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Wednesday 23 November 2016

Punch lace revisited

A while ago I wrote about various applications for the Punch Lace setting on the Singer/Studio/Knitmaster/Silver Reed machines (Thread Lace on Brother machines). I like the textures I can knit using this setting.
Now my previous post reproduced a chart explaining the relationship between the holes on punchcards and knitting on the various settings on those 24 stitch repeat punchcard machines. Just one problem - no mention of Punch Lace! So here is the key to add in,
Punch Lace:  Punched hole; Needle knits yarn in thread mouth B. Unpunched; Needle knits yarn in thread mouths A & B.
I like the non-lacy applications of the Punch Lace setting, and I like projects where I can set up, then just knit to and fro without worrying about edge stability or anything else that might need intervention.  So to have a selvedge of stitches knitted with both yarns in a punch lace project, I need blank columns on the punchcard. Here's one I punched out last week.


 Card 1, with the centre 2 columns left blank.

It is possible to blank out the unwanted holes with sticky tape if you prefer to adapt a standard Card 1.

Project on the machine, showing textural stripes where the blank columns govern the knit.



Wrapped around Janet, showing the translucent fabric with textured stripes.

After knitting the fabric was washed vigorously, tumbled dried, then steam blocked. This was the finishing process to release the fibres from the spinning oils, and to full the Alpaca slightly. Any later laundering will be a much gentler process.

Detail showing the 2/60 Alpaca/silk (Yarn Mouth B) side of the fabric


Detail showing the 2/28 Alpaca (Yarn Mouth A) side of the fabric

More detail can be found in my Ravelry project notes