Lace on the machine can render beautiful fabrics that closely resemble hand knitting, but programming very long repeats is a challenge both in placing every hole in the correct square in a punchcard, and in programming individual pixels on a mylar or as pixels for download correctly. I found the "leaf lace" repeat below shared frequently on Pinterest, and thought I would test the approach discussed in the post on using numbers and gimp to create images for electronic downloads . Because it is 16 stitches wide, it is not suitable for punchcard knitting, which requires a factor of (4, 6, 8, 12) and up to a 24 stitch maximum width.
The published pattern on the left is shown as shared on Pinterest. In turn in was captured, opened in Gimp, and magnified. After a threshold adjustment, it was converted to a BW indexed, scaled to its 16X96 original stitch and row count, and then saved in 100% magnification result for the possible electronic download.
On far left below is the first BW processed single repeat isolated from its source. To its right it has been adjusted so first row is a preselection row for the lace pattern, and the full repeat ends with blank rows (Brother KM characteristic). The latter in turn was saved as an image for download. Since the leaves change direction in the way they lean, spacing between each pattern swing in the repeat is actually 3 all blank rows, not the "standard" 2, including at the top. The bottom half begins with the first row resulting in transfers to the left, while after the the first 3 knit rows the transfers will begin to the right. The plan was for me to use Ayab for knitting a proof of concept swatch. In order to achieve that, the full repeat is first flipped horizontally (ayab will auto mirror it, so starting with it this way it will be in the correct orientation when knitting). The mirrored repeat may be used in unaltered machines as is with LC operating from the right, KC operating from the left (not possible in ayab without adjustments). The full repeat consists of 16+14+18+16+14+18= 96 passes of the lace carriage, for each 12 rows knit. My sample was programmed horizontally for 3 full repeats, the width of my planned swatch. I added one additional needle in work on each side, with the LC end needle selection cancelled, allowing for full pattern as programmed with a single stitch all knit border on either side A tightly twisted cotton yarn did best in terms of handling the multiple transfers and not resulting in split stitches or breaking. I had occasional selection errors, seen in center panel at the top of each repeat (my common experience with the interface), but the repeat itself appears to be sound. Lace repeats that have even numbers of rows for both and LC transfer and knit ones are easy to follow. Punchcards are also easily annotated and if knitting is interrupted needle selection is easy to return to or restore if necessary. In electronics, there may not be a any memo to indicate row # location for each carriage pass in pattern, or when to switch carriages. Because in this instance there are so many transfers (some of multiple stitches) between knit rows and dropped stitches are best corrected as noticed during knitting if possible, I created a "cheat sheet" of sorts to help keep track of actions. Each block outlined in red here represents one full repeat, read from their bottom up, with blue borders at the center and red at the end of each half sequence . A visual check at the end of each segment's # of rows in the series is well worth it to prevent unnoticed runaway dropped stitches and large holes. A check in boxes next to # could indicate completion of transfers. and a number added manually in that same row for that sequence, record the row on which knitting was interrupted ie. stopping on row 8 out of 16 to fix dropped stitches would be a reminder 8 more LC passes are required before the next visual check.
9/23/18 In now have been experimenting on a 930, where each pass of the LC is actually tracked, akin to following numbers on a punchcard. Built in patterns also offer a memo window, which will alert the knitter as to when knit rows are due In testing the pattern with img2track I found the LC passes are still counted, but the memo window is absent upon download. I generated a chart in Mac Numbers, reads from the top down, expanding on the one above. It illustrates the number of LC passes (left column) required to produce any significant length of fabric. Patterns such as these are not for the faint of heart, and require a friendly yarn. 2168 passes of the LC (33 full repeats, outlined in green; red line separates half repeats) are accompanied by 396 rows of "actual" knitting. In actual knitting, the pattern advances from row 1 to 96, and back to 1 again. A check off list can be much simpler if one is desired. The numbers on left appear in the LC window in a 930, when reached 2 rows are knit with the KC. The numbers at the top reflect completed repeats. Boxes can be checked moving to right as those rows are completed Another option is to download the pattern in img2track, and then enter memo information prior to knitting it. Two youtube videos that show how to enter memos in machine models that allow it, 930 included https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0tXNT76v10 and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nR8MheT5Bao. The number 2 may be entered after numbers on left appear in the LC passes count window, and provide an easy guideline to follow. And this is what testing lace patterns can look like. In this instance a tighter stitch tension, a bit of change in weight, and visually checking after each row of transfers brought me some success. This is not a stitch pattern that lends itself to easy "repairs".
A facebook group query brought up the possibility of creating cables in an "easier, quicker" way than by crossing stitches by hand. Over the years different authors have suggested a "sewn" method for pulling stocking stitch columns together in order to achieve the cabled effect. The illustrations are usually of the work done on a ribbed fabric, but it also may be achieved in simple stocking stitch, with ladders marking the edges of the mock cable, and providing a visual line to follow and count spaces when smocking the fabric up. The width of each column, the yarn fiber content, and personal preferences will determine the success" of the results.
I was reminded of "magic cables", a technique made popular years ago in a copyrighted pattern series by Ricky Mundstock, ie this one from 1969 (illustrated online). The concept originated in a Japanese publication years before, relies on hooking up tuck loops to create the cable like effects.
The card is cropped to the 24 X 44 stitch in width and height for the repeat to be worked in electronics. The area colored blue on far right indicates possible all knit rows for hooking up "cables" during knitting, mustard color indicates ladders created by an out of work needle on each side of the central, all knit column. The ladders make it easier to identify each all knit column. The tape over holes idea does not work for masking a punchcard, since that blue area would need to be all punched holes. The tape over would result in "unpunched" ones.
but any image loaded is automatically flipped/ mirrored horizontally by the software. Direction may not matter in the overall pattern, but here we have needles out of work, which if selected on the basis of what is seen as opposed to what is knit, would be in the wrong location. First preselection row is also only possible from left to right. The easiest way to empty the proper needles is to do a transfers after that row, to either side, restoring needle selection prior to continuing to knit. Also, since there are needles out of work, end needle selection is cancelled (KCII).
In my first swatch I tried the idea of hooking up stitches in opposite directions, but was not pleased with the result, wanted to reduce the amount of hand manipulation involved. In the later swatch I hooked up every other selection onto the same side. Arrows here indicate direction, not proper needle position.
Continue knitting until the next non selected needle in the column appears once again on the right, pick up from below left marking spot and repeat. For DIY insert all knit columns on your chosen repeat, and proceed as above.
Visualizing possibilities: chart for side by side columns actions on purl side is shown. The black columns with arrows coupled with photos show the direction of the hook ups in the back, purl side of the fabric, and potential "cables" as seen on knit side using the column repeat illustrated above.
I am a member of a few facebook groups, recently joined the img2track one out of curiosity and wanting to explore the possibilities of an interface other than an Ayab/910 from kit, which has proven to be of limited use to me. I have been charting original patterns and color separations for years, first in Excel and occasionally and now exclusively using Mac Numbers. Up to last December, entering designs for knitting on my 910 was limited to filling in squares carefully one at a time or small blocks and lines on mylar sheets in order to knit the repeats designed in charts in either program. Working with small, individual repeats and filling cells one at a time or in limited groups in GIMP to create duplicate pattern downloads was an easy transition out of sheer habit. A FB group member, Julie Haveland Beer shared a file on how to Convert Mosaic Knitting Chart to KM Skip Stitch Diagram (shared with her permission) that sparked a light bulb moment. I began to explore using the method in her share on files available in other printed materials and punchcard collections, wondering about those lace cards with so few holes that can go awry when building from scratch in order to download. Often I use Scanner pro (rather than a scanner) on my phone, save images in black and white, share them via photos, and open them up on my Mac for further editing. Full size scanner saves of 60X150 patterns may be found at bottom of post.
I have written several previous posts on using GIMP, including use of the tiling option to visualize how groups of repeats line up prior to any actual knitting. The enlarged, gridded image would be the final repeat, reduced in size, grid gone, ready for download in required image format.
Things also got more complicated again, when I tried to work with a lace repeat from an electronic pattern book. The straightforward method resulted in an unworkable image. Part of the problem may result from varied densities of lines in the original, its cells not being fully filled in (ie dots in squares or rectangles), and illustration with units in a rectangular rather than square format, so they do not scale properly in a ratio of 1 pixel per row and stitch. After isolating the repeat, I for this repeat I entered it in numbers with the plan to superimpose a table grid over the repeat and fill in squares/cells where needed. Cell borders may be created in varied thicknesses and colors, and are easily changed or removed altogether. Having a red cell border to superimpose on image made the process significantly easier for me. In the middle section the red border is switches to a significantly lighter one, and lining up the repeat beside the images helps one visually check for any errors. In the bottom row the image is shown magnified after scaling, gridded in the magnified version again to check the repeat against the original.
