ScanNCut Design to Cutter

In this part I'm going to discuss the way I like to transfer ideas to finished card. EDITED WHEN I FOUND A EASIER WAY. - 4 AUG 19.

In Brenda's generator - the instructions say to use the letter X or x and the dash -  and I found it worked for me in a .txt file. It doesn't say, but the Word didn't load. Nor did Excel.

What I found what that the letter X or x and the letter O or o (not zero) worked just as well in the making the SVG file and much, much better with how I like to work. EDIT, Thanks to Fransico for telling me how to take the tab formatting out of the notepad, so I leave the dash in.

Righto. I start with excel set for all ideas/designs to
column width = 2
row height = 12, or less if you like
first row numbered and locked. But it's not to scale.

Then I like to colour the either the x or - for some, or the row colour for multicolour jacquard.

When I'm happy, with it, I SAVE it.

Then expand the design for a couple of repeats, across and down. This certainly takes care of any oopsies that I can undo and correct, then do the repeats again. Best to be sure.
when I'm happy undo the expansions and save.

Then I take off all the fill colours to no fill and while I've got it all highlighted, copy the entire design. I also take note the the row count - it varies.

SKIP THIS AND GO DIRECTLY TO NOTEPAD,  (I've left it in, just in case it doesn't work)

Open Word and paste in and click the top lefthand corner cross icon thingy to highlight the entire table,
Select Table Layout and right at the end is
CONVERT TO TEXT click that and say yes to TAB
then go to HOME
and on the far right (again) is REPLACE, click that
in the bottom of the box is MORE, click that
then SPECIAL and select TAB CHARACTER
leave the REPLACE empty, we don't want any information.
select REPLACE ALL

Then I usually select save them all as TEMP or if I think I want to refine it, I might save it individually, but really it's usefulness is over.

Then select ALL (Ctrl+A)

Open NOTEPAD
HIGHLIGHT any blank TAB formatting
Select EDIT, REPLACE, and paste in formatting - it will be blank, don't worry,
REPLACE ALL
and SAVE as a .TXT file, usually with row count and D (Deco) J (Jac).

I tried saving from Word as a txt file, and as I said up above - didn't work. Using the dash - character was so helpful that word converted some of them into either an M or N dash - ggggrrr. I'm glad I forgot to convert to the dash from the letter o and it worked.

Open up the generator,
SELECT the TXT file, and the card type (deco, 24st etc)
and the repeat is THE NUMBER OF TOTAL ROW repeats, Usually one or two, sometimes I'll do a double check and do 3 or 4 to see how it lines up, then go back and do 1 or 2 repeats.
and SAVE, again with the row count, D, J or SK, identifier and if I need it, LGE MAT for all designs that need the large mat. I found saving useful identifiers was more than essential and super helpful.

Then open up the ScanNCut software, IMPORT from the computer, SAVE

I've got a good selection of OUTER cuts for most of the row counts now. so if I have it already, I delete the outside cuts, sprockets, upper and lower joining rows. - they are already in the xxRow OUTER CUT templates.

Now for the annoying part. The cutter will only cut up to 600 holes, so I cut half off - save as CUT 1, undo, delete off the other half and save ad CUT 2.

Sometimes it's under the 600 cuts and will do it all in one go, usually the smaller rows, but mostly it's painless to get it cut in three steps.
CUT 1
CUT 2
xxRow OUTER template.

The cutting takes around 30 - 45 minutes, depending on how many rows and holes I want.

Once it goes onto the cutter, it just cuts away while I do something else, probably a minutes to get the machine to do all the cuts.

I had a good tip to remove the cut holes from the mat with an old credit card - I used an old store loyalty card and that did make it easier. Just press very lightly to position the paper onto the LOW TACK mat. The first couple I pressed down far too firmly and it was very difficult to remove the very stuck down remains. This takes a 5-10 minutes. If I've done too good a job at sticking them to the mat, the instructions say to clean the mat with alcohol, dye, etc free baby wipes. A couple of wipes over, remove all the overly stuck bits of paper, let the mat dry and put it's dust cover on.

