This website covers many aspects of textiles, but its main focus is on knitting; both hand and machine. Browsing the site you will find discussions on Creative Machine Knitting along with instructions for using machines, machine accessories, repairs, tips and techniques.
June 2023
My latest book, ‘Single and Double Bed Machine Knitting: the Designer’s Guide‘ is now on sale.
After a year of false starts, partial-packing and living in limbo, we finally had a sale agreed so that we could move house. Of course this meant we had to move in a real rush and had only three weeks to get fully packed and moved. Consequently, today is my first serious effort at getting back to knitting work and writing my new book on machine knitting.
My new study has a glorious view of the garden which inspires me!
Yesterday, a friend who I think has more spinning wheels than even I have, brought an older Louet wheel along to the monthly meeting of the Brighton Textile Arts Group. She didn’t know the model, and I still haven’t found it online, but that’s sort of irrelevant as it’s the Irish tension that caught my eye.
I have learned from many texts and posts online that ‘Scotch’ and ‘Irish’ don’t really relate to geographical origins. I also understand that ‘Scotch’ and double drive are both flyer-led and ‘Irish’ is bobbin-led (literal and more accurate descriptors), but the terms Scotch and Irish tension are in common use so I will stick to them here. In flyer led systems the wheel drives the flyer around the bobbin, and the bobbin is braked by either the brake band or the second loop of the double drive band. In bobbin led systems the bobbin is driven by the wheel so spins constantly, but the flyer, which feeds the yarn onto the bobbin is braked by either a leather band at the front (as on the Louet) or by using a brake band. In both systems, the spinner restrains the yarn from being pulled through the hooks/flyer and onto bobbin as twist is introduced in to the fibres and then releases their hold to allow the yarn to be drawn onto the bobbin. Both systems rely on some slippage of the bands, which is something I have not fully understood as yet, and am not sure is really necessary, but fascinating all the same. So far I am not sure how the difference in circumference of bobbin and flyer whorl affect each other in Irish tension as they do in double and Scotch tension systems. Another interesting thing to spend time testing out.
I learned to spin on a Westbury wheel, which was a gem of a wheel. My Mother bought it in Glastonbury as a kit – she was so excited, and my Dad built it for her and stained it dark walnut – not a fashionable option today, but it did look charming. The Westbury has both double drive and Scotch tensions, but I only used the Scotch option as we really didn’t understand the double drive. After this there was a gap in my spinning and Mum didn’t carry on with it for long, so that wheel has long gone, (something I really regret).
My interest in yarn design endured, but was industrially focused, so it was quite a few years later that I resumed hand spinning. I now prefer double drive but have several wheel which are switchable and value the flexibility this gives me. So that I can share with you, these are a Wee Peggy and a Schacht Matchless and an Ashford Traddie that I have converted to double drive but which still retains the option of Scotch tension. Of these the Matchless is a recent purchase, chosen after trying lots of wheels over longish periods of time, (hence my collection of wheels) and is my absolute favourite. It is a dream to spin on and has double treadles and a central orifice which is super ergonomic; I find single treadles can make me twist and lead to back and hip ache nowadays so can’t spin for too long on these.
So let’s get back to yesterday and the Louet wheel. Which is a sweetie I have to say. I like Louet wheels, (and of course own one) because they are so thoughtfully designed and this was no exception; sturdy with a central orifice and an onboard Lazy Kate, all made in lovely wood – very nice apart from the rather high treadle position. I’ve not used the Irish tension system before and so was keen to try it. I didn’t actually shove her out of the way, but hovered and green-eyed it and eventually asked if I could have a go. Generously she gave me fibre, and left me with it, saying she found it quite a challenge to be able to control what she was spinning, although I thought her samples were soft and pretty even. However, she was right!
After a while I managed to set the leather band so that the fibre wasn’t ripped from my fingers, and could start to spin. I found that very little tension was needed, which I am not sure is normal. We inspected the tension band, orifice and brass bearing and whilst the band didn’t look worn at all, the orifice outer was a bit sticky and the brass bearing seemed a bit rough. We cleaned these as best we could with what we had to hand which helped a little, but probably a gentle swab of alcohol on the orifice outer and brass would be a good idea.
Once it was going I was really surprised how different the Irish tension felt to the two other systems, and can see why it is good for thicker yarns because of its pretty intense pull-in. Plus I imagine it is great for plying. However I managed a reasonably even singles that was indeed thicker than I usually spin double drive, so that sort of proved it to me.
Being an equipment squirrel I immediately wanted an Irish tension wheel. So imagine my joy when I found that my Matchless would convert to Irish tension! In my excitement of first owning the Matchless I tried both double and Scotch tensions and have been using these both since then, but I clearly forgot that it has three tension modes. I’m not sure it tells you in the manual, but you simply swap the drive bands over. The wheel drive band goes on the bobbin, and the Scotch brake band on the flyer whorl. I have set mine with the larger bobbin whorl to the back with the medium flyer whorl, there may be better arrangements but I have yet to try these out.
The result felt very similar to the Louet, with the brake band needing hardly any tension, so maybe that is normal after all. I found starting needed care so that the fibre doesn’t pull away too rapidly, but once going it went well. It might be me, but most times after I moved hooks the pull-in became stronger, then settled down again. This must be because the smaller circumference of the bobbin to start with pulls the yarn in faster. Because of this I can see why a Woollee Winder type system might be useful with this tension system, but I am not tempted due to price. The hooks will do me just fine and I really don’t like the sliding hooks on any make so far.
