Compared with the weaving branch of textiles the knitting industry has several outstanding advantages which are now being widely recognized. In weaving it is necessary to have a considerable amount of tackle and supplementary attachments if the fancy pattern trade is to be conducted. The knitted texture is essentially a one-sided composition, but when effects such as lace work, tuck stitches, or coloured styles are introduced these are notable on account of their effectiveness. For any of the machines used in the fancy departments of the knitting trade such as the Jacquard flat knitter, the lace or pearl machines, designs are in every case extremely effective, for minor alterations of the patterning devices produce a result which is at once distinctive and fancy elements show almost their full quota on the face. In the case of woven fabrics the loom and a complicated set of cards and shafts are needed to produce a figure of the most moderate dimensions. Colours in the ordinary twills only show about 50 per cent. of their effectiveness and the surface of the texture remains for the most part uniform. The producer of woven goods has an advantage in that he can make most forms of texture on one loom which he can alter in setting and tackle so as to give any degree of fineness or variety of design. The maker of knitted goods requires a series of entirely different machines in order to produce a full range of patterns and individual machines show but small variation in texture and weight. For any particular type of machine he requires to instal a series varying in the sett or gauge of the needles if a representative range of textures suitable for the changing seasons has to be devised. The average maker of knitted goods has to produce garments ready for the wearer, which renders his task more complicated, for he has to produce garments in full ranges of size and shape, thus combining the functions of fabric and garment producer. This has the advantage of enabling him to establish a more direct relationship with the wearer of his garments and most firms are adopting the policy of going direct to the retail, one which has had a most stimulating effect on the trade. This personal contact with the shopkeeper who places the goods in the hands of the wearer brings the manufacturer into close contact with the trend of public demand.

Hand Knitting.—The war period witnessed a remarkable revival of hand knitting which arose from a desire to send comforts to soldier relatives, and the enormous quantities of articles produced in this way greatly helped our men to withstand the rigorous conditions of active service in winter. The usual articles were scarves, gloves, knitted helmets, but, above all, thick warm socks. Knitting was performed on all occasions and it proved a great comfort to many who had relatives in dangerous situations. Knitting acts as a soothing tonic, and there is the added satisfaction of producing something of direct usefulness whilst the skilful hand knitter may impart touches of elegance and distinction not possible by machine. If hand knitting is to be skilfully performed it is necessary to give attention to the size of the knitting pins and that of the yarn in relation. The gauges of knitting pins or needles are recognized in this country by a series of numbers quoted by all instruction books dealing with the subject, Walker's bell-shaped knitting gauge being largely used by those who make hand knitting an occupation of leisure. This is cut bell-shaped in bright polished metal, the various numbers corresponding to the size of the openings in the gauge. The full range of gauges runs from 1 to 24 and the needles are named after these according as they fit the various apertures. The coarsest knitting-needle in general use is termed 1 and is of such a thickness that it will pass through the space marked 1; knitting-needle number 2 will exactly fit opening number 2 and so on till gauge 5 is reached. The apertures gradually decrease in size till the smallest recognized hand knitting-needle is termed 24 gauge. Thickness of needle must correspond to the size of yarn or, in other words, the yarn must suit the thickness of needle. It is the needle which determines the interspaces in the fabric, for a certain proportion must be allowed if the fabric is to possess the required elasticity and stretch. This property is essential to good wearing service, for if loops are stiff and stodgy in construction, due to over-tight knitting or meagre allowance of space, the fabric will not yield to the movements which occur in wear and will more rapidly give way under strain. The thicker the yarn the larger the space required and vice versÂ, so that the needle determines the space which is to be allowed for any particular set of loops and should bear a definite relation to the thickness of yarn.

The Knitting Process.—The elementary operation of knitting by hand may be followed by referring to Figs. 4 and 5, which illustrate the stages and show the method in which the loops hang on the hand knitting pins. In this case flat work is being produced, the needle A being shown with the row of loops upon it whilst the needle B is being used to form a new row. The thread N is seen to continue from the loops already made and the pin B is being pushed through the end loop M so that it may catch a piece of the thread N and form a new loop similar to M. This is in the act of completion in Fig. 5 where a new piece of thread N has been drawn through and the old loop M is about to be discharged from needle A, this being replaced by a new loop N now hanging on needle B. This operation is continued stitch by stitch until all the loops spread on needle A are replaced by new loops transferred to needle B. When this is complete needle A is stripped of its stitches, and then is used to re-transfer the stitches from B back again to itself. By this operation it will be seen that the knitting operation as performed by hand on two pins is an alternate process; you transfer stitches from a needle working from right to left as in Fig. 4, and at the next course you work from left to right transferring the stitches back again. In this we do not obtain perfectly plain fabric but what is known as the garter pattern or one and one pearl-stitch. If it is desired to make plain work on two hand pins, the worker in turning the direction of knitting must push the needle into the old stitch in the reverse direction so as to effect a cast-off same as in the previous course. For the making of hose and half-hose on hand knitting-needles at least three pins are necessary to enable us to knit in circular form so as to produce the article to fit the foot. A more convenient method of knitting in a circle is to use four pins with the idle stitches evenly distributed over three of these pins and using the fourth to transfer in the manner already described. In this way each needle in turn is released and is used as the operating pin to form and transfer the loops in knitting. Even if the pins are correct in gauge in relation to the size of the yarn it is easy to make defective material or texture should the loops not be worked at a proper tension. Slack knitters and tight knitters are known according as they work with the thread slack or tight; in this it is well to strike the happy medium, too slack tension makes working to correct size very difficult, whilst too tight work reduces the speed of knitting and the wearing qualities of the article. Correct tension is generally in the region of that which gives reasonable freedom of motion to the knitter.