Working with repeats that do not convert easily using both programs: the greater the number of squares or dots, the slower the process, but ultimately faster than counting then and entering them one at a time. In Numbers, create a table that will be superimposed onto the desired repeat. I like to work in cells that are 24 X 24 points. Columns are marked in letters, so 24 is 2 letters short of the full # of letters in alphabet (X), and row counts are numbered top down on left and easily adjusted. Lace repeats would be the easiest to translate, as they are likely to have the lowest number of cells that will require to be filled in. The cell borders may be created in any color. To my eye the red grid made it easier for me to view its lines when superimposed on the black image. The BW center image was then dragged/dropped into the numbers sheet. Checking via the table format arrange option, the table was shown to be 553 X 1440. The image arrange option showed my black and white image to be adjusted visually by me using corner handles to 496 to 1440. On the far right, the BW image is in turn adjusted to match point values for the table. Check your typing, adjust accordingly. Here my width on right is actually 3 points off.
Drag and position table onto BW image. Use image format arrange to move image to back of table (box to left below "Style"). Magnify screen to easier working view by adjusting the zoom. It may be helpful to alter some row heights or column widths to get a cleaner view and matching cells to be filled in to dots (center). Click on any row or column, adjust by in turn clicking on up or down arrows that correspond to their respective size. Using command click and color fill options, cell fill on top of the black dots. When done, or to check periodically, table may be slid off the image and back on if needed.
With the table completed, if any columns or rows have been altered in with or height, choose from menu to distribute rows and columns evenly, restoring all square units.
Change border selection to light, thinner color, capture image and save as png. Load image in GIMP, convert to BW bitmap, scale to 24 by 60, save in downloadable format. Results are magnified in GIMP final images on the right. Showing grid allows an added visual check if preferred, against the original repeat.
This method however, did not work for flower ? thread lace motif (partial repeat) or the FI repeat. That said in the days of glitched knits, perhaps executed in DBJ accidents such as this could make for interesting experiments or transitions. Here we have the original not planned result, followed by some flipping horizontally and vertically, then resized. There usually is no right or wrong, and it is important to find one's own voice and the tools required to express it.
4/15/19 I have always been curious about weaving drafts and patterns being translated to knitting ones. I wrote a post on some of the basic possibilities in 2015, in my Excel days. Lately I have come across many tempting charts shared in Pinterest from many sources. Some are more difficult than others to translate cleanly. Having a periodic leaf obsession, I came across this chart, which also will show some of the issues found in mesh grounds, thread lace, and other fabrics when there are regularly spotted grounds.
If there are stragglers they can easily be edited with side by side comparison. There may be fewer with larger grabs.The method worked seamlessly for me yesterday, today I am getting extra black cells. Comparing with the screen grab and editing at 800 to 1000 X with grid, snap to grid preferences will make for a quick edit, still ever so much faster than drawing on mylar.
I chose to change preference for rulers to point units (options are for centimeters, inches and points). Online conversion between units of measurement and PostScript points may be calculated (if needed) using calculators ie.
Click anywhere on screen, use command all to select all table cells. Choose row and column size, typing in your desired values or using arrows provided, hit return.
as you do so you will also have the benefit of viewing the number of rows and columns in your document.
Click on white part of your sheet, only your chart will be viewable and ready for printing. If a PDF is desired, choose Export to -> PDF from file menu.
The last online manual for numbers 09 is available here. The program has changed significantly in appearance and in some of its functions since then.
I have been exploring numbers out of necessity since upgrading my Mac to the latest OS, thus losing availability to Office, and therefore to Excel. I recently published a post using Numbers for color separations in knits , and decided to attempt to explore the program further. Here I am reviewing and sharing some of the process and information I now use in creating my blog's knit charts. There is no recent, full manual for the program.
Tips immediately below are extracted from Online apple support Numbers 5.0.
"Undo" restores previous state, may be used multiple times to reverse several steps. Redo will cancel it. The program autosaves. The option "revert changes" when closing the program erases all changes since its previous launch session. "Revert to" under file menu offers an opportunity to browse previous saves and restore them, similar to using time machine in older versions of the program and Mac OS.
Frequently there are more options for achieving any desired result.
Determine column and row size using format cell menu on side bar at right. I tend to work in cell size 24-29 pt square shapes. These values may be easily adapted if one chooses to draw in knit proportioned cells for more closely approaching gauge or estimating elongation in fabrics such as DBJ. Border colors may be also be adjusted or changed at any point, globally, for single lines, or to outline blocks of cells. Clicking on a column tab "letter" and dragging its border on one side or the other will change its width, and the new point value is visible on a shape with a black ground while doing so. Top or bottom drag a "number" in the tab for rows at left for column height changes and viewing the changing value display. Undo will revert the change.
Review for basics for enlarging the table with cells with no fills: reference tab numbers on left may be used to refer to rows. Reference tab letters at top may be used to refer to columns. Drag the table handle to move the table. Click the column handle to add one column, drag it to add multiple columns. Click the row handle to add one row, drag it to add multiple rows. It is not necessary to press shift while dragging either symbol for multiple adds. Drag the column and row handle to the right to add columns, down for rows, and diagonally to add columns and rows at the same time. Reference tabs are active while chart is being worked on. They disappear if any area outside the table is clicked on. Creating a chart initially larger than the planned design, offers a larger field to "draw on" to start with.
Adding columns and rows above or below and columns before or after using table menu. Options are greyed out until a row or column is selected.
or use keyboard shortcuts to add a row above a selected cell, press Option-Up Arrow. To add a row below a selected cell, press Option-Down Arrow. To add a row at the end of the table, press Return while the last cell is selected. To add a column after a selected cell, press Option-Right Arrow. To add a column before a selected cell, press Option-Left Arrow. To add columns after a particular column, make sure the rightmost column selected is the one after which you want the new columns added; to add columns before a particular column, make sure the leftmost column selected is the one before which you want the new columns added. Then choose one of the commands above. You can also use the Tab key to add a column to the right side of the table.
To delete a single row or column, hold the pointer over the row or column reference tab to see the menu arrow, and then choose Delete Row or Delete Column from the pop-up menu.
To delete several adjacent rows or columns, select the rows or columns and then choose Delete Selected Rows or Delete Selected Columns from the pop-up menu of a selected row's or column's reference tab.
To delete empty rows, drag the lower-left Row handle up or drag the lower-right Column handle up.
To remove rows with content, hold down the Option key while dragging.
To delete empty columns, drag the upper-right Column handle on inward.
To remove columns with content, hold down the Option key while dragging.
Moving a cell or groups of cells: select and choose group by using cell handles or commands, immediately click on the same selection again, and it drag to new position within the same table. Moving the selection outside the table, onto a blank portion of the sheet creates a new table.
Having a large table area to work on allows for copying and pasting repeats in different configurations.
Added ways of working with cell groups: to select adjacent table cells, select a single cell, and then hold down the Shift key as you select adjacent cells. You can also click a cell, press, and then drag its handles through a range of cells. As seen above, to select nonadjacent table cells, hold down the Command key as you select cells. Continue to hold key, and use Command-click to deselect any cell in the group.
Adding, copying, and pasting tables or portions of them. Clicking on the + beside sheet # will create a new default table, on a new sheet, a new sheet of "graph paper".
Tables and their data may be copied and pasted from one sheet onto another, or in the same sheet. To add a new table in the same sheet from available templates click in the toolbar, then click a table or drag one to the sheet. Reviewing process once more: Move the table: Click the table, then drag in its top-left corner. Add or remove rows: Click the table, then drag in its bottom-left corner down or up. Resize the table: Click the table, click in its top-left corner, then shift-drag the white square in its bottom-right corner to resize the table proportionally. Change the alternating row color setting: Click the table; in the Format sidebar, click the Table tab; then deselect or select Alternating Row Color. (To choose a different color, click the color well.). Change the look of the new table: Click the table, then use the controls in the Table tab of the sidebar to make changes, such as adding a table outline or changing the table font size. To delete the table click the table, click in its top-left corner, then press Delete on your keyboard. An alternative way to create a new table matching presets is to copy a blank segment of one of your existing tables and paste them, adding and subtracting more blank squares, or even to copy a full table with color designs, and simply remove color fill after pasting.
Selecting a portion of a table that contains graphics and choosing copy and paste will reproduce the selected portion as a new table, usually at the upper left of the sheet, sometimes on top of a preexisting table. When working on large charts, the pasted table may be "hard to find". Reducing magnification to 25% sometimes makes that easier, since larger sheet area then comes into view. Clicking on any tables and dragging on the at their upper left allows one to move the contents to its desired location.
or click the table, Control-click the row number for row 1, then choose Hide Table Name or Show Table Name Triple-click the name at the top of the table, then type a new name to to rename it. Keeping a "name" helps track versions such as when working in color separations, where a whole table is repeated and altered in series of steps while preserving the previous one. Below a table segment is selected, copied and pasted as a new table. The new table is moved into position next to the original. To combine the tables in order to create a new design, choose arrange from the format menu. In this instance I chose to position the new table by clicking on it and selecting the back paste option. Once you click on a blank part of the sheet, the table tabs will disappear. The tables are visually merged, but in fact remain separate tables, each of which can be moved, resized, added to, and otherwise altered.
