Fairisle on Basic Knitting Machines, Method 4

Note: in order to shorten the video, I did not show the middle diamond shape being knitted. Filming begins with the zigzag band above the diamonds, and they are selected and knitted using the same method as the zigzag band.
In this video, we will look at using and adapting the standard needle pushers that are included with an LK150 and KX350 basic knitting machine to select the patterning stitches for Fairisle. I purchased two extra needle pushers for my LK150 and adapted them by cutting out some of the teeth. This is easy to do, using a Dremel hand tool. However, I actually used a very small serrated-blade kitchen knife on one of them. That was all I had available at the time, and it worked surprisingly well.
This method is a little different than the previous ones. This time we set the carriage with both levers on the left side in backwards position, the both levers on the carriage in forward position. Leave them there throughout. To make this method work, the main color begins from the right side of the bed, and the contrast color from the left side on row 1 on the chart.
Needles are selected only one time per row. Begin with the carriage on the right side of the bed. Knit across with the main color yarn, change to contrast, and knit back to the right. It is the combination of the carriage settings, and changing colors on opposite sides of the bed that make this method work. This can be confusing at first, so begin practicing with small samples.
I hope you find this video helpful.
Irene Woods

[@danabennett8986]

I like this method the best! Thanks for demonstrating it, Irene.

[@annecain3301]

Thank you for the videos demonstrating the various ways to do Fair Isle on the LK150. The FC 6 Fair Isle carriage was manufactured but they are no longer produced, like wise the AG11 intarsia carriage was also discontinued. A shame really as the LK150 is readily available and very popular knitting machine.

[@irenewoods8480]

Yes, it really is a great shame. I own both the FC-6 and the AG10, and love them. Since the FC-6 is no longer available, and extremely hard to find used, I did not include instructions for using it in this series. I might show a demo of it in the future, but for now, the purpose of this series is just to show various ways Fairisle/color work can be done with the main carriage, on both the LK 150 and KX 350 machines. You really are not limited to the method shown in the machine manual.

[@Nana2111]

Nice!

[@Thesweaterfactory]

The reason you are having trouble with your needle selector, is because your brake sponge needs replacing, I can tell by the slackness of your needles, because the sponge is worn, the needle butts are lifting, causing it to jam the selector and the main carriage a little bit.