Reading all that, it seems like a lot to do, but it really isn't. The excel spreadsheet takes the longest time, but is helpful to me, I like the visual and takes the longest time. Plopping it into Word, do a couple of clicks to convert it and paste it into Notepad, save it, isn't hard and takes minutes. Of course playing around in Excel takes the time it takes, sometimes I think of something better, and I'm sure it's easier to fiddle around there, so when converting the idea to the card is painless.

Brother ScanNCut CM900 Die Cutter/Scanner (Passap Deco Cards)

I finally unpacked the box. And decided to make a Passap Deco card.

The machine is marketed for quilting, scrapbooking and card making. And has a lot of features to enhance these types of projects and I'm looking forward to attempting some card making. But I wanted to cut some punchcards.. Of course!

Now this has to be remembered. The function and design of the machine is to cut out a shape to keep and discard the outer part. With the Deco, there's the outer discard and hundreds of little circles that have stuck to the mat. Which is not designed for this!!!

The A3 has to be have the longest edge cut down 11.5cm to fit in the designated square on the mat. Instructions specifically say not to go over the markings, so I cut the excess off.

First project I decided to do is a Passap Deco card from Fay's class. I couldn't get all the cuts in one go, too many small cuts, and after experiments I made some Templates:
pen markings - arrow and 8th row marker
blade cutting holes - outer ratchet holes, card snap holes and 3 rows of holes each end.
blade cutting holes - inside template of all pattern holes for future projects. (marker for each square isn't possible)

I liked the 210gsm best for a card I'd use more than once.
210gsm on std mat, 3.5 blade didn't cut through all layers
210gsm on std mat, 5 blade cut through, (4, 4.5 didn't)
Low tack mat didn't hold properly, first try, but patting it down did. The quality of the board is better than the 120gsm and the std held it well. Gently patted it down so it was all stuck down.

120gsm on std mat, 3,5 blade and tore as I was removing it.

120gsm on low tack mat 3.75 blade. Much better result. I didn't pat it down all over, fearing that it would tear and next time a light smooth over the surface will be much better. This is perfect for a once off project, its only 20 minutes to make one in thicker card stock. I think would go through the deco once, the quality of the stock I bought isn't great, The better quality is about 10 times the price and maybe I will have to get some. If it goes through the deco once, then not.

Experimenting to get the best result has been a good two days spent - doing the templates and working out what the machine can and can't do. The accuracy of the cutting is outstanding, and once I got the hang of the (limited) program to edit the projects, the three templates are ready to go. One for printing, Two for cutting the outside border and removing unwanted holes for the pattern. It didn't want to know about cutting and printing on the same file.

After cutting is finished, I lightly pressed over to stick the punched out holes to the board. I didn't with the thinner paper, thinking that it would tear. But the low tack would have been fine.


I don't think its worth the bother of trying to make blank cards, while it's on the machine, might just as well cut the desired pattern. AND the small holes for every square is a bridge too far for the machine to do with ink or blade and it spat the dummy and said nuh, can't do.

When I get more familiar with it, I'll branch out and cut holes in a bought card.. Another day.


My next experiments were with cards that had more holes. The machine is capable of 600 individual actions. (draw or cut)

Card: 210gsm
Blade: No 5
Low tack mat

I decided to reduce the number of rows to over the 36 rows (which I think will be a very tight fit and perhaps not a good idea with using card stock), to I settled for 40 rows, and 800 individual pattern cuts.

One was the 4x4 holes/blanks every 2 rows.
The 8sts x 8 rs Card 77.

Both had 800 pattern holes plus 3 rows each end and ratchet and cardsnap holes.
I'd already worked out that doing the edge cuts was a better idea and kept it.
I tried two divisions,  half on the x axis and half on the y.

Both worked out perfectly, and cutting in halves not a hassle.

