Sunday, May 12, 2013

Little bit on Hand Tooling Lace

I've just finished two jumpers with the same panel but one with 3 and the other with 4 repeats of the panel.

Humboldt Raglan - minus the raglan!

 First I make a template of the pattern I'm repeating, here I've marked the edges and centres of each panel by putting a piece of cardboard onto the needle bed and putting in the pencil marks on it.


Another really good idea is to mark the bed with a waterproof pencil, but I can't find my one and only - so cardboard and pencil it was:



The first three transfers were the same,  so I bring the needles forward that are to be transferred on those first three repeats - transfer, 3 x to the right; 3 x to the left, knit two rows:

Then I do the same for the rest of the pattern, I found bringing the needles out to be transferred to be the quickest and easiest way to get it done. If you have to start second guessing which is this one is the right one, it slows everything down and makes the whole process very tiring. So... put the template down, bring the needles out, (check the line up) transfer, knit.

Here is a nice close up of the lace pattern. For this one, at the end of the pattern is two rows of reverse stocking stitch. I used the put the latch tool two stitches down, pull down, relatch, reattach, pull out to hold, do the next one. Again, working quickly and steadily gets it done, using the machine's settings to help keep track of which has been done - so there's no second guessing and no mental exhaustion from doing that over and over again. That's the real trick. Do the prep, and keep working at a steady pace and take short breaks to refresh the mind and stretch the legs.