[ReptilianFeline]

I found this lovely motif from Norway that is a kind of fair isle. The motif would span at least two punch cards, and since they don't come in tandem, there is no way this motif can be done automatically on my Silver Reed 360. The question is, do I set up as for intarsia, or do I make some kind of manual fair isle? It's a repeat pattern, creating bands across the garment. I think it would be lovely on an afghan.

 

[mlab]

I suppose in theory you could do with an intarsia carriage, but I would not fancy the attention to detail that this would require on every row. Some electronic machines use Mylar sheets or have inbuilt programmes that can go to more than 24 stitches, but I would probably argue that your machine is probably best used in the limits of its capacity. But up to you and if you do it, you have my very best wishes because I reckon your patience will be tested to its limits - if not more than its limits...

 

[susieknitter]

Can you post a link so that the pattern can be seen?

 

[Celt Knitter]

Can you do it sideways on the punchcard? I can do that easily with a roll, but you can alo do it by linking single cards.You would have to compensate for stitch height and length

 

[martina]

Can you do it sideways on the punchcard? I can do that easily with a roll, but you can alo do it by linking single cards.You would have to compensate for stitch height and length

Thanks for the reminder of this technique. I'd totally forgotten about it.

 

[KateWood]

With some double wide patterns or ones you'd like to knit mirror image, you can make 2 cards, knit the first half then stitch them together up the center with sew as you go when knitting the second half.

 

[ReptilianFeline]

42 stitches and 38 rows.

The example image was a sweater from Norway form the 1800's something. It was knitted in several shades of red and the colours were banded in such a manner that it looked like the motif was even more complex.

Maybe this is something for that really old Knittax machine I've bought. There is nothing but hand manipulation on that one, so I've been thinking that it would be perfect for complex intarsia anyway. You simply place the yarn over the needles before moving the carriage across. If I can make myself one of those magic needle selectors, I could make it 42 stitches wide and then "program" it for each row.

 

[30Knitter]

Pretty pattern

 

[MaryAnneCutler]

I believe the floats between the colours would be to long for single bed fairisle.

 

[ReptilianFeline]

I believe the floats between the colours would be to long for single bed fairisle.

I don't think the floats are a problem, considering all the handmanipulation needed for this on a punch card machine (or even earlier machine).

If I select the needles by hand, the pattern drums at the back of the carriage can't be engaged. Then how does the carriage know what to do with the yarn?

The way I'm thinking, is that you place the yarn in the needles, and then push the carriage across, and that means using the intarsia carriage, right? There is no way I can select the needles by hand and use the regular carriage with the fair isle setting, is there? If I place the yarn by hand, then I can control the floats and use several balls of yarn for each segment?