Mid-guage questions
Sharon Vogt
questions and I apologize for the length - so much to figure out! If
any one can help I would be very appreciative. I plan to visit
dealers, but want some basic info under my belt first:
(1) As far as I can tell, my only mid-guage machine options are:
* Studio LK150 (manual, plastic, no ribber)
* Brother XK350 (manual, plastic, no ribber)
* Silver Reed SK160 (manual, metal double-bed) (same as SK860, but
w/o electronics)
* Silver Reed SK860 (electronic, metal double-bed)
* Artisan GE63-70 (manual, metal double-bed, no ribber "yet")
(2) Can anyone comment on the durability/lifetime/frequency-of-repair
of the plastic machines vs the metal?
(3) What is the difference between a ribber and a garter carriage? As
I understand it, a garter carriage does knit and purl in the same row.
In handknitting, depending on the repeat pattern, that could be a
rib. This is very confusing to me.
(4) Intarsia: The SK860 "includes intarsia", but also has an intarsia
carriage available as an option. Why? What are the limitations of
the built-in intarsia and the features of the additional carriage (am
assuming has something to do with number of yarns)? How can I find
out the features of each of the different intarsia carriages for the
different machines? (would like to do more colour work)
(5) Can you do knit/purl stitch patterns AND intarsia in the same row?
(6) The LK150 has a fair isle carriage. Do the others have this
option?
(7) What is KM life like without a ribber? (I'm assuming that it was
left off the LK150,etc, to make them cheaper) What limitations do you
have? I'm assuming you can't do ribbed trim or rib patterns unless
you hand-manipulate the individual purl stitches in some way. How
fiddle-y/time-consuming is this?
(8) If I used the same yarn, same tension and the same stitch, would
there be any difference in the fabric produced by any of the above
KMs?
(9) One person I spoke to encouraged me to consider a punch-card bulky
instead, saying that if I upgraded an SK160 with electronics and then
the electronics blew, I would be back to manual machine - any feedback
on this?
(10) Is anyone using the GE63-70? Any feedback?
(11) How much should I be able to expect from dealer in the way of
demos? I thought I'd like to see the same stitch pattern done on a
couple machines (something that includes YO, purl and decreases). Is
there anything else (or something better) that would help point out
the differences in the way machines produce fabric?
I would love to hear from any users of mid-guage machines with
recommendations/warnings.
If this is too basic for your discussion group, you can reply directly
at slv...@att.com.
PS- Thanks to Roni Knutson, Mary Toft and many others for helpful
websites!!
Sharon Vogt
Roni Knutson
(1) Mid-guage options. Yes, I think those are your options although there
is a slight difference in gauges, Brother KX 350 is 7mm rather than 6.5mm.
I've not used an Artisan but have had reports of inferior quality, so check
carefully.
(2) Durability etc. Well, steel beds are always going to last longer and
wear better but it also depends on how you use your machine and how much.
If you are careful a plastic bed will last a long time. I have an LK 150
that I've had for years and have not damaged in anyway, but I have seen an
LK150 with a broken piece where a broom hit the front of the machine and
snapped off one of the dividers between the needles. I like my LK150 but I
must admit that I miss the metal sinker posts on the steel bed machines when
casting off.
(3) I have a garter carriage on my Brother 930 and a ribber. The garter
carriage is very nice but sloooow! Yes, a garter carriage does knit and
purl in the same row and yes, this could be rib and quite often knitters do
use it for rib but I personally would knit the rib with my ribber and start
the garter carriage after the rib to save time. Only Brother machines have
garter carriages and unless I am mistaken only 4.5 machines not 6.5
machines.
(4) I do not have any information that says the SK860 has built-in
intarsia, only the SK160. A separate intarsia carriage is needed for the
SK860. These are usually very simple carriages that bring the needles
forward to C position for you to lay the yarn over, knits them down and
bring them back to C position. Intarsia is picture knitting - remember
argyle socks? no strands across the back of the work. Yarns are simply
twisted where they meet to avoid a hole. The SK160 carriage does stocking
stitch, intarsia, plating and slip and has holding and slipping levers to
make it easy to manually knit selected patterns in tuck, fairisle, slip and
weaving. You have to buy a new carriage, the KC860 electronic carriage and
EC1 to convert your machine into the equivalent of the SK860 (then you would
use your old carriage when doing intarsia).
(5) Yes, you can do knit/purl stitch patterns and intarsia in the same row
but only by hand tooling, as far as I know.
(6) Fair-isle carriages. Can't speak for the Brother KX350 - over to all
you Brother dealers and owners. SK160 and SK860 answered above. Don't know
about the Artisan. I have done fairisle on the LK150 without a fairisle
carriage using slip and it really isn't as slow as one might think.
