[Nfb-krafters-korner] Knitting Machines

sunshine sunshine817 at cox.net
Wed Apr 3 01:17:12 UTC 2013 

Wow, Ramona! I'll give all this some thought! I wish I could have a combo offie and craft room, but my office just isn't large enough! How sweet to have a craft room. My friend Darlene has that option as well and I am in awe that she has it and always tell her I'm glad she has that space for her crafts! I bet you could explain things well. Again, this would be for the future as my hands are full with learning to knit and loom knit — two crafts I have been enjoying very much thus far! 

You are very good at describing things, discussing cautionary measures, etc. Thanks ever so much, my dear!

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 7:00 pm
Subject: Re: [Nfb-krafters-korner] Knitting Machines

>
>
> 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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> >> > %40cox.net
> >> >>
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> >> >
> >> >
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> >> > evickery.com
> >> >
> >> > No virus found in this incoming message.
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> >> > 19:26:00
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> 
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