DesignaKnit Basics

Introduction to opening screen and menus

Using Standard Shaping Mode

500 N DodgionIndependence MO 64050

816 461 4912

CKnitcraft Inc.

http://www.designaknit.com

For assistance contact: knitcraft@knitcraft.com

2002

A Knitcraft Presentation

Now that you have DesignaKnit Installed!

Lets take a look at Menu options throughout the program.

Standard Styling Mode will be used to introduce you to the concepts needed to work effectively with DesignaKnit.

DesignaKnit contains many tools to help you in the design process. I hope to give you a good base to understand the names and actions of the tools offered.

As we proceed through I will cover creating a garment in Standard Styling as well as Entering your own Measurements for quick easy custom fitting.

Lets get started!

DesignaKnit 7 opening screen

Mode menuThis is the Access point to DesignaKnit program modes.

Standard Garment Styling Mode

Original Pattern Drafting Mode

Stitch Designer Mode

Interactive Knitting Mode

Graphic Studio Mode

Drop Down Menu choices

Mode Menu

The Mode is a specific segment of DesignaKnit.

Each mode has it’s own specialty but completely integrates with all the other modes.

There are 2 ways to enter the mode you wish to use.

1: Left Click on Mode, then Left click on the Mode you wish to use.

2: Left Click on the Icon bar symbolizing the Mode choice.

OR

Standard Garment Styling Mode

•Used to create a basic garment shape from existing templates.

•Create personalized measurement charts and apply to template shapes.

•Create a basic garment to move into Original Drafting Mode.

Original Pattern Drafting Mode

•Create your own unique garment styles.

•Input patterns shapes from charts or sewing patterns.

•Import patterns from Standard Shaping and modify them.

Stitch Designer Mode

•Download patterns to the Knitting Machine.

•Create Stitch patterns using the handy drawing tools.

•Edit existing designs.

•Layout individual stitch patterns on the garment shape.

•Integrate stitch design with garment shape.

•Set Cut and Sew outline for easy assembly of finished garment.

•Prepare color settings and pattern separation settings for download.

Interactive Knitting Mode

•Receive pattern shaping instructions.

•Receive color change instructions.

•Receive marker setting instructions.

•Easy to follow chart for Intarsia Knitting.

Graphic Studio Mode

•Use clip art to create stitch designs.

•Turn Photos into stitch patterns.

•Convert scanned images into stitch designs.

•Import digital camera images to create stitch designs.

Standard Styling Mode Icon

We will travel through the menu options to give you a good base for all the DesignaKnit modes as we create a garment .

Getting Started With Standard Styling.

Click on the Standard Styling Icon

A dialogue box is used to give instructions, warning messages or choices for you to make.

The dialogue box automatically appears.

The Dialogue Boxis your way to answer the questions necessary for the program to do what you want.

Once a selection is made this button activates the choice. On some selections this button is not necessary on others you push the selection then push Ok.

If you find yourself viewing the wrong screen because of an incorrect choice cancel will return you to the previous screen.

This button accesses the online help menu in DesignaKnit.

File PathFile path is a very important concept to understand. When you save a file you must know where you saved it. That is called the file path.

This button will close the dialogue box. It has the same affect as Cancel.

Create a new garment. Use this option when creating a new shape file.

Open an existing garment

Use this option when you want to use an existing garment to do layout work, to modify tension settings or styling options.

Use this option to enter your personal measurements. These measurements will remain on file until you delete them and you can use them to apply to any template garment shape.

List of recently used files.

If the file you want to reopen is on this list a single left click will quickly reopen it.

Click on the options you want to apply in each section.

Click OK.

Click New Garment

Grayed out options indicates they are not applicable to the garment type you have chosen. If skirt were selected this box would be in black print and the options usable.

Tensions Dialogue BoxEnter measurement in stitches per 4”

orEnter measurement of Width and Height of 40 stitches and 60 rows.

Do Not attempt to fill in both. DesignaKnit will automatically calculate the settings of the opposite box set using your entered measurements.

Click Set as default and the tension settings will automatically be applied every time DesignaKnit is opened.

The same rules apply as for main tension. Fill in one or the other but not both.

Rib tensions must be set.

These option lines are for personal use only. DesignaKnit does not use them in any way. When you enter information in this area it will print out on your printed pattern.

These segments are optional.

Click OK

Select the ease option you want to apply.

