This tutorial describes step by step how to make a double-layered blanket on a knitting machine without a ribber. The cables are separated by mock purl stitches to make them stand out.
The demo below was made on a bulky knitting machine (Brother KH230), but it can be applicable to any knitting machine of any gauge (standard, mid-, and fine-gauges): push-button machines like Brother KH551 and KH588, punchcard machines like Brother KH840 and Studio mod. 360, Silver Reed SK280 and even electronic knitting machines without using their electronic functions, just to name a few.
The video of the steps can be found here. My two yarns were different (the fuchsia yarn was thicker, and the pink yarn was thinner), so I had to knit a couple of swatches to figure out how many rows to knit to have the same length measurements. If you are a bit off, blocking will solve it (like ironing in sewing). By knitting swatches, you’ll also determine what is the best tension to run the yarn of your choice at.
1. Knitting the mock-ribbing.
– Bring every-other needle to position B across the whole needlebed or as desired. Cast-on using a cast-on comb with waste yarn. Knit several rows with the waste yarn. The last row (before starting knitting with main yarns) should be with either an unravel cord or any other easy-to-remove yarn.
– Reset the row counter to zero. Knit ten (or as many as desired) rows using yarn #1 (the backing yarn: in my case, the fuchsia colored yarn).
– Remove yarn #1 from the sinker plate (you can cut it or secure it behind the bed, out of the way) and thread a second yarn (from the side, yarn #2).
– Apply weights when needed on the edges to keep them neat and on the cast-on comb as well (which is especially needed for bulkier yarns).
– Knit 12 rows with yarn #2 (I knitted two more rows because my yarn #2 was thinner and also because I wanted the folded mock-ribbing to overhang a bit on the wrong side and not on the right side). I didn’t want any fuchsia color to show on the “right” side of the fold.
2. Folding the mock ribbing to create a rim for the cord (which we’ll add later).
– Remove side weights and remove the cast-on comb.
– Using a single-tip needle transfer tool, grab a yarn of the very first stitch on the first row knitted with yarn #2 and move it to the needle that is currently in position A. After the stitch is latched onto the needle, push this needle to the B position. Continue throughout the whole width of the knitted panel. At the end, you will have all needles in the B positions.
3. Preparing the front panel to knit cables.
– Hang the cast on comb on just-bolded mock-ribbing fold and add a weight onto it (to push the folded fabric a bit down so it does not get in the way of the carriage; without the weights, the folded fabric might jam the carriage).
– Loosen the tension a bit by 1-2 digits on the carriage dial (because now we have ALL needles in B position) and knit two rows with yarn #2 (the right-side yarn).
– Set the tension back to the optimum tension for yarn #2, and knit two more rows.
– Preparing for the mock-purl runners:
a) Starting with the needles in the center (closest to position “zero”), gently nudge the two needles on each side of it slightly forward. Perform this after every four needles. The stitches on the needles we slightly pushed forward will be transferred to the neighboring needles (and the freed needles will be pushed to A position). This empty space will create separation in the fabric, which will mimic the effect of purl-stitch runners around cables. Continue with this needle selection for the rest of the needle bed, including on the right-hand side. Your needles should be positioned as shown below. The first row is needles in position B; the second row is just slightly below position B. Note: on the very right-hand side edge of the needlebed, you will have 5 needles: 4 for a cable and one for the seam. On the left-hand side, you will have only four needles (we will not make a cable in the very left block of 4 needles).
b) Using a one-pring needle transfer tool, move the stitches from the needles we just slightly pushed forward onto the needles at the beginning of each 4-needle block (see the schematic below).
c) After the stitches are transferred, push the freed needle to A position. After you complete the needle transfer for all needles, your needle selection should look like the picture below. The empty spaces will create separation from the cables and 4-stitch stockinet blocks, acting at the same time like mock purl stitches. The contrasting backing will help with this effect.
– Knit two rows with yarn #2.
4. Making cables:
– Use two 2-prong transfer tools to switch two pairs of stitches to make a cable. Start with the first 4-needle block. It does not matter if you switch the stitches from left to right or from right to left. Just be consistent. After each swap of the stitches, move the needles to the E position (all the way out), which will be easier for your machine to handle.
– The second 4-needle block will be plan stockinet (not a cable), the third will be a cable, etc. So, you will have alternating 4-stitch stockinet runs with cable runs like those shown below in the photographs and in the schematics.
– After all cables are made, knit 6 rows with yarn #2 (“right” -side yarn), and then make cables again above those made in the previous section (starting with the first 4-needle block). Note: the first row right after the cables were knit will always be a bit tight. So, loosen the tension a bit (by 0.5-1), but then set the tension to the usual tension (after the first row).
– Knit repeating the cables every six rows until the desired length of the front panel is achieved. It is best (for a more pleasant visual appearance) to keep a 3:4 or 5:7 ratio between the width and the length of the blanket. So, when you make your swatch at the beginning of the project, calculate your final width and then figure out how many rows you’ll need to knit to achieve the desired length.
– After the desired length is achieved, move the needles that were in the A position into the working position B and knit two rows with yarn #2. Alternatively, if you prefer this second method better, prior to knitting the last two rows, make the stitches onto the needles that were in the A position all this time by pulling the walls of the neighboring stitches onto these needles.
5. Knitting a second mock-ribbing.
– Transfer every other stitch onto a neighboring needle and push the freed needle into A position. Do this for the whole width of the needlebed. You can use a one-prong tool or an adjustable 7-prong tool if making this blanket on a standard knitting machine (such a tool is not available for bulky machines unless it is custom-made).
– After this transfer, you will have only every other needle in B position. On every other needle, knit 12 rows with yarn #2 and 10 rows with yarn #1.
6. Folding the second mock ribbing.
– Remove all weights and a cast-on comb.
– Grab with 1-prong the stitch on the first row when we just started knitting on every other needle (the second mock-ribbing) and transfer it onto the needles in A position, while also bringing them into the B positions. It will create the fold.
– Attach the weights back on (I do it by hooking the cast-on comb onto the knitted panel and then attaching the weights to it; in this case, the weight is evenly distributed).
7. Knitting the backing.
-The yarn #1 should still be threaded through the sinker plate. So, continue to simple stockinet using yarn #1. Remember that the first row after we transferred all every-other-needle stitches might feel a bit tighter because now we have ALL needles in B position. So, you might want to loosen the tension by 1-2 for the first row. But then move it to the regular tension. In my case, yarn #1 was thicker than yarn #2, so I had to adjust the tension accordingly.
– Continue knitting stockinet until a desired length (AKA number of rows) is achieved. Don’t forget to rehang weights periodically.
8. Linking the panels together.
– Go to the mock-ribbing fold we made at the very beginning and remove the contrasting waste yarn (just one row we knitted at the end of the waste-yarn rows). Remove the waste yarn section.
– Find the last row of that mock ribbing that we knitted using yarn #1 and attach those stitches onto the needle bed onto every other needle. Take your time, and a nice seam will form. Continue for the rest of the bed.
– After all sitches are hooked onto the bed, attach a cast on comb (to push the folded fabric out of the carriage way) to the panel and weights and knit one row with yarn #1. Remove the cast-on comb.
9. Cast-off
– Use your favorite cast-off method to finish the panel and take it off the needles. The formed edge (seam) might seem a bit too thick if the blanket is made on the bulky knitting machine. So, as an option, link this edge/seam to the mock-ribbing fold to make it less obvious and to hide the linked seam of the fold.
10. Final steps.
– Link the sides together using a mattress stitch
– Knit two cords on the cord machine or on your own knitting machine (see here how to do it); insert them into the mock-ribbing folds.
– Wash and block the blanket
