Machine Knitting

I decided to try doing stranded work on the LK150. I had somewhat mixed results. The first swatch showed me I'm still learning the technique. The tricky bit of trial and error is the keeping the trial going with all of the errors. 

I was pretty sure the tension was too tight so I changed that to prevent the dropped stitches. It got better but it still dropped some stitches. This try was much better. I'll have to keep working at it but I think this might not be the best yarn for this project. It is still fun to try. 

If you want to see what this pattern looks like successfully knit, check out this post over at The Interior of My Brain: A Knitting and Fiber Arts Blog.

Tools and supplies (affiliate links):

Fiskars 7 Inch Softgrip Student Scissors (snipping yarn)

Silver Reed LK150

Knitting Claw Weights

Stanwood Needlecraft Large Yarn Ball Winder

Metal Spring Clamps

Machine Knitting

I picked up some of this cute yarn at the local big box store to knit a few hats. First, I knit a swatch at what I figured were the right settings on the LK150. I like the resulting fabric so I did some  stich counting, measurements, math, and cast on. 

I used instructions I'd seen on the Machine Knitting Beginners and Returners Circle to make the crown of the hat in four sections.. I only dropped a single section when working. I had failed to load the yarn in the carriage. 

I sewed it up and it came out okay (even after I dropped stitches and had to pick them back up. The only problem was that it was too small. More of a child's size. 

I promptly cast on another one. This time, I dropped stitches, again, and picked them up, again. I guess I need to be more careful when putting the yarn back into the carriage. I haven't sewn the second one up, but I have so many new ideas about crown shaping from this project.

Have you learned any new knitting techniques? Machine knitting, or hand knitting.

Tools and supplies (affiliate links):

Fiskars 7 Inch Softgrip Student Scissors (snipping yarn)Silver Reed LK150

Knitting Claw Weights

Stanwood Needlecraft Large Yarn Ball Winder

Metal Spring Clamps

Machine Knitting

I picked up some of these Red Heart yarns at a discount store. 

I grabbed this bright yellow to make up a hat on the LK150.

While this yarn is a worsted, the content makes it a really stiff yarn. I think I knitted it at too small a gauge. 

I mean, it looks fin here, but this is definitely sized for a baby. I'll give it another go with some adjusted settings. I want it to work. And if it doesn't work? Well, I can always crochet a hat. 

Tools and supplies (affiliate links):

Fiskars 7 Inch Softgrip Student Scissors (snipping yarn)
5 Pieces 5 Different Size Bent Latch Hook Crochet Needle Hook
addi Express Hook

Silver Reed LK150

Knitting Claw Weights

Stanwood Needlecraft Large Yarn Ball Winder

Knitting: Dotted Rays

I think I made it to the final wedge. I know it doesn't look like much all scrunched up like this but I'm not changing my needle. 

Tools and supplies (affiliate links):

Fiskars 7 Inch Softgrip Student Scissors (snipping yarn)

Stanwood Needlecraft Large Yarn Ball Winder

Knitting: Dotted Rays

Progress is slower. Still fun. 

Tools and supplies (affiliate links):

Fiskars 7 Inch Softgrip Student Scissors (snipping yarn)

Stanwood Needlecraft Large Yarn Ball Winder

Knitting: Dotted Rays

A couple more wedges completed.

I shifted to working from both balls or yarn so could keep the color changes from narrowing. I really like how it is working up. This is the part where it starts to take a long time to knit each wedge. 

Tools and supplies (affiliate links):

Fiskars 7 Inch Softgrip Student Scissors (snipping yarn)

Stanwood Needlecraft Large Yarn Ball Winder

Knitting: Dotted Rays

A friend gave me this fun yarn from Knit Picks a few years ago. I was going away for a weekend and wanted a hand project to take along.

I used my winder to make some fresh cakes and picked a color order. 

The pattern I decided to use is Dotted Rays by Stephen West. I find this shawl to be perfect for those times when my hands need something to do but I don't want to really think about it.

I did the first couple wedges in this orange. 

Then, switched to the rainbow yarn at the orange. 

