DesignaKnit 8  

 Looking for Information on Cathie's Tutorials?  Click here. 
 
 Looking for Cable Information?  Click here for updated information.
 Looking for Lace Tool Information?  Click here.
 

 System Requirements?  Win 98SE or later, screen size 800 x 600 pixels, 500 MB hard disk space.

Four Versions:
Machine Knitting Standard (also Upgrade from DAK 7)
Machine Knitting Professional (also Upgrade from DAK 7)
Handknit (NEW!)
DesignaKnit Complete (DAK Pro (upgradcs from DAK 7) + Handknit)

DesignaKnit Pricing?
click on the link

Great New Features:

Compatible with 32 and 64 bit Windows
20 levels of undo and redo
Extended thumbnail viewer
Print improvements
Movable rulers in Standard Garment Styling
New exact stitch layout mode in Original Pattern Drafting
Ability to select and drag groups of points in OPD
Improvements in mirrors, rulers, and grids in OPD
True Type KwitWriteDK in Stitch Designer
Symbols Text Editor in SD
221 hand and machine knit stitch symbols in SD
Cables organizer with many cables to choose from in SD
Options for hand knitting in Interactive Knitting
Controlling the starting side of the fabric in IK
Automatic searches for DAK cables (and Yes! the same cables work!)
Larger images possible in Graphics Studio
More image types supported in GS
Correction tools in GS
and much more!!

Let's Look at Some Particulars!

Thumbnails are expanded so that you can easily browse through shape files, color designs, and graphic files.  Plus
new Search and Sort options help you find exactly what you are looking for!  New shapes are included in DAK 8, too!

You'll never have to worry about naming a file again because you can use the same long filenames as Windows plus the same mouse options, including scroll.

Did I mention 20 levels of Undo and Redo!!

You can ask for Printouts that look like those in magazines.

Garment Notation is better, too!   

Manage Tensions more easily with the new screen that lets you use the default tension, set your own tension,
use your tension as the new default, or pick up the tension from any you have saved!

   centimeters or inches, as always

   In Standard Garment Styling, you can use the new Moveable horizontal and vertical rulers!

The changes in Original Pattern Drafting are really over-the-top!

Exact Stitch Layout gives you full control over the piece edges.  Drag stitch handles located at the ends of the rows to get the stitch layout you want.
Display a stitch pattern on an active garment piece.  Drag the pattern to the desired place.  Easy integration!
Select and drag not just one but groups of points or stitch handles, or, with one click, modify groups for shaping method or slope type.
Add multiple points in complex shapes plus many new options!

Stitch Designer also has many new features!

 
Now Stitch Designer can be used by Handknitters, too!  With the Symbols Organizer and the KnitWriteDK font, you'll be able to select from 220+ hand and machine symbols.
These can also be edited in the Symbols Text Editor so you can keep your own collections.

Are you a Cable lover as I am?  (I love this part...cables and lace! oh yes!)
In the Machine Knit versions, you have 60 cables.  The Handknitting version has 168! 
Each has an abbreviation and knitting explanation.  Put the ones you want to use in your working palette to use in your Stitch Pattern!

The Stitch Palette now has an indicator for Transparent and Opaque for both yarn colors and symbols. 
Some symbols will actually sound an alert (notice the music note). One palette will show you colors and symbols and transparency and needle selection!

 
The Yarn Colors Organizer (used to be the Woolbox) has new options for generating complementary colors and color ranges!

    The whole tool set is improved and extended!
Brush Shapes, Brush Sizes, Random Colors, Text plus Text Orientation and on and on and on.....

Tile Motifs.  Drag tiled motifs until the repeats fall as you want them to.  As I said...on and on....

Taking a quick look at the new Interactive Knitting:

Remember the program will now find your cable automatically!

If you choose Handknitting, you will see an additional screen that gives you instructions for the current row!
 

