Trip to Silver Needles, Hamilton, North Is, NZ

My kind of souvenirs.

I bought the Kathleen Kinder book and the two fair isle punchcard packs.

The Seminar notes has contributions from all of the NZ regions, some are revisiting of past notes and some new ideas. The Workshop Notes is what you take into the classes. The tutors got a "Tutor" ribbon and a nice knitted garland to wear. The organisers, judge, and committee etc, all had ribbons so it was easy to see an organiser if there was a problem, for instance.Also in the mix was a lovely hand made Thank You card for the two classes I gave on my felted slippers from MKMOct15..

I had the most wonderful time. I took seven classes along with the two I presented. There was something new to learn in every classes. All tutors are members of NZMKers, The attendees seemed to be interested in my tutorial and the 7-prong Bulky tool was inspected by everyone (so I couldn't use it!!) Both classes.

On the way back to the airport, we stopped at the Merino Story shop in Huntley.  We has mornos overlooking the thermal power station, and had the most wonderful time inspecting all the knitwear therein. We decided we could make most of the stuff and I did actually BUY something (a stuffed sheep for the boyo arriving next December) Found an excellent way to use up some beads on gloves and we went away inspired!!

Next year is in Invercargill - southern end of the South Island - next stop South Pole.  In June. There will be snow. And I'm looking forward to it, well not the cold, but most definitely the company.

Things to do with making knee socks on a Bro Bulky

My brother wants some knee length thick socks. I have a borrowed Bulky KH230+ribber and some 12ply.

12ply:
Pin Co 56 sts
cuff = 24 rows T6. Relatch
Leg: T5 RC60 -2 ev 4R to 40sts, RC116 → to 224RC
Rotate before 225 BACK to MB. (no hold on ribber)
Heel: wrap down to 6, then back. RC000
Feet: T5 to RC 66
Toe: every: 3rd round x 2; 2nd x 3; 1 x to 8 sts.

First pair I did I handknitted the cuff. I didn't want to have a seam down the back. This was OK, but I thought I'd try to see if I could knit circular and drop down relatch, how hard would that be?

First experiment was to knit them at T3, -2MT, which wasy way too tight, I tried T6, +1MT,  OK, but T5 on the last two pair worked the best.

CSM Working Notes

Bonnet on EON on cylinder.
WY for a couple of rows
TWO weights for Cyl only
AT LEAST THREE weights for ribber.

Bonnet and Buckle placement:
Pinch bonnet so the buckle goes sideways from front to back, in line with where the centre of the heel will go. This makes placement of the centre heel weight so much easier.

Ribber Weighting.
The ribber post interferes with the correct knitting off of all stitches on that side of the machine when the ribber is attached (NOT when using cylinder only), at least three weights is needed on the buckle to force the stitches to be correctly knitted off around the post. And as the buckle is lined up on the edge near the post - make sure it's FIRMLY in place so maximum benefit of the weight if placed, right where it's needed the most.


Experiments:
prefect toe up
8ply EON
"Scotch" heel

** INCOMPLETE** photos for me so I don't forget what worked best and more notes to follow

The Modern Victoria Automatic Knitter (aka CSM)

My friend and I went halvies in a Circular Sock Machine. It has been refurbished and it my turn to have at it. and here it is:

Owen has already made us a "bonnet" which is like a cast on rag.

So this afternoon, youtube and I will be exploring the possibilities... I'll come back later and put in some photos of how it went.

Update:
I've had a good much around with it. Tried out a few different experiments. I did try out the toe up version, but. I have to say I kitchener stitch a seam closed faster than I rehang the other side of the toe.

I did pick up one dropped stitch for the practice. it was not moving up the weights. I also did some 4.5 4 and 3.5 stitch sizes on the tube. I also tried putting the needles onto the ribber mechanism. Well that didn't work! so next experiment will be top down.

Photo includes dropped stitches not picked up.

MKM Oct 15 Article on How I Make Felted Slippers

... has now been published in Machine Knitting Monthly, Oct 2015

Which is very thrilling for me and I'd like to thank my friend Bev for suggesting it and Anne Smith of MKM for publishing.

I hope anyone getting the mag likes the article. Here are my daughter Anthea and her friend April drinking hot chocolate and wearing their slippers.

Working on adding photos and explaining my working notes...

First edit 7 Jan 17.

Anthea’s Bloom Purple + some of April’s pinks 

April’s Murano 47 Pinks and Vine 
Kris’ Vine, Hydrangea and Shoal - that she sent.

Anth and Kris about the same size (Oz size 9 = Ladies Large), (Ash - 4 rows less in foot, Oz size 7 = Med) all widths the same. 
SK155 T6 
SK155 T8 - fair isle upper.

Punched the cards - 12st repeats. - from the Chunky pattern book - Kris’ is from book 4 with the lady in blue with the lace tie.

make the inner sole: Ev 4th row EON alternating slip stitch: 
C026 WY, 1 row MY working short row from the middle 8/12/8. 
K (56) 60 rows 
short rows to 12, take it off ready to graft onto outer sole.

CO 61 (1 for join) T8 - cuff 1:1 EON slip st 4th row once 
knit 2 rows, pick up loops from slip st EON 
T9 - join together 1 row. 
Divide up 13,4,26,4,14 (= +1 for join) 
take off 26 - for front 4 + 4 onto bobby pins put 13-1=13 24 
join inner sole and work short rows out. - joining loops from slip stitches ev 4th row EON. 
change to heel colour short row down to 7/12/7 or 6/14/6 depending on how pointy the toes are. 
Change to under sole colour 
knit (56) 60 rows, picking up both the stitches on bobby pins and the inner sole. (for the first 10 rows). 
short rows to 14 (Anth 12), attach the end of the inner sole, continue graduations back out to 26sts, 
T8 start fair isle, contrast in Feeder B 
join to both sole pieces SAYG to end. 
but leave the opposite end needle in hold and knit both threads manually. 
Graft (kitchener) to cuff. 
secure and weave in ends.

Chunky/Bulky SK155 Felted Slippers

I'm making three felted slippers on my lastestly bought machine my MissTake SK155. I should start off by saying there's a lot easier ways of making felted slippers. doubling the yarn for the sole and fairisle on the upper is nice and KrisKrafter has a very popular pattern for her way of doing them, and they are much easier than the slip stitch sandwich sole that my family like best.

So, these are how I make mine, each to their own as they say, but when I want to make another pair, my notes are all ready for me to read up and knit.

I'm editing the pattern, it will be back soon.

MissTake aka SK155

What happens when ebay says.. ooohh you liked this KX350? you've looked at it twice, how about looking at this? It was an SK155 bulky machine - with $80 freight to Oz - from California - so I put in the minimum bid. thinking - no way am I going to get this, but, but $80 all the way from California?? really?  I couldn't get it sent to the other side of Sydney for 80 bucks. So I put in the bid.

Well the next week I was unpacking the jolly thing in my loungeroom. How did this happen? I do not know. LOTS of people said, Why didn't I tell them I got one so cheaply on ebay?? And I said - where was your bid???? less than $500 oz dollars landed on my loungeroom floor packed in Hanna Montana Christmas paper? Honestly I kid you not, several rolls of it and.. where were all the other bids? huh?

So I have MissTake a beautiful SK155 9mm chunky/bulky metal knitting machine only needed a new sponge no rust, no yuk on the needles, just as Mary Poppins as can be - practically perfect in every way.

I thought she would like her photo in here somewhere so here she is:

 and we made a sleeve in Bendigo 10ply Shetland

then the rest of it, which turned out like this: