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Hybrid knitting illustrated: blending hand and machine knitting techniques within one garment

Hybrid Knitting

fairisle hand knitting machine knitting stitch patterns

Hand + Machine = Success!

From hand to machine: The best of both worlds
The speed of machine knitting is what attracts a lot of knitters. They either have a huge collection of original ideas or a massive stash of yarn that they will "never" use.

The hand knitter's advantage
Hand knitters who machine knit have an advantage:
  • You understand how different yarn fibers behave, which can be crucial when selecting materials for machine knitting. Your experience with yarn weight, drape, and elasticity can help you make informed choices that enhance your machine-knitted garments.
  • Knowing how stitches are formed can help in troubleshooting and correcting problems when machine knitting
If you do hand knit, consider knitting the fun stuff by hand and the boring stuff by machine. A fairisle circular yoke sweater is a perfect example. Knit the yoke in lots of colors, then pick up and knit the body and sleeves on the machine. You'll be wearing the sweater in a fraction of the time.

If you don't have a ribber, pick up those sticks and knit your ribbing by hand.

Want to add a bit of garter stitch or seed stitch? Instead of manually re-forming the stitches, consider hand knitting those sections.

Rehang stitches and continue knitting on the machine
Knitting patterns
Even if you don't hand knit, you can take inspiration from the hand knitting world. Sadly there are very few knitwear designers that publish patterns for machine knitting. Learn to "translate" hand knitting patterns to knit them on the machine (it's not hard). The weekly Knit it Now Machine Knit-Able offers inspiration from designers in the hand knitting world.
About Machine Knit-Ables

Tips for Success
  1. Start small: Begin with simple projects and get familiar with your knitting machine. As you gain confidence, you can tackle more complex projects
  2. Experiment: Don’t be afraid to experiment with different yarns and stitch patterns. Mixing various fibers and textures can lead to unique creations that stand out.
  3. Stay Inspired: Continue to seek inspiration from both the hand and machine knitting worlds.
  4. Embrace mistakes:Mistakes are part of the learning process. Embrace them as opportunities to grow and build your skills.
Conclusion
Embrace the potential of hybrid knitting by experimenting with combining both techniques. The possibilities are endless and your next success is right around the corner.
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7 COMMENTS
Kathleen F
 Aug 27, 2024
I would love to learn more about this, especially how to match handknit tension to machine tension. I do knit ribbing - cuff and neckbands - by hand for the standard gauge as I don’t have a ribber. But I haven’t tried lacework.

Christy M
 Aug 22, 2024
I use my machine for the stockinette/reverse atockinette parts of a sweater frequently because my machine has much better tension!

Judy M
 Aug 14, 2024
Thanks for reinforcing using hand knitting with machine knitting. I do both types of knitting but don't think about doing both on an item.

Jane K
 Aug 13, 2024
I love reading the blogs. I always learn something new. Thank you for the inspiration!

Karin R
 Aug 13, 2024
I think machine knitting is the fun stuff! I only use hand knitting when traveling and for projects that are not feasible via machine.

Betty W
 Aug 13, 2024
I use both hand knitting and machine. It is very good idea. I did cardigan ten rows purl stiches and move them onto knitting needles make lace pattern by hand and move onoto machine ten rows purl stiches and so on. It was very pleasure work. I love my cardigan. I am so proud that I could make it. Betty

Cynthia Q
 Aug 13, 2024
I use both hand knitting and machine. It saved me and kept me going with the machine, thanks, Terri!

Most times I will hand knit the rib. It is a personal decision. Depending on the yarn, I think hand knit rib forms better rib. I do the neckline, hem and cuffs.

I love the idea of doing the fun stuff by hand and the boring stuff quickly in the machine. I have discovered some really nice hand knit patterns over the last year. Since my preferred machine is the LK150, I can't match the pattern close to a punchcard, and I don't want to hand manipulate already knitted purl stitch(es). I never thought to knit the pattern, or multicolor sections, which is fun by hand, and then use the machine. I just did the ribbing by hand. If I did a pattern stitch, I would only use it on the bottom 2/3 or top 1/3 of the sweater or cardi because I like a mix. I could then hang on the machine before or after that section. Cool.

Thanks for this helpful and inspiring blog post!

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