Each color change is a delight. 

Tools and supplies (affiliate links):

Fiskars 7 Inch Softgrip Student Scissors (snipping yarn)

Stanwood Needlecraft Large Yarn Ball Winder

Machine Knitting

Remember this project I was working on last week? Well... 

I made it about halfway through before things went pear-shaped. Meaning, I incorrectly estimated the amount of yarn I had available. I incorrectly transferred a stitch. And then I dropped too many stitches to recover from the miscalculations. 

This project taught me a few things. I learned I like to look of this lace pattern much more than I like hand-manipulating the stitches to make the lace. I may try slip-stitch designs next. 

I also learned that while there is a bunch of yarn in a Caron Skinny Cake there isn't as much as I thought. I knit the project off the machine and need to wind it back up so I can try something new. Don't think that just because a project doesn't come out the way you wanted that it was a failure. This wasn't a a failure. It was a learning experience. Being an adult learner isn't easy but can be so rewarding. Go, make things. Make things. Make mistakes. Just make. 

Tools and supplies (affiliate links):

Fiskars 7 Inch Softgrip Student Scissors (snipping yarn)
5 Pieces 5 Different Size Bent Latch Hook Crochet Needle Hook
addi Express Hook

Silver Reed LK150

Knitting Claw Weights

Stanwood Needlecraft Large Yarn Ball Winder

Machine Knitting

I decided it was time to get the LK150 out and knit something. I grabbed this Caron Skinny Cake and the knitting machine.

I recently discovered KnitFactoryImpl on YouTube (YouTube link). They have some great machine knitting videos. This shawl design was intriguing so I'm giving it a try. So far it's going well. I'm excited about the short row knitting to come. 

Tools and supplies (affiliate links):

Fiskars 7 Inch Softgrip Student Scissors (snipping yarn)
5 Pieces 5 Different Size Bent Latch Hook Crochet Needle Hook
addi Express Hook

Silver Reed LK150

Knitting Claw Weights

Stanwood Needlecraft Large Yarn Ball Winder

Machine Knitting

A friend of min had some Lion Brand Mandala she no longer wanted. She gave it to me and I decided to turn it into hats. This is what it looked like on the machine before I started the decreases for the top of the hat. 

This photo, and the next, are more for me than you. Tension can be a tricky thing for a machine knitter. This is my tension setting on the yarn mast. I almost never change it. I just set it there and leave it alone. 

What I do change, is the stitch length selector. This gives me a big change when forming stitches. This is the setting I use for the body of the hat. I use a slightly smaller setting (4) for the brim. 

Here is an adult hat next to one of the baby hats I've been making. I think these came out great! I'll have to make a stack. 

Tools and supplies (affiliate links):

Fiskars 7 Inch Softgrip Student Scissors (snipping yarn)
5 Pieces 5 Different Size Bent Latch Hook Crochet Needle Hook
addi Express Hook

Silver Reed LK150

Knitting Claw Weights

Stanwood Needlecraft Large Yarn Ball Winder4

Machine Knitting

Last week I did some machine knitting. I knit up baby hats in yellow. 

I knit up hats in gray. I knit them up in gray and yellow. 

I used up the last of my baby yarn on these nine hats. Such a great little project.

Tools and supplies (affiliate links):

Fiskars 7 Inch Softgrip Student Scissors (snipping yarn)
5 Pieces 5 Different Size Bent Latch Hook Crochet Needle Hook
addi Express Hook

Silver Reed LK150

Knitting Claw Weights

Stanwood Needlecraft Large Yarn Ball Winder

Charity Knitting

I set up my knitting machine this week and managed to make three little newborn hats. These are quick little projects. 

Tools and supplies (affiliate links):

Fiskars 7 Inch Softgrip Student Scissors (snipping yarn)
5 Pieces 5 Different Size Bent Latch Hook Crochet Needle Hook
addi Express Hook

Silver Reed LK150

Knitting Claw Weights

Stanwood Needlecraft Large Yarn Ball Winder

Machine Knitting: LK150

Look what I bought!

