July 09 Program: Necklines and Collars by Joanne Zutz

Ready to branch out and create some interesting new necklines for your lovely machine knit sweater or dress? The most common neck opening is the jewel neckline - or crew neck. This neck opening simply follows the curve of the base of the neck. The back usually has a slight curve of only 3/4" deep, while the front neck depth is anywhere from 3-3/4" to 4-1/4" deep. The curve of the neckline falls mainly at the center front with the sides going straight until they reach the shoulder seam.

A boat neck is simply a cast-off top edge to a knit front and back that have a straight or shaped top edge. Here's a great boat neck tip: Gather your back shoulder edge slightly when attaching the front shoulder to allow the front neck to drop slightly.

Other common neck opening shapes are square, curved, v-neck, as well as a variety of other shapes.

Neck edges can be finished in several ways:

• Faced - A separate piece of fabric is made the same shape as the neck opening and is attached to the neck edge and turned to the inside along the seam where it is sewn to the garment.
• Hemmed - In knits, this is usually a hung hem, or tubular edge.
• Bound - Binding is usually knit separately from the garment and is either applied later by hand, or with the use of your knitting machine.
• Hand Finished - This technique is often very decorative and may employ either lace or crochet.

Mastered the various (or at least a few) necklines? Try adding a collar! It is exciting to note that collars can be added to many of the necklines listed above and are a great way to finish the neck opening of a garment.

There are many types and styles of collars - below is a list of some of the more common variations:

Peter Pan Collar - This type of collar treatment lies flat against the garment and is curved to match the neck opening. To achieve this collar shape, simply short row around the front outer edge of the collar to the neck edge, opening tension slowly.

Mandarin Collar - This collar stands straight up from the garment and has either a straight or very slightly curved edge which attaches to the garment. You may choose to try ribbing to achieve a slightly firmer collar.

Tie Collar - This is an extension of the Mandarin Collar. There are tie extensions added to the center front edges of the collar which allow it to be tied into a bow.

Turtleneck - This is also a variation of the Mandarin Collar, but is taller which allows it to be either turned or scrunched down to cover the entire neck. By comparison, a Mockneck only covers part of the neck.

Convertible Collar (aka Polo Collar) - This collar typically comes to a point. It is often necessary to create a collar stand so the center back of the collar sits slightly higher than the front points. The collar can be worn either fastened at the front, or worn open creating a shallow "V" shape in the front. This style of collar is often used for tab front garments.

Shawl Collar - This collar is created through an extension of the front band and extends to the center back. The outer layers of the front band turns under to become the bottom of the collar and the inner layer of the front band becomes the outer layer of the collar.

Cowl Neck - This collar treatment actually reverses the curve of the natural neck opening to create a drape in the center front that lays in a series of gentle folds, depending on fullness.

Good luck and have fun when creating your special neck interest!

June 09 Program: Knitting Fun with the Glitter Knitter of the Yarn Garage!

We couldn't have imagined a more fun and creative June Program than the program we enjoyed courtesy of our special guest, Steven Berg of the Yarn Garage!

Located in Rosemount, Minnesota, the Yarn Garage is a full service - yarn, knitting and needlework station - everything you need and more to get your knit on! Steven, together with his sister Monika, started the Yarn Garage in 2003 as the roving, gypsy yarn and fiber art studio. They are always helping knitters and the needlework challenged and have put a modern twist on some great old traditional crafts by using unique and unusual novelty yarns!

Here's the kicker - Steven's yarns aren't just for hand knitting and crochet - you can use many of his fine fibers on your knitting machine too! To prove his point, he brought lots of yarns - luxury, novelty, and all great quality to show off. He gave each group member a skein of yarn and a Scrappy Hat pattern to try out at home. Above all, Steven reminded us to expect and ENJOY the unexpected when knitting, especially with his yarns.

Follow Steven's lead and be sure to give your project a unique personality using clever and creative yarns!

May 09 Program: Thread Lace on a Bulky by Ellen Levernier & Cindy Schmatz

This past February we explored the Thread Lace technique on standard gauge machines, but did you know you can also create beautiful Thread Lace patterns on a Bulky machine? Make sure your bulky knitting machine has a fairisle setting, and you can get to work creating beautiful and unique BULKY Thread Lace!