As you will see in the photos, the singles I spun are nothing to write home about, but its early days for the Irish tension set-up. The fibre is onion-skin dyed Lleyn blended, (rather poorly because I was in a hurry) with rust coloured Alpaca, then taken as tops off the drum-carder.
The Irish tension set up on my Matchless. The drive band is the one I use for Scotch tension – I have a cotton one for double drive. They both stay on the wheel tucked underneath. I am wondering what will happen if I put the brake band on the smaller flyer whorl? The Lleyn was deliberately left with nepps to create a textured fibre, and the way the onion-skin dye has taken differently on the nepps enhances the texture. Roughly blended with the Alpaca – ‘do what I say not what I do’ is the underlying message here! I think I will ply with a finer singles made from undyed Lleyn for a tweedy final yarn.
Reformin, or ‘latching-up’ single bed stitches into a rib structure is sometimes seen as far too time-consuming for a ‘fast’ activity like machine knitting. However, I quite enjoy the process and have written about it and made a ‘workshop’ video of working a 2×2 reformed rib here. I hope you find it of interest and useful.
Hello there. I am keen to know my readers, and meet people who own a copy of either of my knitting books, ‘Translating Between Hand and Machine Knitting’ or ‘Single and Double Bed Machine Knitting; the Designer’s Guide’. Obviously meeting people in person might be tricky, so I have been wracking my brains about how to do this and settled on trying to set up an image gallery of people who own a copy of one of both of these books.
It would be wonderful if you could post a photo of yourself holding your copy, and with your knitting machine as well if it works for you. If you prefer not to be in the photo yourself, a photo of your copy of the book sitting on top of your knitting machine would be lovely, and a piece of your knitting as well maybe? Please also add a brief review if you have time, its always useful to get an insight into how readers see what I have written and feedback helps me develop my approach for future books.
I can only think of Facebook or Instagram, but I’m sure you will have other favourite places to post. It would be good if you could add the hashtags shown below so that I can find your posts. I will start the ball rolling on Instagram.
Today I received this card following up my contribution of a patch to the Coat of Hopes.
Patches were created by so many people who feel strongly about our climate health and future. Into each patch the maker wove their, “griefs, remembrances, prayers and hopes for the place they call home”.
The coat was worn on a walk designed to coincide with COP26 which took place between August and October 2021 from Lewes in Sussex to Glasgow. The coat is still on an ongoing journey through the UK. See more on the Coat of Hopes website.
November’s edition of Machine Knitting Monthly has a great review of ‘Single and Double Bed Machine Knitting; the Designer’s Guide’. Amongst other nice things, they mention the broad scope of the book’s contents. I deliberately wrote so that it is suitable for any machine owner from Brother to Passap with lots of hints and tips to work on different types of machines. Thank you Machine Knitting Monthly!
I found this review on Facebook ‘Machine Knitting’ group, and have to share it. I was so thrilled that this reviewer ‘got’ the book so thoroughly.
Book Review: Translating Between Hand and Machine Knitting by Vikki Haffenden ☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆ 10:10 “This book ought to be mandatory reading for every new machine knitter!” -me “This book needs to be on every machine knitter’s manuals shelf, in pride of place, no matter if you use Silver Reed or Brother!” -me “Where was this book when I was desperately trying to learn how to design lace/translate lace cards between Brother and Silver Reed?!?!” -me
This book is absolutely essential equipment as far as I am concerned! It starts out covering and comparing materials and equipment for knitting, both hand and machine versions. The pictures will blow you away and they only get better. Please, at this point, re-read the title. It does not state ‘pattern’ in the title. Next it goes into stitch construction and compares hand and machine and final product of each. This book give equal time to both! It goes into yarn fiber types, yarn construction(spinning), yarn types (boucle vrs worsted). The details are absolutely in depth and extremely easy to understand with stupendously clear focused pin-pointed and highlighted photography and exemplary diagrams that compare every aspect of stitches, fabric, mechanics, of hand and machine knitting. It breaks down differences between brands when there are differences, and does not favor either. There are some references to Toyota and Passap, but the main info concerns Silver Reed and Brother. This covers every type of cast-on and cast-off that I could remember!! It isn’t a how-to… it compares them and shows some GREAT visuals of them on and off the needles. Refer to your manual for specifics on how-to cast-on and cast-off. Basically, this book compiled most of the answers to questions I have asked in the past, questions I have hunted down answers to, and questions that I hadn’t even thought to ask. It is utterly fantastic. Only the very last chapter goes into translating PATTERNS between hand and machine…
Buy it! Buy it NOW! I can not say enough how much you need this book! How much I needed this book… now if I can just convince her to write one on Passap… No! I have no affiliation with the author… I wish I could say I know her.
Since reading it I have replied, so let’s hope we can converse about knitting I the future.
I am so lucky, I have been given Anne Dixon’s 4 shaft weaving book and am blown away by the number of possibilities with a simple 1, 2, 3, 4 threading. My first two attempts are very rewarding, but messy edges. I was to excited putting the warp on and forgot to pack the edges and add floating selvedges. I tried rethreading the 4 edge heddles but it’s not a brilliant finish. Still it’s only a short ‘test’ warp, and I will do better next time!
Before receiving the book I had worked out how to do herringbone and combine this with stripes. I liked this, especially with a marl hand spun between commercial yarn.
Herringbone and stripes
After getting the book I realised I could work with two treadles at a time and two shuttles.
I love this neater weave using 2 treadles
Now I am playing with colours and have added an extra pick to the pattern. Working this additional pick in thicker yarn increases the surface texture. And although it’s not clear on the photo, both blue yarns are mercerised so make a contrast to the woollier yarns.
Vikki Haffenden 