To screen grab tables with row, column tabs, and corner bullet markings click on any individual table cell (note the outlined cell with handle markings upper left and lower right), and use shift-command-4 to select area for save. For a multiple table grouping, hold the shift key while clicking anywhere in any single cell contents of multiple tables, and while still holding shift, add command-4 commands, select and save. Clicking anywhere outside the tables on the "sheet" results in tabs and bullets disappearing. Click on any cell in any table again, to move it, or make any other adjustments needed.
Any table may be adjusted to accommodate adding text, shapes, or to expand on instructions. Working with shapes merits its own, separate discussion.
This is not intended as a full tutorial, it presumes there is some familiarity with concepts for charting knits or proportioned graph paper using spreadsheets. I am sharing some of my recent explorations using the latest version of Numbers version 5.01 in Mac High Sierra 10.13+ OS. To my knowledge there are no other specific directions for using the program for this purpose. As I progressed through the separations below, I "found" new ways to deal with cell selections and table properties. At some point I will work on a expanding the original post on drawing motifs (Numbers 3.2.2).
The command key has become my new friend. In my past experience using excel I found limited ways to work with designing motifs and working with color in cell groups. When working on the design for 3 colors per row slip stitch for a segment of this post, I found holding down the command key while drawing makes clicking on cells and selecting them sequentially, to be akin to using a pencil/ paint bucket option in paint programs. The process is significantly faster than other steps I have tried. This image is the intended, final one Working on the table: the areas selected holding down the command key and in turn clicking on chosen cells sequentially are outlined. They were color filled with blue for my chart. The one extra square "error" in the center of the motif was dealt with individually, and changed in the subsequent color selection. For a screen grab with table markings, a cell must still be highlighted. If it is not, only the selected cell contents are captured.
In a post I wrote in 2012 I referenced a splitting cells features which disappeared in later version of the software. These options for working with rows and columns are available. The highlighted row will be duplicated, one row at a time, a slower process than simply splitting cells. A positive feature is that an individual table may be changed while still within view of other tables on a single sheet, without globally affecting the document. It is possible to create blank rows between design ones. Though the results from such charting are not capable of being downloaded directly into knitting software, they are a good way to sort out repeats and begin understand and create any necessary color separations. By holding the command key, rows on the table can be be highlighted and hidden as a group. I chose all even numbered rows. The repeat then is drawn. When it is complete, rows originally targeted for hiding are "unhidden", leaving the design motif with a blank row between each design row, at twice its length. Hiding could take place at irregular intervals as well.
DOUBLE JACQUARD COLOR SEPARATION: this table was part of the review of color separation methods reviewed in a previous post For the first method: testing using a simple shape, 8 stitches by 8 rows, create table 16 rows in height by 8 columns (stitches) in width. Hold command key, click on odd number rows, choose hide 8 rows from table menu, resulting in reduced 8 row height. After the motif is drawn on the reduced table size, the odd numbered rows are then unhidden. Next, fill in any squares in the restored rows that are empty in the row below, where markings already exist. This may be done all in one color, but I used green for the purpose of illustration. The image on the far right may then be entered into an imaging program ie GIMP for download, drawn as is. The choice follows as to whether to double it the file in height prior to programming the machine, or choosing software options for double height after loading it if that is a function of your knitting software This image is from a previous post on DBJ separations for punchcard machines using the same size repeat and mirrored (punchcards reverse the image), offered as proof of concept The second method is for the color separation that knits each color for each row only once: the motif can be drawn in black and white. The sequence is different than for above. Rows are hidden in pairs above row 1 (16 in table left), then the repeat is drawn in black squares only. Adding a column with numbers for each row in the original provides added cues, and follow with the changes in tables. The rows are "unhidden", resulting in the completed separation for color 1. Color 2 (in different colors in center chart for purposes of illustration): on first blank row, (odd row numbers for color 2) fill in squares empty in the row below, on the second blank row, fill in all squares empty in row above (even numbered rows for color 2). On the right is the repeat ready to be drawn for download.
I began by eliminating the red on rows marked with green cells, leaving only the black in those rows. Copying and pasting the chart with each step provides a continuing visual check and may avoid restarts. In the center chart black has been eliminated from rows (with no color cells on far right) containing red. Lastly, red cells are changed to black for the final pattern repeat.
6 rows are required to complete a single row of the design. These charts get very long. I chose to work first with each design row repeated twice, and then followed the same process as for the 2 color per row separation, including reducing the cells to all black. As one advances up the table, color markings on the far right indicate the single color that is to remain in that row. Hold down the command key, and select for removing fill in as many areas as comfortable. The magnified images with tables lining up side by side provide a visual check. For screen grabs such as these, the individual tables may be moved to front or back of others by using the arrange feature in the format menus. The black and white squares would be converted to punched holes in a card (as is) or pixels. On either machine, they require elongation X2 for use with the color changer. Again, the increase in length may be achieved prior to download in your paint program, or automatically in software or KM that has the feature built in. To elongate the image on the right use option and down arrow if starting from the top. I added design row numbers on the right of the table to help track the process. Clicking on those numbers performs the same action as doing so on row numbers generated by the software when creating the tables. At left is the repeat in process, on the right the final one. Note: the numbers 6 and 7 are sequential on the left, an error, with no empty cell vertically between them. It is easy to see which row is not elongated, and to make the correction seen in the image to the right.
On the expanded graph, with unhidden rows, on odd numbered design repeat marked rows, fill in empty squares with another color. Follow that by in turn removing any black squares in that same row. Hide rows to collapse the shape, resulting in the top image on the far right. The bottom right chart repeat illustrates pixels that would need to be programmed. The setting is slip stitch on the main bed <– –>. With color reverse, the now white squares will knit, the now black squares will slip.
Punchcard knitters need to punch the majority of squares. That are manually accomplishing the task automated by color reversing the repeat in electronics. This fabric is knit at double length, with color changes every 2 rows. The alternate color now fills in empty squares on even numbered design repeat marked rows in the expanded table. Black squares are removed from those same rows. Hide blank rows. Bottom right chart shows stitches that will be knitting, white squares will be slipping.
EXPERIMENTING WITH LARGER DESIGNS I began with an image used in one of my earlier posts on topic, worked through the whole process and realized at the end of it that my repeat was technically 23, not 24 stitches wide, so it was back to the drawing board for the separation once again with the now counted and marked 24 stitch repeat. Tiling is a quick and easy process using gimp, and these repeats should be checked as those for any other type of fabric.
The newly corrected repeat (center) was then drawn onto a table twice its original height, as described above. The added rows that will be hidden and in turn unhidden are partially shown in incomplete width and highlighted on the right. A second color may be added to the repeat at this stage, but I find the results too much to deal with visually for further editing The rows are hidden prior to drawing the repeat, and unhidden to create the expanded graphs. Command is held down while clicking on selected rows along the design height for both actions. I find the expanded rows easier to follow for editing, with the blank rows between giving my eyes a rest. If black is one of the colors, the borders may be drawn in any shade other than black to make counts in black areas easier. Some of the early programs actually assigned black as the value for the "transparent" grid, automatically changing palette colors to other values, or resulting in error messages if black was part of the design palette. Since eventually the repeat will need to be reduced to pixels or holes in cards, one can attempt to skip a step by using a darker color for color 2 in the separation and count squares and draw pixels from there. I personally find it easier if I am dealing with only black squares when plotting out pixels for download. Adding color to numbered table cells on the right is another clue to follow. Within the spreadsheet the whole document allows for easy travel between magnifications for easier editing or prepping for any screen grabs.
The BW image tiled. Most electronics (ayab is an exception) require a single repeat in width and height. If color reverse is an option, one may program white squares and use the machine or software to color reverse. Punchcard knitters use the 24 stitch width repeat in width, twice in lenght, punching all black squares. Slip stitch <— —> is the default setting.
After all that, let us not forget that for color changes every 2 rows the new repeat needs to be programmed to knit at twice the height. Again, most electronics (ayab is an exception) have a double length option. I began at the top of the repeat, working my way down. The pull down table menu may be used, or the shortcut: option key, down arrow for an exercise in "add row below". One can verify that no rows have been skipped by checking on design row numbers on right. Punchcard knitters punch black squares. Electronic knitters have the option of drawing and programming the white squares as well, but followed by color reverse option prior to knitting the fabric.
Punchcard design planning, new: these are not to scale but can serve as a base for planning repeats on paper, may print to size with some tweaking by splitting on more than one page. First sheet is marked as a Brother factory blank single card would be, the second has same markings as the roll I purchased as a "Brother one", that actually has row # 1 markings for Studio kms, so Brother knitters need to begin knitting on row # 3 punchcards.
