I knew stubborness was a positive trait!

At 4 PM yesterday I continued with my determination to knit a swatch. I followed the instructions in the manual, every step. I would set up the needles half forward half back, hold my yarn and move the carriage to one side clearing all the needles. I would grab the cast on comb and place it on the yarn, but it wouldn't give it wouldn't give me any slack. So I sat there and with the crochet hook move the yarn needle by needle giving the cast on comb some slack to hang down like in the picture. I would bring the carriage back and it would be really hard to pull and then in the middle of the needles it would get stuck. I would follow the directions in the book to unstick the carraige. I did this several times. Then realized that the latch on the needles were getting bent. So I decided to turn on the TV and watch a couple episodes of Law & Order and went to bed.

I woke up this morning with renewed detemination. So I called in sick! Just kidding, sort of. I am answering Cochenille phones and emails but those are easy.

I decided to give the 940 one more try I changed all the needles with bent latches, and gave it another try. It got stuck again. Oh well. So I started searching online for tutorials, manuals, books, any thing that might help, and nothing. I did a search for "Knitting Machine Teacher" thinking, I'm not going to be able to get this by myself. I found the greatest article "Hand and Machine Knitting: The differences and Similarities." at http://www.yarn-store.com/hand-and-machine-knitting-the-differences-and-similarities.html.

Oh I don't know who Angelika is but I love her. Well written for beginners. And the statement from Angelika that made me keep going "Machine knitting takes perseverance and a stubborn constitution not to quit".

And the statement from Angelika that made me think maybe I should try another machine: "Are these machines cranky?? I'd say that each one has a personality of its own and you need to figure yours out." And this Brother 940 and I weren't becoming friends. So which one do I set up next. I went back to the list posts and then I remembered the comment on my blog from Aaron and I got it "I will set up the LK150.

I put the 940 away - I will find somewhere that fixes machines and they can tell me if it was me or the machine. I opened the LK150 box and my first thought was this looks like a toy. Like the sewing machines they make for children just learning to sew.


I kept chanting in my head "you can't quit!" I set it up, I treaded it - did the move to right and then the move to the left and it got stuck. I couldn't believe it, I almost cried. "you can't quit!, you can't quit!" Ok, everything back to starting position. Needles forward half the needles back - to the right and then slowly to the left. It worked!!! Ok, now with some yarn.


Back to starting position, needles forward, half the needles back. To the right to the left, give it some yarn to the right - I have yarn on needles with slack --- Yahoo! cast on comb secure it on. Sllooowwly back to the left. I have a row - I have a row. back to the right - I have another I have another and another.


I have prevailed!!! Well at least I have prevailed in the fact that I didn't give up. Now I have to knit somthing.

Thank you all - Thank you.

Sonia