HOMEMADE SPONGE BARS

A couple of weeks back I was lucky enough to have my lovely Mum and Sister over to stay, and even luckier that they brought me the knitting machine so I could start figuring out how to use it. They also left a nice long list of things they'd like me to make along with a cone of wool, how nice!

Usually I'm straight in there without even reading the manual (tut, tut) but I've been that busy I haven't had the time to even take it out of the box yet. That was until yesterday, and I'm so glad that that's been the case as since it was dropped off I've been having a chat with one of our blog followers and she very wisely advised me to change the sponge bar in the machine as it hasn't been used for such a long time. I am so grateful for having been given this advice as the sponge bar was, as you can see, in bits. The first image shows the sponge bar already in the machine and below, is the new one I have made. The next image is the old sponge taken out which turns into this horrible "stuff" which breaks into bits and smudges into everything when touched, beware!

It didn't take me long to find an extremely helpful, step by step guide online showing how to make my own sponge bar rather than having to fork out for a new one. A big thanks goes out to all people who give these helpful pieces of advice and to those who provide the extremely valuable help online. 

So for all those who are getting their knitting machines out of the cupboard and on the go again here's the valuable advice Id like to pass on, be sure to check your sponge bars! And, if you need it replacing you can follow this fantastic guide here. As for me, I'm just waiting for my cone of gorgeous yellow practice wool to arrive, woop woop!

THERE'S FINER THAN 4 PLY?

Last time I visited Wales Mum was battling this beauty. It reminds me of my struggle with my 4Ply knitting only far more complicated. It has knitted up oooooh so prettily, and with all the bad feelings I have towards fine yarn knitting at the minute I do feel a bit sad that Mum isn't going to go any further with it.  

To Mum's surprise however the wool she ordered by post arrived on a cone, which, "Is the perfect fit for that knitting machine of ours hey Mum?!" A few people have been in touch about our knitting machine as they have the same model. Unfortunately, we here at The General Store haven't had the time to get together and use ours and we're very jealous of all out there who have managed to get it going! I definitely have big plans ahead for ours, it's just the getting together and getting it going that seems to be slowing us down!

OUR KNITTING BROTHER MODEL KH-551!

Oh boy and what a treat he is! This stunning piece of machinery was given to us from my Great Grandma's sister our Auntie Clare. We've had it a while now and still haven't got round to having a go on it. I have brought the handbook back to Liverpool with me so I can get my head round how to use it and make lots of lovely things. I just can't wait! I will be uploading a few more images here of the graphics on the box, it's in mint condition and deserves to be shown off to the world! So keep watching this space for some wonderful knitted beauties in a few months time! Fingers crossed hey?!