out of as much money as they can get and boy do they get a lot.

Thank you Rep. Ted Poe of Texas for standing up for the people.  I am shocked and surprised as the reps in Oregon became traitors to the people by joining in on the bills for this green garbage stuff but very pleased to hear that not everyone in Congress has forgotten the people they "serve", yep I said serve.  I heard my choice for voting in the election state he was going to support the green bill.  Darn now I have to find someone new to vote for.  He lost the votes of four people in this house, and as of today at least five others of my family.  I know nine votes doesn't seem like a lot but sometimes it is the little things that count.

Best Buy

My bother sends me little tidbits of things to read or watch.  This one I found interesting:
Best Buy Policy

Seems if you buy from Walmart, or many other stores and you take the item back they give you your money back, if by credit card they give it back to your account.  

If you purchase from Best Buy stores, you are sort of trapped.  They have a restocking fee of at least 15%, and if you pay by cash, debit card, or check, you have to wait 10 days to get a check in the mail.  What's up with that.  They got the item for resale but you have to wait to get your money.  

Oh and if there was a rebate on the item they deduct that rebate from the price you are given back.  From what I read you do not even have to have applied for the rebate, but you loose anyway.  

So folks one more of those "buyer beware" things you should watch out for.

Table again and Bench

Well, the hubby, Shaun, says one more coat.  So there was a coat of varnish this morning and another this evening.  This one really will be the last one.   

While I was at it I did do another coat on the bench for the innovations.  It is looking so much better.  I had thought to only do the top but I put another light coating on the legs.

Wow, you should see my hands after all the sanding and varnish, not to mention the cleaning of the brush for varnishing.  They were a mess.  All that stuff dries out and cause little broken dry catchy flakes in the skin on finger tips and along the sides of thumbs and index fingers.  

I was thinking to myself, now you really don't want to touch any yarn, your fingers will just pull it to pieces.  

Then this evening I was watching the hubby "sand" his fingers.  He spent the entire morning mowing, then raking out the back ditch area.  Years ago this was a creek bed, but they blocked it off on a neighbors property and all we had was a deep hole.  When the houses were being built behind us they convinced my hubby to let them, the construction people,  put some dirt as a fill in for that ditch.  I found out and went to check out what they were doing.  I made them stop they were trying to fill the entire thing all the way up to the level of the property behind us, not good.   Shaun didn't stop to think about our rainy winters and the water build up.  The water instead of standing in the yard runs to that ditch.  What a mess it would be with out it.

So I caught them in time to stop them before they filled the entire ditch, but most was already done.   I told the guy putting dirt in the ditch no more, he argued with me.  Said my husband told him it was ok and he was going to continue.  I told him again to stop and if he didn't I would be calling for "other help".  He stopped but was not happy about it.   

For the last few years we have one spot that is deep still and all the water builds up there.  It's like a small pond when it is full.  So today the hubby while watering the trees along the edge of what was left of the creek bed, let the water build up.  Then he raked and raked to open a channel for the water to flow from the low point across.  Lots of work that was, but at the same time all the trees along that area got a really good watering today.

So here he is this evening complaining about the burs on his fingers and sanding them with 320 sand paper.  The same grade that I used on the tables.  When he was done I took that same paper and did my fingers.  Oh what a difference.  Now I would handle even some of the finest yarns I have.  I would not mind at all as my finger tips and sides of thumbs and index fingers feel so smooth.  A little bit of Corn Huskers Lotion (no oils in this) and my hands feel great.  

If you have never tried this simple lotion you are missing out.  I like the Udderly Smooth, Corn Huskers, and Sew Easy lotions.  I am not a big fan of a lot of those other expensive lotions that clog your pores and stink so bad.   No I am not a fan of colognes and perfumes, most just stink, and for a shower soap most people cringe when I say Lava, nothing better to get you clean.  I also do not like a soap that lathers me with perfumes, or oils or other junk when I just want to be clean.  I have never understood the point of washing with dirty stuff or after a shower putting the dirt back on my skin.   It's like what is wrong with just clean?  Oh well to each their own, even my girls don't understand my thinking on this one.  ROFLOL

Sorry no new pictures.  By the time I was finished the sun was behind the house and the table an bench were in the deep shade of trees and house.  Not a good setting for taking pictures.

