Skip to main content

Global/ Local commands

Ariadna Pons
Updated

These commands operate on the base layer to build up your design. They are automatically placed below the base layer in the Layers stack, and each new command is added to the bottom of the stack as you continue working.

Global commands affect the entire design without selecting a specific area, while local commands affect only the area or selection you explicitly choose.

To reactivate them, click the pencil icon on each affected layer and confirm that the previously defined selections and settings are still valid.

The following sections describe each command in detail. Click on the links to go straight to a specific command.

 

  • Birdseye Jacquard

    This command creates a jacquard design with a birdseye backing.

    Begin by defining the Location/Selection (select one row where the image will be placed). Click the black rectangle to import a .png image. The image must match the following conditions:

    • Image size maximum width of 252px (the needle bed has 252 needles)
    • Maximum of 6 colors (the machine can use a maximum of 6 colors per knitting row)

    After importing, the design shows on the canvas with an expanded appearance, since the program splits multicolored visible rows into single-colored knitting rows. Each detected color is automatically assigned to a yarn carrier. These assignments can be changed using the color-mapping dropdown menus. Select Apply mapping to preview the design using the assigned carrier colors.

    Basic Options

    • Algorithm:
      • MINIMAL: It creates a birdseye pattern in the back combining the yarns that are not being used in the front. To minimise yarn use, it uses only the yarns in a row to create the back.
      • FULL: All yarns present in the design participate in the birdseye pattern all over the back whenever not working in the front.
    • Invert Colors: Available only for 2-color designs. The program knits one color first (on one or both needle beds, depending on the design), then knits the second color on the opposite needle bed, filling the remaining stitches. The result is a reversible tubular jacquard with inverted and mirrored colors on the back.
    • Full-Needle: Generates a non-tubular jacquard, which means the two fabric sides are connected internally. The design is knitted with a 0.5 rack.
    • Yarn Order: Determines the knitting sequence of the yarn carriers. Enter carrier numbers separated by a space. It can be left blank for the program to determine the most efficient sequence.

    Borders

    Selecting Close ensures that the edges of the knit are closed.
    The Layering dropdown provides three options: NONE, GLOBAL, and LOCAL, each offering different edge-closing behaviors and additional configurable settings. The range of possible combinations is extensive, and different configurations will produce different edge results. Experimentation is recommended to determine the most suitable option for your design.

    Below, you will find fields to enter yarn carrier numbers for a specific edge column:

    • Inner Front: The second-to-last column at the front edge of the knit.
    • Inner Rear: The second-to-last column at the rear edge of the knit.
    • Outer Front: The outermost column at the front edge of the knit.
    • Outer Rear: The outermost column at the rear edge of the knit.

    These settings allow you to control which yarns are used or excluded (”Negate”) at the fabric edges, giving you precise control over the appearance and structure of the borders.

 

  • Waste & Cast-on

    This command generates the waste+ cast-on sequence for your knit, which is essential to create the necessary pulldown for a successful knit.

    Set the selection (the first row of your design) and the block will automatically appear on your canvas.

    The Params box offers the following adjustment options:

    Yarns

    • Draw yarn: Select the yarn carrier from the dropdown menu for the draw thread.
    • Waste yarn: Select the yarn carrier from the dropdown menu for the waste yarn section.
    • Body yarns: Enter the numbers of the yarn carriers used in the main knit so they are introduced during the waste section. Separate the numbers with a space. The first yarn listed will knit the cast-on rows. You can enter the same number twice to adjust a knitting direction (by introducing an additional row of this yarn).
    • Cast on: offers different cast-on options for full needle and 1x1 needle arrangements.
    • Full needle body: check when knitting a double bed full needle structure.
    • Interlock rows: Defines the number of interlock rows knitted in the waste yarn section. The default is 80 rows, but this value can be adjusted. Reducing the number may cause issues if the fabric does not reach the rollers before the main knit begins, resulting in insufficient pull-down tension.
    • Reverse draw: Adds an extra row of draw thread at the yarn introduction so it ends up parked on the right side of the knit after the cast-on.
    • Reverse waste: Adds an extra row of waste yarn so it ends up parked on the right side of the knit after the cast-on.
    • Body first: Introduces the main knit yarns at the start of the waste yarn section rather than at the end. This is particularly useful if you plan to unravel the waste yarn afterward, since it makes it easier to separate and reuse.
    • Delete rows below: when checked, deletes any rows below the one selected to insert the waste and cast-on block.
    • Retract feeders: When the panel is separated from the left edge, checking this option will have the waste yarn and draw thread feeders back to the home position after this initial block.

