Archive of Thread: I need HELP please! Long post ahead… Back

1 year ago
You all have been very patient with me with my posts. I hope you won’t mind a few more questions. You’re very experienced machine knitters & I’m new here. I apologize for the long post:

1) When I go to cast on I follow the manual’s instructions. Put working needles in D position. Move empty carriage from right to left, then left to right. Needles are now in B position. Push every other needle to A position. Thread carriage in #1 position. Hold yarn tail & push carriage from right to left. Why is it only some needles catch the yarn? Are some of my needles not in the open position & if so, why?

2) Adding a new color yarn: Main yarn was threaded through right side tension rod area into carriage. I cut the tail. My carriage is now on the left. I thread my tension rod on the left side with the new color yarn. Put new color yarn in carriage. Moved carriage from left to right while holding tail. All my work on the needles fell off! What did I do wrong? Maybe I didn’t put my new yarn through the carriage correctly (position 1) or didn’t carry the yarn under the carriage correctly (towards the right)? Can you add a second yarn with the carriage on the left (with second yarn fed throughout left tension rod area)?

Whew! Thank you all for your help 😀 LINDA 

1 year ago
Linda,
I can hear lots of other knitters saying ..."been there ... done that" ðŸ˜„

[QUOTE username=Linda Faye Goncher  Linda Faye Goncher userid=9082061 postid=1333481520]

1) When I go to cast on I follow the manual’s instructions. Put working needles in D position. Move empty carriage from right to left, then left to right. Needles are now in B position. Push every other needle to A position. Thread carriage in #1 position. Hold yarn tail & push carriage from right to left. Why is it only some needles catch the yarn? Are some of my needles not in the open position & if so, why?

Are you saying random needles in "B" do not knit?  Is your tension too tight?

Needles in "A" will not knit, no matter what your carriage settings.


2) Adding a new color yarn: Main yarn was threaded through right side tension rod area into carriage. I cut the tail. My carriage is now on the left. I thread my tension rod on the left side with the new color yarn. Put new color yarn in carriage. Moved carriage from left to right while holding tail. All my work on the needles fell off! What did I do wrong? Maybe I didn’t put my new yarn through the carriage correctly (position 1) or didn’t carry the yarn under the carriage correctly (towards the right)? Can you add a second yarn with the carriage on the left (with second yarn fed throughout left tension rod area)?

More than likely, you didn't have the yarn threaded in the carriage completely.  When threading your carriage, be sure to "wiggle" the new yarn up and down to make sure it's secure in the feeder.  Sometimes you can feel if it's "hung up" and isn't going to knit, resulting in the work dropping from the machine.

Normally you change colors on the right ... is there a reason you wanted to add the new color on the left?
By changing colors on the same side each time, you keep any tails and strands carried up one side and keep the opposite side neat (and easier to seam)



LINDA [/QUOTE]

1 year ago

Hi Sue!

1) Every other needle that is in B position did not knit (every other needle is in A position - just like you said, aren’t suppose to knit).

2) I should be changing colors on the right. As a hand knitter, that’s how I do it 😀. I don’t think the new yarn was in the carriage correctly  (Slot 1).

1 year ago
Ok.  If the needles in B position aren't knitting, please check your carriage settings.
Make sure your side levers are back to the triangle position.

Triangle means needles in B WILL knit 
Circle means needles in B WILL NOT knit (slip)

I find that sometimes these mysteriously move "on their own"   and get out of positionðŸ˜?

Also, if the tension is too tight, or the yarn is caught up, the yarn won't loop over the needles.

1 year ago
Wow, Sue, from across the miles & without a photo from me (sorry about that!) you hit the nail on the head! I was previously practicing/playing with the side levels (watching videos) - no wonder the needles didn’t catch the loops. Also, yes, I think my carriage tension is too tight for the #4 worsted weight acrylic yarn I’m using (have it set to 5). My yarn wasn’t caught up at least 😀. There is definitely a learning curve for this longtime hand knitter.

Linda