It is essential to check your knit for possible errors and make sure they are solved before compiling.
The check window can be split into three sections for more clarity by marking the “Split” box:
- Issues
- Kicks
- Moves
Issues usually need correction for the file to be able to validate and compile properly, though some of them are just warnings that let us compile and save the file without a problem.
These are some common issues:
- Pick-up stitch is not stable: appears at the bottom row when there’s no cast on.
- Two-sided needle actions require half racking: (does not compile) need to set the rack to 0.5 wherever we are using all needles on both beds
- Knitting without carrier direction: (does not compile)it happens when inserting rows, they don’t have a yarn feeder assigned by default. We need to set it by selecting the whole row, right-click in it > Set> Set yarn
- Transfer row with carrier direction: (does not compile) it happens when we draw transfer symbols in a line that has a yarn assigned. We should always insert blank rows for transfers by selecting a single stitch where we want to add rows, right-click on it >Insert rows > enter number of rows and “below” or “above”
- Float distance is too large: can be due to different reasons:
- Short Rowing generates floats longer than 7 stitches: we need to bind off those stitches.
- The yarn carrier is parked on the opposite side of the knit: we need to add/ delete a row if possible to get the carrier direction right. It’s possible to change the direction of the carrier as well by selecting a row, right click on it > Set> Set direction> enter “rtl” (right-to-left) or “ltr” (left-to-right)
- Fair isle design with floats longer than 7 stitches.
- Transfer from an empty needle: appears when a transfer symbol is in a wrong place. We need to erase the transfer symbols.
- The initial direction of a carrier must be left-to-right: appears when the initial direction of a carrier is not starting on the left, considering all feeders should always start at the left side (home). If we, for some reason, need a feeder to start from the other side of the knit, the compiler will warn us with this message, but it will still allow us to compile, and it will generate a carriage move to fetch the feeder from the right. In that case we must make sure the feeder is placed there for the carriage to catch it.
- Loop has more than 2 parents, which is dangerous: it appears when there are more than two loops on a needle, due to transfers.
- Needle action in unsafe bed range: it appears when there are racked rows and the canvas is not centered on the needle bed.
- Invalid needle specification: appears when there are transfers in a row with a half-pitch rack.
Kicks and Moves are generated by the compiler according to the settings we have introduced for our design. Kicks are carriage movements to get a feeder out of the way so it doesn’t interfere with a neighboring knitting area or to make sure the stitch will be knit properly, for example in bind-offs. Moves are other types of carriage moves (to fetch a yarn carrier, for instance).
You should also use the Occupancy View mode to spot any unclosed stitches or any missing transfers.
Remember to check each panel indiviually.
When all issues are solved you are ready to press "Knit!"