    Options

    These fields allow you to enter different roller, stitch size, and speed settings independently for each part of the Waste & Cast-on block for precise control. Clicking a cell displays an example of the required format.

    • Start: Row 1 of your sequence
    • Interlock: Interlock rows in the waste yarn section (matches the number of rows from the “Interlock rows” field).
    • Insertions: Rows where the main body yarns are introduced into the waste yarn section.
    • Tubular front: Front-bed rows of the tubular knit that come after the interlock structure.
    • Tubular rear: Rear-bed rows of the tubular knit after the interlock structure.
    • Draw insert: The first insertion of the draw thread.
    • Cast on tubular: The 2 tubular rows that follow the full-needle zig-zag cast-on row.
    • Cast on zig-zag: The full-needle zig-zag row that forms the initial cast-on.
    • Transfer options: Transfer rows after the cast-on (usually to set up single-bed knitting, unless “Is jacquard” is enabled).
    • Draw final: The last pass of the draw thread just before the cast-on; this is the thread that will be removed to separate the waste yarn from the main piece.

 

  • Center on Bed

    This command centers the knit on the needle bed. The workspace appearance changes, showing an empty gray area on the left side of the canvas. The empty area on the right side of the knit is not shown.

    The opposite action is “Trim Image”.

    The command also offers the option to decide how many needles away from the needlebed edge you want to start:

    The option Position Feeders brings all the feeders present in the design closer to the knitting area to ensure that they will be caught correctly by the needles when they are introduced.

 

  • Copy

    Use this command to copy/cut and paste a specific canvas area.

    Select the area you want to copy or cut in the Source Box.

Target Options

  • Mode: pick one from the dropdown.
    • To target: Pick a target location using the box below.
    • By vector: Utilize the shift options to place the selection precisely.
    • To side: Position the selection using the new dropdown menu and shift options.
    • To self: Paste the cut or copied selection in the same place.
    • To none: Does not paste. This option only works when the "Cut" box is ticked.
  • Choose the desired location for pasting in the grey Target box.
  • Determine the alignment by clicking on the Alignment dropdown to access different options.

Content options

  • Cut: tick if you want to cut and not copy
  • Mirror bed: the selection is mirrored horizontally. When it’s pasted, all stitch symbols will be on the opposite needlebed.
  • Mirror X: the selection is mirrored vertically. When it’s pasted, all stitch symbols with a direction attached, like racked transfers, will face the opposite direction.

 

  • Decrease without Shape

    This command creates single-stitch decreases (shape and transfers) in a design without a previous shape.

    To set the selection, pick one single row (where you want the decreases to start).

    Tick the Inline box if you don’t want the canvas expanded with the transfer rows. This will limit the number of decrease repetitions you can do.

Shaping options

  • Shaping refers to the side on which the decreases take place. The dropdown menu offers the options: LEFT, RIGHT, BOTH, LEFT THEN RIGHT, RIGHT THEN LEFT

  • Decrease: offers 2 possibilities

    • BY REPEAT PERIOD
    • BY WALES OVER ROWS

    Choosing either of these 2 will entail their own option boxes.

