First open the owners manual that came with your machine. Make sure you have all the parts that are listed in the manual. If you are missing anything or don't have a manual, contact Bond America through their web site at http://www.bond-america.com/ or from Lea-Ann at www.knittingtoday.com .

Before you put anything together sit and read the owners manual and watch the video that comes with your machine.

Find a nice flat and level surface to sit your machine on. Follow the instructions in your book for putting the bed pieces together and attaching it to the table. Make sure your clamps are pushed all the way in and securely attached to the table. If this is a nice table like in the dining room you will want to put a towel, rag or piece of cloth under your machine before you clamp it down.

Set the carriage on the bed as per the owners manual and slide it across the bed a few times to make sure it is on there correctly and glides smoothly. Wax the keyplate marked number 3 as per the manual and insert it into the carriage. Make sure it is properly seated in the carriage and pushed down all the way.

Put together the weighted hem as per the owners manual. Push the carriage to one end of the machine. Bring forward 50 needles, in the center of the machine, using your green cards and place the cards on the bed of the machine behind the needles to hold them out(this is HP or Holding Position). Hang the hem on the needles making sure it is a centered as possible and that only one needle is in each slot in the hem. Place top of hem back onto the bed of the machine. Open all needle latches. Hang elastic in the open latches. Pull the top of the hem forward over the elastic and push the hem back against the bed of the machine. Remove the green cards and replace with yellow ones. Push the needles back against the yellow cards(this is FWP or Forward Working Position). Make sure all latches are open or you will drop stitches.

Thread one color of yarn through the carriage as shown in your owners manual. Make sure that the carriage is properly threaded and that you have a few inches hanging down below the carriage. Push the carriage across the needles in FWP, making sure to push the hem back and out of your way with one hand as needed. The needles should all be lined up against the bed along the front. Hold the cut yarn end with your clip/clothespin that came with your machine * Now push the carriage back across those needles making sure to pull up the slack in the yarn at the beginning of your row. Repeat from * until you have knit 6 rows. Cut the yarn leaving a 4 to 6 inch piece hanging down. Rethread your carriage with a new color.* Now push the carriage back across those needles making sure to hold the cut yarn ends with a clip/clothespin at the beginning of your row. Repeat from * until you have knit 30 rows.

If you can't get past row two without jams or dropping stitches then check for the following:

1.You need to make sure you aren't putting to much pressure on the top of the carriage when you push it across. A light touch should be all that's needed.
2.With the new USM carriage you need to make sure that the yarn is behind the green plates on the bottom at the start of each row. The yarn should be between the plates and the bed of the machine....If it catches on the plates you will get tons of jams and dropped stitches
3. Check with Bond America's trouble shooting page for more tips at http://www.bond-america.com/help.html

After you have successfully knitted those thirty rows. Cut your yarn again leaving a 4 to 6 inch piece hanging down. Switch back to first color. Now push the carriage back across those needles making sure to hold the cut yarn ends with a clip/clothespin at the beginning of your row. Knit 6 rows. Cut your yarn again leaving a 4 to 6 inch piece hanging down. Remove knitting from machine by knitting with no yarn in the carriage and your hand under the weighted hem to prevent your knitting falling on the floor. Remove the hem by laying the knitting on a flat surface and cutting out the elastic. Be sure to cut only the elastic and not the hem or your knitting.

You have now learned you to knit basic stockingnette on your machine as well as open(or waste yarn) cast on and off.

Problems or question on this part? E-mail me by clicking here....

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