This is a work in progress post. I have now edited and included its previous version so the most recent observations appear first, the oldest last.
I had been told my kit would be replaced due to persistent patterning error issues. Sales are presently on hold while hardware is reviewed, and work is being done on a new version of software, so any changes in status are to be determined.
3/ 31/ 18 At present there is no English text manual for using the software, or a quick start guide. I am sharing some of the differences and similarities in actions I have noted between the unaltered 910 and those of the hack, beginning with settings, and including a few tidbits gleaned from support as I encountered patterning problems. They may be of interest to those making the transition after previous knitting experience and familiarity with the machine, or to anyone curious about the program and some of its features and differences.
Yellow text in this first image from a publication on the 910 indicates matching functions I have identified so far in ayab software.
When the pattern selector is down, the pattern is centered on green #1 (right of 0). This means if the pattern is an even number, say 24 stitches, then the pattern's limits are green 12 and yellow 12. If the pattern is an odd number of stitches the pattern limits are yellow 12 and green 13, the center being green #1. With an odd number of needles, Ayab places the larger number of needles on the left, its orange (yellow) side.
I purchased my hardware kit (now temporarily off market) from developer : to purchase , wiki , interface , install . Online discussion groups: Ravelry , Facebook, and GitHub .
At present there is no cover readily available for the machine once the unit is installed, so the left side of the main bed remains exposed.
Though beeps heard upon preparing to preselect the first row from left to right are described as a triple beep, I hear them as a triple set of multiple beeps with pauses between. Not taking the time to "hear" them all will result in patterning errors from the get go. Be sure to hear the beep and see the flashing of the unit before reversing carriage direction. Clear the left turn mark at least periodically while knitting. If you have experience with any production knitting on the unaltered machine you may feel the knitting speed is slowed when using the software and cable for downloading each row as opposed to that with which the mylar scanner accomplished the same task.
Ayab can be set for infinite repeat in length, the function was automatic on the mylar unless one made the choice to stop at any point. A single repeat on the mylar was enough to program across the width of the needle bed, with ayab the full width of the pattern must be programmed, so designs need to be tiled accordingly.
Installation of software can be achingly slow on Mac desktop (I am using High Sierra OS). SiLabsUSBDriver is also required. Security settings need to be checked / changed even if no warning is given by the computer leading one to assume there have been no issues with download or the install. The driver will reside in the library/ extensions.
The hardware install is fairly straightforward.
The USB connection needs to be made prior to launching the software for the port to be recognized. If port questions come up, click the "Refresh" button on the AYAB screen. When things are working correctly, you should be able to see a port name from the pop-up menu. The plug-in power supply supplies power only to the needle selection.
The popping noise or clunk is heard usually but not always, when you cancel AYAB and restart and is produced by the solenoids. I have been reassured it "does no harm" by support.
The launcher box remains open throughout knitting.
6. Bring the carriage across the left turn mark and stop before crossing any needles, wait for the triple set of beeps.
8. Continue across the first row and stop, wait for flash and beep, then proceed with movements to and from each side, again waiting for flash and beep that indicate each row download is complete.
If knitting a repeat in single height, currently (0.9 sw and 0.9 fw) when you are one row ahead of the last selection the row numbers disappear as "Image Transmission is finished. Please knit until you hear the double-beep sound". The marker on the image jumps down to the beginning. You knit across and it does the selection for the last row and gives the long-beep sound. Knit one more row to actually knit that selection. When all needles are selected to B, you cancel your settings and you're done.
In some instances clearing both turn marks seems to help avoid errors and insure consistent patterning. Beware of moving the carriage back and forth for any reason, ie to fix a yarn loop, dropped stitch, etc. The movements in my experience have been counted as rows, resulting in patterning errors as would happen when using a punchcard machine. If working on a desktop as opposed to a nearby laptop you may be missing any visual cues for row advancement provided by the ayab screen.
The image displayed on screen may be magnified and reduced to fixed amounts, but at present there are no programmable cues as might have been used on mylar ie. for color changes, lace vs knit carriage actions, etc.
As mentioned, with an odd number of needles, Ayab places the larger number of needles on the left, its orange (yellow) side. It also automatically mirrors all patterns, so lettering and images appear on the knit side as drawn. The mirroring however, is a problem with lace. If working from an established pattern, the lace repeat must be mirrored again either before loading the pattern or prior to knitting it or lace transfers will be made in the wrong direction. It is possible to operate the LC from the right side using Ayab, but if knit carriage is also set to selecting needles ie. if set to slip stitch, and is used in combination with the lace carriage, the LC will not select when operated from the right, and the pattern will not advance properly (documented by others as well).
I used to constantly use 2 knit carriages in a lot of my accessories. At this point that function is not possible due to patterning errors or loss of patterning when the second carriage operates from the right.
AYAB color sequence is reversed from the Brother convention of white pixels being color #1, and black pixels being color #2. It chooses black as color #1, white as color #2. The first pass to the right is set up with the "black" yarn. Actual position in the color changer can vary depending on how the yarn is threaded in the mast. The first pass to the right preselects for the first row of black squares, which will be knit on the first pass from right to left. In one option, the ribber needs to knit the yarn in order to get the carriages threaded with yarn to the other side, the KC makes a free pass, with nothing knit. This is achieved by having the main bed set to slip <– –>, and the ribber to selection to be used in the remaining DBJ fabric. After knitting across and waiting for beep, knit back to color changer, the beep happens again as you reach the opposite side. Press the button to change yarn to "white" and continue in pattern, changing colors every 2 rows. Depending on your choice of start to the piece, another option may be to have the ribber set to slip as well on the first preselection row from left to right, thread the "black" with the carriages on the right, using it to knit that first design row, moving toward its empty slot in the yarn changer, where you will then pick up the "white". Check cam settings on both carriages before moving back toward right. Thinking of the pattern in terms of black and white and matching the sequence as described frees one from the factory KRC convention.
3/15/18 After more testing I have come to the conclusion that end needle selection cancellation on my 910 LC is working properly, but is not operative when I am working with the my Ayab interface.
3/5/18 While working on a post on shaped lace edgings on Brother machines I encountered 2 new issues. One appeared to be I was unable to restore end needle selection on my LC while sorting out the repeats. The other was that if 2 carriages are in use, the lace carriage will not select needles if operated from the right, while if is the only carriage selecting needles, it will work from either side. This is a property that is not isolated only to my set up.
2/28/18 I have continued to intermittently knit swatches on my hacked 910. The software continues to be a boon in terms of avoiding the mylar and producing test fabrics quickly. At one point it was suggested I flash the Arduino "go to the Tools menu, Load AYAB firmware. Choose 910, Uno, 0.9. It takes a few seconds to reload the firmware (the part of the program that's in the actual Arduino. The changes from 0.8 to 0.9 were minimal, but it's best to make sure you are using the latest. EMSL preflashes them in testing so it's not normally necessary for the user to do it." Mine had not been. Doing so has not changed any of the behaviors that make me reluctant to even attempt to knit anything other than short fabric tests. The trick now has become to keep enough patience and distance to be able to not assume that any patterning issues or fabric inconsistency are due to the software and not my own inattention or faulty notes. A recent observation: if an odd number of needles are being used the rule is that the larger number will be on the left.
1/21/17 I have been reworking some of my previous posts to accommodate for the fact that Ayab preselects the first knit row only moving from left to right. After being contacted by a design school student in Europe with respect to creating specific designs in 2 color drop stitch using ayab, there is now a dedicated post on topic. Nothing has changed in terms of my having reliable and consistent patterning for any significant knit lengths using Ayab. In addition, the knit carriage movements in the 910 when using the software now behave like the Brother punchcard knit carriages. Any change in movement in the opposite direction or jiggling of the KC for any reason, can make the design advance pattern rows. This was never true for the unaltered 910 machines, which were wonderfully reliable if the knitting was interrupted, if carriage were moved outside the knit edges for any reason, did not need to clear end marks for any reason other than on the first row of knit, were able to preselect first row from either side, making patterns that required use of the color changer usable without design first row adjustments, and the list goes on. The Facebook group is an active one, and worth joining for anyone seeking more observations, advice, and inspiration.
1/7/18 Over the week end it appears my software has now begun pre selecting first with errors, and now correctly on that first pass from left to right, so I will now be reviewing any instructions I have posted this past month in case settings need to be changed for anyone trying to execute the same fabrics, beginning with lace.