LC2 Cotton Shopping Bag

The drawing is the size of the Franklins bag. Franklins hasn't been a supermarket for a couple of years and the bag is starting it make it's own holes. Time to make a new one out of some of the very, very large stash I have of several things suitable.

T7 on LC2:
lace pattern: 20S=14cm 50R=20cm max stretch.
but work on 18S/10cm, 50R/14cm work on this.

stst is standard 28st/ 30R/10cm

Bag - Set up
Card 1 locked on any row.
side levers forward
L55/R54
L 12 sts on edge for the top
R 20 sts on edge for the base
300 RC plus the 4 plain rows throughout.
6 repeats of the basic pattern.

Basic pattern throughout, however I did mitres join on the base.
2 rows RC000
6 orange edge pins on the left - I ended up relatching after trying a couple of different thing.
10 orange edge pins on the right
left side lever back
50 RC
left side lever forward
4RC (54 RC)
left side lever back and wind back to either RC000 or 50.

MITRE JOIN IDEA
Knit the 2 rows and set machine to start the first 50 RC.
On the right hand 20 plain stitches:
dec 1 st every 2nd row, I used the three prong tool
15 times, 30 rows
then I put bobby pins into every 2nd edge that I wanted to pick up. This makes it easier to pick up the correct row, it gets lost in the knitting and I always pick up the wrong stitch on the side and have to undo the whole mess.



















Once that's done, pick up the first one immediately and knit it off, if I didn't it jammed up and i dropped a stitch, I kept a good grip on it until I could put a weight on it, when I didn't, I dropped a stitch that I didn't pick up ..

So while that's all going on, don't forget to stop at RC50 and do the 4 plain rows.
the middle mitre:
start on RC98
and the 2 middle stitches will fall in the middle of the 4 rows after 150 ie, RC 152.
Then do another one the other side, there's a photo of it.

After that second turn, I used SAYG to join up the first part of the base,
then RC 248 do the final mitre, but it's easy to see, the base is finished.

Straps done on the Passap
8/8 !:1 rib T3/3 300RC.
I decided to join them at the quarter and three quarter mark on the top.

Hybrid Yoke Jumper Working Notes HK/MK

Using Washed Haze:
T6 19st/26R = 10cm for stst parts
4.5mm for yoke.

10ply:
aprrox 292 sts total for yoke
approx 63/64 rows high

Red: 87, (-6,-6), 60, (-6,-6) 8/75/8, (-6,-6), 60 = 294
four extra rows before starting with 1R K, 2R P.

8ply, for the Sapphire Melody:
??not proven??
aprox 340 I like the 40st but that's 320/280..
#183 is 40st rpt, 68 rows high. there's 3 sts gutter between,  if it was 4, then total would be 344.
approx 80 rows high, so that would work out with the extra 3 stitches in the gutter. in

yoke jumper = yoke from Japanese Knitting Stitch Bible
All these are nice
174 = 20sts = 300 sts 66 rows high
176 = 26sts = 286 sts 62 rows high - red done June
182 = 26sts = 286 sts 60 rows high
178 = 15sts = 300 sts 66 rows high

Short row front idea was modified from the Phyllo Jumper instructions. Aiming for row height is 63/64 plus cast off row.

**Yoke Prep:**
Look at how many plain rows before starting the yoke and do them on the machine and ALLOW 1 st each end each piece for seaming up these sections. (they are around 300 each round, so are worth doing on the machine) I think it would look better too, no slight change in the machine/hand knit join.

Work out how many decreases to do in those prep rows to hit the correct number for the repeats.

