The only reference you'll ever need?

Well, I couldn't possibly presume to tell you what you should prefer, but this is my present favourite reference. It crept up on me gradually. I bought it from Reynolds in Sydney, along with a few other books. I must have thought it looked promising, but it did languish forgotten for a while. But every now and then I'd look to clarify some technique or other, and find it useful. 

It proved to be particularly useful when I was roped in the demonstrate "Punch Lace", I was honoured in this way on the strength of having discovered, by accident, that 1x1 punch lace is an excellent way to add a depth and texture to an otherwise plain knit surface. The notes on Punch Lace in this book proved to be a most satisfactory basis for a comprehensive demonstration.

Once I noticed what a treasure I had, I wanted to find out some more about this woman. You can read about her life here Finding Regine .

As I see it, these are the elements that make this book so valuable here, and now.

• It is written for the 24 stitch repeat punch card machine, specifically the Singer punch card machine. The machine a would be machine knitter is most likely to find in Melbourne.
• It is written for the basic flat bed machine, without ribber or other accessories. Every technique discussed can be performed without any ancillary specialised equipment. 
• Regine herself was not familiar with knitting machines when asked to set up a tertiary machine knitting course. Her expertise was in knitwear design. With the aid of a Singer technician, she kept one class ahead of her students. The beginner level of expertise dominates.
• Although the book is not visually inspiring, apparently being a compilation of typed class notes, it is the work of a knitwear designer, focussing on the design implications of all the techniques explained.
• A brisk work through this book would constitute a solid foundation in machine knitting. Those class notes are valuable lesson plans.

Never thought you would use Punch Lace?

Punch lace, also called Thread Lace, is an interesting technique, which as far as I know does not have a hand knit equivalent. It would be possible but probably too awkward to be worth the effort. It is similar to the Fair Isle technique, (called Knit In on the Singer machine). The difference is that one of the two yarns in the yarn feeder, the one in the front, 2 position, will knit all stitches. The other yarn will knit only those stitches corresponding to the blank places on the card.

Small pattern punch lace makes for interesting texture, with effects not unlike Plating. Choose cards with small runs of holes and blanks, Card ! and Card 7 are suitable. I like to use good quality natural yarn and fine silk.

This is a punch lace Alpaca Silk project using Card 1

Detail from the surface of the above Silk / Alpaca wrap

Wool and Silk. Card 7

Punch Lace, just like in the book.

 Choose cards with blank sections and no long runs of holes to minimise snagging.  The first example would need to be lined.. Cards 15 and 1 7 work well in this mode.

Card 17. Note that the background is the same punch pattern as Card 7

Candlewick, not lace at all

 An interesting thing to do with the technique.  With this technique choose cards with runs of holes to create long floats. After knitting, cut the floats to create candlewick effects. Card 12 works particularly well, both circulating and locked. Card 9 illustrated.
This effect is similar to Knitweave with cut floats, only in this version the the cut yarn is more securely knitted into the backing fabric.

Choose your own Punch Lace.

You can make Punch Lace featuring any shape you like by leaving the desired shape blank in a card otherwise punched out according to the pattern on Card 1 or Card 7. I have experimented with strips of sticky tape on Card 7. I imagine shapes cut out of Contact would work perfectly well. Although the possible effects of seeping stickiness should be considered.

Note that the design is a randomised version of Card 17 illustrated above. The photo of that card illustrates the structure of Card 7, useful if you do not have cards in the Studio / Singer / Knitmaster set