After borrowing my friend's LK150 knitting machine I decided to buy my own. 

This machine is really a great way to get into machine knitting. This is what it comes with. Machine and carriage, row counter, yarn mast, comb weights, and more. Everything you need to get started. 

Stitch transfer tools, spare needles, claw weights, ravel cord, latching tool, clamps, machine oil. 

I added in some clamps and more claw weights. Now, I'm ready to get back to knitting tiny hats. 

Tools and supplies (affiliate links):

Fiskars 7 Inch Softgrip Student Scissors (snipping yarn)
5 Pieces 5 Different Size Bent Latch Hook Crochet Needle Hook
addi Express Hook

Silver Reed LK150

Knitting Claw Weights

Stanwood Needlecraft Large Yarn Ball Winder

Heavy Duty Metal Spring Clamps 10 Pieces

Felted Slippers

I have this collection of blue yarn perfect for felting. 

I used the LK150 and a video tutorial to make some more slippers

I finished them what seems like ages ago but I didn't wash them to felt them up until recently. Here is how they compare to my earlier experiments. Felting is not very precise and more of an experiment each time I do it. 

They came out great! I still have yarn that will felt so expect to see more of these. 

Tools and supplies (affiliate links):

Fiskars 7 Inch Softgrip Student Scissors (snipping yarn)
5 Pieces 5 Different Size Bent Latch Hook Crochet Needle Hook
addi Express Hook

Knitting claw weights (5 each)

Silver Reed LK150

Machine Knitting

More charity baby hats!

Hats are quick projects that can make you feel like you've done something great. 

I had ten to drop off with Annapolis Quilts for Kids last Saturday. This is the machine I borrowed from a friend. I like machine knitting enough I've decided to buy my own LK 150 so I can keep making these charity hats. 

Tools and supplies (affiliate links):

Fiskars 7 Inch Softgrip Student Scissors (snipping yarn)
5 Pieces 5 Different Size Bent Latch Hook Crochet Needle Hook
addi Express Hook

Silver Reed LK150

Knitting Claw Weights

Stanwood Needlecraft Large Yarn Ball Winder

Machine Knitting

Last week end I pulled out the LK150 and knit up some more baby hats for charity. 

These little hats work up quickly, with the knitting taking about 30 minutes for each hat. I then spend another 10-15 minutes seaming them. These will be headed to Annapolis Quilts for Kids.

Tools and supplies (affiliate links):

Fiskars 7 Inch Softgrip Student Scissors (snipping yarn)
5 Pieces 5 Different Size Bent Latch Hook Crochet Needle Hook
addi Express Hook

Silver Reed LK150

Stanwood Needlecraft Large Yarn Ball Winder

Cranky Socks

Sometimes you just gotta knit. 

Activ yarn with solid heels and toes. A relatively quick knit. 

Pairs of socks knit in 2022: 18

Tools and supplies (affiliate links):

Knitter's Pride Aqua Sock Blockers, Medium

Fiskars 7 Inch Softgrip Student Scissors (snipping yarn)
5 Pieces 5 Different Size Bent Latch Hook Crochet Needle Hook (picking up dropped stitches)
Cable Clamp PRO Cable Management 4 Pack (used in place of weight buckle)
Brightech Lightview Pro Flex - Hands Free, Magnifying Glass Desk Lamp for Close Work (lens removed)
Zibra PB100LZR Grip-n-Glide 1-Inch Round Trim Paint Brush (to clean lint/dust from machine)
24 Pack Metal Rectangular Empty Hinged Tins (hold extra machine needles)
addi Express Hook (picking up dropped stitches, hanging setup bonnet, finishing missed stitches)
Do4U Drinking Home Office Table Desk Side Huge Clip (I use it to hold the ball/cake of yarn while I crank but it could hold your drink, too)
BLACK+DECKER WM225-A Portable Project Center and Vise (this is my machine stand, slightly modified for a larger work surface)

RuMe Bags Baggie All (Aspen) (to hold my hand-finishing supplies: yarn needle, needle threader, scissors, Kitchener directions, stitch markers, etc)