1/4/18 My Ayab software set up rows work this way: the first pass from left to right only gets the carriage to the right, selecting only first and last needle if change knob is set to KC I. The second pass from right to left preselects the first row of pattern. The third pass (from left to right), knits the first row of pattern, selects the second, and so on; subsequent selection is correct, no rows of the design are skipped. It has been pointed out to me that this may be a unique feature to mine, or one unreported by others. "First preselection row should occur on that first pass from left to right". My posts on using the software are based on the first pattern row knitting from left to right, not right to left as would happen if the very first pass from left to right preselected for the first row of knit. At this point in time it is also not possible for the first preselection row to occur moving from right to left. This in turn needs adjustments if patterning needs to occur in 2 row sequences from the left ie. in knitting mosaics and mazes unless preselection happens from right to left, a result of my version's "quirk". Since I also knit on an E6000 the first 2 rows feature to complete preselection for the first row of pattern is a familiar one, and from the beginning I assumed it was an intentional feature in the Ayab software as well. It actually solves the problem if the first selection row needs to happen toward the color changer. Fixed starting sides can be problematic depending on the type of fabric being knit. Lots of options to explore.
12/25/17 my first try at lace: the LC is the one to select for transfers, the KC knits to complete the formation of stitches. Brother punchcards for lace usually begin with selection rows, end with 2 blank rows at their top. Using Ayab the repeats need to repeat across the width of the piece. One nice added feature is that when doing so, blank rows may be planned and left at both sides, creating a knit stitch border and eliminating the problem of paying attention as to whether end needles are selected or not, or what other measures to take. This fabric creates large eyelets, there will be 2 empty needles side by side for the duration. Some of the old pattern books referred to it as one of the "mock crochet" ones.
Previous posts have covered manual color separations for fair isle, quilting 1, quilting2, and a summary of series on drop stitch lace. A later post on drop stitch lace using ayab .
One of the differences in using Ayab, is that knitting set up begins on the left, with first preselection row happening on the second carriage pass from right to left. This makes sense if the goal is to set up patterning for moving toward the color changer. Passap E6000 uses the SX/GX (2 Rows) for set up, with its color changer on the right. The knitter may set the carriages or locks for any chosen setting (knit for knit rows, slip if the extra 2 rows knit are not desired as part of the pattern, or those suggested by console or other instructions). In the original state 910, the starting side is of no consequence as long as one is outside the set line, and preselection happens on a first, single pass. The same is true of preselection in the punchcard, one may start on either side. In some fabrics such as slip stitch worked holding techniques, or if the color changer is in use and making moves in even numbers of rows toward and away from it are required, starting side matters. The Ayab circular setting does the color separation for the fabrics above, but other cam and lever settings may need adjustment, based on sorting out what selected needles are doing when knitting starts. For the "quilted" swatch above the left part button on the KC, and the right one on the ribber were used. Sometimes the guide to color selection or cam settings, is whether the first square in the imported image for download is black or white. With the loss of the built in color reverse on a hacked machine, it is easy work when swatching and testing to color reverse the repeat by using invert, available in the color menu, providing the alternative repeat. In Gimp the grid color may be adjusted as well, if you choose to work in black and white as your starting palette. For the individual image, Image/ configure grid changes the preference for single use.
12/19/17 I am continuing to really appreciate the speed and ease for sampling pattern ideas. That said, I have also again experienced selection issues varying from lost selection to repetition of the same pattern row indefinitely, frequently after more than 50 rows are knit, and in spite of increasing attention being paid to beeps and flashes. Short pauses also seem to put the software into time out mode. I have not done enough knitting to evaluate whether moving the carriage past both turn marks with any frequency prevents those selection issues. Support is responsive, with new tools come new learning curves for everyone involved.
12/17/17 I am brand new at using the system, my comments here are logging my personal experience and observation as I am learning a new tool, not intended as a guide. Please follow forums for advice from folks with more experience and knowledge.
At present there is no cover available to fit over the kit and its wires, so the left hand side of the machine remains exposed. There is a row counter built into the software, but I tend to rely on the built in on the 910. Any DIY cover should take clearing the row counter and the knit leader trippers into consideration. There is some conversation about 3D printed ones, or even metal. Tiny detail: the kit comes with electrical zip ties to help secure the plastic shields on both sides of the board. Clip the ends, and twist them so join sits either on top or under the interface, thus keeping them clear of KM parts, and, particularly, the belt drive on the left.
There are a series of beeps and flashes that indicate that the pattern row has indeed been downloaded and is ready to be knit. 910 mylar users are familiar with the sound coming from the reader as each row is scanned. Prior to using the Ayab system I was initially concerned about beeps for each row adding to machine operating noise, since I am familiar with the Passap screech and at one point was also with the Studio electronic version. The Ayab beeps are actually on the soft side, and background noise or inattention may actually lead one to miss the cues. LED flashes occur in pairs indicating the row is ready to knit as well. Again, any cover may hide the light or soften the beeps even more, making the cues available via the screen more essential.
The kit comes with a 3 ft. cable. I have rearranged placement of my machines to make using both the Croucher cable, switchbox, and wincrea on the Passap, and the Ayab system on my 910. My initial wish was for a longer cable, which is possible to use. That said, there are several knit from screen clues that if you are operating the machine any distance from the computer get lost and become hard to see, including indicators for row numbers and the pattern advancement lines on your motif.
So far I have small FI samples and DBJ samples. Ran into a problem after 60+ rows of each with mis patterning occurring, but that may well have been operator error. I have used my 910 for production accessories, and was very familiar with a personal optimum speed. I believe I almost unconsciously with the initial samples, may have picked up speed and interfered with the accurate download of pattern rows. When I slowed down and was much more deliberate, waited for each flash and sound, a test got me to RC 110 with no issues before I quit for the day.
11/27/17 This punchcard was shared by someone trying to reproduce the implied fabric on their 910. It is intended to be used as a combination lace and weaving card, so on the punchcard machine 2 carriages would be locked on the belt. If even number of passes are made with each carriage, there is the issue of the card not advancing each time when the opposite carriage makes its first pass. So far I have not been able to get this repeat to work for me as drawn, to produce results anything even resembling the "finished swatch" published photo. It did work for me using the LC carriage for 3 passes, releasing it, and following it by 2 rows knit with the KC set to tuck in both directions, a very different fabric. If the LC is released after an odd number of rows, then technically when the KC is first in use, the right to left and back to right selection is not interrupted, it is moving in the direction the LC carriage would have moved, and the punchcard row is not repeated. First row with LC selects, second row transfers, selects next row. Third row transfers, selects every other needle for the first tuck row on the next pass of KC, and LC is released. The fabric then tucks for 2 rows as punched, on every other needle. The second tucked row is completed with KC on right. The first LC row has now been preselected, as the *LC heads back to right (1) it transfers the selected needles, selects them again, but since they are now already empty, nothing happens to any yarn, and the next row of transfers is selected (2). Second set of transfers is made to right (3) as first tuck row is preselected. LC is removed. KC tucks for 2 rows (4, 5), selecting first LC transfer row with the second pass.* Repeat. The marks on the left should indicate carriage movements for each carriage, but they are off as well in my version of the fabric. My final repeats were for use on the 910 with a mylar.
I have always been interested in machine knitting hacks and began sharing information from the internet on the topic as early as 2013. I own the 910 Brother model, and when the ayab hack first became available, assembling electronic components was beyond my skill and interest. I have a good supply of mylars, but have always knit more complex fabrics on my E6000, which has the Croucher cable and switch box for download to and from a Windows laptop, using Wincrea . I had known a preassembled kit for the 910 hack was in development from a trip to CA, which included a visit to the Bay Area Machine Knitting Guild back in April 2016. A recent post on Ravelry alerted me to the fact that Ayab was "alive and well", and that an assembled kit is now available and on the market. The hardware kit developer , to purchase , wiki , interface , install . My understanding is that the software is still being developed in Germany.
I have purchased a kit, and will share my experiences with it as time passes. In addition to bypassing the mylar use, the idea of having software that will render color separations that would normally have to be hand drawn for larger repeats than would be practical, or for complex fabrics, is an exciting one.
An artist whose work I admire, using the interface early on is Claire Williams , her tutorial updated 2016 with DIY assembly of the original "kit".
The initial goal here is to produce a knit fabric using lace transfers in the familiar way, but the knit carriage will now be set to slip <–>, selecting needles with each pass. In routine lace patterning the KC is set for plain knit, does not preselect needles, advance the mylar, punchcard, or other electronic patterning.
If this image, where all blue squares represent knit stitches and white squares unworked ones, was provided with the intent of its being produced as a piece of knit on the machine, the initial approach might be to use a single prong tool to move the edge of the blue in one stitch to the right for a decrease, and out one needle to the left for an increase. When the decrease is made on the bottom curve, the needle from which the stitch was taken is put back out of work. When an increase is made, a stitch is moved to work on left, and the last stitch on that side is transferred onto it. As knitting continues, that now empty needle location will create an eyelet.
I decided to wing it for the first swatches. This illustrates the same knit shape. Blue rows represent all knit rows and stitches, the empty pairs of rows leave areas to insert lace eyelets in pattern.
