Saturday, October 27, 2018

A Ane Yard One Thousand Critical Adjustments


Standard flat-bed knitting machines are complex together with pick out a lot of moving parts.  Circular sock knitting machines chemical compound the complexity past times converting the needle bed(s) into a circular configuration.  Sock knitting machines amongst ribbers are fifty-fifty to a greater extent than confounding.  Antique Sock Knitting Machines amongst ribbers are ridiculous!

Don't Touch a Fucking Thing!

In my latest attempts at bringing Gerdy (my rear for my 1924 Circular Sock Knitting Machine) dorsum to an active life, I pick out done the following:
  • Replaced the cylinder restrict which holds inward all the needles
  • Fixed chips on the overstep of the cylinder slots
  • Verified all needles are non broken or jammed
  • Fixed a broken heel tension spring
  • Adjusted the cam lifter springs
  • Adjusted the yarn feeder (both distance from the cylinder together with summit of the feeder)
  • Oiled the needles, crank together with cylinder
  • Adjusted the run upwards length (multiple times equally this affects the guess of the knitted fabric
 All of these changes permit me to brand a elementary underground together with usage brusk row heels together with toes together with imitation rib.

With the ribber attachment I have:
  • Verified/replaced all ribber needles to brand certain all are working correctly
  • Adjusted the ribber plate summit screw
  • Adjusted the centering screw
  • Adjusted the timing screw
  • Adjusted the cylinder slot adjustment
  • Re-adjusted the yarn feeder height
After MANY re-jiggerings of each adjustment on the ribber, I tin at 1 time (sometimes) usage ribbing (knits together with purls).


As an illustration of how persnickety this machine tin be, I decided that the delivered yarn carrier head:


Should live replaced amongst a newer, to a greater extent than slow to purpose version that is made for machines similar mine:


That 1 "minor" modify took days of rejiggering, re-adjusting together with cursing to hold upwards realize that I powerfulness never live able to perish both the cylinder together with the ribber working...so I seat dorsum the sometime business office together with settled for non beingness able to take the yarn without breaking it.

I'm hopeful it volition live smoothing sailing at 1 time that everything seems to live working inward harmony...for the moment.

Current Knitting/Spinning

Droning on well-nigh my electrical current WIP, I pick out added a few inches to the ever-growing Read Between the Lines Shawl.


You'll regime annotation I pick out come upwards almost to the terminate of the kickoff 2 cakes of yarn, together with I'll live debating on what colors to laid out adding into the fray today sometime.

I also seat inward about to a greater extent than run on spinning my electrical current favorite roving.


I'm thinking well-nigh triple plying these singles into what volition likely terminate upwards beingness a DK or light-worsted weight yarn, having individual dye it for me, together with and thus making a sweater or a vest amongst it.  I know it doesn't expect similar much right now, but inward my mind, that is a photograph of a magnificent garment.

Knit Illusions


I've looked at knits from upside down, from within out, as well as withal somehow, it's yarn's illusions I cry back (sorry Joni).

Illusion Knitting - Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Thing?

Using the advance search characteristic on Ravelry patterns, in that place are over 800 patterns listed that role the Illusion or Shadow knitting technique.  And I don't hateful pattern designs similar tumbling blocks that convey a 3-d effect:


I'm talking virtually garter run upward alongside embedded non-garter ridge sections that demo upward solely when you lot await a the cloth from a sure as shooting perspective.  Similar to my electrical flow WIP:


Years ago, I tried doing 1 of these Illusion Knitting patterns, but I constitute that keeping rails of the hidden pattern as well as when to purl versus knit was a painful process.  My electrical flow pattern is slow to follow given that it's inwards 10 run upward increments, but fifty-fifty that took a piece to burn downwards into my brain.

I'm thinking that this gratuitous pattern on Ravelry mightiness but endure worth the effort...no?






I dearest the comment inwards the pattern description (which is no longer true, but withal funny):

 "In the truthful spirit of the Trump administration, this has non been examination knit. Sad!"

I'd endure interested to necessitate heed virtually folks that role Illusion/Shadow knitting a lot...especially to brand hidden pictures. 

Current Knitting

My electrical flow foray into Illusion/Shadow Knitting is making steady progress.


Looks similar I withal convey virtually xvi inches to go!

I've also been persistent alongside my attempts at getting practiced alongside the Gearhart CSM.  I had an exciting breakthrough alongside it yesterday when I was able to do a 3x1 sock, including the heel alongside virtually no hiccups.




I'm screwed upward shaping the toe as well as I'm dissatisfied alongside how big the circumference of the human foot is, as well as therefore I'll endure pulling this out as well as re-doing it, but I'm thrilled alongside my progress...at to the lowest degree for today.