(7) I personally love my ribbers but hand tooling ribbing on a 6.5 mm
machine is not as fiddly or time consuming as on a 4.5mm machine, although I
wouldn't want to knit a whole garment in rib (I just don't have that kind of
time available). The alternative is to knit the sweater on the machine and
then sit down, put your feet up and knit the hems and cuffs afterwards by
hand. Also, there are lots of alternative type hems you can do that don't
involve rib. And finally, a lot depends on the kind of garments you want to
turn out. If you are planning to make pretty conventional sweaters (ribbed
hems and cuffs) then you can probably managed without a ribber. If on the
other hand you want to do skinny type rib sweaters etc., prefer double bed
material for your sweaters etc., then you definitely need a ribber.
(8) Not having tried this I can't say......I image the differences would be
minimal. As a side note:- If you used the same yarn, same tension and the
same stitch on five different SK860's you would have tiny differences in the
material produced, probably not noticeable to a beginner but noticeable to
someone who has been knitting for years. Even different colours in the same
yarn can produce vastly different results (using the same tension, same
stitch etc.). In other words, T5 on one machine can be much looser than T5
on another identical machine.
(9) I've had a number of electronic machines (have two at the moment) and
have not had any electronics blow. It all depends on how careful you are
and how you treat things. I have know ladies with "heavy hands" ruin
punchcard machines.
(10) Can't help you on that one.
(11) A good dealer will show you what each machine can do (basically
putting it through all its paces), will show you how to decrease, increase
etc., and the material produced by each machine (a variety of finished
garments) and let you have a go at knitting too. Take your time deciding
(weeks not hours!), you need to be sure that the finished product that you
envision can be knit on a mid-guage and not a chunky, that the machine can
do all that you would like it to do, that it suits your personality, etc.
I would recommend phoning for an appointment if the dealer works from home,
so that the dealer can specify a time when she knows she can give you her
full attention.
More than anything you need to pin down exactly what material you would like
to produce (simple stocking stitch or complex stitches), and what garment
styles, and then narrow down your choices.
Good luck,
Roni Knutson
Studio/Silver Reed Site
http://bcmknitter.n3.net
Brenda Smith
Thank you for answering the questions for Sharon so clearly.
The only thing I can add is that you are correct in saying the 860 does not
have built in intarsia. I have just bought an AG30 intarsia carriage to use
on mine. (My dealer said this is the one listed for this machine but I
believe it also fits the chunky - it works anyway.)
I used to have the plastic LK150 and it's only my personal opinion but I did
not like it. I prefer the sturdier metal bed and also the ability to have a
ribber, although I know a lot of people are happy with this machine. Of
course there is a big difference in price but I always wanted a metal mid
gauge machine and there wasn't one available at that time. I had a chunky at
one time too but the midgauge is far more versatile.
Hope this is of some help Sharon - let us all know what you end up with
Brenda
shelly
a kx400 carriage--around $100 U.S. from a brother dealer
Pam
I was very interested in the fact that you use your sewing machine and
serger for making up. I tried just serging on the some scraps, but as I
do not have differential feed on my serger it was a bit wobbly. I note
that you use your sewing machine before serging and presume this helped?
What sort of stitch do you use on your sewing machine please - ordinary
zig-zag or a speciality stitch? I am sure I am not the only one that is
not too keen on sewing up!
Regards
--
Pam
Susan
--
Sue - &MK-SOS - 9386053
mkk...@rochester.rr.com
http://home.rochester.rr.com/mkchat
"shelly" <nos...@nospam.com> wrote in message
news:3b1fa59d.12456837@news-server...
Roni Knutson
I don't have a serger with differential feed either but I find the main
problem is of control, can't really see what I am doing. I have an older
serger so people with the newer ones that are more "open" will be better
able to see what they are doing. I find by using the sewing machine I have
more control, can see better what I am doing, can avoid stretching the work
too much and can avoid a major unpicking job! I use straight stitch (not
too small) myself but some people use a slightly zig-zagged straight stitch
and like that. I have a friend who sews all her cardigans and sweaters
together on the sewing machine as she sews for sale. She never has any
problem and her work looks very good. She attaches the cardigan bands on
the machine and slip slitches them closed because she likes them to lie
flat. She has no serger. I wouldn't use my serger on plain sweaters just
on fairisle that has lots of colour changes and only if the garment is for
me. If it's for sale or for someone special I would use my DL1000 linker.
Roni
Pam
<ala...@uniserve.com> writes
am not the only one with an older serger and I have not had good results
when I tried to alter a bought garment with it. The only time I tried
shortening one of my machine knits (made in acrylic) on the serger I got
bits of fluffy yarn all over the place! I never thought about using my
trusty sewing machine - like you, I can control and see it better.
Thanks very much, I will try it.
Regards
--
Pam