Click OK

Choose from a standard chart of sizes in the range you selected. Adult Child or Baby. Standard Size

Or from a set of measurements

entered by you. Custom Size

Click on the button next to the option you wish to select.

We will choose Standard Size as we have no custom measurements yet.

Click on the size you wish to apply.

Click OK.

You can change any of the measurements by clicking on the box and typing in the new numbers.

You may not leave a box blank but you can put in a 0.

When you click in the measurement box the picture changes to indicate where the measurement should be taken.

Measurements Chart

You can copy the measurements from this screen and paste them into any word processing program

Press copy, open notepad or any other word processor and press Edit Paste.

Sample

information

Tensions 7.6 10.2 8.4 11.2Options 23131441013Chest 32.3 5.5Waist 24.4 0.8Waist or hip 34.3 3.5Nape to garment length 23.4

Hip depth 8.1 0.0Arm length 22.6 0.0Arm hole (scye) 14.9 6.0Upper arm 10.4 5.5Wrist 6.1 3.1Shoulder to shoulder 13.0 0.4Hip 34.3 3.5Arm hole depth 8.1 1.0Body Rib 2.0Body Blousing 0.0Body Straight 1.2Overlap 0.0Shoulder width 0.0Shoulder drop 0.0Armpit seam 0.8Neck Rib 1.3Width 6.6Neck depth 3.0V neck depth 7.5V Straight 1.0Back width 6.6Back depth 0.8Back straight 1.0Sleeve Rib 2.0Sleeve Blousing 0.0Sleeve Straight 0.9Neck edge 1.1At shoulder 1.9Before gathers 4.2After gathers 4.2Overall extra 1.0Raglan slope 0.1Hem depth 2.0Total length 23.6Circumference 47.2Straight 0.0Curve 3.0Waistband 2.0

Click OK when all your measurements are correct.

Your garment shape is now complete!

Click File/Save As

File type box

Adds the 3 letter extension to the end of the file name you give. This allows a program to filter files it can open.

File name Box

Type in the file name. The * must be removed or the file will not be saved.

File Path Box

Indicates where the file is to be saved. You must know where you save your files to be able to open them latter.

The file will be saved in your Dk7 directory under the shapes folder unless you specify differently.

To save the pattern file to a

different location

Click the down arrow under Drives.

Click on the drive you want to save to.

Our Basic Garment is now finished and saved.

There are several styling options you can choose from in Standard Styling Mode that allow you to modify rib widths and lengths. This allows you to add your own specifications to the template garment.

Lets take a closer look at the styling options.

The ? Will always take you to the help in the specific area you are working with.

Styling Options Icons.

Return to size charts.

Throughout DesignaKnit these two icons remain constant and do the same function.

Return to Measurements Box.

Will always undo the last action.

Return to Select Garment Type Box.

The Styling Option Icons allow you to change things about the shape.

When you click on a box to change the numbers DesignaKnit will draw a circle and line in red to show what is affected by this change.

When changes are made click File/Save because the file already has been named earlier and we just want to save the changes.

Drop Down Menus reflect the icon choices. Many are the same as clicking on the icon however you can find added features under the drop down menus that are not represented by Icons. I will cover the options that do not have icons.

FileOptions

Drop Down Menu Options

Create a New Shape File Pattern.

File

Open an Existing Shape File only if it was created in Standard Mode.

Save changes to a Shape File.

Save a new file that has not been named.

Delete a file from the hard drive.

Print a paper copy of the Pattern Shape.

Choose the printer options and printer to use.

Close the Mode you are using and return to opening screen.

Create a New Shape File Pattern.

Use this option when you want to start a completely new garment.

File New instructions are the same choices you have when you first open Standard Styling Mode.

Use this option when you want to open an existing File.

A Pattern File that has been created in Original Mode or a File that has been taken to Original Mode from Standard Styling mode can not be reopened in Standard Mode.

Caution:

•This is a quick way to save a file once the name has been given.

•This option should be used when you are making modifications to an existing pattern and wish to keep the changes.

•If you click on Save when the pattern has not been saved it will automatically open the Save As box allowing you to name the file.

•This option allows you to specify the location a file is to be saved and gives you the opportunity to name it.

•You should use Save As when you want to save a file for the first time and when you want a duplicate of the same file.

•You can use this option to give the pattern a new name and have a duplicate copy for latter modification or just security.

Delete removes the file from your hard drive.

Use this option only when you want to permanently remove a file.

You will not be able to undo this action.

Print Setup is the option that allows you to select your printer.