Officially - A Cranker



There comes a fourth dimension when a sure enough sum of science together with confidence is acquired where I tin at in 1 trial consider myself to move a cranker...or person that makes socks on a CSKM.

Skills Inventory

Having worked inwards Human Resource systems all my career, I drib dead along thinking that a skills inventory listing should move created for those who desire to move certified every bit a cranker.


I experience similar a babe alongside my skills...both that I'm non really proficient at using the machine together with yet my cognition grows incredibly quickly.

Years agone when I commencement acquired Gerty, the resources available were sparse.  There wasn't a broad together with varied population of experienced CSKM users, thousands of on-line forums, YouTube video tutorials, CSKM meet-ups, etc.  It was fifty-fifty difficult/impossible to abide by replacement latch needles for either the 2 cylinders together with 2 ribber plates I own.

Today, however, it is MUCH easier to acquire information, larn a technique or acquire questions answered.  And finding supplies to help acquire an antique CSKM upward together with working is elementary compared to what it used to be.

Don't acquire me wrong...I soundless brand a lot of mistakes...some that I tin fix, together with others that require me to unwind an entire sock together with re-knit it.  I also run into problems that I never would get got envisioned (for instance, how to bind off the transcend cuff of a cuff-to-toe sock that's done inwards ribbing...using waste product yarn to start the transcend of a cuff is VERY dissimilar than casting on a hand-knit sock...who knew!).  So I soundless get got a lot to learn, together with I soundless demand a lot to a greater extent than experience earlier CSKM sock knitting is flawless together with easy.

But despite that, I consider myself to move a CSKM Cranker.

Current Knitting

I get got done minimal run on the Read Between the Lines Shawl, together with honestly, I'm hating it.  The knitting is fine...I actually abhor the colorway together with I am simply looking to acquire this projection finished.

Someone asked inwards comments what I excogitation to accuse for this shawl, together with I actually get got no idea.  I volition in all likelihood position a toll on it depression plenty then that person wants it despite the ugly colorway.  But we'll see.

I've also completed iii socks (not iii pairs...three socks)...one span of 1x3 ribbed socks together with a 3rd sock using 1x1 ribbing.




All of them are done using Trekking XXL yarn together with Cascade sock yarn for the toe together with heel.  That end sock took me virtually an hr to brand inwards total...including laid up, sock knitting together with finishing afterwards.  I'm getting faster together with faster are cranking out socks.

Gotta Light?



Sometimes when a knitting projection is drudgery, I require a calorie-free at the halt of the proverbial tunnel to proceed me going.

What's Next?

I require to throw myself into a sweater projection that I volition actually enjoy...but I won't outset it until I convey finished the Read Between the Lines Shawl.

I started going through my stash to come across what yarns I had a sweater's worth of yarn as well as stopped afterwards photographing ix options.

Briar Rose Wistful - Alpaca Merino Silk Worsted

Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool

Foster Farms Romney Wensleydale Sport

Indigodragonfly MCN Sport - Merino Cashmere Nylon

KFI Cashmerino

Lana Grossa Royal Tweed

Madeline Tosh Merino Cashmere Nylon Fingering

Powder River Alpaca Merino Worsted

Wensleydale Longwool
I know that y'all don't know what these yarns experience like, only I'd similar weblog readers to vote on which yarn I purpose to outset my adjacent sweater project.  Please vote for 1 or to a greater extent than yarns that you'd almost prefer to come across me use.




Friday, October 26, 2018

Indie Dyers Appreciation Day


Recently, y'all may bring noticed QueerJoe spider web log entries bring been coming out almost Mondays, Wednesdays in addition to Fridays...but this by Fri I was likewise busy.

I Don't Know How They Do It

Local neighbor, knitter in addition to friend Michael, has been focusing lately on quilting in addition to dyeing cotton wool fabrics...in fact he's doing a lot of pre-work for 1 of his dyeing workshops that seems similar an insane amount of work...but he's incredibly talented at it.




It turns out he had a lot of his mixed dyes left over from about of his exercises, in addition to then he invited me over to dye yarn the concluding brace of days.

Sounded similar a lot of fun, in addition to then I gathered upwards a bunch of my natural handspun...wound it all into hanks in addition to tied it off to produce it for dye baths, in addition to went to locomote inward Michael's workshop.


The results of my locomote are straightaway hanging to dry.


One of my favorites is a stuff "blank" I made amongst my handspun.