Now reducing it all to black and white squares or pixels for first preselection from right hand side using an electronic. This repeat is not suitable for use in a punchcard machine even though it is 24 stitches wide. Electronics advance a design row with each pass of the carriage when cam buttons are pushed in and with both carriages set to needle select. Punchcard machines in those circumstances do not advance when the alternate carriage is brought into work from the opposite side. This charted repeat is usable as is on an unaltered 910, with the first preselection row from right to left. LC operates from the left, KC from the right.
For use with Ayab software two other things need consideration. Ayab mirrors lace repeats, so either mirror the repeat of the original design, or choose action mirror in the software prior to knitting. This is a screen grab of the repeat used for my initial swatch test. I later changed the section where the diamonds cross in at the center of the eyelet repeats In addition: those first 2 rows need to be all knit, so the top row of the design was moved down to row 1 position.
The sequence is repeated until the piece reaches the required length.
Going back to the wheel that has already been invented, how can pre drawn published mk lace repeats be used instead of "winging it" endlessly or not having the confidence to perform the necessary assigning symbols and proceeding with the required separation? Still trying to work with a pattern that knits for 2 rows, transfers for 2, a chart from Stitch World: marking the 2 all knit rows that will be plain knit by programming black squares The pattern is actually for an all over lace. All the transfers in the central diamond actually are happening in the same direction. If the repeat was programmed in the usual manner, beginning with LC on the left, those transfers on the first design row and in the whole of the center diamond shape would all be to the left. I can live with them all being to the right, and would be interested in more eyelets at the edge of the trim. Here is a new repeat, with the increased eyelets at the curved edge Remember if using ayab to mirror the above repeat (seen on right) prior to preparing to knit it There is a disruption for 2 rows in the very center of the diamond, where no increases or decreases occur on the shaped edge prior to reversing the shaping. It was there in the earlier sample marked with arrows as well, but not as noticeable where the edge was created with the addition of single eyelets on increase and decrease rows.
This would be my test repeat for knitting the same trim in ayab with the LC operating from the right. The software would mirror it, no action needed. The last row is shifted to the bottom to allow for the knit carriage finding a home on the left. First row knit would preselect 2 needles only, with KC then set to slip in both directions, the next two rows should knit, preselecting the first row of transfers to be made by the LC operating from the right.
I am unable to test the repeat. I have had intermittent problems with patterning in the sofware from the time I installed the kit. In multiple efforts and restarts I am now getting no selection at all or wrong selection with LC operating from right, while rows advance in the software and beeps continue. I have knit lace with the LC on the right before, but not with the KC selecting needles as well. Possible solutions and causes to be determined. 3/8/18 I have been told upon testing by others the same issues have been encountered that I did when using the KC to select from left and the LC from right, and the problem appears to be the result of a bug in the software to be addressed in future updates.
3/10/18: an adaptation of Susanna's automatically shaped trim for Brother KM, p. 223 of "A Machine Knitter's Guide to Creating Fabrics". This chart shows the first rows of the published punchcard. Please note: using my own lace carriage, when I tested canceling end needle selection, the problem was not solved. Brother setting recommendations made for a similar transfer pattern in an edging published by them, are given and repeat is pictured at end of my post.
The numbers on the punchcard chart do not reflect actual row numbers in knitting because when row 4, 10, etc is reached, on the next pass (a blank row in the card), the card does not advance and the previous selection is repeated. For each carriage to make an even number of passes to travel to and from its original position, the total length of the repeat must be an even number of rows.
Here are the 24 stitch repeats adjusted for knitting on the electronic. A for an unaltered 910, B indicating direction of transfers (red to right, green to left). Arrows mark the problem row, and my solution to it C on the far right, along with the repeat adjusted for use with Ayab. the ayab screen image for working the edging Both KC and LC are set not to select first and last needles in my directions. When the decreases start to happen on the left of the chart, because the end needle selection for transfer to right again does not happen in areas marked with magenta arrows, there is an extra stitch that remains on the left that does not get transferred (orange dot) so it is not knit off and simply get held as subsequent rows of knitting take place. Restoring needle selection in the LC is not a solution for the problem, so the final repeat has been amended by me to get that edge transfer. The pattern starts on cast on 20, not the full 24 stitches. Ayab knitters: use the LC to begin selection from left. The first pass will select for a knit row, push those needles back to B, and the LC will select for transfers to right on the next row as it moves to the left. When knitting is to take place there is a clear distinction in the number of selected needles (black squares). The KC will be set to slip <– –>. Make certain to remember to return the remaining 4 of the 24 total stitches back to B so the full repeat is in work on the needle bed before continuing in pattern, otherwise there will be needles there to accept stitches moved over for increases to left.
The two extra passes of the LC in this method result in a 2 stitch border on the increasing and decreasing angles of the piece, creating a much nicer edge than that in the samples at the top of the post. The eyelet so close to the right edge stitch which also winds up being slipped every other row made for very messy loose stitches in the thicker cotton that I could not control. The sample did better when I pulled the non selected needles on knit rows out to hold prior to moving across them with KC.
for another version of an edging using a pattern that has the same eyelet sequences along the shaped edgings. Their recommendation for a 950i is to remove the non selection mechanism on the lace carriage, and mention was made of the "rubber wheels on the carriage" being uppermost, allowing the end needles to be selected. My lace carriage has fixed, old fashioned brushes, not rubber wheels, and my eliminating end needle selection did not solve the problem with that single stitch in the center of the repeat. And if there is not enough to keep track of, this also combines fine lace and traditional transfer lace, would work fine as just lace.
If my only goal is to create illustrations for my posts rather than to produce programmable designs for download to any knitting machine, my go-to program in the past was Excel. Depending on my charting needs, now that Excel is no longer available to me, I am using Mac Numbers or Pages.
My computer is an iMac, with OS High Sierra installed (Mojave update 2019). Last December my 910 was altered to work with Ayab, as mentioned in other posts, via a USB connection to the Mac. For generating files for download I like to work primarily in GIMP (Photoshop is no longer available to me as well). It is freeware. The latest stable Mac Version is version 2.8.22. Windows users have an option to download a later release . Another freeware option is Paintbrush , a smaller, user friendly program.
I am using one of my drop stitch designs throughout this post to illustrate steps taken for altering the original by using options such as scaling and tiling. It is intended as a partial quick start guide, not a complete tutorial. The program's manual provides keyboard shortcuts etc. for anyone wanting to explore more options to obtain similar or other results. That said, the manual is not recently updated or Mac specific, and Mac vs Windows appearance of windows and menus differ.
Claudia Scarpa has created a document on "how to edit a picture with GIMP for "Oknitme software" that she has given permission for me to share here: 03-ENG-gimp. The tutorial has clear instructions for anyone wishing to explore photo editing for use in knits with GIMP, and the Oknitme online tool helps punchcard knitters participate in the process.
In an effort to respond to a request I have had via my blog, I am sharing information on this topic as I have time to explore it. My first attempt when up and running with the Ayab software, was to to reproduce an earlier sample I had created as a color separation originally intended for a hand knit shadow knit experiment.
Patterns predawn for shadow knitting, appear to be one published source for interesting 2 color drop stitch variations. What about geometric shapes or developing your own designs? Designs created using this technique lengthen considerably when off the machine. Both color sets of stitches become elongated as they are dropped, and that should be a consideration in planning your design. If your goal is a circle, the actual shape programmed may have to be closer to an egg laid horizontally rather than that of a "true" circle. The fabric also widens considerably when blocked and off the machine, making cast on and bind off methods considerations another necessity. Design repeats may be drawn in Paintbrush or GIMP (both freeware), or Photoshop. I have been a longtime GIMP user, and prefer to use it in tiling repeats as opposed to the copy and paste features in Paintbrush to accommodate the Ayab requirement of programming the repeats horizontally in the width of your piece.
In my previous how to posts on designing your own 2 color drop stitch lace, part of the color separation required elongating the design X 2. Starting side in Ayab for needle selection always needs to be from left to right, and elongation of the motif is not required when using the Ayab circular option.
This was my first working repeat, A = repeat charted out. B = the working bitmap or png, etc. (which would be the only requirement for the mylar). C = the image tiled for the chosen number of stitches (again, Ayab requires the repeat be programmed for the width of your knit piece). D = the image elongated, not usable for this fabric, it results on too much elongation. If you would like a knit border on either side, that can be achieved by having extra stitch(es) in work on the ribber.
Drop stitch lace has been referred to over the years in other terms as well, such as release stitch, drive lace, and summer fair isle in Passapese. Passap knitters will recognize the results from this first method are akin to those produced using Technique 185.
Getting started: stitches intended to be dropped may be created on either bed. If the ribber is used to create loops, then the technique is a manual one. Using the main bed in Japanese machines to program dropped stitches increases accuracy and ease.
If you are swatching and testing, a permanent cast on is not necessary. The broken toe cast on is one of the two quickest on the Japanese machines, usable on on either bed. It is fondly called that, because if ribber cast on comb and weights are in the wrong place so that the wrong loops are dropped, everything falls to the floor, and likely on your toes. There is an online video by Diana Sullivan that shows its use for a tighter cast on row in 1X1 rib, but the use here is for a different purpose.