Table continued

After several hours we checked the table.  Shaun says it needs another coat and I certainly agreed with that.  So I put another coat on it, let it sit another 15 minutes, then wiped the excess.

The table has now sat overnight and in looking at it this morning, I would say another coat is needed.  It just isn't what I want quite yet.  In a little bit I will head out to add that coat.  I don't want to do it just yet as the Shaun is going to mow the yard and that will send bits and pieces of dust, grass, and whatever flying around the yard.  That would certainly be great for a stain wet table top, Not.  ROFLOL

It is looking pretty good and soon I will be able to use it.  Sorry to say it won't be for the knitting machine.  This table is going to double as a work bench for when I have statements to work on. Then those statements I can take out in the shade and not be stuck in the house.  I hate being stuck in the house in the summer months.

Table for Knitting Machine

Various angles of the table made for knitting machine.  In the background of this one you can see a part of the garden, and the flat area being fixed up for the 24' round swimming pool that is to go up soon.


In the background of this one you can see in the upper corner the table that my hubby is fixing up.  That one is all metal.  He needs to finish painting it and then putting the top on.  He is going to use a huge block of granite as a top.  It is really pretty and the same kind of stuff they use for counter tops.


You can see a portion of the garden plot where the bell peppers are planted and the planting bag.  That one, the bag, is for the cantaloupes.



Here you can also see the table/bench set we use for the kids, mostly the kids.  This is a two section piece that can fold over to be a bench for setting, or you put two together to make a picnic bench.  The kids love it as they can all sit together, well at least for now.


This is the top of the knitting table with one coat of clear varnish.  I had been thinking about doing a reddish color, but decided to just use a clear since it has a beautiful pattern to it already and I didn't want to spoil that.  The wood is something the hubby picked up for free from a place that does cabinets.  They throw tons of this stuff away and said take as much as you want.  It is less they have to pay to have hauled away.  This picture really doesn't do justice to the beauty of this piece.



The legs are premade ones.  We picked these up at Harbor Freights in Medford.  They were $19.95 for the set.    When I was in the Medford area I picked up three sets of these legs.  


The set is as follow:
3-piece welded steel
1" tubular steel legs
Gloss black finish
Dimensions:
28 1/2" tall
24" wide
The legs have rubber stopper covers on them.  So this stand will be ok to use on our lamante floor.

The choice of table top is up to you.  This top is narrow compared to the 24" wide legs but that is ok.  It is the size I wanted it to be.  The actual wood top is 48" long by 15" wide, and is a 3/4" board in depth.  It is perfect.  When we went to the pile of wood this one popped right out at us.

I was going to do this all myself but as usual the hubby had to jump in.  He measure the ends where the legs were to go and predrilled holes.  Then installed the legs.  After that it was all up to me.  The board was in pretty good shape already so I just needed to so some light sanding and use a 320 super fine wood sandpaper to lightly go over the entire top and sides to remove any possible burs that might grab my yarns.

After sanding I used a very lightly damp cloth to remove any excess dust and let it dry thoroughly for a couple of hours.  I was not taking any chances with this.  I know it was dry enough after after about 15 minutes as there was no actual wetting of the board, and it is a very warm day outside.

Then I applied one coat of a clear stain.  I let that set for 15 minutes and wiped off the excess.  Oh stain was applied to top, sides, and slightly underneath.  Now I am waiting the time to apply a second coat of stain, maybe.  We shall see how the first looks.  If it seems to be fine then I will apply a coat of some type of wood sealer.  I cannot tell you what yet as I don't have it.  I have to take a trip to the store to see what would work the best with the stain I have and what I need it to do.

I am thinking that while I have stain and all out, I should complete the job on the stand for my innovations.  It is looking pretty sad (see a previous post) and could use a little face job on it.

UPDATE:  Oh darn I knew I was going to forget something.  These legs for the table are folding.  So when the table is not in use, I can just fold it up and store it.  Neat.

Cleaning a machine

Shaun, my husband, was on-call yesterday. He got a few calls out, most of them far out. He said it must be an out of town day.

So the last call he got was quite a ways out but he had his cat outside. Yes his cat. We have trained him to stay in the yard but from time to time if you do not keep a watch on him he will wander across the street. She, the neighbor, does not like cats.

So he asked me to "babysit" his Morty and I said I would. He has been stuck inside and he likes to sit in the sun. It was so boring that I had to find something to do and decided that this would be the time to start cleaning up that second Brother KX350 knitting machine.