When selecting your yarn and pattern to create Thread Lace, there are a couple of things to remember:

• For cohesive results, it's a good idea to ensure your thread and yarn colors match. That said, do a few test swatches experimenting with different yarn and color combos
• Use a heavy yarn and a thin yarn for best results. For the "heavy yarn" you can use a double, triple, or even quadruple strand of your yarn. Ellen liked working with 4 strands of Alpaca Lace, while Cindy chose 2 strands of Yarn Country. Lace, Sport, and Fingering weight yarns are great options.
• Avoid long floats.
• Use weights - be sure to place them evenly along your work, moving them up as you knit.
• The thread in feeder 2 or "B" will knit the pattern. Both yarns will knit together on non-patterned areas, so be sure to set the tension for knitting both threads together.
• Set end needles to working position every row to ensure that both threads knit together.

SK Machines (Silver Reed, Studio, Singer): put end stitches in hold every row.
KH Machines (Brother, KnitKing): Push back the end needles if selected by pattern every row.

• Either side of your knitted work can be the right side, depending on your visual preference.
• If you use tuck stitches in your pattern work, your piece will not curl.
• Knit with a smooth rhythm, and pay attention to your edge stitches.

It's scary to think that it's already time to start planning your winter knitting projects. Why not deviate form a basic scarf by sprucing it up with a little Thread Lace!

Note: The terminology Thread Lace refers to that produced on a Brother machine, versus Punch Lace on Studio, Singer, and Knitmaster machines. In the end of the day, Punch Lace and Thread Lace are the same technique.

MKGM in the Community Gallery at the Textile Center of MN!!

Please be sure to check out the wonderful work by many members of the Machine Knitting Guild of MN - on display now at the Textile Center of Minnesota. This year's exhibition focuses on lace and thread lace pieces. Wearable, decorative, and functional - see work from standard gauge on up to bulky using a variety of beautiful yarns in intricate and complicated patterns.

A few examples of gorgeous work by Guild members
Jane Neimi, Mar Heck, and Ellen Levernier





A few examples of gorgeous work by Guild members
Maria Ann Youngs, Jane Neimi, Mar Heck, and Joanne Zutz




More work by Guild members
Jane Neimi, Mar Heck, and Ellen Levernier

April 09 Program: Embellish Your Knits with Embroidery by Amanda Young

Add some extra pizazz to your kitted work by adding some decorative machine embroidery! Machine Embroidery adds beauty and themed detail to anything you knit.


There is definitely some trial and error involved in determining the right style of embroidery to sit well in the knit, but spend some time knitting up some different swatches to see what works best for you.


Another important detail to consider is the stabilizer - this will also take some experimentation to get the look you are trying to achieve. The right stabilizer will temporarily "stiffen" the fabric to hold it taut as the machine does it's work.


There are a variety of stabilizers available with a variety of purposes and uses. Some are used below the fabric you are embroidering. Some are used on the top. Water soluble and Heat Away are commonly used as a top side stabilizer, to really help your embroidery "pop". Water soluble stabilizer will dissolve in water. Heat away turns to ash with the heat of an iron. Either one will leave no trace of the stabilizer but will hold the fabric down to get the job done.


And you if you don't have the fancy equipment, you needn't limit yourself to machine embroidery. Pick up a hoop, a needle, and some embroidery floss to create your own special embroidered touches by hand!

Mar. 09 Program: Felted Beads, Bobbles, and Buttons by Jane Neimi and Jodi Francisco

Surely you've tried felting as a fun and easy way to transform your knitted work into something completely different. The fabric becomes dense, warm, and strong - perfect for cold-weather items. As an added bonus, your washing machine does all of the hard work!

Well, felting is also a great way to add a special touch to your knitted garments - try your hand at felting smaller pieces which can be turned into unique buttons, beads, and bobbles, giving your work just the right finishing touches!


There are many great uses for your beads - try them as jewelry, scarf fringe, buttons, covered buttons, and zipper pulls to name a few - the options are endless!

Create Yarn Beads:

With a few ends of yarn, make a knot to form a center for a ball and continue to wind around and around to form a ball of whatever size you want. You may want to occasionally use a fabric glue to hold the yarn in place. Glue the end or tie a knot and let the ends fray. If using wool, felt it all together.


Embellish Felt Beads:

Use BeadSmith Fire Line (not fishing Fire Line) - either a 6 pound or 12 pound weight - to add seed beads to a felted bead, and give it the look of sputnik. SoftFlex very fine .010 can also be used. Either of these can be found at bead stores.

Seed beads come in a variety of sizes from small to even smaller. A size 11 or 10 will sit nicely with a size 8 seed bead. To embellish your bead, You will start by threading a size 10 beading needle, and leave a tail of wire and go through the ball. Next, thread both beads onto your needle and place on the ball. To secure, go around the end bead and back through the first bead and continue to add beads to decorate the felt ball. End where you began and tie the ends and bury them.


