purlJam

# Honeycomb Scarf Tip — Singer 360 Standard Gauge

A beginner-friendly textured scarf tip worked in large honeycomb (tuck) stitch. Honeycomb is a **tuck pattern**, not lace, so **no lace carriage is needed** — you simply load a punchcard and set the carriage to tuck in both directions. This pattern makes the bottom 15 cm (6") "tip" of a scarf; continue straight to make the full scarf at the same width.

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## MACHINE_SETUP

- **Machine:** Singer 360, standard gauge (4.5 mm needle pitch), single bed (main bed only). Ribber **not** required.
- **Lace carriage:** **Not required.** Honeycomb is a tuck stitch worked with the main knit carriage.
- **Punchcard:** Load **Honeycomb / large tuck card** (Singer card #1 in most pattern packs — a **2-stitch × 4-row** tuck repeat). If your card pack labels it differently, choose the card that tucks alternating needles every 2 rows.
- **Carriage levers (main carriage):**
  - Set **both tuck/slip levers to TUCK (△ / Tuck position)** — left and right, so the carriage tucks in BOTH directions.
  - **Russell levers (needle-selection / part):** set to PATTERN/normal so the card selects needles.
  - **Part buttons:** OUT (not engaged) — plain tuck patterning only.
- **Card lock:** Keep the card on **LOCK** during the waste-yarn cast-on and the first set-up row; release to advance once main yarn knitting begins (see PATTERNING).
- **Tools needed at the bed:** transfer tool (1-prong), latch tool, cast-on comb, ravel cord, claw/edge weights (at least 4), and a contrast waste yarn.

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## MATERIALS

- **Main yarn:** Worsted-weight yarn, smooth, ~200 m / 100 g. Approx. 25–30 g for the 15 cm tip; more for a full scarf.
- **Waste yarn:** Smooth contrast worsted or DK, ~2 m.
- **Ravel cord:** 1 length (~1 m).
- **Tools:** Cast-on comb, 4+ claw weights, 1-prong transfer tool, latch tool, tapestry needle for tails.

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## GAUGE_AND_TENSION

- **Tension dial (main yarn, worsted):** **T8–T9.** Worsted is at the upper limit for standard gauge; if stitches are tight or the carriage jams, drop to T8; if loops are loose, raise toward T9. **Do not exceed T9.**
- **Waste yarn tension:** T8.
- **Gauge swatch (knit and steam before committing):** In honeycomb tuck at T9, worsted relaxes to approximately:
  - **4.5 sts/cm** (after tuck pull-in)
  - **4 rows/cm**
- **Validation:** 15 cm width × 4.5 sts/cm = 67.5 sts → rounded to **68 sts** (even, required for the 2-stitch repeat). 68 ÷ 2 = **34 whole repeats** ✓.
- **Always knit your own swatch** — if your gauge differs, recalculate: cast-on = desired cm × your sts/cm, then round to the nearest **even** number.

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## PATTERNING

- **Stitch repeat:** 2 stitches wide × 4 rows tall (honeycomb tuck). Over 68 needles you get **34 horizontal repeats**.
- **Needles in work:** Bring **68 needles** into work (B position), centred on **0**: **34 needles left of 0** and **34 needles right of 0**.
- **Carriage setting:** Both tuck levers at TUCK so alternating needles tuck (collect a loop) every pass; the punchcard alternates which needles tuck every 2 rows to form the honeycomb cells.
- **Resetting the card:** The card runs continuously — no manual reset needed within the tip. Just keep the card **released** so it advances one row per carriage pass once main knitting starts.
- **Converting punchcard → electronic (if using an electronic 360 or import):** Program a **2×4 tuck motif**: Row 1–2 tuck odd needles, Row 3–4 tuck even needles. Set the machine to **TUCK / Fair-Isle-OFF** and let the electronics handle selection; needle-in-work count and tension stay identical.
- **Beginner tip:** Tuck loops must sit cleanly in the needle hooks. If a needle holds 3+ loops, your weights are too light — add claw weights and slow your carriage pass.