Plus new options for shape-only knitting, controlling the starting side, and deciding the side facing you while you're knitting.
New audible alerts can be set for certain rows or can take the place of the Voiced instructions.

And now a look at Graphics Studio!

New features include using larger images, more image formats (10 in all!), and pixel perfect conversion to give you a more accurate finish.
Plus, take the time to save the settings, when you open the graphic again you will have the same settings you were using in an earlier session.
The new Rotate Image option can correct images that were at an angle.
And more....!

DesignaKnit 8 is available from Northtipton Creations.

DesignaKnit Cable Information  

DesignaKnit 7 Creates LACE Patterns

DesignaKnit 7 add on module that will allow the creation of lace designs, downloadable to the Brother and Studio Knitting Machines, is available . Using the Rosemalen font provided with DesignaKnit, you will be able to draw  lace eyelet designs on the screen and DesignaKnit will automatically prepare them for download to the knitting machine. 

You can design lace for Brother and Silver Reed electronic machines, Brother and Silver Reed punch card machines and Toyota machines. The Lace Tool is great for hand-knitted patterns, too, as it allows the designer complete freedom to transpose hand knitted patterns for lace into machine knitted patterns.

After installing the new module the lace icon will appear on your screen in Stitch Designer Mode. 

Lace can be used only with F, R, W, and H stitch patterns. (F = Fairisle, R = Right side facing, W - Wrong side facing, H = Handknit) The lace tool makes it easy to create complex lace designs in just a few minutes. You can use the many hand knit lace diagrams and quickly input them into DesignaKnit for machine knitting. Lace symbols are automatically inserted into the stitch palette when the tool is selected. 

Combining lace with other patterns:  On Silver Reed machines, lace transfers cannot be done on the same row as a 
pattern of stitch types or yarn colors. On Brother machines, any row of a stitch pattern which has lace can also contain a pattern of stitch textures or Fairisle. 

Brother Fine Lace:  Fine lace can be drawn using the lace tool with the RMB, provided that a Brother knitting machine is selected. 

Silver Reed Simple Lace: Simple Lace can be drawn using the lace tool with the RMB, provided that a Brother knitting machine is NOT selected   Lace uses the same stitch symbols as fashion lace, but transfers cannot be done on adjacent needles.

Fast Lace is a hidden option which is available from the Stitch Designer and Integrated Knit screens by pressing Control Shift F2. This option allows you to choose whether or not the knit carriage is able to pre-select needles for the lace carriage. This affects knitting lace only with Brother and Toyota. If this option is selected, the pattern is knitted using the fewest possible passes of the lace carriage, and might be the preferred choice for an expert knitter. The option is off by default.

Interactive Knitting with Brother machines:  During Interactive Knitting, warnings are given to change to the knit carriage or to the lace carriage. The spoken instruction is simply "Change carriage" regardless of whether changing to or from the lace carriage, but the screen message also says which carriage is to be used. The color of the knit carriage is shown in white or light gray, while the color of the lace carriage depends on its settings. The Brother lace carriage is shown red for normal lace or blue for fine lace. If a row containing lace transfers is followed immediately by a row containing a texture or color pattern, the final pass of the lace carriage is used to pre-select needles for the main carriage to knit that following row. If the starting position of the main carriage is at the right, the lace carriage is parked at the left for rows containing no lace transfers. If the starting position of the main carriage is at the left, the lace carriage is parked at the right. The final pass of the lace carriage is always towards the side at which the lace carriage is parked. This applies no matter how many transfers there are in either direction. If necessary, an extra pass of the lace carriage is inserted so that it ends up at the correct side.  A special magnet is required for this feature to work with the Brother machines.

During interactive knitting, a second magnet is placed on the lace carriage.  This magnet allows DAK to read the progress of the lace carriage.  This magnet is larger than the regular Brother DAK magnet.

The lace tool key can be purchased  for $75 
The Special Magnet for Brother machines lace carriage is $21 

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