I can't expect to unknit it in addition to reknit it to run across how the colors stripe and/or pool.  I also loved a hank of Optim Merino I had from Commonwealth of Australia which I spun upwards dorsum inward 2011.


Don't larn me wrong...I'll never locomote a Suzanne Nelson, or I'll never locomote asked to locomote at Indigo Dragonfly, in addition to truth locomote told, I don't intend I would e'er locomote difficult working plenty to desire to locomote for either...but it was an incredibly educational in addition to fun experiment.

Blog Readers Accept Spoken



Thanks to all who weighed inwards on which yarn I should role for my side yesteryear side sweater project...with the survey, comments as well as e-mails, at that topographic point were nigh 100 votes...and...

The Winner is Clear

While it's definitely non what I expected, spider web log readers bring made it clear:

Thanks to all who weighed inwards on which yarn I should role for my side yesteryear side sweater projection Blog Readers Have Spoken 
 
There were a few other votes inwards comments (3 of which were too for Silky Wool), as well as a few via e-mail...none of the other votes rhythm out out Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool.
 
So despite all my fourth dimension dyeing wool as well as playing amongst my CSM, I bring started a novel projection amongst the Silky Wool.
 

Current Knitting

First of all, I did halt upwards finishing the Read Between the Lines Shawl...kind of.



The shawl was supposed to bring been 150 centimeters as well as I solely went to 120, simply I don't intend I could bring kept working on this.

And hither is the showtime of the novel cardigan project.


The orangey yarn at the bottom volition hold upwards inwards the lower within of the folded hem edging, as well as hence y'all won't hold upwards able to run into that unless the sweater is unbuttoned.  There is too a band of diagonal traveling stitches on each side of the button-band.


This motif volition hold upwards repeated going upwards the oculus of the sleeve...other than that, at that topographic point won't hold upwards much item to the sweater...oh...except for pockets as well as a contrary stockinette broad rolled collar.  At to the lowest degree that's what I'm envisioning correct now.

A Bold Deed Inward Knit Publishing!


For years, Principles of Knitting has been touted as the ultimate resources guide for novel too experienced knitters.

OVERTAKEN!

There are many first-class too comprehensive guides on answering every possible interrogation a mortal could cause got virtually knitting...tools, techniques, history, yarns, notions, etc.  When I establish a re-create of the master copy "Principles of Knitting" past times June Hemmons Hiatt inward a used mass shop for $7, I couldn't cause got been to a greater extent than thrilled...it was a highly sought-after mass until it was republished inward 2012. 

Vogue Knitting was ever an first-class guide to recommend to knitters as well.  Honestly, it was ever as as adept as POK, but ever seemed to play minute fiddle.

Until now...


Vogue Knitting: The Ultimate Knitting Book has no larn the most highly recommended knitting resources of all the major compendiums.

In this most recent update, they cause got done the most amazing thing...the went through every give-and-take of the older version, deciding on what was worth keeping.  And for those outdated, unnecessary sections, they either updated them to include the most recent information, or they eliminated it.

Their bold claim of existence "The Ultimate Knitting Book" is non simply a claim...they really cause got done all the move necessary to brand this the electrical current winner.

Some examples of updates:
  • Extensive review of yarn gauges inward words, WPI too photos too recommended needle sizes that makes sense
  • Publication of the "Standard Yarn Weights" (which I hate, btw, but instantly at that topographic point is a comparing of a useful nautical chart amongst the newfangled standards existence widely published)
  • Update on tools to reverberate what is available today
  • A techniques department that focuses on former standards as good as electrical current interests
  • A fully updated cross-referencing betwixt sections (which must cause got taken months of effort)
  • Color-coded page sections that popular off far slow to abide by topics easily

All-in-all, they made changes to this publication that I never fifty-fifty knew I wanted, but volition shortly larn invaluable.  They cause got really educate the criterion for consummate knitting guides that others volition involve to contain if they desire to compete inward whatever agency amongst VK:TUKB.

Suffice it to say, fifty-fifty if y'all cause got other knitting books inward your library, this is ane that should survive at that topographic point too...even if you're a vastly experienced knitter.  They fifty-fifty cause got a painting demo tutorial on how to exercise the cross-stitch blueprint from my Koigu Cross Stitch Scarf!

Current Knitting

So far, I'm quite pleased amongst both the yarn that Blog readers chose for my electrical current WIP too the progress I'm making


In add-on to adding a few to a greater extent than inches to the trunk of the cardigan, I cause got also started to tack downwards the hem lining, too I've installed pockets...the start ane is finished.


I withal cause got to complete tacking downwards the hem lining too complete the other pocket...but I'm pleased amongst how it's all going then far.
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