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Static! by Natalie Langkilde

Static is the culprit in some weird little problems. It may even seem like your machine is possessed, or radically broken! Only hindsight seems obvious once you figured it out. Static may be the cause of your troubles. Symptoms of static I've had: Difficulty pushing the carriage across, and/or noise that gets worse as you continue to knit. Usually the carriage is difficult to push in only one direction. Electronic machines can start to mis-pattern. Mylar sheets can refuse to advance. Basically you might suspect some weird voodoo is going on!

First check your machine for operator error, and machine maintenance. No parts are askew, and everything is oiled and moving correctly. What then? Then if you still have a problem, you might try static remedies to see if this helps!

Yarn treatments: I have bought Lori Lynn Yarn spray, and let my yarn run over wax (like a wax candle nub) to help the yarn glide. Also putting yarn in the freezer overnight can help put moisture in the yarn. The machine needs static help, too. Fabric softener sheets can be used to wipe down the bed, the carriage undersides, and even the stand. I found I needed to do this for the yarn winder as well!

The environment needs help. Spraying down the carpet with mist container, possibly with a little hair conditioner added. Bowls of water around the room, or on radiators. Humidifiers. These all get moisture in the environment. Hair Conditioner on pets may help, who can keep the problem traveling.

Ground yourself, your machine, and the yarn: Computer technicians have a special wristband to help ground themselves when they work on electronics. There are also static mats that can be purchased where computer and electronic items are sold. You can make a copper homemade grounding mat for your yarn and machine legs to sit on. People do this with a copper pot scrubber and ground one end, while the yarn sits on this flattened mat you make from the mesh.