    • Rounding: shows different options for distributing the rows across the area with decreases.
    • Margins options: refer to the number of stitches we want to use for the decrease to leave a fashion mark. Values can differ between left and right.

Transfers options

  • Layered: tick the box to have a more prominent fashion mark
  • Racking: the dropdown menu offers 3 options that change the visualization of the transfers, by using the “racked” transfer symbols from the stitch palette or using regular transfers and having the row racked from the settings column.
  • Options: enter your preferences for speed, roller and stitch size of the decrease transfers.

 

  • Decrease Transfers

    Generates single-stitch and 2-stitch decrease transfers for designs that already have a shape (for example, panels generated from a template).

    To apply the command to a specific location, select the area where you want the decrease transfers and set the selection. The program will automatically generate the necessary transfers.

    Style

    The dropdown shows two options:

    • FASHIONED (for single bed front or rear knit): creates a prominent fashion mark. You can adjust the width of the fashion mark by increasing or decreasing the value.
    • REVERSIBLE: for double-bed knits, transfers only the stitches at the edges of both needle beds.
    • SIMPLE: Transfers only the edge stitches inwards.

    Options

    • Transfer options: set parameter values for transfer rows.
    • Final transfer row options: set parameter values for the last row of transfers (before it knits again).
    • Pre-transfer row options: set parameter values for the last knitting row before a transfer set

 

  • Delete Row Set

This command allows you to delete a row set filtered by row type (knit, tuck, transfer, split, drop, explicit miss).

Just select the area where you want the rows deleted.

 

 

 

 

 

  • Increase Transfers

    Generates single-stitch increase transfers for designs that already have a shape (for example, patterns generated from a template or imported from a vector file).

    Set the selection of the area where you want the increase transfers.

    Style

    The dropdown shows three options:

    • Simple: for single bed knits. Uses the split stitch and creates an increase close to the edge of the knit.
    • Fashioned: for single-bed knits. Uses the split stitch and creates an increase of five stitches away from the edge of the knit.
    • Reversible: not implemented.

    Options

    Enter your preferences for speed, roller, and stitch size of the increase transfers.

 

  • Insert Rows Between

    Allows inserting a specified number of empty rows every x rows within a selection.

    Select a range of rows in your design where you want this pattern applied.

    Specify the number of empty rows and the interval (”Knit rows”).

 

 

  • Interleave

    This command creates 2 parallel knitting blocks.

    Pick the selection (minimum 2 rows), and the app will separate the area into two blocks and interleave the rows.

    • Tick Inline to embed the selected rows in the existing canvas, without generating extra rows to fit the newly created ones.
    • Tick Manual to manually enter the sequence of rows to be interleaved in the box that appears below (f.e, “left 3 right 3” creates a sequence of interleaved rows in sets of 3 at each side). When this option is checked, the “Smart interleaving” options are disabled.

    Smart interleaving options

    • Start branch: choose the left or right branch according to which side you want to knit first.
    • Start sides (“SetinitialDirs” must be selected):
    • Choose RIGHT to have the first pass of each feeder knitted from left to right.
    • Choose LEFT to have the first pass of each feeder knitted from right to left
    • Choose INSIDE to have the first pass of each feeder knitted from the outside to the inside of the fabric.
    • Choose OUTSIDE to have the first pass of each feeder knitted from the inside to the outside of the fabric
    • Max pull: sets the number of rows knitted per feeder cycle.
    • Switch side: recommended setting NONE.
    • Set initial directions: Check to make the “Start sides” option work
    • Increasing: recommended setting UNCHECKED
    • Skip empty: recommended setting UNCHECKED
    • Delayed transfers: changes the distribution of rows with shaping transfers

    Options

    • Set carriers: allows you to set the second feeder for your interleave section and choose a side for each of the 2.
    • Single Feeder: recommended option CHECKED.

 

 

  • Bind-off

    Use this command to cast off and close stitches on your knit, either at the end of a piece or on an area with a large decrease.

