Embellish Knit Video Tutorial: Part One and Two

Tutorial:  Part One Tutorial:  Part Two

This video tutorial is for the Bond Embellish-Knit!.  and Magicord knitting machine.

Here is the approximate text of the videos:
This is a tutorial on how to use either the Bond Magicord or the Bond Embellish-Knit!.  spool knitting machine. Both machines will produce a very nice, even 4 stitch i-cord of any length that can be used in a variety of ways.  The i-cord straps for my FREE Bib Pattern, were made using the  Embellish-Knit!

I have the Embellish-Knit!.  so that is the machine I will use.
There are 3 items in the package:
1. the machine
2. the clamp or the weight
3. the needle or threader

You are given some practice yarn in the package and I encourage you to use that yarn for practicing since it is in a gauge of yarn that will work in the machine. For the demonstration, I am going to use a sport weight cotton yarn.

One note about this machine is that bulky yarns will not work in it and they say worsted yarn will not work in it, but I am able to make Cascade 220 work in it and I understand that Harrisville Shetland Wool works in it. More about that later.

Before we start, I suggest you sit at a table and have a pillow or a folded blanket positioned near your feet. Toward the end of the demonstration, all will be revealed!

Now on to the demonstration
Before we begin, notice that you have 4 hooks in the center of the machine.
Now, turn the crank. Be certain to turn the crank only in the direction indicated by the arrow on the machine. Notice that the hooks rotate up and down as you turn the crank. Notice that there are little latches on each hook. More on this later.

The first thing you do is thread the machine. You do this by putting the thread through the hole at the bottom and then through the notch at the top and then drop it down the center. You can use the needle provided in the package if you like to make it easier.
Or, you can use any tapestry needle that you have to do the same. Or you can just do it with your fingers.

Once you have the yarn coming out of the bottom of the machine, clamp the weight to the end of the thread. Hold on to the clamp or the weight of it will pull your yarn right through the machine. Like This!!

Make certain that your yarn is to the left of the machine and is "free flowing", or has NO tension on the yarn. If there is tension on the yarn, or if it is not feeding from the left, the machine will jam. Trust me on this…

SLOWLY begin turning the crank on the machine in the direction indicated.  At this point, you will have to hold the yarn (providing some tension on the yarn, just when I told you not to have tension on the yarn) with your left hand to keep it from falling through the machine but later, you will not.
(You will get to turn the crank more speedily later, but for now SLOWLY)

As the yarn passes the 1st hook, make certain it CATCHES in the hook, with the latch down.

As the yarn passes, the 2nd hook, make certain it SKIPS the hook. You may have to assist the yarn, either with your finger, the needle, or a crochet hook. Whatever works for you.

As the yarn passes the 3rd hook, make certain it CATCHES in the hook, with the latch down.

As the yarn passes, the 4th hook, make certain it SKIPS the hook. You may have to assist the yarn, either with your finger, the needle, or a crochet hook. Whatever works for you.

To recap, on the first round, the 1st and 3rd hooks, CATCH the yarn, the 2nd and 4th hooks SKIP or pass over the yarn.

SECOND ROUND.
OK, so now you are ready for the second round.
Again, slowly, turn the crank, making certain that the yarn from the second round catches in the 1st hook AND the yarn from the first round goes BELOW the latch on the 1st hook.

2nd hook, yarn will catch on the hook in between the hook and the latch.  There won't be any yarn from the first round to go below the latch like on the first hook because we skipped this hook on the first round, (remember?!).
3rd hook, same as the 1st,
4th hook, same as the 2nd

Before we continue to the THIRD ROUND and all other rounds, this is a good time to check 2 things:
1. is your yarn tension free and feeding from the left?
2. is the clamp or weight hanging free?
Both must be hanging and flowing FREE for this little machine to work!!

ROUND THREE and all subsequent ROUNDS

Now, Stop here for a minute and make certain that your yarn is flowing freely from the left.  At this point, the machine will hold the yarn and it won't fall through.  Also, make certain that the clamp is hanging freely so that it can pull the product through the machine.
OK, now you can crank away. Well, go slowly at first. Keep you eye on the center of the hook area to make certain that things are not jamming.

I like to set the machine on the edge of a table  or my arm on the edge of the table just to make things easier. That way I'm not holding it up in the air! Just make certain that you don't compromise the center hole where the finished product comes out. If that is not allowed to hang weighted, the machine will jam.

So, you see, I am cranking away here. Pretty soon, the product will emerge from the bottom of the machine.

Here it is now. When the clamp starts to get too far from the machine, move the clamp closer to the machine.

When you think the i-cord is long enough for your project, remove the clamp, just temporarily, so that you can measure it. The machine is about 4 ½ tall so you have about 4 ½ of i-cord in the machine and then whatever amount is outside the machine.
After removing the clamp, the i-cord will spring back from being stretched, so you can measure what you have and you will have a pretty good estimate of length. After measuring, PUT THE CLAMP BACK ON.

If in doubt, make it longer, because, once you cut it, there is no going back.

Once you have the length you want, cut the yarn and continue cranking. The i-cord will get a little longer until the machine runs out of yarn and then the weight of the clamp will pull the i-cord through the machine and it will fall out of the machine, usually on to the floor. This is why you want a pillow or a blanket or something soft for it to land on. You don't want the clamp to break since the outside of it is plastic.

Now you have your finished i-cord. If it is too long, unravel it to the correct length. Then, bind it off by threading the loose end through the loops using your needle.  Weave in the ends and you are finished!

The yarn used for this demonstration of the  Embellish-Knit!. is Tahki Cotton Classic which is considered a sport weight or lighter. Although worsted weight is not recommended by the manufacturer, I was able to use Cascade 220 and my method of using this machine and achieve very good results.