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## ROW_PLAN

> Carriage starts at **COR** (carriage on right) after cast-on. RC = row counter.

1. **RC000 — Waste-yarn cast-on:** With waste yarn (T8), e-wrap or use the cast-on comb across **68 needles** (34 L + 34 R of 0). Knit **8–10 rows** plain. Lay in the **ravel cord** on the last waste row, then knit **2 more rows** plain. Hang the **cast-on comb and claw weights** evenly.
2. **RC000 — Set counter to 000.** Thread **main yarn (T8–T9)**. Knit **2 plain rows** (carriage levers still at plain/stockinette, card on LOCK) to anchor the main yarn. End **COR**.
3. **RC002 — Engage pattern:** Set **both levers to TUCK**, **release the card** so it advances. Knit **1 row to set the first selection**, then continue.
4. **RC002 → RC060 — Honeycomb body:**
   - Knit in tuck across all 68 needles.
   - **Every 10 rows (RC010, RC020, RC030, RC040, RC050)**: pause at COL or COR and **move claw weights upward** to keep tension even and stop tuck loops dropping.
   - **Edge check:** if the side stitches pull in hard, **rehang the two end needles** with a small claw weight each every ~20 rows.
   - *Optional contrast stripe (beginner-friendly accent):* at **RC030**, knit 2 rows in a contrast worsted at the same tension, then return to main yarn. Keep levers at TUCK throughout.
5. **RC060 — Tip complete (≈15 cm).** Validation: 60 pattern rows ÷ 4 rows/cm = **15 cm** ✓.
   - **To continue into a full scarf:** simply keep knitting in tuck to your desired length, moving weights every 10 rows, then bind off as below.
6. **Bind off (RC060):** Return **both levers to plain** and knit **2 plain rows** for a stable top edge. Then **latch-tool bind off** across all 68 stitches: with COL, *transfer st 1 onto st 2 with the transfer tool, knit that needle back, and chain the loop off with the latch tool*; repeat across. This gives a stretchy, beginner-forgiving edge.

**Side finishing:** The outermost needle on each side forms the selvedge. For a tidy edge, **hang a crochet chain** up each side after blocking, or simply weave the floats. (A true slipped edge is optional and not required for tuck.)

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## FINISHING

1. **Remove waste yarn:** Pull the **ravel cord**; the live cast-on edge releases. Either let it form the bottom edge of the tip or pick up and chain it off with the latch tool for a finished hem.
2. **Weave tails:** Thread the tapestry needle and weave all tails into the back of the tuck cells (loops hide tails well).
3. **Steam & block:** Pin the tip flat to **15 cm wide × 15 cm tall**. **Steam gently** (hover the iron, do not press flat — pressing crushes the honeycomb cells). Let dry fully pinned.
   - Unlike lace, tuck should **not** be hung with heavy weights to "open" it — that flattens the texture. Block flat instead to preserve the puffed honeycomb cells.
4. **Optional fringe:** Cut 20 cm strands of main yarn, fold in half, and use the latch tool to pull a folded loop through each bottom-edge cell; pull tails through the loop to knot. Trim even.

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## ABBREVIATIONS

| Abbr. | Meaning |
|-------|---------|
| RC | Row counter |
| COL / COR | Carriage on left / Carriage on right |
| T | Tension dial setting |
| B position | Needle in working/upper position |
| Tuck (△) | Carriage lever setting that collects a loop instead of knitting |
| Part button | Carriage button engaging part/empty-needle knitting (OUT here) |
| Russell levers | Needle-selection levers on the carriage |
| Ravel cord | Smooth cord that releases the waste-yarn cast-on |
| Cast-on comb | Weighted comb hung under the first rows |
| Claw weight | Small hanging weight for even tension |

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**Quick validation recap:** 68 sts ÷ 2-st repeat = 34 repeats ✓ · 15 cm × 4.5 sts/cm ≈ 68 sts ✓ · 60 rows ÷ 4 rows/cm = 15 cm ✓ · No lace carriage required (tuck pattern) ✓.