In producing this fabric you are technically knitting an "every needle rib". Cast on a fairly tight zig zag row. The ribber comb wire needs to be placed so that it holds down the stitches on the bed on which you need to keep them. The principle and results are akin to the first row knit when you use a single bed cast on comb, and the second pass, with the first knit row anchors open loops before your continue to knit. Any loops not secured by the comb will result in dropped stitches. Any fabric, any time, when 2 stitches are empty side by side, stitches are not formed and the yarn is dropped off them creating a float or ladder. The red line indicates the ribber wire on top of the ribber loops in the zig zag row, placed so released knitting will be left on the ribber. Black lines your zig zag yarn loops, blue dots the teeth of your ribber cast on comb. You can check placement by dropping just a few loops on the main bed before hanging your weights on the comb.
It is possible to also use a wired cast on comb for an open stitch cast on on the top bed only. Remove wire from comb. Bring the comb up and between needles to be used, and re-insert wire. Needles and latches will need to travel easily under the wire when the first knit row takes place.
To use the same method with ribber in place: hold the appropriate ribber comb with the bump(s) up facing you, so that the teeth line up with gate pegs as shown above, and so the needles can come through the gaps. Leave the wire in, hold the bump(s) against the ribber, and tilt the comb against knit bed. Hold the comb high enough to take the carriages across to opposite side. Move carriages to other side, drop the comb and weigh it. If continuing on the top bed only drop the ribber, switch sinker plates, and continue to knit.
For other purposes and an edge similar to a "weaving cast on" executed on Japanese machines use EON for the "cast on row", then bring into work and add the rest of the needles prior to knitting the second row.
Use a cast on comb appropriate for your knitting machine's gauge ie 4.5mm, 5mm, etc., brand is not relevant, only tooth spacing is. It is possible to cut ribber cast on combs into different widths for use when knitting is planned on fewer stitches than those accommodated by their available commercial widths.
COL: as you go from the left to right, needles are preselected on the top bed, they will knit, picking up loops that you will in turn drop on the subsequent passes of the knit carriage from right to left.
It is possible using the circular setting to drop only one of the 2 colors, whether background or shape. I began by dropping the white ground. I used to encourage students to develop a tune/ repeat in their head when regular actions needed to be taken. For me, in terms of yarn color, it was "white, knit, drop", "brown = erase (push back to B), go back". 1: white travels to right, needles are pre selected; 2: white travels to left, picking up loops 3: on left, change color, drop stitches. For brown: 1. travel to right, needles are preselected 2: on the right, before traveling back to left push all selected needles back to B. Only the ribber knits on the way back to left, so brown will have knit 2 rows with no dropped stitches. I ran out of brown yarn, started over with the blue and white, planning on having the shape drop the stitches. There is a difference in the fabric width with the change in distribution of stitches. I stopped knitting not due to any mis patterning, but because I encountered another Ayab behavior that may be well known to punchcard knitters. Due to a yarn mast issue I moved the knit carriage back to disentangle the yarn, and lo and behold the pattern advanced a row. Punchcard machines will advance a row with any movement of the carriage outside the edges of the knit. This was never an issue in the unaltered 910. At that point I stopped knitting.
If double bed work is daunting, for a different stitch, worked single bed, that may cause interesting distortions in all knit, single bed fabrics see block stitch post.
The self drawn design repeats for 2 color drop stitch may be offset as well, resulting in colors being dropped alternately. The design shape needs to be created in 4 row blocks in order for the yarn to make it back and forth to the color changer with both colors to complete one design row. The second pairs of rows in each 4 row block is "erased". In this instance as well, rows marked with black squares will pick up loops on the main bed, which are in turn dropped to create the long stitches. The second design repeat is off set to try to get sections of it to create loops to be dropped as well. The final motif must be a multiple of 8 rows in height if it is to be used as Ayab's "infinite" repeat in length.
In an unaltered 910 with the ability to double the width of the programmed repeat, mylar users are not excluded from exploring a similar fabric. The repeat above may be rescaled to half the width, drawn that way, and then use the twice as wide built in feature. Gimp does an "interesting" thing when scaling this design to half width, note the right side of each repeat is an odd number of squares, the left side an even. The repeat may be used as is or redrawn, adding or eliminating black squares if symmetry in each shape matters. Paintbrush produces the same image, mirrored.
The explanation: further analysis of the original design reveals the fact that some of the pixel numbers in the design black square blocks are uneven in width. In this instance 3.5 is half of 7, and half pixels cannot be rendered, so the software assigns the split to 4 and 3.


Whether you are a tourist visiting New York City on vacation or a resident of the bustling, ever-busy city, it's well worth planning some time to see the New York Botanical Garden. Located in the Bronx, near the Bronx Zoo and historic Arthur Avenue, it's an easy 20 minute trip from Grand Central Terminal yet you'll feel as though you're in another world entirely.
The New York Botanical Garden features some 250 acres of gardens and natural landscapes, wetlands and old growth forest, and a stunning "crystal-palace style" greenhouse which houses tropical and desert plants. There are great activities and exhibits for both the young and old to enjoy, and it's also a photographer's paradise!
Read on to learn more about the Garden: its history, major attractions, and how to plan your visit.
All photographs on this page are by the author, sockii. You can see my full New York Botanic Garden photo gallery at Flickr.
The New York Botanical Garden (NYBG) was established in the year 1891. Most of the land which makes up the Garden today belonged to the Lorillard family, from whom it was purchased by the City of New York to create the Garden along with the Bronx Zoo. The creation of the Garden was spurred on by a fundraising campaign led by the Torrey Botanical Club and Columbia University Bontanist Nathaniel Lord Britton and his wife Elizabeth Gertrude Britton. Their desire to create the Garden was due to a visit to the Royal Botanic Gardens in London, which they wished to emulate here in the United States.
It's easy to spend an entire day at the NYBG without having the time to see it all. And in every season of the year there's something to enjoy, from the early Spring flowers to the colorful foliage of Autumn.
The New York Botanical Garden was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1967. Over 900,000 people visit the NYBG annually to explore the grounds, relax and take in the tranquility of this space away from the NYC skyscrapers and busy streets.
But the NYBG also plays an important global role in plant research and education. The Pfizer Plant Research Laboratory opened in 2006 with an emphasis on plant genomics, with projects exploring the evolutionary history of plants, plant use by immigrant populations in New York, and also creating a DNA library of plants.
On site is also the LuEsther T. Mertz Library, considered the largest botanical library in the Americas. It holds many rare works and books, including writings by Charles Darwin.
...and why it's one of the "Treasures of New York"
The New York Botanical Garden is open year-round Tuesday-Sunday and certain holiday Mondays. Hours are seasonal, from 10am - 5 or 6pm. You can either buy a grounds-only ticket to walk the outdoor gardens, or get a full ticket to enter the conservatory and certain gardens, view special exhibitions, and utilize the tram tours. On Wednesdays and early Saturday mornings it's free to enter the grounds as well.
The exact Garden location is 2900 Southern Boulevard, Bronx, NY 10458. Parking is available on site, but the easiest way to get there if you are coming from Manhattan is to take the Harlem line of the Metro-North Railroad. Trains run frequently from Grand Central Terminal, and it's only a 20 minute ride to the Botanical Garden stop. There are also nearby subway and bus routes; check the MTA website for more information.
Visitors are welcome to picnic in designated areas, but there are also dining and beverage options available on site. Since you'll be outdoors most of the time, be sure to dress appropriately for the season—and bring your sunscreen!
For more information on planning your visit, check out the New York Botanical Garden official website.
How easy is it to get to the NYBG?
Just watch this video to find out!
Have you ever been to the New York Botanical Garden? Would you be interested in visiting it in the future? Feel free to leave your comments below, and thanks for visiting this page!
The Botanical Garden looks lovely and your pictures are awesome! I'm also part of a group of Pensacola photographers and I'm definitely impressed.
•	I've read all of your information that you shares in your article and I love it. Many thanks for showing this post. I enjoy it.
Wow 250 acres - now that a BIG garden! I'll have to try to get there next time I'm on the East Coast.
Another great article, thank you. Yes, I've been to the NY Botanical Garden, and of course I want to go back! This is one more place where I could have spent the whole day and even that would not have been enough time. Outstanding photos!
The flower images are spectacular.
One of my fav places in this city, I dream of living near there. Prospect Park is a sneeze away, it's a beauty as well. This was a great read, well done.
@happynutritionist - would you believe I live in New Jersey, and grew up near Warwick New York, and never knew until now that NJ had our own Botanical Gardens? It's quite close to where my mom lives, in fact, and I never knew it was there. I will for sure have to visit them soon, thanks for the tip!
How beautiful! I have saved information written on another source about our Botanical Gardens in NJ and will have to add it here one day. I love going at this time of year. My daughter was married at our botanical garden.