Remember a decrease each edge is 8 sts, (The Red one, I didn't decrease on the front sides, )
Three needle bind off makes 4 sts extra.
                                                     
Knit rounds on 4.5mm needles,

DO ALL THIS ON THE MACHINE:
Rnd 1: DEC 1 sts adjacent to armhole join
Rnd 2: knit
Rnd 3 & 4 rpt 1 & 2
286 sts

MARK OUT THE REPEATS, Starting with the CENTRE FRONT while the work is on the machine.

begin chart. STRAIGHT OFF THE MACHINE.
176 = 26stsx11rpts = 286 sts and 62 rows

10 sts repeat remain- possibly do 3tog at the centre of each of the sets would be 6 sts x 11 repeats
check with the pink Phyllo.

Purl 2 rounds to match the start then cast off.

This is the Red WH numbers.
Back
CO 99
20 row relatched hem  111.111.111 = divide by 4 less 1sts.
-> RC46
-1 eee 6R x 4
-> RC76
+1 eee 6R x 4
-> 130RC
NEXT TIME: MARK OUT REPEATS
-6 eee 2R x 2 = 87sts

Front as for back to
->117RC 12/75/12
*(but should have been 119RC, if is a little too high, then go to 22sts and do and extra SR set of 2 sts per SR.)*

SR to 20sts each end, decreasing by 2 sts ev 2 rows to 16sts

*less 2 each 2R x 3 more times 128RC (was 126)
SR the other side 12 down to 6sts (128RC)
knit two (DID 4) rows across all sts RC 106 RC total on sides.*

-6 eee 2R x  2 = 87sts
MARK OUT REPREATS, STARING WITH CENTRE FRONT. Everything else fits in around this.

Sleeves
CO 39 sts
20 rows relatched 111.111.111
+1 on the short side 40sts
+1 eee 6R to 72 sts
-> 130 RC
-6 eee 2R x 2  = 60sts

Yoke:

did four rounds with decreases before commencing pattern, 

87, (-6,-6), 60, (-6,-6) 8/75/8, (-6,-6), 60 = 294

3D Garter Bar For My Brother 7mm KX350 Plastic Bed Midgauge Machine

smooth side

I recently decided to get a garter bar for my KX350 7mm machine. And found that Kris has discontinued her 7mm range, but an Internet search found a place that is now making 3D 20 prong ones. It looks like the company started in the Netherlands and now has a New York facility. Good news, so I decided to buy them.

rough underside

Now this is the product description and I think it is important to read it because they are supplied as described:

_______________________________________________

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

This is a 20 Needle / Tine 7mm Garter Bar: (40 needle version is available in this store) A garter bar is used on a knitting machine to remove the knitted fabric from the needles, turn it around, and replace the knitted fabric back on the needles.    The ability to do this for an entire section of fabric (not just one needle) is necessary for garter stitches, and some lace patterns and cables.  It can also be used if you have a need to temporarily remove a project from the machine. It fits 7mm machines. It can be purchased in sections of either 20 or 40 needles or tines.  Purchase the number of sections as you need, depending on the number of needles in your typical project.   Any number of sections can be used.  The sections fit together and should be secured together using a piece of 1/4” threaded rod with nuts and washers on the ends.  Threaded rod is inexpensive and can be purchased at a hardware store.  The rod should be cut to the length of the assembled garter bars, with enough room to add a nut and washer at each end.  Note that this just needs to hold them together for convenience, it doesn’t need to be tight. The material default for printing this is “White Polished”. Without the “Polished”, the surface of the material is slightly rough.  If you find that your yarn still doesn’t slide easily on and off the garter bar, spray it with several coats of a glossy clear coat spray available at craft and hardware stores.  This will help smooth the surface even more.

________________________________________

Emery paper 99cents. metal rod $2.50

They have arrived, It is important not to
whinge about the underside being rough, they are and I've highlighted the bit that says that.

So off I went to Bunnings to buy some fine emery paper and a metal bar. Was tricky finding the bar, it was hidden in the very bottom slot and that was the hardest part.

This is what I needed to buy (or in the case of my nail polish - raid). They were right, $2.50 for a metal bar was cheap, but the emery paper was cheaper:

Underside with nail polish - this is three coats

It didn't take long to run the nail file along the underside and any of the prongs with rough edges then the fine emery. Here is a pretty good photo of the underside after I've sanded it and put three coats of nail varnish.

