Archive of Thread: Garter Bar Question about stitch size Back

2 years ago

I was trying to use my garter bar yesterday because I want to use it for a hat, so I was trying to get used to it first.

I am using my LK150 and I have garters bar that fit that pitch, 6.5, I believe. It seems that the tension you are using can be a deterrent. I had trouble sliding the stitches onto the garter bar. In Sue's video, where she used a standard garter bar on her bulky machine, her stitches just slid onto the garter bar. When she flipped the garter bar, they easily slid from garter bar to the needles.

When I tried it, over and over, the stitches were having to be coaxed to slide from the needle to the garter bar. They seemed to be tight to go over that little extra width of the garter bar eye. I was using the type of garter bar that Sue used, hills and valleys.

I also had issues getting the stitches off the garter bar and onto the needles. I slid the needles into the valleys, but the stitches would not get hooked by the needles. Again, is this not possible because of the tension I am using? It seemed like the stitches were using a tension that would not allow garter bar use.

I was using my LK150 mid-gauge, 6.5 with the hill and valley type garter bar. The garter bar fits the needles perfectly, so I know it is the right garter bar. I have a standard set and that does not work, obviously. I am using Tamm Nordic yarn with a carriage tension of either 4 or 3, the issues are with both.

I want to use it for a hat hem for alternating knit and purl rows at tension 3, and at tension 4 to alternate knit and purl rows on the hat body. I really don't want to use a looser tension, especially for the hem.

I take it that I cannot use the garter bar for tensions that are needed for a hem, be they hat or any other hem you need a tight tension for, or for an item where you do not want a loose knit?

Does anyone have an LK150 with a garter bar set? Have you used the same weight yarn and tensions that I have been trying with any success? This is a bummer if I can't do this.

I tried the circular needle. There were a pain to use because the plastic that connects the to needle ends just wants to keep twirling around, and it gets caught on everything and swirls the stitches. The garter bar would be so much better.

Thank you.

2 years ago
I agree. It sounds to me that your stitches are too tight for the garter bar.

IMHO tension 3-4 is pretty tight for the Nordic on your machine.  But that is up to you of course...

2 years ago
Thanks. I will see what the 5-7 tensions look like.

At least I know it was not me. So I think I do have a little understanding of the garter bar. I will play with it after lunch at a higher tension. I was trying to keep the hats from being too airy, so I was using the tighter tensions. Back to swatching looser tensions. 

If I am going to be alternating knit and purl rows, my swatch should be the same way, right? It would be a pattern. 

2 years ago
I understand about wanting to keep the hats warm, but you don't want them to feel like cardboard, either. ðŸ˜Š

RE Gauge: It really depends on how often you are going to RTR (remove, turn, rehang).  Creating garter stitch, (turning every row) will impact your gauge considerably.

Working RTR every 10-20 rows won't be a whole lot different than stockinette.

2 years ago
Thanks. 

In washing this yarn, it gets really soft after washing and drying. That is one of the reasons I didn't explore the looser tensions. I just pulled the tension 5 test from the dryer and it is fine, also. I thought anything looser than the 3 for the brim and 4 for the body would have been too loose and airy, but at tension 5, it is soft like the other and just fine as far as density for warmth. I think the tension 5 will work with the garter bar, The tension 4 was just a little too tight. 

Oh, I can still do the alternating knit purl for the grim at tension 3 with scrapping off and flipping, scrapping off and flipping, etc. thanks for helping me think this through. 

Is anyone else using their garter bar? Any tips, or ideas? I really want to get to making mine a goto tool.