    First of all, pick a selection: the last row of your knit, or the stitches that you want to be bound off.

    Continue setting the adjustments for:

    • Side
      • Front: stitches are knitted on the front bed
      • Rear: stitches are knitted on the rear bed
      • Both: uses 2 yarns and knits both of them on the front bed
    • Direction: Always check the position of the yarn carrier in the last pass to pick either one.
      • RIGHT_TO_LEFT
      • LEFT_TO RIGHT
    • Yarn: open the dropdown to choose the yarn carrier for the bind-off. In the case of double-bed bind-offs, it is necessary to pick a second yarn.

    Options

    • Tick “Knit first stitch” to knit one stitch before the first transfer.
    • Tick “Delete above” to delete all rows above the bind-off.
    • Tick “Reverse knit” for the bind-off stitches to knit in the reverse direction.
    • Tick “Move last” for the last stitch of the bind-off to be transferred to the next needle.
    • Tick “Roll first transfer” to have some roller pull-down on the very first transfer of the bind-off (needs to have some value set in the box “1st stitch transfer options”).
    • Tick “Knit last” to transfer and knit one last stitch in the opposite needle bed.
    • Tick “Setup” to create a group of rows, including 2 circular rows and transfers to prepare for the upcoming bind-off (full-needle zigzag and transfers in the case of double-bed).
    • Tick “Reverse setup” to use the second yarn instead for the setup rows (only for double bed bind-offs).
    • In the option boxes below, you can independently set your preferences for stitch size, speed, and roller, including gradual changes, for all row types. See the example on the right.

 

 

  • Free Edit

This option allows you to make manual changes to your design. You can use the drawing tools to paint or modify stitch symbols from the palette, or directly change values in the options column.

After making edits, they can be moved on the canvas using OffsetX to shift left or right, and OffsetY to shift up or down, with the small arrows providing precise numeric adjustments.

 

 

  • Resize Workspace

    This command allows you to resize your canvas during your design process, adding or deleting rows or columns, without having to go back to the “base” layer.

    Width/ Height

    The Width and Height options have a dropdown menu to choose the mode for inserting or deleting rows or columns (AFTER, BEFORE, WITHIN). Picking any option other than NONE will open another box to enter the number of rows or columns to be added/ deleted.

    Filling

    • Code fills the newly created rows or columns with the selected stitch type:
      • Front knit
      • Rear knit
      • Both Knit
      • Miss
    • Yarn: sets the yarn carrier (1-6), as long as this doesn’t create a conflict with the existing design on the canvas.

 

  • Edit Options Column

    This command allows you to adjust all the editable parameters in the options column for a specific area in various ways.

    Pick the selection where you want to set these values.

    Open the Value Type dropdown:

    • Constant: applies the entered values to all the selected rows.
    • By Block: allows you to enter more than one value per setting (for example, for transfers,” roller 0 30” will have 0 roller on the first row of transfers and 30 on the following). These settings will be repeated on every block of knitting or transfer rows.
    • By Step: allows you to set different values to a determined number of rows (for example, we could progressively reduce our roller tension in a bind-off sequence “roller 400 for 2 250 for 5 180 for 8 120”)
    • Graded: entering a starting and finishing value automatically generates graded values for the selected area.

    Options
    The fields correspond to rows containing specific stitch symbols. For example, any values entered in the knit field will only affect rows with knit stitches and will not impact transfer rows.

    Type the following keywords in lowercase into the fields, followed by the value you want to assign. Separate each keyword and value with a space, and do not use any punctuation.

    KEYWORD VALUE
    speed 10 to 800
    roller 0 to 1000 (also accepts negative values, that can be used to release tension)
    stitch 0 to 15 (If you enter a single number, it will apply to both needle beds. If you enter two numbers separated by a space, the first will apply to the front bed and the second to the rear bed.)
    direction 0 (forced L→R), 1 (forced R→L), 2 (automatic)
    carrier 1 to 6
    racking -4 to 4, step 0.5

 

  • Front <> Rear Transfers

    This command creates transfers between front and rear stitches (it does not work for tucks).

