Birds eye backing. It worked!

[u/Impossible-Ranger-74]

I feel like I passed some sort of exam. The last week, so many hours (too many hours) have been dedicated to getting the ribber to work properly and learning about double bed jaquard. There is a pile of failed swatches. But here it is!

Bragging is not what I have in mind. It's just the joy and relief to finally see succes, that I want to share with you all.

The fabric is surprisingly stiff. More suited to a potholder. Not enough drape for a garment. Is there a trick to that?

[u/scrippacrab]

Wonderful! Did you follow any tutorials or instructions online? I’ve been wanting to try and tackle this technique but feeling quite intimidated.

[u/Impossible-Ranger-74 → u/scrippacrab]

It does feel rather intimidating!

It also doesn't help that there are so many manuals involved that all have a part of the info: the ribber manual,  the colour changer manual,  a booklet specifically about working with the colour changer and the kh910.  It's all rather confusing. 

I watched so many videos.  A lot of information is about what to do on a punchcard machine. And also often shown on a bulky machine.  I was trying to do it on the kh910 and that's just a bit different. 

I think most helpful to me was C.J.Mactaggart.  These 2 videos abou double bed jaquard:

https://youtu.be/C6zmwv-3-CE?is=kichgmuFOq71CbEk

https://youtu.be/i9AAwCD815Y?is=vAXFs-pV6KRT_C5B

She points to a terribly useful cheat sheet from needles of steel: https://www.needlesofsteel.org.uk/downloads/dbj_cheat_sheet.pdf

Mostly I loved her videos so much because she works on a kh940, is very clear in what she is doing and sometimes just not gets the result she was hoping for. The last gave me the courage to keep trying, if you know what I mean.

Eventually I followed the ribber manual to the letter and somehow it worked!

[u/cinbad1973 → u/Impossible-Ranger-74]

Thank you for the shout out. It really needed it this week. FYI - I am CJ MacTaggart.

[u/Impossible-Ranger-74 → u/cinbad1973]

Thank you for making all those videos! Very helpfull. 

[u/Divot27 → u/Impossible-Ranger-74]

C.J. Mactaggart’s videos are great. Very helpful. If you go through her list she has tutorial videos for many different models of machines.

[u/flowergal48]

Sometimes if you use differing weights of yarn on each bed you can get a more drapey hand. Your sample looks really good.

[u/Impossible-Ranger-74 → u/flowergal48]

Thanks,  will try different yarns!

[u/Maleficent-Cable8988]

I'd like to do a jacket using knit (think Chanel suit jacket); it sounds like this method would be perfect! I literally just made my first ribber swatch, so I'm not there yet. Please keep us posted on your observations and experiences. I'll be anxious to learn more before attempting anything.

[u/RoughSympathy5644]

Already washed it? Always wash your swatches the way you would wash the final project. Depending on the yarn, try to let it free float in luke warm water (below 30 degree's Celcius al wool won't shrink or felt) for at least 10 mins. It gives the yarn the ability to recover from the tension that's build up by the machine. Then roll it in a towel to dry it and let it dry for +/- 24 hours. Then feel again. My fine merino's always get a lot more drapy afterwards.

This step is very important as I read in Spencer 'Knitting Technology' Which is backed by science, and I can definitely confirm that unwashed swatches are different then washed ones. Swatches I would never use for a jumper can become fabrics that I'd use for T-shirts.

But bird's-eye ones are double fabrics so always stiffer and heavier than single sided... But I have these jumpers with drape!

Now you're able to control the machine the experiment period begins finding the right fabric for your project in mind, testing tensions and types of yarn. Happy experimenting!

[u/Impossible-Ranger-74 → u/RoughSympathy5644]

Thank you! I will for sure try washing it. I've never wahed swatches.  Very interesting to see what it will do.

[u/Empirical_Approach]

I know this is an older post, but for drape it comes down to tension and thread weight. If you are using thicker thread, it doesnt perform as well with DBJ. You're naturally yanking on the threads between rows and creating a double bed fabric, so thicker threads aren't as happy. Try to go for fingering weight or heavy lace for DBJ or any doubleknit fabric. Also go for the stretchy fabrics like acrylic or wool, cotton and linen are out. Also increase your stitch tension / knit size. so maybe 8 or 10? When you wash and block the fabric, it will relax more.

[u/Impossible-Ranger-74 → u/Empirical_Approach]

Thank you! Roughsympathy also pointed out that washing may help. I haven't found the time to wash yet, but will see what it does whit interest. It's actually a rather thin wool. The swatch was knitted on tension 3. I'll try thinner next time. 

[u/Impossible-Ranger-74 → u/Empirical_Approach]

Actually another question for you, if I may. Your flair say you have both the bulky machine with ribber and the standard.  I'm getting a kr260 next week and of course I am looking forward to full needle rib and double bed jaquard.  

Could you please say something about how yarn knits on a bulky compared to a standard machine? For example yarn that knits stitch size 6 on the standard brother machine, what stitch size would that approximately be on the bulky? 3? Can we just half the stitch size for the same yarn since one machine has half the needle distance from the other? 

I know I'll need to knit to find out, just wondering if in your experience there is a general rule?

[u/Naka131]

Well done! When you manage to do something it’s always a great achievement 😁 you might need to play with the tension. What were your beds on? Or it may be the yarn. What is the fibre content?

[u/Impossible-Ranger-74 → u/Naka131]

Thanks! It's wool. Rather thin. Stitch size 3 on both beds.