KNITTING

the forming of a looped web or fabric, may be done (1) by hand; (2) on a frame. (1) Hand Knitting has for appliances two or more straight needles of wood or iron, by the aid of which the fabric is made up from one continuous thread. (2) Framework Knitting was introduced about 1589 by William Lee of Nottingham shire, the mechanical prin- - ciples of whose invention remain almost unaltered to the present day. By providing in the ‘hand-stocking frame’ a needle for each loop, so that all loops in one row were formed simultaneously, the speed of knitting was increased from 100 stitches per minute by hand to 600 stitches per minute on the frame. The frame was of coarse gauge—only 16 needles in 3 in.—and nece itated the thread being laid over needles by hand. Improvements have continued to be made on the frame until at the present time some are at work with as many as 45 to 50 needles to the inch. In order to vary the stitch produced on the hand frame, a ‘tuck’ pre er was added in 1745. This had its edge cut instead of plain, and so could pre any one needle beard or leave one open, and thus allow old and new loops to remain together on needles for one or more rows. In this way fancy designs were introduced. Mechanical Frames driven by steam power were introduced in 1828, and from that date the hand warp frames were gradually superseded by the rotary frames and looms, the machines of today. Hand frames are now only in use for exceptional work—e.g., for gloves and fancy shawls. Circular Knitting—About 1830 a French inventor introduced a machine for circular knotting by means of a series of bearded needles i harcineg outwards from a revolving ring, the loops being formed by sinkers which also revolved. Many improvements continued to be made on this machine until 1870, when an Amer. automatic machine was introuced into England. Hither flat or fabrics can bezmade on this mae chine, which has improved by succe ive imventions so as to produce either plain or ribbed material.