machine-knitting pages

I'm interested in buying a knitting machine. I would really like to visit a few sites that can show the different things you can do with them. I find very little info at the sites that sell them. For example if you had an afgan pattern that was say K1 *yo k6 (slip 2 tog as if to knit, k1, p2sso), k6, yo, k 1; rep from

*. Then purl the whole next row. That's the whole afgan. Could a knitting machine do that pattern? I'm wondering if the Bond USM with the attachments would be good to start. But I don't like the idea of a plastic carriage. I'm also thinking that if I'm going to be doing it from now on I ought to begin by getting better quality basics and adding attacments later. To begin with all I want to do is make some afgans and sweaters. Later I can worry about intarsia etc. Should I hold out for another month so I can afford the Silver Reid LK-150?

Thanks in advance

Daniel

Reply to
Daniel
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Daniel,

Check out the Knitting Today website forums. Go to

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and click on Forums, then Machine Knitting. They deal in both Bond and LK-150, and the service is great. Also,
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will give youan idea on what weight yarns each different Bond machine takes.The Bond does speed up the knitting process greatly, and gives a veryuniform stitch once you get past the learning curve: sometimes people pickit up right away, and other times it takes a while for the light to dawn.The ISM/USM Bonds are 8mm machines, while the Silver Reed LK-150 is a 6.5mmmachine. I have Bonds, and also a Brother electronic(4.5mm) machine, whichare very different, and don't know how the Silver Reeds work. As to your question about the lace pattern you posted, I think someone on the Bond forum can answer you better than I, but I believe that it can be done on the Bond with a good bit of hand manipulation, i.e., moving stitches sideways in groups, leaving an empty needle in working position to make the yarn overs, pulling one stitch through another for the psso stitches, etc. Once you see how a machine actually creates the fabric(and remember that you are always looking at the purl side), it isn't too hard to figure out what you need to do to recreate handknitted stitches.

HTH, Carey in MA

Reply to
Carey N.

Daniel, I am pretty sure that an expensive knitting machine like a Passap, can do very complex patterns. Helen should be able to answers your question in more detail. I would advice you to go into a good store, where the sales lady can show you how the machine works. Try different brands. There are also many good knitting machine groups about. Maybe there is one in your area, go visit and ask questions. Fall Fairs are just around the corner. I know that here on the Island we have a group of machine knitters, they are always happy to answer any questions as well as demonstrate how things work on different machines.

Good luck

Els

Reply to
Els van Dam

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