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Tuck and slip › Tuck on two beds

Variure fabric

A thick rib-based fabric with a grainy, bubbled surface where tucks pile up. Variure means 2, 3 or even 4 tucks in a row on one bed, followed by 1 or 2 rows of 1×1 rib. In two colours the rib is at half rack. With three tucks the rack moves the tucks, so they step.

Machine types that can knit it

Demo swatch

Drawn for: Double-bed hand flat (V-bed)
Approximate preview worked out from the bed chart, not a photo.
Bed chart
15101520253035→←→←→←→←→←→←→←→←→←→←→←→←→←→←→←→←→←→←Both beds (double jersey)Tuck1 square = 1 stitch × 1 row · read from the bottom · Hand flat (V-bed), 36 needles, half pitch
Needle notation, first steps
1. Rows 1–2: knit 2 rowsDouble jersey (all needles)tuck 36carriage →backfront2. Rows 3–4: knit 2 rowsDouble jersey (all needles)carriage →backfront3. Rows 5–6: knit 2 rowsDouble jersey (all needles)tuck 36carriage →backfront4. Rows 7–8: knit 2 rowsDouble jersey (all needles)carriage →backfrontShowing needles L12–R12 of 36; repeat across the working area.

Carriage settings on a Dubied

Variure
RearFront
  1. rearfront11111100
    1. Knit 2 rows.
  2. rearfront1111
    2. Knit 2 rows. Repeat both settings.
The more tucks, the heavier the fabric.
Variure in two coloursNeedles in the half rack position.
RearFront
  1. rearfront1111
    1. Carriage on the right. Knit 2 rows in the first colour.
  2. rearfront11110011
    2. Knit 2 rows in the second colour. Repeat both settings.
Variure with three tucks
RearFront
  1. rearfront11110011
    1. Carriage on the right. Knit 3 rows: left, right, left.
  2. rearfront11110010
    2. Knit 1 row to the right. Rack 2 needles left. Repeat from the first setting, alternating the rack.
How to read the cross
  • The four quarters are the carriage: top rear bed, bottom front bed, left moving left, right moving right.
  • Corners, knit/miss cam: 1 knits; ½ knits on high butts only and misses low butts; 0 is out of work.
  • Diamond, tucking cam: 0 no tuck; ½ low butts tuck, high butts knit; 1 all needles tuck. An empty diamond is all 0.
  • Numbers on the line are tension dials, 0 tightest to 20 loosest. A + means looser than your usual size.
  • Set-out: long tick high butt, short tick low butt, dot out of action.
Racking handle: up moves the rear bed left, down moves it right, up to 6 notches. Rack only with the carriage clear of the needles.

Steps

  1. All-needle rib, set-up, welt.
  2. Rear tucking cams on 1, knit 2 rows.
  3. All tucking cams 0, knit 2 rows.
  4. Repeat.

The full card

What it looks like
A thick rib-based fabric with a grainy, bubbled surface where tucks pile up.
How it behaves
Heavy. More tucks mean a heavier fabric.
How it works
Variure means 2, 3 or even 4 tucks in a row on one bed, followed by 1 or 2 rows of 1×1 rib. In two colours the rib is at half rack. With three tucks the rack moves the tucks, so they step.
Machines
Dubied, all-needle rib, or the set-outs given.
Parameters
2 tuck rows + 2 rib rows. Three tucks: 3 rows, 1 row, rack 2 needles.
Steps
1) All-needle rib, set-up, welt. 2) Rear tucking cams on 1, knit 2 rows. 3) All tucking cams 0, knit 2 rows. 4) Repeat.
Charting
Bed chart with tuck cells on the tucking bed.
Limits and common problems
More than 4 tucks can fail to clear [inference]. In half rack needles in action must face needles out of action.
Combines with
cardigan-rib, guilloche-single-bed, tuck-rib.
Pieces and assembly
Thick panels and blankets.

Written in our own words from machine manuals, knitting references and swatching. Knit a test swatch before a whole piece.

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