What I've Learned About Punch Cards

All punch card readers are not created equal.  There are 12 stitch punch card readers and 24 stitch punch card readers.  I found out today they are very easy to tell a part if you know what to look for. 

See the cute little "L" shaped pieces sticking out of the punch card reader? Count them... 12.

See the cute little "L" shaped pieces sticking out of the punch card reader? Count them... 24.

What was causing all my problems was a punch card.  I put a 24 stitch punch card pattern into my 12 stitch punch card machine.  I was told it was a brother card.  It's pattern is designed to create an every other stitch color change.  BUT if you put this 24 stitch pattern card into a 12 stitch punch card reader one's machine gets all confused and doesn't know what to do.  Dropped stitches, dropped yarn, and just a general big tangle of a mess ensues.  This is punch card numbered 1.  Other 24 stitch punch cards worked fairly well with my machine.

Using incorrect card for an every other stitch pattern.

Using another 24 stitch card I was able to do something that looked fairly nice.

When I got my machine I was told it was a 24 stitch machine.  I didn't know anything about punch cards and took that info at face value.  Now that I know what to look for I want to do a "V-8" forehead smack and say duh!
 

Card I was using.  Count holes across one line... 24.

Card I'm supposed to be using... 6 holes across per line.

Obviously, I don't have the original cards that go with this machine.  Fortunately, a friend of mine has the cards that go to this type of machine.  She's going to lend them to me and I'm going to punch my own cards on some blanks that I have.

I knew my problem had to be the operator and not the machine.  I feel greatly relieved to have learned a very valuable machine knitting lesson today.

I am SO glad when more experienced machine knitters wanted to take a part my punch card reader with a screw driver I said no.

Thank you to my daughter and her abs of steel for this picture.