The choices you will find under this option will vary according to the printer you have.

The print option allows you to create a hard copy (Paper Print Out) of your pattern file.

Press the Print Button and a Dialogue opens with all the pattern pieces listed.

Printing Formats

Type the 2 letter code in this bar for each piece you want to print.

Printing Choices

Formats available when any shape file is open to be printed.

Formats available only when integrated shape is open to be printed.

For each format there is an option screen to further refine your final print out.

Click the Options button.

I will cover the options for these formats as one because they all share the same option choices.

To view and set options for each format click on the box beside the format.

In order to save paper you may want to omit duplicate rows, in which case you should also check the row numbering option so that you may see how many identical rows should be knit.

Choose Fit to a page or enter a percentage proportion of the actual size. In the former case, DesignaKnit will choose the largest size it can to fit the design onto a single page. If you choose a percentage scaling which will make the printout larger than the page, DesignaKnit will divide the image over as many pages as necessary to complete the printout.

All 5 formats use the same options.

Here you can opt to have the pattern printed out with proportional stitches (True) or to render all the stitches Square. ALL STITCHES SQUARE: depending on the Scaling chosen, the width of the stitch will be proportional to the design and the height will be adjusted to match. If you are printing out a symbol chart (formats IT and SS) the symbols usually display better in a square cell.

Choose the thickness of the grid lines. 0 will remove the grid altogether while 3 will produce the thickest line. If the scaling of the printout is proportionally small, a thick line might hide the pattern.

This option prints the grid division in the same incrimination you have set in Stitch Designer. Configure the setting using Options/Grid Division Size in the main Stitch Designer Screen.

Use this option with Gray or White Stitch Color options to show pattern areas. Color demarcation provides a line which separates areas of color. You may specify the thickness of the line here. 0 removes the line altogether while 3 will produce the thickest line.

Color: places X's on a background of the color pattern in the garment shape. X's are drawn black against light colors and white against dark colors. Gray: places the X's on a plain gray background in the garment shape.White: X's are black against a white background.

DesignaKnit will number the stitches on the printout from:

• left to right (123456), • right to left (54321) • the center outwards, placing the

middle stitch either to the right or left (32112 or 21123).

This format will generate text instructions for the rib and neckband of Standard garments, along with the information contained in the View Info panel and tensions.

Please note this format is not appropriate for shapes generated or modified in Original Pattern Drafting.

Check those items you want to include.

This format is for garment pieces only. The Knit Leader uses full-size templates and the printout will take several sheets of paper which you piece together. If you are knitting a vertically symmetrical piece, in order to economize on paper, you may want to print the right half only.

The Knit Radar uses half-size templates and the printout may take several sheets of paper which will have to be pieced together. If you are knitting a vertically symmetrical piece, in order to economize on paper, you may opt to print the right half only.

This format is for garment pieces only. The printout will be an outline only of the garment pieces. You may opt to scale the outline or to accept the scaling DesignaKnit imposes in order to fit each piece on a single sheet of paper.

This option is almost the same as KL and KR except you have the ability to scale to a very small drawing. This smaller print out is handy to keep with a written pattern.

By default the GN format makes the notation hug the shape outline so that the text will appear at the point to which it refers.

GN is the most commonly used print out option as it gives you the knitting instructions in Garment Notation.

In certain circumstances, depending on the complexity of the shape, two or more text instructions may overprint each other. If this happens, you can override the default to make DesignaKnit print the text in columns: the instructions will appear vertically as near to the place to which they refer, but the text will be arranged to the left on the left hand side of the page and to the right on the right hand side of the page.

GN

GN

GN print out result.

216: Indicates the row number you are to do the action on.

-Indicates to decrease or remove stitches.If this were + you would add or increase stitches.

1s = 1 stitch 10 indicates the amount of rows between actions and x1 indicates the amount of times to repeat.

(65) Number of stitches left.

Garment Notation is an easy way to give all the information needed in a very small space.

Row

The instruction would be:

On row 138 decrease 1 stitch every 3 rows 26 times. When all decreases are done you will be at row 216 ready to follow the new set of instructions.

Given the enormous variation in knitting techniques, yarns, measuring equipment and so on, it would not be wise to accept the information calculated here as anything other than a rough guide. Soft Byte and its agents are not responsible

for any decisions made based on these calculations.

First, knit a sample swatch. It is important that this swatch is knitted with the same stitch pattern as the garment; the larger your sample the closer DesignaKnit will be in its calculations.