Here are the other four, drying their nail polish

OK now to see how three coats go. There are grooves both sides, which means there's no right or wrong side - this is good. I tried both smooth up or down and I didn't notice much difference. I used some thin cotton to see how it goes - on T2...

What I thought worked better:

• use the single prong tool move the stitches onto the prongs in roughly a straight line. 
• take off the edge claw weights
• don't pull the stitches all the way back - there isn't a groove to put the tips of the needles into

The stitches are captured perfectly over the 20 needles

It works as advertised

So how did I like using them? Most definitely quicker and easier than relatching, even though I only had one 20 needle one dry and ready to try out.

Next - how did it go with all of them threaded onto their rod:

collected the stitches, but missed a few, which is pretty normal for me

Ready to come off the needles. I caught a couple of the prongs taking it off. will experiment with the best way to do that.

The caught prongs created a lot of dropped stitches

All the needles captured. Run finger over the prongs to find any missed. Just pop them on

Pull all the stitches forward to close the latches

As soon as all the latches are closed, pull the stitches onto the prongs

I hope you can see where I popped the rulers in both photos

The bars are flexible and it took several goes to get it to collect most of them.

I pushed the loops on the prongs into a line with the wooden ruler

I put the selector ruler and a wooden ruler between the prongs and the needles

Here it is all done and dusted 100 sts flipped every four rows

Well I do like them, so much better than nothing.

My technique is to

• open all the latches
• attach the bar.
• pull the work all the way along but only to close the latches
• once all the latches are closed, pull the work onto the prongs
• I used a ruler to align the stitches in a row (don't pull them all the way to the end)
• I wrapped the yarn around the end of the bar
• take work off the machine
• as the needles are in hold, set carriage to hold and move it to the other side, this also opens the latches, take it off hold
• align up the prongs with the needle tips. I wiggled it just a tiny bit to get all the tips into the slots
• the bar is flat on the top of the needles - almost flat against them
• gently press along the length of the bar to collect the loops above the grooves
• pull the bar away from the work (see photos) and pop any loops that missed the needles
• if here are too many missed, take it off the machine again and repeat (this is why I popped a couple of pegs to keep any of the work away from the needle tips).
• now this is only because the prongs are flexible, whereas the metal prongs aren't
• to stop the bar tips catching in the needles, I placed a selector ruler and a standard wooden ruler into the space between the prongs and the needles.
• remove the pegs on the bar, if used.
• then pull down at an angle, I'd guess about 45 deg, underneath between the needles and the sinker plate.
• put the work back against the machine, rethread the yarn, making sure it doesn't wrap around the rubber wheels
• keep knitting, turning as you require. 

The metal rod worked well. I used a rubber band one end and a peg at the other, to hold them into place.

Remember to take off the claw weights. I used some pegs to LOOSELY hold the work out of the way along the bar. Not tight, that didn't work.

The prongs ARE grabby, rough, not smooth like the metal garter bars, that's for sure. However, It's not such a terrible thing. The stitches don't squirm all over the prongs and stay where they are put. I did have to put a few onto to needles after turning the work, but I also have to do that with the metal ones and because they hold on, it's better, I think.

So, am I happy with them? Yes. Did I find them rough? Yes but not too bad after three coats of nail varnish. I don't think it's necessary to have a slippery high polish after all. I won't be putting another couple of coats on. I like that they don't slip off the bar like I have had on the metal bars.

And like the regular metal garter bars I've used before, they will take a bit of practice to proficient at using them. but after an afternoon I managed really well on the last one. I'm sure that the next project I have for them will be just fine.

Knitting Cotton with my Lace Carriage

I'm writing a bit about knitting lace with cotton so I thought I might as well blog it too.

I use commercial 4ply cotton, mostly from Bendigo Woollen Mills and other sources as well. I was surprised to learn “it was hard”.  Noone told me that before I started. A good thing I think.

