What Are Quilters Blogging About Today?

I decided to try doing stranded work on the LK150. I had somewhat mixed results. The first swatch showed me I'm still learning the technique. The tricky bit of trial and error is the keeping the trial going with all of the errors. 
I was pretty sure the tension was too tight so I changed that to prevent the dropped stitches. It got better but it still dropped some stitches. This try was much better. I'll have to keep working at it but I think this might not be the best yarn for this project. It is still ...

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I picked up some of this cute yarn at the local big box store to knit a few hats. First, I knit a swatch at what I figured were the right settings on the LK150. I like the resulting fabric so I did some  stich counting, measurements, math, and cast on. 
I used instructions I'd seen on the Machine Knitting Beginners and Returners Circle to make the crown of the hat in four sections.. I only dropped a single section when working. I had failed to load the yarn in the carriage. 
I sewed it up and it came ...

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I picked up some of these Red Heart yarns at a discount store. 
I grabbed this bright yellow to make up a hat on the LK150.
While this yarn is a worsted, the content makes it a really stiff yarn. I think I knitted it at too small a gauge. 
I mean, it looks fin here, but this is definitely sized for a baby. I'll give it another go with some adjusted settings. I want it to work. And if it doesn't work? Well, I can always crochet a hat. 

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Remember this project I was working on last week? Well... 
I made it about halfway through before things went pear-shaped. Meaning, I incorrectly estimated the amount of yarn I had available. I incorrectly transferred a stitch. And then I dropped too many stitches to recover from the miscalculations. 
This project taught me a few things. I learned I like to look of this lace pattern much more than I like hand-manipulating the stitches to make the lace. I may try slip-stitch designs next. 
I also learned that while there is a bunch of yarn in a Caron Skinny Cake there ...

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I decided it was time to get the LK150 out and knit something. I grabbed this Caron Skinny Cake and the knitting machine.
I recently discovered KnitFactoryImpl on YouTube (YouTube link). They have some great machine knitting videos. This shawl design was intriguing so I'm giving it a try. So far it's going well. I'm excited about the short row knitting to come. 

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A friend of min had some Lion Brand Mandala she no longer wanted. She gave it to me and I decided to turn it into hats. This is what it looked like on the machine before I started the decreases for the top of the hat. 
This photo, and the next, are more for me than you. Tension can be a tricky thing for a machine knitter. This is my tension setting on the yarn mast. I almost never change it. I just set it there and leave it alone. 
What I do change, is the stitch length selector. This ...

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Last week I did some machine knitting. I knit up baby hats in yellow. 
I knit up hats in gray. I knit them up in gray and yellow. 

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I set up my knitting machine this week and managed to make three little newborn hats. These are quick little projects. 

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On Friday, March 3, 2023 Crafty Gemini is hosting Episode #18 of her LIVE video series called Fiber Fridays! In this LIVE event Vanessa will share projects she is working on, new yarn purchases, updates on new pattern designs, fiber related resource books and answer audience questions.

This series typically airs the 1st Friday of each month.

If you are specifically interested in fiber related crafts including: Knitting, Crochet, Circular Sock Machine Knitting, Spinning, etc. then this is the show for you!

In this episode of Fiber Friday, I’m so exited to share the machine knit / cranked socks that ...

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On Friday, January 13, 2023 Crafty Gemini is hosting Episode #16 of her LIVE video series called Fiber Fridays! In this LIVE event Vanessa will share projects she is working on, new yarn purchases, updates on new pattern designs, fiber related resource books and answer audience questions.

This series typically airs the 1st Friday of each month but was pushed back a week this month.

If you are specifically interested in fiber related crafts including: Knitting, Crochet, Circular Sock Machine Knitting, Spinning, etc. then this is the show for you!

• Sign up for email updates on all things fiber related ...

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Look what I bought!
After borrowing my friend's LK150 knitting machine I decided to buy my own. 
This machine is really a great way to get into machine knitting. This is what it comes with. Machine and carriage, row counter, yarn mast, comb weights, and more. Everything you need to get started. 
Stitch transfer tools, spare needles, claw weights, ravel cord, latching tool, clamps, machine oil. 
I added in some clamps and more claw weights. Now, I'm ready to get back to knitting tiny hats. 

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I have this collection of blue yarn perfect for felting. 
I used the LK150 and a video tutorial to make some more slippers
I finished them what seems like ages ago but I didn't wash them to felt them up until recently. Here is how they compare to my earlier experiments. Felting is not very precise and more of an experiment each time I do it. 
They came out great! I still have yarn that will felt so expect to see more of these. 

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More charity baby hats!
I had ten to drop off with Annapolis Quilts for Kids last Saturday. This is the machine I borrowed from a friend. I like machine knitting enough I've decided to buy my own LK 150 so I can keep making these charity hats. 

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Last week end I pulled out the LK150 and knit up some more baby hats for charity. 
These little hats work up quickly, with the knitting taking about 30 minutes for each hat. I then spend another 10-15 minutes seaming them. These will be headed to Annapolis Quilts for Kids.

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On Friday, November 4, 2022 Crafty Gemini is hosting Episode #14 of her LIVE video series called Fiber Fridays! In this LIVE event Vanessa will share projects she is working on, new yarn purchases, updates on new pattern designs, fiber related resource books and answer audience questions.

This series typically airs the 1st Friday of each month.

If you are specifically interested in fiber related crafts including: Knitting, Crochet, Circular Sock Machine Knitting, Spinning, etc. then this is the show for you!

• Sign up for email updates on all things fiber related here: https://craftygemini.com/fiber-craft-newsletter/

Products and projects ...

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Sometimes you just gotta knit. 
Activ yarn with solid heels and toes. A relatively quick knit. 

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My latest pair of machine knit socks were made using Activ yarn I purchased from CSM Supplies. Jamie has so many different yarns and stock changes often. If you are starting out and want great yarn on cones you should check them out. 
I added contrast heels and toes to not break up the pattern of the yarn. The solid blue is also from CSM Supplies. 

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This collection of mostly blues, greens, and yellow, became a pair of monster socks. Sometimes I pick a color, or collection of colors. Other times I just throw stuff in. 
I made sure to match the cuffs, heels, and toes this time. 
They turned out great! I just need to finish them. 

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Sunday I sat down with my circular sock machine and cranked out some monster socks. This was as I took the back needles out of work to make the heel. I plopped the little cake I was working from the mini mast into the sock to keep it out of the way and to prevent it tangling while I worked the heel. This isn't an issue when I work the toe because I will only be working with one yarn as I near the toe. 
I should have been a little more careful with the green I used for ...

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This is what happens when you reset your photo ratio from 1:1 to 3:4 so you can take one photo. You forget to set it back to 1:1. Ah, well, here are some sock photos. Socks knit on my Erlbacher Gearhart circular sock machine. Even after a few years I still love this magical machine. 
Cuff knit with Knit Picks Stroll Tweed, body of sock knit with a mystery yarn gifted to me by my yarn bestie, contrast blue heels and toes knit with Knit Picks Stroll. 

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