Weigh or measure the sample and enter the amount of yarn used.Then enter the yarn units Oz. Inches or what ever unit you are using to calculate the swatch.

This format produces a single repeat of the stitch pattern shown in the symbols assigned to the yarn colors. When selecting this format from the Print Pattern Pieces dialog a single repeat of the pattern associated with that garment piece will be produced..

This format will produce the appropriate template for a punch card, reader card or mylar sheet for the configured knitting machine.

The pattern will be adjusted according to the positioning of the garment pieces on the stitch pattern.

DesignaKnit assumes the garment piece will be hung centrally on the machine's needle bed.

Choosing either CC from the Print Stitch Patterns dialog or IC from the Print Shapes dialog will produce a report of all the color changes in a swatch or piece. The former will show only the color changes in a single repeat of the pattern while the latter will show all the color changes in an entire garment piece and is only available for an integrated piece.

EditUndo last action.

Copy Selection to clip board.

Copy Sleeve to clip board

View

View indicates how and what is displayed on the screen.

Click on the options to allow you to see the information you need.

Monochrome Display off. Normal View.

Options

This setting choice will be consistent in all modes of the program.

Choose the unit of measurement you are most comfortable working with.

Note: If you need precision Cm should be your choice.

Files saved in inches, if opened when the program is set to centimeters, will automatically be changed to metric measurements, and vice versa.

Things to remember about Units of Measure:

In most dialog boxes centimeters and inches are displayed to one decimal place. Measurements entered with two decimal places will be rounded up or down to the nearest single place, 33.25 will become 33.3 and 33.24 will become 33.2, whether centimeters or inches.

Use centimeters if the pattern you are taking the measurements from is in centimeters.

Use inches if the pattern you are taking the measurements from is in inches.

When the pattern is finished you can easily convert to the opposite unit of measure by simply changing the option under Options/Units of Measure.

Clicking on Options/Tension in all DesignaKnit Modes will bring up this same dialogue box.

Box 2 is asking for the stitches per 1” This is set under

Options/Units of measurement.

Notice box 1is asking for the stitches per 4”

Important Tension Facts

Only one tension setting is used throughout DesignaKnit. If you set 7 stitches 10 rows per inch in Stitch Designer. The same tension is applied in Original Shaping and Standard Shaping.

The garment will be recalculated instantly if you change the tension setting. This makes if very easy to use 1 well fitting garment and knit it on any gauge machine with the yarns of your choice.

Allows you to change the ease settings of the open garment file.

Body SizesTakes you to the Standard Sizes table

Takes you to the Custom Sizes table

Takes you to the Measurements chart

Copy contents of the charts to paste into a word processor.

This option allows you to store your custom measurements on file for easy access.

When you open this screen you will find 3 sets of measurements. They are just random numbers used for example. Please do not attempt to use them to create a garment.

Display area for saved measurement flies.

Navigation BarFirst File New FileNext File

Previous File

Delete FileLast File

Adds the size information from the opened pattern file.

Sorts the list in group order.

Category BoxesThese boxes are used to contain information to help DesignaKnit Sort your files.

If you enter Baby in this box and you choose adult range under New Garment you will not see this set of measurements under From Custom Size.

Use drop down arrows to make these selections.

When you click on a box to add the measurement DesignaKnit shows you the exact place on the body to take the measurement.

Name should be the person this measurement set belongs to. This is for your ease in identification.

Fill in the measurements and Click OK

This section is for specific preferences you wish to apply each time this set if measurements is applied to your template. It is optional. You do not have to fill it in. You can apply specific styling options after the custom measurements have been applied.

Quick Review

Icons = Those little pictures we click on to activate an option.

The icon I click on when I don’t understand.

What I click on when I goofed.

Dialogue Box = The little window screens that open they allow us to tell the program what our choices are.

Icon

Garment Type Dialogue Box.

The place where you enter your choices.

What the Icons mean.

Let’s create a garment without all the confusion.

Left Click Standard Styling Mode Icon.

Left Click New Garment

Click on the choices you want to apply to your garment.

Click the ease option you wish to use. Click OK

Enter the tensions from your swatch.

Click on the Standard size chart or your Custom size chart.

Change any of the measurements or the ease factors. Click OK

Your garment is ready to knit.

Click File Save As and give it a name.

The Garment can be knit form a print out of the pattern.

Or knit from Interactive Knitting Mode.

Press ESC Key to Exit