Fantastic bracelet by Jane Niemi of handmade beads using an assortment of techniques!
Couching beads onto a ball is another way to add beads. Using more than two beads would add to the dimension, making antennae like adornments. Sequins can also be sewn on, using the same technique as for two beads, or add them as part of the two bead technique.

You may also choose to needle felt directly onto your felt bead by winding yarn around the felt ball and other decorations onto it.

Keep in mind that fabric Beads need not be limited to wool - you can also try your hand natural and synthetic fabrics - even paper! Cut a strip of fabric into a long triangle; the widest part should be the length of the bead that you want, and taper to a blunt point. The thinner the fabric, the longer your strip should be. You may want to use a fusible interfacing on the wrong side of either silk or knit to give it a little more body and stability. Beginning with the widest end of the strip, wind it around a skewer, close to the pointy end which will enable you to slip the bead off. Wrap the fabric tightly and continue winding toward the end of the strip. Apply fabric glue to the last 1/2” to secure. Let the glue dry and remove the bead from the skewer. Voila, insta bead!

When creating your various fabric beads, buttons, and bobbles, you may find it beneficial to use a stiffening agent to make your beads slightly more durable. Various stiffening agents include:

White glue (such as Elmers) diluted with water until it is a milky white consistency
Mod Podge
Acrylic Floor Shine
Clear glossy or satin finish Poly Wood Sealer (such as Varathane)
Upholstery protective spray

Experiment to see what works best for you.


Layered pieces of roving and novelty yarns, ready to felt.
Be sure to check out this great Felted Bead How-To for a step-by-step introduction to felt bead making!

Feb. 09 Program: Thread Lace - Punch Lace by Carole Wurst

It was a pleasure to have Carole of St. Cloud's Rocking Horse Farm demo Thread Lace at our February meeting!



The Thread Lace technique can usually be worked on knitting machines with a fairisle setting. The terminology Thread Lace refers to that produced on a Brother machine, versus Punch Lace on Studio, Singer, and Knitmaster machines. In the end of the day, Punch Lace and Thread Lace are the same technique.



When selecting your pattern to create Thread Lace, there are a couple of things to remember:

• Use a heavy yarn and a thin yarn for best results.
• When threading the mast, the thin yarn (thread) can be wrapped around the tension unit two times. You may also choose to use a tighter tension.
• Avoid long floats.
• Use weights - be sure to place them evenly along your work, moving them up as you knit.
• The thread in feeder 2 or "B" will knit the pattern. Both yarns will knit together on non-patterned areas, so be sure to set the tension for knitting both threads together.
• Set end needles to working position every row to ensure that both threads knit together.

SK Machines (Silver Reed, Studio, Singer): put end stitches in hold every row.
KH Machines (Brother, KnitKing): Push back the end needles if selected by pattern every row.

• Either side of your knitted work can be the right side, depending on your visual preference.
• If you use tuck stitches in your pattern work, your piece will not curl.
• Knit with a smooth rhythm, and pay attention to your edge stitches.

Spring is upon us - get to work creating Thread Lace Scarves - the perfect weight for the season!

QUICK TIP: Fun and Easy Fringe!
Creating a fringed edge on your knitted piece is super easy and fun.
1. Pick up and hang to stitches from the edge of your work.
2. Determine desired fringe length and pull out 2 additional needles to working position at this length.
3. Knit 2 rows.
4. Pick up next 2 stitches along edge of work and hang on first 2 needles.
5. Knit 2 rows.
6. Repeat.

In the end, you don't even need to trim your fringe. Give it a try - you'll love the results!

Jan. 09 Program: Fan Lace by Mar Heck

There are a variety of beautiful lace patterns you can create using your knitting machine, one of which is the appropriately coined Fan Lace. Don't worry about the machine you use - Fan Lace is easy to knit on standard, mid-gauge, and bulky machines! Also, be open to yarn choices - variegated, chenille, and other fancy yarns will create beautiful finished work.

This particular scarf was knit on a mid-gauge machine using Schuss Plus at tension 5.



A lot of blocking went into the finished piece so that it would maintain its shape. Try out higher tensions which may create less pulling between the stitches to eliminate some of the bunching. As always, work up some different tension swatches until you are happy before embarking on your finished piece.

This 11" wide scarf was worked in 6 repeats (+3N). The finished length is approximately 50" - perfect for wrapping around your neck a couple of times! To create a shawl, simply increase the number or stitches as well as the number of rows.