It was getting toward evening but I just figured to I would remove the needle and the sponge strip. Then maybe there would be time to install the new sponge and I could get the needles cleaned.

So I removed all the needles and as they came out I realized that this was going to be a much bigger job then cleaning the first KX350. Not just a much bigger job but one that was going to take a lot of patience on my part.

You see as the needles came out I could see that some of them were coated with a sticky dark brown gunk. I didn't' realize till I took the sponge out just what this gunk was. It was the sponge strip. Now you know the sponge strip has to be really bad if the needles are coated with what is suppose to be sitting above them.

As I removed the needles I did find most to be in good working condition. That is to say they are not rusted, and only one had a bent latch. I sat that one aside. It is not good for the machine but that latch can be bent back into shape and the hubby is going to use some of these to make me a couple of those from the back latch up tools, you know the ones with the latch hook coming out sideways off a piece of wood to latch from the backside of the work.

The sponge was so bad that it completely fell to pieces when I pulled it out of the machine. You say your sponge has gone flat, but there was no way to even guess that this piece had been other then flat right from the beginning. As I pull the strip out the inside foam, what was left in there, just crumbled to pieces. The inside tabs that hold the strip in place were nasty, really, really nasty.

After the sponge was removed that machine bed was so dirty. Even the grooves where the needles sit was filled with junk. I thought at first I could use a cleaning brush from one of my other machines, (a little rectangle brush to clean fibers out of the grooves of the machine), to clean this machine. Nope that didn't work at all. That sponge from the sponge bar had been pulled by the needles right up in to those needle grooves. What a mess.

So I had to wash the plastic bed and figure out some way to clean those needle slots. You know it comes in handy being such a wide spread crafter. You have bits of this and that you can use. So pipe cleaners are something I always have hanging around. Bend these in the middle to have a firmer strand to hold on to, wet it so it collect the gunk, being sure to squeeze out the extra water (only want it damp), and go through each slot and clean the front section of the needle bed. What a messy bed this was.

Then it was install the sponge, that went fine. I learned from the last one. The needles were so gunked up that I had them setting over night in that denatured alcohol. Those I got out this evening, dried them well, check them over and set aside a total of eight with the first one that had a messed up latch. These others are ones with bits of rust on them. Like I said not a well kept machine at all.

So needles and sponge back in machine and I tested the carriage, but not before I cleaned it. Who ever had this machine must have thought when they said oil the carriage and machine that it meant dump the entire bottle of oil on them. The underside of this carriage had so much oil I had to wipe and wipe to get it off. I don't know what kind of oil they used, but it was sticky and dirt stuck to parts of it. So I had to move levers to get it all off.

A test of the carriage on the machine found that the right side N/H lever was not working right. I had to move it back and forth many times to get it loosened up. Now it seems to be working. Before it was as if it was on holding when in the N position.

Cleaned and all is not ever going to make this machine look perfect. There is a bit of yellowing on the first machines plastic bed, but this one has lots more. I managed to get some of it looking better, but there is not much that can be done for parts of it. I still have to test with yarn, but it is late and it has been a long day.

Today the hubby took down the old 18' round metal sided pool. All the bits that build up around it, weeds, plastic that was put down for it, and old things we went through that have died (toys) my sister and I trashed while the hubby started marking out the size of area for the new pool going in soon. When we checked the one pool over we knew that it was getting to old to be safe anymore. I wouldn't let my grands get in such an unsafe pool. So we will be putting up a 24' pool as soon as the ground is finished. We had the old pool inset into the ground but this new one has to be ground level. That meant hauling dirt from the back ditch (which the hubby was going to deepen for better drainage this summer, now it is done) to fill in that hole from the old pool. Wow, I didn't do but a little of the shoveling and my shoulders and back are killing me. I am just not use to this type of work anymore. I guess I should do more to keep myself in shape. LOL

So it has taken me all day to finish up this blog post. Now to spell check and publish so I can head to bed.

The contest

I have been looking through the pictures at that prettiest eyes contest and finding those that have the higher places, you know the first, through the ninth where Masons is.

I must say I am quite surprised at the ones that have higher votes. Well, somewhat, it is most likely lots of friends and family voting for them.

