Horizontal Transfer Fold (Accordion)

Machine types that can knit it

• Single bed (punch card) + ribber
• Single bed (electronic) + ribber
• Double bed with pushers (Passap type)
• Double-bed hand flat (V-bed)

The full card

What it looks like

Sharp crosswise ridges, parallel and running the full width of the piece. The relief alternates as a zigzag (mountain, valley, mountain), like a closed paper fan or bellows, seen side-on. Each ridge carries a narrow band of single-jersey texture (purl bumps on the fold face) that looks different from the flat DJ panels. Shading falls in repeated horizontal bands. Spacing is even, or graded if Hdj changes.

How it behaves

Collapses lengthwise like a concertina and springs open. The piece shortens a lot when relaxed. The edges show a zigzag profile.

How it works

Move every stitch onto one bed and knit k single-jersey rows there. A single-jersey strip between two thick DJ panels curls and hinges. When the empty bed comes back into work, it rebuilds its loops (a tuck, then a full stitch) because each empty needle sits between working needles on the other bed. Folding to alternate beds alternates the fold direction.

Machines

Needs a double bed (V-bed, or a domestic machine with ribber in half-pitch). A single-bed punch-card machine (e.g. KH-821 without ribber) cannot do it. [KB inference] As a single-bed fallback, a hand-hung horizontal tuck (pick up a lower row onto the needles) gives a raised ridge but not a true accordion. Bed-to-bed transfer is done with a transfer tool. Increase stitch size for the single-jersey rows. On a domestic machine, push the needles to the forward position for the first row after transferring, because each needle holds two loops. Add hand weight or take-down if the stitch size is not increased.

Parameters

W (cast-on width; ~10 cm for a swatch), Hdj (6-40 rows), k (≈4), fold-bed sequence (alternate front/back for an even accordion; repeat one bed for curling or rolled forms), stitch-size step for single jersey (+1 to +2 dial units [KB inference]). 1. Cast on W in DJ. Knit Hdj rows. 2. Transfer all front-bed stitches to the back bed. Front bed out of work (carriage off/slip). Raise the stitch size. 3. Knit k rows on the back bed only. *(fold 1)* 4. Return the front bed to work and reset the DJ stitch size. Knit Hdj rows. Row 1 tucks on the empty needles; row 2 forms stitches. 5. Transfer all back-bed stitches to the front bed. Back bed out of work. Raise the stitch size. Knit k rows. *(fold 2, opposite direction)* 6. Return the back bed to work. Knit Hdj rows of DJ. 7. Repeat steps 2-6 to the required length. For graduated accordions, vary Hdj (e.g. increase, then decrease).

Charting

Grid with 1 square = 1 needle × 2 rows. Grey rows = DJ. A full-width red band = rows knitted on the front bed only. A full-width blue band = rows knitted on the back bed only. Read bottom to top. Needle diagram: two rows of dots (front bed and back bed). DJ shows vertical lines on both rows. The transfer step shows curved arrows from every front dot to the back dot opposite, with the caption "all F→B, front OOW". Single-jersey rows show lines on the back row only.

Limits and common problems

Single-jersey loops ride up the needle stems if they are under-weighted, which causes dropped stitches. Use forward needle position, weight, or a larger stitch size. k too large gives a floppy hinge; k too small gives a weak fold. Dense DJ on a domestic ribber is hard to knit, so stay at moderate density or use shrinking yarn.

Combines with

colour-in-folds (stripe the k rows), horizontal-v-pleat, x-pleat-pyramid-strip (as the horizontal crease), ottoman-fold (for prototyping).

Pieces and assembly

Knit one piece in the fold direction, so the length equals the stack of folds. Bind off in DJ. Side seams can be mattress-stitched to make a bellows tube, but join through the DJ only, so the hinge rows stay free.

Related techniques

• Vertical Accordion Pleat
• Integrated Knife Pleat
• Integrated Box Pleat
• Raised Box Fold (Over-filled Box Pleat)
• Right-triangle transfers (knife pleat)
• Diagonal-boundary chevron transfers