At Last! Karen Howland's Book - Cut To The Fit

After searching the internet for months, asking questions on various lists, even writing to Threads magazine to get her last known email address, I finally got a copy of Karen Howland’s book – Cut to The fit on Ebay!!

It arrived yesterday, and I can’t wait to get going on doing her draft. By all accounts, it’s supposed to be very easy and very good; most people get a very good fit on first try. I have always appreciated her fitting tips when she wrote for Threads, I found her tips to be very concise and clear. The book is accompanied by a mini scale, which takes care of all the calculations.

I have Pattern Master Boutique and I also use CADTERNS, which are wonderful programs, but I am would like to know of other methods. So, this will be another try on finding a good method.

It’s a pencil and paper method, but I am going to try and draft it on the computer. I am going to use my friend as guinea pig, and will write more about my experiences.
The biggest challenge I find in drafting is taking accurate measurements. I have had them taken by my husband, sister, and even a professional seamstress, but it’s hard to emphasize the need for accuracy to non-sewers and even to non-drafters :).

Ribbing Test on Brother KH/KR-230

I got my sponge bars today ($40 later, yikes!!), and did some ribbing tests on the machine. The first test was not good, the ribber was definitely out of alignment, so I made some adjustments, thanks to Anne Croucher's very excellent Brother ribber adjustment notes on the Yahoo Knittingmachine group. Test two was also not good, because I forgot to put in the Pressers (the strippers). Test three went very well, and you can see my results in the photo. It ribs beautifully, the knitting is smooth and beds are sturdy. I used Bernat's Lana for my test.

A few things I learnt, the pressers (strippers) are very important and work very well!! I even knitted without weights, just with the comb in, and everything went well, but I am not sure if I can get away with doing this in fancy yarns, i.e boucle. Edge weights are a must during main bed kntiting, as the end needles tend not to knit off, but then again, I use edge weights for all my knitting on all models of machines.

I am not sure how accurate the yarn and tension guide in the manual is, as I am sure yarn standards have changed since then, according to the guide, worsted is considered very thick, and a tension of 5~8 is recommended, I found 3.75~4 to be best for SS and 3 for the ribbing, 5 produced a very loose fabric.

All in all, a great little machine! For it's basic workings, age and simplicity, it's fabulous!

My Other New Acquisition - Brother KH-230

When I got my Brother KH-900, this Brother KH-230 was included in the package. At first, I wasn't sure if I wanted it, it's a much older Brother bulky machine, it's very basic, no patterning system, no weaving brushes, a very interesting looking tension mast etc. It comes with a ribber, and is complete, so I thought to myself, why don't I just clean it up and see how it works.

So, I did that last night and this morning I set it up. I haven't been able to "really" knit on it as yet, because both sponge bars have to be replaced (the one thing I intensely dislike about Japanese machines).

However, I have an old sponge bar, that still has some life in it, so I put in and did some simple SS knitting. Well, I am very pleasantly surprised, it knits beautifully!! The carriage is so smooth and light, and zips across the bed, the stitches are nice, and even the strange looking tension mast works very well. More results will be reavealed later, when I put in the new sponge bars and I try doing some ribbing. The ribber will need some adjustment, but I was expecting this (another thing I don't like about Japanese machines).

The one very unique thing about this machine and ribber is, it has a "stripper" type system (see photos), much like the Passap stripper system, and it works the same way! Although, unlike the Passap, one still has to use weights on this machine, but I can see it being very useful for fancy and difficult yarns. I am not sure why Brother decided to abandon this in future machines, instead of expanding and improving it.

This afternoon I had a long and hard think, I have been thinking of getting a KH-260, but I am not really a big fan of heavy pattern and texture on heavier weights of yarn, I feel they make too bulky a fabric. So, I have decided that the KH-230 will suit my present needs quite adequately, I am keeping it and will use it to knit up all my worsted and aran weights :).
After all it can do normal ribbing, of course. In addition, it can do English rib, Swung English rib, racking patterns etc. It also has built-in intarsia, and can do hand manipulated tuck and slip stiches, what more can I ask for, from a basic machine?

My Latest Acquisition - Brother KH-900

I have always wondered about Brother knitting machines, and after hearing so many good things about them, I began feeling left out!
I asked a few weeks ago, and received very abundantly, a Brother Electroknit KH-900! I picked it up yesterday from my very lovely and dear friends in Montreal.
The machine is in perfect condition, and other than needing the usual dusting, cleaning and a change of sponge bar, it is just lovely! It comes with everything, including a lace carriage (which wasn't standard with the 900).
After cleaning up, I knitted a tuck stitch pattern (built-in pattern No. 2), it it such a lovely machine to use, the carriage is unbelievably smooth!!!! I just can't believe how beautifully it glides across the bed (just like my Superba does). I love how the patterning needles come out to D position, this is really a wonderful feature and I can see it working beautifully for knitweaving by hand (the second method in the manual, of laying the yarn over the needles and knitting back).

I also tried lace knitting, and all I can say is WOW!! It is mindblowing how easily and beautifully it knits lace, the lace carriage is smooth while tranferring, you can barely feel the transfers. I cannot believe it, I have had this machine for less than 2 days, and I have already knitted lace patterns.

In the Japanese range of machines, Singer/Studio is the only brand I have ever used, and now the Brother, and I have to say very honestly, I much prefer the Brother, it has some very neat features and I really like the way it knits. I am converted!