Garter Bar

Introduction

The Garter Bar is an essential accessory for machine knitting that facilitates the creation of garter stitch and other stitch manipulations. Unlike hand knitting, a knitting machine typically produces Stockinette Stitch when knitting in one direction, as it creates knit stitches on the public side and purl stitches on the reverse. This makes true garter stitch (knit every row) challenging to achieve automatically with the main carriage alone.

A garter bar is a specialized tool, typically gauged for a specific knitting machine, that allows the knitter to remove a section of stitches from the needle bed, physically turn them 180 degrees, and re-hang them. This action reverses the orientation of the stitches, effectively transforming a knit row into a purl row (or vice-versa) and enabling the creation of garter stitch texture.

Operation

Using a garter bar involves a series of steps to transfer stitches, turn them, and re-hang them onto the needles. While the exact process may vary slightly between machine models and garter bar designs, the general procedure is as follows:

Preparing the Machine and Work

• Knit to the point where the garter bar is needed, typically ending with the carriage on the right side of the machine.
• Place the working needles into D position (holding position) with the stitches past the sinker posts.
• Open all the latches of the working needles.
• If applicable, place a needle stopper over the working needles, behind the stitches.
• Remove the yarn from the carriage and secure it, often with a clothespin, to prevent the work from unraveling.
• Remove any claw weights from the work.

Transferring Stitches to the Garter Bar

• Hold the garter bar with the groove/ditch side facing up.
• Carefully place the garter bar tines onto the needle hooks, ensuring each tine aligns with a needle.
• Lift the garter bar so it is parallel with the working needles.
• Use the live stitches to close each needle's latch over its corresponding garter bar tine.
• Slide the live stitches over the garter bar tines, past the "waistline" of each tine, so they are securely held.
• Gently remove the garter bar from the needles, taking the live stitches with it.

Turning and Re-hanging Stitches

• Remove the needle stopper from the needle bed.
• Turn the garter bar 180 degrees so the "bump" side is now facing up, with the knitting work on top.
• Ensure all needle latches are open.
• Align the openings of each garter bar tine with the open latches of the working needles. The stitches on the garter bar should be as far from the tine openings as possible (behind the waistline).
• Push down gently on the garter bar and slide it toward you, ensuring each needle's hook catches the underside of a single stitch.
• Visually inspect from above to confirm that every needle has caught a stitch.
• Once all stitches are securely re-hung, remove the garter bar.
• Push the stitches back into working position on the needles.
• Re-hang any weights.
• Rethread the carriage and continue knitting.

Practice is highly encouraged to master the technique of using a garter bar, especially for transferring groups of stitches or for shaping.

Other Applications

Beyond creating garter stitch, garter bars are versatile tools for various knitting techniques:

• Shaping: They can be used as large, multi-prong transfer tools to decrease or increase stitches across a row, creating decorative seams or specific garment shapes.
• Holding Live Stitches: A garter bar can temporarily hold live stitches when removing work from the machine, allowing for later re-hanging or manipulation.

Alternatives for Garter Stitch

While the garter bar is a primary method, several other techniques can be employed on a knitting machine to achieve garter stitch or similar textures:

• Garter Carriage: A motorized accessory available for some machines (e.g., Brother Standard Gauge machines) that automatically forms purl stitches, eliminating manual manipulation.
• Hand Manipulation: Using a Latch Tool to reform individual stitches manually from knit to purl or vice-versa.
• Reverse Stockinette: Utilizing the purl side of the machine-knit fabric as the public side of the garment, offering a similar texture without extra work.
• Ribber Transfer: When a Ribber is attached, stitches can be transferred between the main bed and the ribber using a Double-Eye Needle or a specialized Ribber Transfer Carriage.
• Shadow Lace Transfer Tool ("Jaws"): An accessory that can quickly transfer stitches between the main bed and ribber, useful for creating garter stitch.