LK150 How to Knit a Swatch for measuring with the yellow ruler

The Silver Reed machines are all supplied with the handy “rulers”, or scales, which enable you to very accurately measure your gauge, providing the swatch has always been knitted to the same stitch and row parameters.
The mid gauge machine comes with a yellow scale, and this video covers how to knit and measure the swatch.

[@dinglebat63]

My jaw dropped at the way you marked the join of yarns and then easy peasy started the new yarn by pulling through. I've never seen this before and it was a eureka moment. I would never have thought to do that. Thank you.

[@sallybutcherskalamundakrafts]

Glad you found that helpful Angie, tieing off the new yarn to the old is something I also do when finishing one cone and starting another.

[@maurazic8081]

Thank you for good instructions how to make a swatch on LK 150.

[@sparkyal43]

Thank you for this very educational video. I appreciate that you took the time and made the effort to make this. I have learned a lot!

[@carmelgahan3605]

Watched this, once, twice, and then made myself practice it. Needless to say, it worked! As a newbie, I have stared a notebook and now put in a section to record swatch info per type of yarn.

[@fayelittlehales2406]

Thank you so much for your time and skills, they really help a lot of people.

[@sallybutcherskalamundakrafts]

You’re welcome

[@theknitterbeal8603]

That is so super helpful!! I just got an LK150 and this is great!

[@seirc5876]

Sally, thanks for these wonderful videos on LK150 which is the machine I first used. Now cuz I need to use finer yarns, I switch to an older model Brother KH588. I wonder if you'd advise the gauge swatch on a standard gauge. Is it 60 stitches and 60 rows main yarn with the 21st stitch on either side of 0 being marked? Thanks so much in advance for clarifying.

[@sallybutcherskalamundakrafts]

60 stitches is the minimum, I usually cast on 70 stitches. Knit 60 rows and mark the 21st stitch either side. You need the green scale for a standard gauge.

[@seirc5876]

@@sallybutcherskalamundakrafts Ok, great. Much appreciated!

[@NemesisUs]

Thank you!

[@dottierobbins6507]

Thank you thank you so much. I love love your videos.

[@sallybutcherskalamundakrafts]

Thank you Dottie!

[@fidenzia2192]

thank you. 😊

[@TheLixistar]

Can you make a video on how to properly oil the lk150 ?

[@annthompson3246]

Sally I tried the e cast on kit a few stitches, got caught, I removed carriage and I tried again

[@anndrake2339]

It seems I get 18 sts to 31 rows on my DK Yarn on stitch no.4 what should my tension dial be set at please, I'm new to machine knitting thank you for your time, great videos

[@sallybutcherskalamundakrafts]

That would seem a little bit loose for DK yarn, does the swatch feel floppy? DK usually tensions at about 22 stitches over 10cm, but ultimately it is more about YOU being happy with YOUR swatch. Personally I’d tighten it up by turning the dial number lower, say 3, and see what that comes out like. Remember to allow the swatch time to relax!

[@anndrake2339]

@@sallybutcherskalamundakrafts unless I'm not understanding the "ruler" correctly 😆

[@stringswithoutguilt-swg726]

Sally, I've gota KX350, and it says to make a gauge swatch the exact same way. Would a yellow ruler/gauge work for me? You make great, informative videos. Thank you. Macy

[@sallybutcherskalamundakrafts]

Yes, a yellow ruler works fine with the KH350

[@stringswithoutguilt-swg726]

@@sallybutcherskalamundakrafts Can you recommend a place to buy it from? Thank you.

[@sallybutcherskalamundakrafts]

In the U.K. I buy from Andee Knits @@stringswithoutguilt-swg726

[@stringswithoutguilt-swg726]

Anyplace in the USA? @@sallybutcherskalamundakrafts

[@sallybutcherskalamundakrafts]

Google Silver Reed dealers @@stringswithoutguilt-swg726

[@annthompson3246]

Sally could you tell me how to clean the needles before I put them back on machine, my new sponge bar will arrive a week / 10 days, thanks very much

[@countkostaki]

Hi Sally I’ve seen that you have a metal tube you use for your cast on combs - what exactly is it because it looks a really nifty way of stopping them careering all over the place

[@sallybutcherskalamundakrafts]

Do you mean how do I store them? It’s a thing like a giant pen pot that my husband made out of old carpet tubes.

[@mariabanda5456]

I don't have your yellow guide. Do I just measure 10x10 cm? Thank you.

[@sallybutcherskalamundakrafts]

You would have to measure and mark 10 x 10cm, then count the number of rows and stitches in the grid.

[@mariabanda5456]

@@sallybutcherskalamundakrafts Thank you for the guidance. And thank you for all the videos you have made to help beginners like me. Blessings, Maria.

[@annthompson3246]

Hi Sally, I need to get rubber wheels for carriage lk 140 where would I get them please, thank you 😊

[@sallybutcherskalamundakrafts]

It depends where in the world you are? In the U.K., I get my Silver Reed parts from Andrea at Andee Knits.

[@adafreda4703]

Buona sera Sally, mi sai dire dove posso comprare i rulers or scales che adoperi per contare le maglie e le righe. Grazie mille

[@sallybutcherskalamundakrafts]

@@adafreda4703 buona sera - you can buy them from a Silver Reed dealer. Andee Knits in the U.K. will post overseas

[@adafreda4703]

Buongiorno Sally, grazie della dritta. In Italia non sono riuscita a trovarne. Io posseggo una empisal 600 e una lk100 pensi possa andare bene un regolo verde per la empisal (al momento non ne hanno, ma spero arrivino più avanti) e uno giallo per la lk 100 ? Grazie ancora della tua disponibilità. A presto, Ada

[@sallybutcherskalamundakrafts]

@@adafreda4703 Hi Ada, a green one for the 600 is perfect. For the LK100 you need a blue one because it’s a chunky machine. If you cannot get a blue one, knit the swatch according to the BLUE instructions, then measure with the green one and HALVE the results. Join the Machine Knitting Beginners and Returners Circle on Facebook where there are instructions for all the coloured rulers.

[@irenepatten5864]

hello sally thankyou so much for this video just one thing at the end what did you mean when you said devide by four maybe im being a bit slow sorry

[@sallybutcherskalamundakrafts]

Hi Irene, if you want to calculate your gauge in inches, divide the results by 4. The yellow ruler measures for 10cm. 10cm is near enough 4 inches, hence divide by 4

[@irenepatten5864]

@@sallybutcherskalamundakrafts thankyou sally so much ive got it

[@marlenacody]

Whatever the gauge is, I then ➗ those numbers by 4 to work in inches?

[@sallybutcherskalamundakrafts]

Yes, correct.

[@darinakalinova2180]

Yes. Because it measures for you 10 by 10 cm if you want inches 10 cm is 4 inches

[@marlenacody]

😊 Hi again! Could I use the Rulers in the same way for hand knitting? Just wondering...👀

[@juliaresnikowski2507]

Q pena q los vídeos no están en español