Passap E6000 - errata and a test program

I am not a big fan of Facebook - not because of the adverts (though that's annoying!), and not because of the things others post on there (though the levels of ignorance are often staggering and scary). No, my main issue is trying to follow conversation threads - it's awful. You have to keep clicking on conversations to read them, there's no linear progression, and FB sometimes only shows what it thinks is most relevant - sneaky AI? Having said that, there's lots of useful information on there, shared by folks, if you know where to look and can trust the source.

I found a comprehensive list of errata for the two E6000 manuals, and I had all but 2 errors in mine so I must have quite early editions. I cannot locate the original location and author of the file now of course (another FB issue - a download log so I could find out where I got it from would be nice!) but if I do I'll ask if I can share their useful document in perpetuity on the MKTC website. I marked up my copy last night, the only time I've ever defaced a book. It explains some of my early problems with the Passap - a technique I tried which looked lovely (but jammed) needs the colours to be reversed, for example. Just my luck to hone in on a typo. 

I also discovered that if you are having problems with your front bed pushers, and have ruled out mechanical issues, that there's a test program in the ROM. You run program 97 with no strippers, and with all front bed pushers in work. After the set up it "knits" 20 rows of 1x1, 20 rows of 2x2, and 32 rows of 7x1, which then repeats. This lets you spot which pusher(s) are being naughty. This was from a Metbury book, Passap Problems, which alas isn't available as a PDF - it ought to come with the machine methinks! 

It's given me renewed enthusiasm to continue mastering this "beast" of a machine, because it really takes up far too much floorspace otherwise. 

Current mood: determined

Feeling mellow...

I can quite see why there might be a "second pandemic" of alcoholism, when all of this is done with. I've had a glass of wine (or two) thanks to a mini celebration of a completed project at work, and now the world somehow feels more rosy and hopeful. Never mind, it'll soon wear off I guess!

I realised I never shared some yarny gifts I got over Xmas - first was some hand-dyed yarn from the lovely PeglerPurl - left on my doorstep before xmas at a time when we both happened to be on conference calls, so neither of us went to the door (I didn't even hear the bell, to my chagrin!).

This was some lovely sock yarn and a notebook I received, courtesy of my "Secret Santa" on an FB group. It's proper British sock yarn too, so I think it deserves a handknit pattern for once.

This is another item I'd never have thought of knitting for myself, but the need was there - legwarmers! Well, I've been very boring / nerdy and continued to wear my office gear during the week (black trousers and a nice top), even during lockdown, because we do sometimes put our cameras on. Discovered last week that if my ankles are cold that I'm cold, so legwarmers it was! There's no easy way to photograph your own ankles that DOESN'T make you look foreshortened, either! Oh well! These cheap trainers have become my "working from home" shoes, as my slippers just weren't up to the wear and tear of an office chair. The legwarmer pattern was in the February issue of MKM - if I make them again I think I'd do proper rib (if I wanted them to stay up, anyway!). Mock rib just isn't stretchy enough!

I've also made one half of a ladie's mitten in that purple yarn, as a way of using up leftovers, though I have halved the cuff (think in the original pattern it's designed to be turned up). Pictures when they are finished. 

I love to follow Attic24, and love her colour sense, and that she has various seasonal buntings for her fireplace. As we don't have a mantelpiece, I thought I might crochet myself a cheerful piece bunting for my little office. It seems so dreary now the (single piece of) tinsel has been packed away in the attic. Hence finding various heart and stars patterns. I'd love to crochet a rainbow, but don't have all the colours to hand.

Stay safe and warm, wherever you are, and hang in there. Better times are coming, I feel sure!

Current mood: happy and possibly a bit "merry"

FO: Purple Passap jumper

A finished jumper for the charity bag. Apologies for the parlous state of the carpet!

I've been dabbling with origami. Apologies for the parlous state of my keyboard!

Wintery view from my window. The £2 geranium is flowering a fourth time, despite not getting watered over Christmas. How's that for persistance?

Quite a few people I've spoken to this week are wearied and struggling to see a way forward. I am throwing myself into various hobbies - who knew origami was so addictive? There are an amazing amount of patterns online, and better than that, there's also youtube! Before Christmas I made a string of about eight different swatches of various yarns, the purple being one of them, so I've got another seven jumpers to calculate and knit up. I've various handknit projects on the go, cross-stitch, and when the creative muse leaves me there's still a ton of box sets as yet unwatched on All4. The weather was -2 degs C yesterday - we wouldn't be going out much at this time of the year anyway. In fact, WFH is ideal, much better than trying to struggle in with the roads frozen. Yes, the statistics are troubling, and my heart goes out to those struggling on the front lines, and those grieving people they've lost. But for the rest of us? This would have been SO much harder a few years ago, without all the technology to keep us connected. I for one didn't have a laptop capable of connecting for video chats. We just have to hang in there, keep ourselves busy and use this time to tackle all those little jobs we always say we haven't got time for.

Hugs to everyone out there - stay home, stay safe, and if you must go out, wear a mask! It keeps your nose warm!

Current mood: plotting and planning

Yet another hat, and almost a scarf

Happy New Year! I hope you are well! We went back into lockdown 3 on the 6th January. It's getting BORING now - but on the plus side, no having to de-ice the car of a morning. I'm actually looking forward to getting proper snow, because this winter we'll actually get to play in it like big kids and not have to navigate it in the car. Always got to look for the upside!

Yet another handknit hat - this is from two ends of leftover sock yarn, held together. I love the way the colours alternate, a happy accident! I really need to donate some of these hats but I love them all so much, it's hard to let them go.

Almost finished, bar completing the fringing, the garter stitch scarf I started last week. It's some sort of Shetland wool from Uppinghams which doesn't appear to felt, despite not being marked as superwash. For personal reference, the pictures below indicate the positions of the end stitch cams (green) and the RH turnaround cam (white). It didn't seem to matter where I put the LH turnaround cam, it seemed to affect the patterning, so consequently I left it out in the end. They work by reducing the "turnaround" time where the garter carriage isn't knitting, so speed up the overall knitting. According to the scant instructions that come with them, anywhere within 24 sts of the edge should work. Some experimentation is required, methinks.

Tripper for the KH950i

Current mood: weary but coping.

Completed objects 2020

A surprisingly productive year, all things considered!