@CruiseReady - the daffodils are really lovely, especially as they have been allowed to naturalize for many years and create a beautiful Spring garden. I want to come back another time when I can really explore the forest trails and spend more time off the beaten paths.
The Cloisters are a wonderful place to visit when in New York City. Explore a large collection of medieval European art in a wonderful garden setting.


West Ham manager Slaven Bilic has ruled out a possible move for Manuel Lanzini to Liverpool this summer, as rumours continue to surround the playmaker following the aftermath of Philippe Coutinho's transfer request bombshell.
The Hammers boss was quick to shoot down any speculation surrounding Lanzini on Thursday as he insisted the 24-year-old was going nowhere, despite the reported interest of Reds boss Jurgen Klopp.
The Argentinian international has pieced together a number of impressive seasons with West Ham - scoring 14 goals in 61 league appearances after making his move from Al Jazira Club - which has seemingly caught the eye of Liverpool who could be looking for a Coutinho replacement this summer.
The midfielder is understood to be seen as a possible low-cost option with proven Premier League experience for the Reds, however Bilic in his press conference ahead of this weekends matchup with Southampton was quick to reiterate that the 24-year-old is not for sale.
He said, via football.london: "No, I am not worried [about Lanzini leaving]. I got it from the papers, the news. That's it.
"But, I said it last week when we spoke about it before Man Utd game. I speak to Manu every day and he is very happy. He really feels at home here, he feels wanted.
"You can see it, you don't have to talk to the player but you see he is smiling, he is happy. He broke into the Argentina team, he got a call-up for the September games so he knows that if he plays for West Ham I have a chance to improve, sign a better contract with West Ham and play for Argentina. He is very happy.
"I don't want to set a price tag on him, I am sure he is going to stay with us.
"He knows that he is wanted. As I said, the chairman and the board, when he was on loan we took the option even before we had to, we activated it.
"He was voted players player of the year which is a good thing and he feels wanted at the place. He likes it here."


Lennons @ Visual is a contemporary restaurant within the VISUAL Centre for Contemporary Art and the George Bernard Shaw Theatre. They required professional stationery to use within the restaurant and for self-promotion.
The stationery was kept clean and simple, in keeping with the restaurant's atmosphere. Menu sheet templates were created so that the client could print their own menus as dictated by menu changes or seasonal availability. Business cards, compliment slips and product labelling were also part of the stationery suite designed by AKGraphics.
6 years ago, in 2012, AKGraphics designed a range of labels for the homemade chutneys, jams and drinks sold by Lennons.
You can view the details of that design project here. While Lennons were still happy with the original label design they felt it was time for a refresh and also had some additional products to add to the range. It was important that the revised product label design would work well with the older design as both versions would be used while the change over takes place. The redesign of the labels put the focus on the product with the block of colour behind the name. The strong colours all work well together and create an attractive display on the shelves in Lennons restaurant.


DELHI DLI to HOWRAH JUNCTION HWH train timings, routes, stops, and complete info.
As of now, 16 trains run between from DELHI (NDLS) to HOWRAH JUNCTION (HWH).
The fastest train from DELHI (NDLS) to HOWRAH JUNCTION (HWH) is ANVT-HWH YUVA EXP (12250) that departs at 19:50 and arrives to at 12:50. It takes approximately 17:00 hours.


The day before the NBA lockout began, we showed you what NBA.com was going to look like. But one facet of the site that no one was really talking about was NBAStore.com – your one-stop shopping destination for all your NBA gear needs. And with the NBA Store on Fifth Avenue in New York City having been closed since February, NBA fans searching for their favorite player's jersey were in limbo.
So with NBA.com in full lockout mode, and no images or video to be seen, you might think that jerseys with NBA players' names on them would be off limits, right? Think again. According to Mike Bass, Senior Vice President of Marketing Communications who oversees all business and marketing communications for the NBA, WNBA and NBA Development League, you can currently buy a Ricky Rubio replica, Dirk Nowitzki authentic or other current NBA player jerseys on NBAStore.com and that's lockout kosher.
But what about the rookies?
Or are they? As you may know, you can go onto NBAStore.com and customize your own jersey if you'd like. So my next logical question was whether or not rookie names would go through in customization. The answer is yes.
Want a Kyrie Irving maroon Cavs jersey? Do it. How about a Jimmer Fredette purple Kings uni? All yours. And if you need help, here's a compilation of all the numbers that the NBA's incoming rookies will be wearing this season.


text:
Ashley Blaylock, Badass Beauty
Sara Bliss
Yahoo Beauty• June 19, 2014
Photo: Courtesy of Ashley Blaylock
In law school, Ashley Blaylock vacationed in Nicaragua and fell head over heels for the Central American country. At 25, she ditched her safe tax attorney career at a Houston law firm to follow her dream, finding a job in real estate law in Nicaragua. It didn't take her long to fall for surfing, but it did take a minute to get the hang of it. "Surfing is one of the hardest sports in the world! The waves are always changing, there are a lot of conditions outside of your control," Blaylock says. "It took me like a year to stand up on my board. I don't know that I had natural talent, but I had dedication, perseverance, and persistence."
That persistence paid off, and within two years Blaylock became Nicaragua's female surf champion, a title she held onto for six years. The win gave her confidence to pursue her next dream: founding the country's first all-female surf school for women, Chicabrava.
Chicabrava now hosts all-female surf camps, and does outreach in the community. "I do think I've made a difference for girls in Nicaragua, seeing that women can do the things that guys can do." For Ashley surfing is more than just a sport, "Surfing teaches you to be fierce because you face your fears head on. It can be lifechanging. In addition to having an amazing vacation, I want women to feel empowered, fulfilled, and balanced," Blaylock says. "Ultimately, it's about self-discovery." How does Ashley look so amazing while riding the waves? Find out, below.
MAKEUP PHILOSOPHY: If you're doing a sport like surfing, you can't wear makeup; it's not really convenient, lifestyle-wise. I pretty much don't wear makeup unless I'm going out somewhere. What happens is if you wear makeup all the time, then when you don't have it on, people notice that you look different. But if you never wear makeup, when you put some on at night, people are like, "Wow you look so nice!" For me it's NARS Orgasm blush and a coral colored lipstick for that fresh beach look.
SUNSCREEN FOR SURFERS: I always tell the girls at my surf camp: A tan is nice but it lasts for two weeks; wrinkles last forever. Not worth it. The main thing I've focused on throughout the years is sunscreen. I wear Banana Boat Baby SPF 50. The baby formulas don't sting your eyes, and they are all real thick and protective. You want to put it on every time you take a break, about once every one to two hours. A lot of people like fancy sunscreen, but it's not necessary. It's also good to use zinc on your face, but it can get pretty expensive for a small tube. Instead, get a huge tube of unscented diaper-rash cream and it works the same. Trick of the trade.
SURFER HAIR: We sell 100-percent edible coconut oil called Brava Butter. You just put it in the palm of your hand and into your hair, right before you paddle, or go to the pool, when your hair is dry. Also, this is the one area where I splurge on salon-quality shampoo, because my hair gets so beat-up from the sun and saltwater. I switch around, but I like Kevin Murphy, Bumble and Bumble, Kérastase Paris and Matrix Biolage.
SKINCARE: I always use a ton of lotion, anything with cocoa butter or shea butter in it. If you get a sunburn, buy the tub of Queen Helene cocoa butter cream, slather it on your shoulders and you will not peel.
FITNESS: In addition to surfing, I love yoga, and it's a really good complement to surfing. TRX [Suspension Training] is great for surfers, because your core is always engaged. With CrossFit you can knock out your workout in 20 minutes. I also like to hike a lot. And when I was pregnant, it was swimming and yoga every day.
BEAUTY FOODS: Coconut water is amazing. If you are going to buy the bottled ones, go with those without any added sugar. Choose water over coconut water, though — tons and tons of water. I like a nice cup of herbal tea with honey, too. I always feel good when I eat avocado, and anything with nuts. The truth, though, is I also eat a lot of sweets and desserts! But dark chocolate, as close as possible to 100-percent cacao? I feel like it's good for you.
BEING A BADDASS: Feeling fit makes me feel like a badass — not like I'm fitting into a size 0, but like I went and ran and had a great surf. The most badass I feel is when I'm surfing a really big swell and big, solid waves.
EMPOWERING WOMEN: I am so proud of Chicabrava. It's a forum for change, because you prove that you can be badass and beautiful at the same time. You can get dressed up and still catch a sick wave. We also do an outreach program, hosting a group of young girls who were rescued from sex trafficking. And we do monthly free lessons with local girls to get strong and be empowered in a community that is pretty macho. They see that you can be a big, beautiful, powerful, badass chick, and that you don't have to put up with a guy who is beating you. We have been instrumental in helping girls get out of some situations. Surfing is powerful.
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl