Okay, so I finally got around to tackling the double bed on my knitting machine. Been putting it off, honestly, because it looked kinda complicated. But I really wanted to make sweaters with proper ribbing, you know, cuffs and hems that look store-bought, not all loosey-goosey.
Getting Started
First thing was dragging the box out. It’s heavier than you’d think. I unpacked everything, laid it all out. Lots of bits and pieces compared to the main machine. The instructions… well, they were okay, but you really gotta just do it to understand.
Attaching it to the main bed was the first hurdle. You have to line it up just right. Took me a good bit of fiddling, getting the clamps positioned correctly so it felt secure and level with the main needle bed. I kept checking if the needles would clash or something. Felt like I spent an hour just getting it physically connected and stable.
Figuring out the Basics
Then came casting on. Oh boy. Totally different from the single bed. I tried the basic circular cast-on first, the one the manual suggested for ribbing. My first attempt? Total mess. Dropped stitches all over the place between the beds. The yarn just wasn’t catching right.
I realized tension was super important, way more than with just one bed. And you need those cast-on combs and weights, seriously. Without enough weight, the first few rows just bunch up or fall off. Took a few tries, pulling out tangled yarn, starting over. I had to adjust the tension dials on both carriages, finding that sweet spot where it knitted smoothly on both beds.
- Checked needle alignment again.
- Made sure the ribber carriage was seated properly.
- Added more weight than I thought I needed.
- Slowed way down when moving the carriage.
Making Ribs!
Finally, I got a decent 1×1 rib going! Set up the needles, alternating one on the main bed, one on the ribber. Cast on carefully. And then, knitting back and forth… it actually worked! Seeing that stretchy, neat rib fabric coming off the machine was pretty satisfying, I gotta admit. It looked like, well, actual ribbing!
I practiced that for a while, just making swatches of 1×1 and then 2×2 ribbing. Getting the edges neat took a bit more practice. You have to remember how to handle the edge stitches depending on the rib setup.
Trying Other Stuff
Once I felt okay with ribs, I thought I’d try circular knitting. You know, making a tube, like for socks or hats. Setting that up was another learning curve. You use specific leavers on the carriages so only one bed knits in each direction. My first tube was… well, it had some accidental ladders where I messed up the carriage settings. But eventually, I managed a small, wobbly tube. Success!
I haven’t gotten into fancy tuck ribs or anything yet. Still working on getting consistent tension and speed. Dropped stitches are still my main enemy, especially if I go too fast or forget to check the weights.
Was it Worth It?
Absolutely. It was frustrating at times, definitely a steeper learning curve than just the main bed. But being able to do proper ribs makes a huge difference to finished garments. And the possibility of knitting in the round opens up lots of projects. It’s like having a whole new machine, really. Still got lots to learn, but I managed to get it working and make some actual ribbed fabric, which was the main goal. Happy I pushed through the setup headaches.
