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Garter
Carriage Bag of Tricks Demo By
Diana Sullivan Fat and Fancy Yarn I have been able to use the garter carriage for an
assortment of yarns that won’t work or are too heavy with the regular
carriage, such as heavy chenille, Lion Brand Micro Spun, Lion Brand Wooleze
Sport and Liberty Plus (worsted weight). My garter blankets were two strands
of Star; I frequently get away with using two strands of machine knitting
yarn. You could mix three thin yarns
for a tweedy, novelty effect (make sure they’re stacked or twisted to avoid
stripes). Garter
carriages vary, but they will adjust many clicks past tension ten – mine goes
to about tension 12-1/2 or so at its loosest setting. I have brought along a sample of Liberty
Plus at my g-carriage’s loosest setting and another sample of the same yarn
that is too tight and has a disappointing stiff feel. Making Gauge Swatches Knit about five rows and do a transfer for each number of
gauge. Then knit five rows. Next, push the “memo” key (plain purl) and
knit two rows. This will create a horizontal
line just before the beginning of the 40-row gauge area. Then put two point cams on needles 21 and
22 on each side. Run for 40 rows in
pattern, then two rows on “memo” and ten rows of pattern. Bind off and launder. This creates a gauge swatch that’s easily
measured and permanently marked with the tension setting. Handknitter’s Bind Off #1 Handknitters often bind off in a knit-and-purl texture with
the instruction, “knit the knits and purl the purls” or “bind off in
pattern.” The garter carriage version
of this when you’re running up to about tension 7 is to run the last row very
loose compared to the regular knitting and latch off. To loosen the tension for this row, not only do you turn
the tension wheel, loosen the upper tension by pulling out the yarn between
the machine and the take-up spring until the take-up spring is almost
straight. Handknitter’s Bind Off #2 This is the bind off I often use for any project that is on
a larger tension. It gives a smooth
edge, no holes, and doesn’t pull in too tight. Move second to end stitch to end needle (2
stitches on end needle), transfer both stitches from end needle in to second
needle. Hand knit the yarn through by
putting inside latch and pulling through, then tug a little to adjust
tension. Repeat across. It’s slow, but you do speed up with
practice and it’s the best way I’ve come up with to bind off garter carriage
work on a big tension. This is a good bind off for ribbing. Take Advantage of Reversible Stitches The garter carriage makes garter stitch (SW #537), broken
garter stitch (#467), broken ribbing (#469), 1x1 ribbing (#532), 2x2 ribbing
(#534), 3x3 ribbing (#535), 4x4 ribbing (#536), seed stitch #30, double moss
(#30 double length) and blocks (#547).
Quaker Stitch can by programmed with several rows of knit, then
several rows of purl. These stitches
are favorites of handknitters. They
have interesting properties, look alike on the front and back and are many
are usable are lie-flat trims. Machine knitters use ribbing often, but seldom use seed
stitch, which pulls in a little in both directions and makes a great
background for cables and textures. It
also makes an excellent button band or edging. Quaker stitch is an interesting stitch with a very bouncy
pull-in vertically. Handknitters use
it for many uses but many machine knitters are unfamiliar with it. Broken ribbing is a favorite background stitch for
handknitters. It’s reversible, springy
horizontally (gains and loses weight with you, grows a little with a child),
and an interesting texture. The broken
ribbing #469 can be modified by pushing the double-width key, and other
versions are available as well. Garter Stitch Garter Stitch is sturdy, is almost double thickness, lies
perfectly flat, pulls in a little vertically compared to stockinette stitch,
making an excellent cardigan edging.
It can also be mitered on the garter carriage. Mitered Edge – Garter Stitch Garter stitch two rows, end on right. Knit edge stitch on left onto ravel cord
and put needle back out of work. Knit
two rows, put next stitch on ravel cord.
Continue until 2-3 stitches remain, knit two rows, pull ravel cord up
and put regular yarn stitch back on needle.
Continue until all needles back in work. This mitered edge also works great in 1x1 ribbing. I learned it on a handknitting project, and
have used it to edge machine-knit items. 2-Stitch Buttonhole – Garter Stitch A tidy buttonhole that’s big enough for most cardigan
buttons (I like my buttonholes a little on the small side so the buttons
don’t unbutton). This is fast and
easy. Transfer stitch on left of the
two stitches to the left, needle on right to the right. Garter carriage one row. The garter carriage has put a loop of yarn
into each of the empty needles.
Transfer that loop onto a double-eyed needle, turn the needle around
once to twist the loop into an e-wrap and put it back on that needle. Do this on each loop, then hang one hook of
a lightweight on that bit of yarn, continue in garter stitch.
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