The
Studio/Singer/Silver Reed line of knitting machines don’t afford the luxury of using a cast-on
comb for their cast-on methods. I much
prefer the Brother method of casting on with the comb, so have made my own
combs for my Studio/Singer machines. I’ve
made several sizes for each machine, two half the length of the full bed to
cover the entire bed and a shorter one to cover about 1/3 of the bed. They aren't real pretty but do the job just fine.
Tools needed are
a couple cards of bobby pins, a length of wooden molding or ruler, hot glue gun
and glue sticks (or glue of choice), a couple clamps and a pair of side cutting
pliers.
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| (Click on Photos to Enlarge) |
1. Determine how long you want your comb to be and
prepare enough bobby pins to fit on every other needle. Spring the bobby pin open about half way and
cut at the bend. Cut toward the
‘crinkled’ side so there will be a little curl at the end on the straight side
of the bobby pin. You will be using the
straight side and discarding the ‘crinkled’ side.
2. With the needle nose of the pliers, carefully
bend over the tip of the bobby pin with the rubber end attached. Bend slowly as the bobby pin will break if
bent too fast or sharply. Bend in the
same direction as the little curl at the other end.
5. Place a piece of wooden molding cut to
desired size or a ruler on the back side of the hanging bobby pins. Clamp the end pins on each side in place
against the wood so that there is about 3/4” of pin above the edge of the
wooden strip. Straighten and arrange the
rest of the pins so they are spaced evenly in the every other needle spaces. Start with a ‘dot’ of glue at the bottom of
each pin, just enough to hold them in place while working. When you’re happy with how they hang, add
more glue making sure to get in all the crooks and crannies. Keep the glue atleast 1/4 “ away from the top
edge. Let the glue cool until there is a
good bond. Then remove the clamps on the
end and apply glue to the end bobbypins.
Let the glue cool and get totally set and remove from machine.
5. Place a piece of wooden molding cut to
desired size or a ruler on the back side of the hanging bobby pins. Clamp the end pins on each side in place
against the wood so that there is about 3/4” of pin above the edge of the
wooden strip. Straighten and arrange the
rest of the pins so they are spaced evenly in the every other needle spaces. Start with a ‘dot’ of glue at the bottom of
each pin, just enough to hold them in place while working. When you’re happy with how they hang, add
more glue making sure to get in all the crooks and crannies. Keep the glue atleast 1/4 “ away from the top
edge. Let the glue cool until there is a
good bond. Then remove the clamps on the
end and apply glue to the end bobbypins.
Let the glue cool and get totally set and remove from machine. 