    Select an area with front and rear knits.

    Mode

    • Between rows: detects a change of needle bed and sets a transfer in between.
    • Above to front/ Above to rear: creates a set of transfers at the top of the knit, bringing all the stitches to whichever side is chosen (if they are not already there).

    Set the transfer options in the field below.

 

  • Neckline Shaping

    This command splits the top section of a front or back piece into two feeders to knit both sides of the neckline in parallel. It automatically creates a central neck bind-off and applies shaping transfers for 1- and 2-stitch decreases.

    To use it, start by selecting the entire shaped area, from the armhole up to the top of the piece, making sure to select the entire width of the canvas up to the white frame.

    Yarn

    Check the box “Set Right Carriers” to establish which feeder/s should knit the right side of the neckline.

    Decrease style

    • FASHIONED (for single bed front or rear knit): creates a prominent fashion mark. You can adjust the width of the fashion mark by increasing or decreasing the value.
    • REVERSIBLE: for double-bed knits, transfers only the stitches at the edges of both needle beds.
    • SIMPLE: Transfers only the edge stitches inwards.

    Options

    • Is reversible: use this option to make the central bind-off use two yarns.
    • Reverse Roll: applies a negative roller pulldown compensation to the central bind-off area to prevent excessive stretching of the stitches in that area.
    • X2 Reverse Roll: with the Reversible option ticked, applies a double (x2) negative roller pulldown compensation to the central bind-off area to prevent excessive stretching of that part.
    • Pre transfer row options: set parameter values for the last knitting row before a transfer set
    • Split feeder pre: sets parameter values for the row that precedes the central bind-off
    • Split feeder: sets parameter values for knitting rows in the split area
    • Transfer: sets parameter values for transfer rows in the split area
    • Final transfer row: sets parameter values for the last row of a transfer set in the split area

 

  • Stitch Block

    This command facilitates importing .png images for color translation into various stitch types. This feature is especially useful for designs that combine front and rear stitches, such as those intended for plating techniques.

    Keep in mind that certain stitch combinations may require additional transfers to ensure the design is knittable on the machine, and some combinations may not be technically feasible. Always run a full error check before exporting your file for knitting.

    The imported image must meet the following conditions:

    • The number of colors must be reduced to the number of different stitches we’d like to use.
    • It must be no more than 252 px wide.

    To import the image, first set the location by selecting a row on the canvas where you want the bottom of the image.

    Adjust the canvas width to fit the image.

    Color Mapping

    Assign different stitch types to each color in the image. Edit these mappings by clicking on the dropdown menu.

    Options

    Customize your stitch block further by entering your yarn carrier choice and transfer settings in the fields located at the bottom of the interface.

 

  • Tiling

    With this command, you can repeat your design as tiles.

    Select a group of stitches (it can be a small rectangle, a full row, or a group of rows…).

    Click on the up and down arrows of the options TileX and TileY to determine the number of repetitions you want horizontally and vertically.

    • Select the InlineX box to paste horizontal repetitions into the existing canvas; leave it unchecked to create new columns.
    • Select the InlineY box to paste vertical repetitions into the existing canvas; leave it unchecked to create new rows.

 

 

  • Trim workspace

    This command deletes the empty columns on both sides of your knit and leaves only the canvas in the workspace. Your knit is now located at the very left side of the needle bed again.

     

 

 

  • Tuck to Knit

    The purpose of this command is to address a limitation in the Kniterate machine, specifically the inability to knit and tuck on the same needle bed within a single carriage pass.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In a selected area with knit and tuck stitches on the front needlebed, the program transfers the tucks to the opposite bed, knits the row/s and moves them back to the original position.

Related articles