I’ll start with the obvious. Cotton has no give, not a lot of memory and doesn’t want to bend or perhaps loop well within the needles. The more transfers in the row with a lot of stitches in work means problems with transfers.

There’s a little bit of difference between the KH lace makers and the SK’s LC 1 or 2. The brother lace carriage transfers all the stitches with the lace carriage and then two rows are knitted with the main carriage and will do fine lace. Whereas the SK’s LC is a separate complete carriage and either knit and transfers in the same row (called simple lace) or with the flipping of a lever and removal of yarn, works the same as the KH’s method – transfers all then flip the lever back, yarn back in and knit two rows. This is fully fashioned lace.

I prefer to use the LC2 lace carriage (on my SK280) simple lace for cotton lace work. I think this method best suits cotton. I’ve found the more transfers in the same row, the more opportunity for the stitches at the beginning of the row to jump off needles.  The fully fashioned method has more opportunity to slip off the needles after the stitches are transferred multiple times before being knitted off. Although some people say the angle of the ribber clamps works better, I didn't note any difference between having the main bed flat or on an angle.

Next is the logistics of getting your cotton lace project made with as few dropped stitches as possible. First thing is to make sure you have a really good sponge/retainer bar. A must. Next is to bring out all the needles that are planned to be used. I hope you can see from the photo.

If a needle has a bent shaft or tip. the stitches will not transfer correctly and drop. It’s far easier to replace them. It really is. If you pinch them together you will see – one way will transfer, but the next time you ask it to transfer the opposite direction, no luck, stitch drops.

Next on the list is weights. I know, I know some people don’t use them. Well they probably don’t knit cotton lace either, because for lace, we need them. Lovely even weight evenly across all stitches to ensure they  transfer correctly, knit off and stay put.

And the yarn. It must not have ANY KNOTS, breaks in the yarn HAVE to be on the sides, I’m sorry, but knots create havoc.

On that long row – a lot of transfers in the same row on a wide piece, I always run my thumb along the needle butts. I can feel the transfers that have not gone to plan as the needle doesn’t go back all the way to same place as its neighbour, the stitch hasn’t formed correctly, so I flip the yarn off the needle, check the transfer, fix if need be, and reknit. If I don’t, this one will drop next row, whether it is knitted or not. 

It never hurts to have really good light and check the row has knitted correctly. I usually do this at the same time I’m running my thumb across the needle butts. It adds a little bit of time to the project, but the bonus is no dropped stitches, no jammed carriages. After a couple of repeats of the pattern it becomes pretty clear where the transferring is a big ask in cotton. And the less dropped stitches the quicker the work is off the machine and on to the next project.

I’ve done hand transfers on 8ply cotton blend, excellent, but again, nice even, firm weights are essential to keeping the stitches on the needles. And it only took me an afternoon to do the front panels, pretty quick really.

Intarsia Carriage notes

For the Ravellenics this year I decided to get the intarsia carriage out and learn to use it. I like to find something new to try out. Previously it's been a project I've always wanted to find time to do, punch some more cards and so on, but this is time for the intarsia!

Prep stuff:

• First thing run the carriage across the beds ONCE ONLY before the first row.
• I decided to go from L to R - 1st colour, cross 2nd colour in front of 1st, cross third etc. so it goes the way of the carriage and the next row the same 1st, cross 2nd, cross 3rd.

Kniting stuff

I tried a couple of different ways of holding the yarns, but in the end I held them all together about 25-ish cm below the centre, firmly in one hand and allow them to run though my fingers

Things to look out for

• all latches much be OPEN
• yarn MUST lay on top of the flat latches
• make sure the END needle is covered
• make sure the crosses cover adjacent needles OR
• don't miss a needle when positioning yarns
• always cross even if at an angle
• use weights evenly across the work
• check to make sure that all needles have knitted, sometimes they don't

I'll add some photos tomorrow and anything else I want to add.