Friday, August 15, 2008

Hand Knit to Machine Knit Conversion Intarsia


Everywhere on the internet you can find how you can convert the gauge of a hand knit pattern to a machine knit pattern. I hear more on how does one convert the intarsia part. So, I found a dishcloth pattern I liked and worked it out. It took me forever but here is an example on how that works.
A hand knit pattern starts with right side of fabric facing you and then it is turned at the end of the row so the wrong side of fabric will be facing you. So, in hand knit instructions you are flip flopping back and forth on which side of the fabric you are working with.
In machine knit, only the pearl side or the wrong side of the fabric is facing at all times. Therefore, hand knit patterns have to be converted for machine knit.

For our example we will be working a dishcloth so tension or gauge will not be needed.

The pattern we will be using is called Beagle and is from the wonderful people at Knitwits Heaven. They have wonderful, creative patterns at their site. You will be able to find them at http://www.knitwits-heaven.com/ . The pattern is a free pattern on their site but they also have patterns that they sell that are just fantastic.

This first part we will be converting the first 10 rows.




This is the Hand Knit version. Picture from Knitwits Heaven.



The pattern reads as follows:
Materials: 1 ball of Worsted Weight Cotton Yarn
Size 4.5 knitting needles

Cast on 47 sts
Rows 1-4: (k1, p1) across to last stitch, k1.
Row 5: k1, p1, k43, p1, k1.
Row 6: k1, p1, k1, p41, k1, p1, k1.
Row 7: k1, p1, k11, p17, k15, p1, k1.
Row 8: k1, p1, k1, p13, k1, p12, k1, p2, k1, p1, k3, p7, k1, p1, k1.
Row 9: k1, p1, k7, (p1, k2) 3x, p1, k11, p1, k14, p1, k1.
Row 10: k1, p1, k1, (p14, k2) 2x, p2, k1, p6, k1, p1, k1.

Pasted from <http://www.knitwits-heaven.com/beagle_washcloth.htm>

Conversion to Machine knit
This pattern is worked from the bottom up so the conversion will be from the bottom up and is only two different stitches knit and purl. When converting the first row will remain the same working the needle bed from left to right. The second row gets a little tricky. Where is says a knit you convert it to a purl and where it says a purl you convert it to a knit and you work the bed from right to left while still reading the row from left to right.
Here is an example:
Hand knit
Row 1: k1, p3, k1
Machine knit conversion
Row 1: k1, p3, k1 work needle bed from left to right
Hand knit
Row 2: k3, p4, k6
Machine knit conversion
Row 2: p3, k4, p6 and working needle bed from right to left.
Graphed Row 1 being the bottom row will look like this:
k=o p=x
Xxxxxxooooxxx
oxxxo

Materials: 1 skein 2.5 oz Peaches & Crème color light blue
Bond Tension: Keyplate 2.5

E-wrap cast on 47 sts
Row 1: k1, p1 working needle bed from left to right across row, COL
Row 2: p1, k1 working needle bed from right to left across row, COR
Row 3: k1, p1 working needle bed from left to right across row, COL
Row 4: p1, k1 working needle bed from right to left across row, COR

Graphed it should look like this:
X = sts to purl, blank = sts in knit
Remember Row 1 is the bottom row and Row 4 is the top row.




Row 5: k1, p1, k43 , p1, k1 working needle bed from left to right across row, COL
Row 6: p1, k1, p1, k41, p1, k1, p1 working needle bed from right to left across row, COR
Row 7: k1, p1, k11, p17, k15, p1, k1 working needle bed from left to right across row, COL
Row 8: p1, k1, p1, k13, p1, k12, p1, k2, p1, k1, p3, k7, p1, k1, p1
working needle bed from right to left across row, COR

Graphed Rows 5 to 8. Row 5 being the bottom row.




Row 9: k1, p1, k7, (p1, k2) 3x, p1, k11, p1, k14, p1, k1 working needle bed from left to right across row, COL
Row 10: p1, k1, p1, (k14, p2) 2x, k2, p1, k6, p1, k1, p1 working needle bed from right to left across row, COR

Graphed all 10 rows. Row 1 at the bottom row 10 at the top.



Converting Hand Knit to Machine Knit maybe tedious but well worth it. Wonderful new patterns will open up for you. I encourage everyone to visit Knitwits Heaven. They have wonderful patterns that many people will enjoy.

Here is the whole pattern graphed. http://www.knitwits-heaven.com/


This is the one I made on my Bond USM


8 comments:

Alli's Little World of Knitting! said...

WOW!! I'm really impressed with that machine of yours! ... You did a GREAT JOB Dina!! Mr. Beagle looks fabulous! Chuck would be very pleased! hehehe

Hugs
Alli

Rose Blue said...

That cloth is impressive. Is it hard to convert these from hand to machine? Are they time consuming?

Have any more you'd share with the class? ;-)

Charlene

Diana said...

Charlene, Once you get the gist of converting it is easy. It can be time consuming if it is a lot of changing to purl from knit. The converting is the easy part.

Anonymous said...

How do you make a knit on the bond?
I have a USM and when move the carriage back and forth was told it raally is purling, so do you twist stiches or ...?
Is there a photo of how to do it?
Thank you for you explantion and photos of dishtowl
Lynn D

Diana said...

Using the Bond the side of the fabric you created that is facing you is the the purl or the back side of the fabric. To make the purl on the front side of the fabric you have to release the stitch and then latch it up. This will turn the stitch. This technique is mostly used to create a mock rib. If you click this link you can see Susan create a mock rib by turning the stitches. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0sX_vaFzO8

Joan Lamm NC said...

I am so glad I found your site..I am knew at this, just got my USM last week and finally got 12 rows knitted last night and guess what, it fell off..my words won't to nice, but I shall keep on until I get it!! So glad for your help!!!!

Unknown said...

Hello.
I am Sandra from Wales. I have just recently purchased a Bond Incredible Sweater Machine and need some information.
I am sorry if this is the wrong place to ask for help.
Thanks.

BunnyJean said...

Sandra I hope you've got your answer. Please go to Youtube, and you will find "Meet Your Bond & Bond First Sweater with CherylBrunettTV, susyranner2009DavidVillage13 and dianaknits. You will get plenty of help from these talents individuals who do not only Bond Machine knitting, but machine knitting and/or hand knitting in general.