So, let's knit some Fan Lace!!

Cast on a multiple of 9 (+3) stitches so that you have 3 plain stitches on each end. The needle set up is 3sts in work, 6sts out of work across the desired number of sts, ending with 3 sts in work.

IIIOOOOOOIIIOOOOOOIIIOOOOOOIIIOOOOOOIII

O: Needle out of work
I: Needle in working position

To create a nice edge, by hand, single crochet 3 rows of the appropriate number of stitches to correspond to the width of your work. Hang the hand crocheted work at each of the 3 working needle positions, skipping 6 sts, per your needle set up.

Hang claw weights under the working needles.



The pattern is worked in a two-trip-across-the-bed sequence.

TRIP 1:
Working R to L, set machine to Hold. 1st corner (knit just once at the beginning and once at the end of the scarf) Put all N in hold, except first 3 sts on R side. Knit Left, wrap 1st needle of those in hold, Knit Right. Repeat, 6 rows total across the 3 sts. Put next group of 3 sts in work. Knit Left, wrap 1st needle of those in hold, put 1st 3 N on right in hold. Knit Right and wrap end needle in hold. KWKW a total of 6 rows. Continue across the bed. When you reach the left corner, only wrap the N on the right. KWK a total of 12 rows (12 rows as 6 rows represent row 1, working right to left, and 6 rows represent row 2, working left to right).

TRIP 2:
Knit left to right, repeating the KWKW sequence, moving needles in and out of work in the same manner as Trip 1, but form left to right.

Throughout the scarf, take care to knit 12 rows at both edges (3 sts).

When you reach the end of your scarf, remember to knit across the last 3 sts only 6 times (NOT 12) and cast off using waste yarn and hand single crochet 3 rows (picking up the 3 stitch sections) to re-create the look of the cast-on edge.

Instead of using the row counter, you will likely find it easier to count in your head, or out loud.

Here's a a great interpretation of the Fan Lace pattern using a standard gauge machine with Brown Sheep Nature Spun 100% wool. Instead of a scarf, create a button closure cowl neck. For some extra pizazz, try your hand at hand-painting as Mar has done!



Certainly the extra effort will increase the time you spend on your garment, but be sure to plan everything out before you dive into the actual project. Be sure to make machine knitted swatches in your actual yarn to determine stitch gauge and to decide which patterns work well together. Label your swatches, as you will likely want to return to them for a later project.

Use your sense of adventure and try several techniques within the same garment! The extra time you spend will make you garment very special and unique!!

An extra THANK YOU to Cheryl at Loops in String! This Fan Lace technique was created as an interpretation of her great Dec.08 video tutorial.

Machine Knitting Guild at the Annual MOA Knit-Out and Crochet!

The Craft Yarn Council of America will be hosting the annual Knit-Out and Crochet at the Mall of America this weekend and the Machine Knitting Guild of Minnesota is so honored to have been invited back for this year's event! We will be knitting live and in person for all to experience!

Guild members will be on-hand both days demoing assorted knitting machines (standard gauge, mid-gauge, and bulky) as well as answering any and all questions machine knitting related. Be sure to check out our fabulous machine knit garments and accessories - you'll be amazed!

Join us at Mall of America for a fun and exciting knit and crochet extravaganza. MKGM will be in Booth 17 – on the south side near Macy’s – please come and say Hello - we'd love to meet you!!

SATURDAY, 2/14/09, 10 A.M. - 5 P.M.
SUNDAY, 2/15/09, 11 A.M. - 5 P.M.

Mall of America
60 East Broadway
Bloomington, MN 55425
Need a map and directions to the Mall?

View the newest yarns and techniques. Visit with your favorite authors, designers and knit and crochet experts. See fabulous knit and crochet fashions up close. And share your passion for knitting and crochet with other enthusiasts. All this and it's FREE, plus you will be in the middle of the greatest shopping destination in the U.S.: Mall of America.

Complete schedule and other details are available on the MOA website.

Enjoy the Work of the MKGM in Person!

Please visit the Textile Center of Minnesota and have a tour of A Common Thread 2009 - the annual Textile Center Members Exhibition. Conceptual, abstract, practical, the show promises to amaze and delight all fiber artists. In addition to the fantastic, innovative, traditional, and unexpected work of more than 100 artists using hundreds of techniques and materials in more ways than you can imagine, you will also have the opportunity to experience the work of three of our Guild members.




I Knit I Am by Jane Niemi




Original Cable Sweater by Maria Ann Youngs




Bidet by Rebecca Yaker

A Common Thread show runs through February 21, 2009.