Knitting - help and advice super thread!

I just saw that there is a Beginner's Machine KNitting Class on in Dublin in the yarn shop The Constant Knitter on Francis St in dublin, this coming Sat 13th june.
link: http://www.theconstantknitter.ie/
It says:
Beginner Machine Knitting class - Sat 13 June

We have machines but bring your own if you have one. Yarns supplied. Places limited.


(There is a teacher's contact email provided, if you go to the Constant Knitter website above, but I do not want to put someone else's email address into this message).
What I am thinking is that maybe the people at the Constant Knitter, or the tutor herself, would know where knitting machines can be serviced in Dublin, and/or parts bought, even if you did not want to take the actual MK class this Saturday.

No No No, all knitting machines are loved!

As they are no longer made, often people may have to buy a few to get a full working set.

Depending on the machine it worth €70 to €250 just as it it. You can even leave the dust on the box!

My first machine took me 6 months to clean and service, its from 1979 and it works perfectly now and has done for the last 15 years.

If you can get a picture even of the box/case, i can give you more info.

Same for older sewing machines. Someone gave me a metal Noveom, its only has two stitches and its brilliant, it compliments my modern Singer perfectly. Value of the sewing machine €50 plus as long as it works. The pedal is important with the sewing machine, you can replace but it could be as much as the machine.

I'm told the sowing machine isn't actually up their anymore it was given away.

Anyway you have perked my interest in the knitting machine so I just asked my father about it. He thinks it's made by Philips and he actually bought it in the early 60's! He said it worked the last time he used it, which was to knit my school jumpers in the 80's. I still haven't got up and looked at it but I think the case it's in is kind of an army green colour.

Here's the best I could get its pretty old and greasy looking in fairness

wmpdd3 wrote: »

Looks like a c. 1965 Singer. Swiss made double bed.

I've only ever seen the case come up for sale!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Retro-Singer-Knitting-Machine-Case-Green-Suitcase-/221769329576?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item33a27b6ba8&nma=true&si=kuPRzfQGg%252BphAobicKe7RXLJFaA%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

Interesting and good god you know your machines. So any idea of its value?

wmpdd3 wrote: »

Its an odd one. Well worth putting it on ebay. If it was in perfect condition, it would be €200 plus. Its would have cost as much as a small car, the person probably paid it off over a year with the shop, so the original owner may not be at all happy that thats all its worth!



I can look into it further, and get back to you.

You'd probably be shipping it and as its longer than 3 feet only certain couriers take it, but anyone buying machines knows that and will pay for shipping and insurance.

That would be great thanks. Personally I wouldn't bother with the eBay and the shipping etc. so if anyone is interested send me a PM and I'd let it off cheap enough. My father thought it was thrown out years ago until I asked him about it tonight.

Thanks again for sharing your freakishly good knowledge on the subject:-)

karreys wrote: »

Hi my name is karen,and I would like to get your machine up and running again if it is still available let me know and I can collect thanks...I live in kildare so not too far,I have fixed up an old knitmaster and is now working but would love to tryvthe double bed

Hi Karen, I'll send you a private message about it now thanks.

I know what it's like to mislay a favourite pattern but I'm having a problem visualising the sleeves as you describe them. You may already be familiar with Patternfish and Elann.com but if not, I find they have great patterns and really useful search options (especially Patternfish). Elann have a good selection of free patterns to download as does the Drops website. If you can find an hour to kill, you may see what you're looking for or at least something close. Good luck!

I'm about to try one of their patterns for the first time, just waiting for the postman! Has anyone knit any of their patterns before, are they straightforward enough or very complicated? The pattern will be in English but the warning is that it's written in the continental style, whatever that is, and leaves it up to the knitter to interpret. I may be worrying about nothing and I do have a good bit of experience but I'm a little apprehensive. I love the pattern and have bought the wool so there's no turning back! Any tips would be helpful and much appreciated. Thanks folks.

Thanks for coming back to me, it's reassuring to hear what you think. I'm used to written patterns and haven't used charts much other than knitting with different colours so you will be more than sick to death of me before long!!!
I can't think where to look for the pattern number so here's a link to the pattern on Deramores. What do you think?

http://ie.deramores.com/crossover-shawl-collar-jacket-in-bergere-de-france-sport-429-04

Thanks so much for the advice, I'm really looking forward to it now, rather than that butterfly feeling! I actually bought everything from their UK site so I've been there already but didn't think of a catalogue. I think I'll get this one under my belt and then take a closer look afterwards, although I've promised myself a project from Brooklyn Tweed next, love their patterns, especially their mens collection. Anyway, fingers xd and wish me luck! Thanks again, you're a star.

@aknitter, I agree with TreasureBin, a shawl. I've just been on hols and I knit a shawl, and I knit one last year as well, my first shawl actually.

Not sure what level of knitting you are at, so here's the link to the pattern for the first shawl, Winter Sunrise Shawl, which leads to this blog.
I modified it, the pattern is every line Purl, I did every line Knit.
The triangular shape is made by the increases, which are created by Yarn Overs, 4 YO on every second line, spread out, 1 at each end of the line and 1 on either side of a central stitch which gives a wonderful spine effect to the shawl.
It was very simple to master and no pattern as such to remember, just Yarn Over after first stitch of every second line, then knit to centre, yo before centre stitch, K1 then yo again and knit to last st, yo, knit last st. You can stop when you have 200 sts. You can also knit more if you want if you are tall and want a bit more length.
You can choose any wool you have and needles just a little bigger than the wool would usually have so the knit is loose-ish. I used circulars, not joining the work just knitting over and back. Circulars are great (cheapie Lidl ones) because you don't run the risk of losing a needle and neither do you drop stitches when you leave down the work, you just push all stitches far back onto the loop and then roll up the work and it makes a small bundle until next time.
If you want a more complicated shawl you can look at this one,
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/lalas-simple-shawl
it has mixture of garter stitch, stocking stitch and rows of eyelets created by YO, K2Tog, repeated across one line, very simple and very effective.

2 or 3 balls, pair of circs, printout of pattern, Bob's your uncle!