[Nfb-krafters-korner] Knitting Machines

Ramona Walhof ramona.walhof at gmail.com
Wed Apr 3 00:59:28 UTC 2013 

I think my machine is about 32 inches long, and it probably requires about 
ten inches of depth.  It needs a fairly solid table that you can clamp it to 
for stability.  I am sure they vary somewhat insize.  You need some 
clearance behind the machine for the yarn to feed up to the machine.  It is 
only about two inches deep, and the shuttle requires another two or three 
inches. Oh yes, the yarn feeds up to a suspended apparatus a couple of feet 
above the machine, so you can't put it under a shelf.   You can take it 
apart and put it away, but I always keep mine out.  I have a craft room 
dedicated to yarn, sewing machine, knitting machine and Braille reading and 
writing materials.  Not everybody can have that kind of space, but it sure 
is nice.

I think we might be find knitting machine teachers through Morgan.  There 
are some machines that a blind person may not be able to operate and some 
that I would not have the patience for.  The electronic ones are run by a 
computer, and they can make very fine designs.  I just didn't want to have 
to deal with that.  I very much enjoy what I have, and I will probably will 
take some more lessons.  I haven't looked much online, but I am sure there 
is information there.  There was a big knitting machine seminar in 
Vancouver, WA last spring, but neither Becky nor I could afford to go, and 
it was probably was too advanced for me. I am sure it would be possible to 
arrange a demonstration in several large cities, but there are not many of 
the mechanical machines available for sale right now.  They are made outside 
this country, and of course there is a bigger demand for the electronic 
ones. I would look on ebay for used machines, but you would really want to 
know what you are buying. You can be pretty sure there are machines in boxes 
not being used, and ebay seems to have some quality control in place.
I could describe how they work, but it would be most effective in a two-way 
conversation so I could be sure I am making it clear.

Ramona
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "sunshine" <sunshine817 at cox.net>
To: <nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, April 02, 2013 11:54 AM
Subject: [Nfb-krafters-korner] Knitting Machines


> Ramona, I was interested in what you had to say about knitting machines! 
> How much space do they take? Are they large or small, in other words! I've 
> heard about knitting machines, but have never seen one! And, Becky, I'd 
> like to hear more about them as well. It sounds as though anyone totally 
> blind can use knitting machines? I'm asking only because I inquired about 
> them some time back and the view was that I would have problems being 
> totally blind! Admittedly, I did not accept the answer as gospel, but 
> really didn't know people who truly enjoy knitting!
>
> Hugs
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Ramona Walhof <ramona.walhof at gmail.com>
> To: "List for blind crafters and artists" nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org
> Date: Tuesday, April 2, 2013 11:32 am
> Subject: Re: [Nfb-krafters-korner] winder
>
>>
>>
>> Paulette, There are a variety of knitting machines.  Becky knows the most
>> about them and introduced me to the guy who taught her.  I have had only 
>> a
>> few lessons from him, because he is in Seattle, and I live in Boise.  The
>> machine does stockinette knitting.  You can get another part that does
>> ribbing, but it is not as time saving as the stockinette.  No, you cannot
>> just set it and turn it on and let it go.  Becky has more equipment than 
>> I,
>> and she can come closer, but I move the shuttle for every row.  I like 
>> doing
>> it.  YOu can make stripes, and you can begin and end things by hand if 
>> you
>> want.  I still have a lot to learn.  My machine takes yarn from two-ply 
>> to
>> four-ply.  Some use very small yarn, like for socks. Morgan, the guy who
>> sold me the machine and taught Becky, did a Monday night chat.  That was 
>> an
>> excellent introduction.  And that was a couple of years ago.
>>
>> I have made several sweaters on it either with stripes or plain with a
>> contrasting collard made by hand, etc.  I think you might be able to do
>> intarsha, but it might be on a level of machine higher than mine.  Mine 
>> is
>> mechanical, but some are electronic.  There are not a lot made any more. 
>> I
>> tried the one that Joanne's sells, but I was not at all happy with it.
>>
>> My daughter lives in Seattle, but I seldom can work out a visit and a 
>> lesson
>> at the same time Morgan is not too busy. I can look up more information 
>> than
>> I can remember if you are really interested.  Becky might be able to do 
>> even
>> better.  She was very helpful to me when I started.
>>
>> Ramona
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "Paulette Vickery" <paulette at evickery.com>
>> To: "'List for blind crafters and artists'" 
>> <nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Friday, March 29, 2013 6:27 PM
>> Subject: Re: [Nfb-krafters-korner] winder
>>
>>
>> > Hi Ramona,
>> >
>> > I considered getting a knitting machine once, but they were to 
>> > expensive
>> > and
>> > sounded like a lot of trouble. Are you totally blind? Also, do you have
>> > trouble using the machine? I am totally blind and don't know if I could
>> > use
>> > the machine to make intarsia or any other type of color knitting. The
>> > machine does sound interesting. Can you, say, just cast onto the 
>> > machine
>> > and
>> > have it make an entire sweater?
>> >
>> > Paulette
>> >
>> > -----Original Message-----
>> > From: Nfb-krafters-korner 
>> > [mailto:nfb-krafters-korner-bounces at nfbnet.org]
>> > On
>> > Behalf Of Ramona Walhof
>> > Sent: Friday, March 29, 2013 1:53 PM
>> > To: List for blind crafters and artists
>> > Subject: Re: [Nfb-krafters-korner] winder
>> >
>> > Joann's has an electric winder for 40 dollars here.  There is a much 
>> > more
>> > powerful one that winds much larger skeins that can be used with a
>> > knitting
>> > machine for quite a bit more money that I saw at the store where I 
>> > bought
>> > my
>> > knitting machine.
>> >
>> > Ramona
>> > ----- Original Message -----
>> > From: "sunshine" <sunshine817 at cox.net>
>> > To: <nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org>
>> > Sent: Friday, March 29, 2013 8:06 AM
>> > Subject: Re: [Nfb-krafters-korner] winder
>> >
>> >
>> >> Ah, the winder I saw is an electric one! Wonder how that works! I 
>> >> thought
>> >> it would be manual, but my friend, Kristi, said it's electric!
>> >>
>> >> Hugs
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> ----- Original Message -----
>> >> From:  Blindhands at aol.com
>> >> To: nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org
>> >> Date: Thursday, March 28, 2013 3:15 pm
>> >> Subject: [Nfb-krafters-korner] winder
>> >>
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>> I paid around $30 for my yarn winder.  It is plastic and works 
>> >>> great.
>> >>> I
>> >>> do have it mounted on a tall foot stool that is wood.  As  you want 
>> >>> it
>> >>> at
>> >
>> >>> a
>> >>> heigth so you stand up and turn the handle.
>> >>>
>> >>> Joyce  Kane
>> >>> _www.KraftersKorner.org_ (http://www.krafterskorner.org/)
>> >>> Blindhands at AOL.com
>> >>> _______________________________________________
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>> > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfb-krafters-korner_nfbnet.org/sunshine817
>> > %40cox.net
>> >>
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>> > evickery.com
>> >
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>>
>>
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