What I see is the highest voted photos are phony eyes. What I mean by phony is they are enhanced by lots and lots of makeup. It's too bad that the prettiest eyes, which are natural, are not getting as much votes. There is this one picture called "Blue Eyed Beauty", that is of a little one and this baby has the most beautiful eyes. Go take a look at these eyes.
Blue Eyed Beauty"

Maybe it is just me but the prettiest eyes are those that do not need unnatural enhancement to make them look pretty. If you have pretty eyes, then do not spoil them with all that makeup. It just looks awful. Sorry my opinion. (and no I do not do makeup, haven't since I was a silly young woman about 20 is when I stopped that practice).

Mason and Tanner

Mason and Tanner together. My daughter has entered this photo in a contest for the prettiest eyes. He does have pretty eyes and that photo somewhat does justice to them. Only somewhat though, if you ever see his eyes, you would soon learn he can fully make use of those beauties.



The photo contest contest is here:
Brotherly Love
This should lead you directly to Mason and Tanner, a photo my daughter, Athea, named "Brotherly Love"

Take a look at some of the other pictures. There are some very pretty eyes in this one. Oh and it you don't mind signing up or are already a member, please do consider casting a vote for the Brotherly Love picture.

"Edited to make the link clickable"
Sorry I have been having a bit of trouble with thinking lately. I found it stems from high blood sugar levels. Running over 200 is the thing that makes the brain fog up.

Machine knitted hat

So I am beginning to get a little better at this machine knitting thing. I made a hat, oh yes a simple hat (well the second hat), and it is with two colors. You might not think that a simple hat is such an accomplishment but considering that me and machines don't always see eye to eye, I think I did pretty good.

I even managed to do a seam that sort of is ok. I started at the bottom along the brim and seamed it upward toward the top of the hat. Look at the picture and you can see where I messed up at the beginning but I started to get better at the middle to the top. At least most of the color rows match up.

It's no big deal on this first hat making it look like this. It is a practice piece for me and me alone. I will set this aside with my other "wear it outside when it is cold hats" and have one more to depend on when the weather varies.



This hat is also a bit on the "too long" side. See the last rows of black that are the two rows only toward the top of the hat. That is where I will stop the next one. Another test, but the hubby likes short hats to fit under his other hats for work. He says he needs them snug so that he can wear his other hat that blocks the rain from his eyes. So I will attempt this for the next hat.

This one was a total play with it to see what happens. It is the first where I didn't use a waste cast on to do the brim. I did a machine cast on, EON, set the cast on comb, then pulled the other needles into place to finish the cast on. When I knitted twelve rows I put the bottom cast on strands from between stitches on the needles. As I said this is a total play with it to see what happens. What happens is that the stitches for the brim have a slight slant upward. Interesting but now I need to try one with out this. Nope not ready for that ribbing cuff yet.

So what I am slow learning. All my life it has been hurry to learn this, hurry to complete that, hurry, hurry, hurry. Well, now I just don't care to hurry. It will get done when it gets done and that is alright with me.

Added: I should have said the entire back seam was done with the orange yarn. It was the long strand I left to do this from the beginning cast on. I am quite happy with that orange disappearing right into the black. Next time I am going to use knitting markers to make sure that all my colors are matched a little better.

This is the stool that my hubby, Shaun, converted over to be a stand for my innovations. In this first picture you can see the hole he drilled out in the center of the stool seat and the notches for the legs to sit in.

The second picture shows the machine sitting on the stand.




That first picture shows the poor old rug in this room. Someday we really will have to replace this rug but for now it is only my crafting room and I just don't care if the rug is old and ugly.

You also get a quick look at the project on the machine right behind this innovations machine and the front of the machine it is being knitted on.  This is a Brother KH 930 machine that Jane gave to me.  It is a standard gauged knitting machine with a few built in patterns.  The one currently being done is a thread lace piece.  This is the machine that has been teaching me what not to do.  Poor thing, I have already broken two needles on it.

Brother KH210 Sinker Hooks and Needles

The Brother KH210 knitting machine does not have gate pegs. Instead it has sinker hooks and sinker needles. A rather odd looking metal piece that moves as the carriage moves across the bed of the machine. Here are two pictures that show the sinker hooks and one showing the sinker needles.

On this first picture, where my hand is at the top of the machine above the sinker hooks, are the butts of the sinker hooks.  They look just like the butts of the needles that stick up out of the bed.  So the machine has two rows of these sticking up, one to the back of the bed and one to the front.