Branches of the Knitting Industry.—The Cut-up Trade.—The manufacturer of knitted goods has not only to produce the fabric but in most cases completes the garments ready for wear and has thus to act as manufacturer and tailor combined. By the cut-up trade is meant that branch where the garments are made by cutting the component pieces from a roll or web of cloth similar to the manner of a tailor of outer garments. This branch is usually associated with the cheaper grades of the knitted industry because the cutting can be done in standard sizes, many plies at one and the same time using automatic cutting devices such as the circular electric machine. Similarly the making-up and trimming of the garments is performed on the principle of mass production where output is based on a large number of articles being produced in exactly the same manner and to a standard type. In recent years the relative advantages of the cut method of manufacture as compared with other systems have undergone some modification. In the first place we have the waste which is a heavy item in the cut branch, for no matter how skilfully the pieces may be carved from the plies of fabric there is always a considerable number of waste pieces at corners, etc., which it is not possible to utilize. The problem of waste has become more serious since materials have risen so much in value and has tended to augment the price of such goods on the market. On the other hand, one of the great objections to the cut method of manufacture lies in the kind of seam or join used to piece the various sections together because owing to the frayed edges of severed loops, the seamer has to secure a hold several stitches from each edge and this gives rise to a bulky portion at the join which in underwear particularly proved a serious obstacle to comfort. The activities of machine makers have, however, in recent years been concentrated on devising methods of seaming which will minimize these deficiencies, and there are now several machines such as the flat-lock, which in place of taking the stitches so far from each edge introduce a number of threads to form a kind of bridge of texture of their own with the edge loops. This makes a secure join and at the same time gives a seam of little more than normal bulk.

The Full-Fashioned Trade.—As the term indicates, this section applies to articles made to the shape of the body these pieces being complete units with perfect selvedges which are afterwards united to form a garment where the edges are joined with comparatively little bulk of seam. The best examples of the full-fashioned trade are the garments produced on the Cotton's Patent Rotary frame which is built to work as many as twelve full width articles at the same time. This capacity of multi-production proves one of the strong points of the fashioned trade because the articles being worked identically effects a considerable reduction on the cost of making. Also the seam or join is made with selvedge loops which are perfect in formation so that the worker can use the end two loops as supports for the seaming thread which is of the same material as the garment and is thus inconspicuous and at the same time gives the correct elasticity. With the cut-up seam as at present practised clean-surfaced yarns have to be employed to the number of eight or more, and these are usually in white cotton which on a coloured garment at once proclaims its origin. In seaming fashioned goods each selvedge loop is joined to a corresponding stitch on the other side by the method termed "point-to-point" seaming, and under present conditions the slowness of this method and its greater cost has led many manufacturers of full-fashioned to reconsider seriously their position. The cup seamer can in many cases give a three-fold production and this is now being employed with success in such branches as the fashioned-hose trade. For high-class underwear, however, the point-to-point system still holds its own as being the best adapted for the work, and efforts are being made to have this type of machine accelerated to give increased production.

In the novelty trade such as that of knitted coats the articles are so varied in style and shape that they have to be fashioned singly on a hand machine, and it is being recognized that the full-fashioned system is too expensive if the firm is to do trade on a large scale. To increase production in such goods, therefore, the articles are often cut from knitted web separately to the style and shape desired and seamed on one or other of the mechanisms now being improved to give a suitable join for such goods. The distinct difference lies in the method of cutting which is individualistic so that full expression can be given to shape and modifications of fashion. To work the full-fashioned branch of the hosiery trade requires an enormous outlay for equipment, as these multi-garment machines run to a high figure and have to be installed in a series of gauges so as to present a sufficiently large assortment of textures to the market. For the cut-up trade, on the other hand, we can obtain a large quantity of fabric from a few circular frames; what remains is to cut the material to shape and trim and finish the garments.

The Seamless Branch.—This embraces another very important class of knitted fabrics which are produced for the most part without joins or seams and ready to fit the wearer. As most garments are circular in form this requires a plant of circular frames, or the flat knitter may be adapted for the making of circular fabric. The best example of this section is that of the hose and half-hose, or stockings and socks, which are required circular in form. Also large quantities of seamless gloves are placed on the market each season, these being worked with the fingers in the form of small circular bags to accommodate the fingers. Seamless fabric for hose and half-hose is of special value because any irregularities of texture instantly make themselves uncomfortably evident in footwear. The seamless hose trade is done on machines of small diameter with the needles arranged in circular form, and where suitable provision is made for the addition of pockets to accommodate the heel and toes. From machines of larger diameter are made garments such as nightdresses where the fabric is produced in the form of a large circular sack, a length of which is taken to form the body whilst similar circular pieces are produced on machines of smaller diameter for the sleeves. The practice of making garments of the sweater or "Jumper" class on circular frames is on the increase especially since machine types have been evolved which can make rib, plain, pearl and striped fabrics on one and the same machine with a suitable arrangement for narrowing. It stands to reason, however, that this method of making body garments does not allow of great accuracy of fit and that the greatest scope lies in garments which by their nature are of a loosely fitting description. At the same time the advent of the rib stitch in such machines enables the fabric to be given a latent amount of elasticity which can be utilized to fit the form of a slender person, whilst it can be stretched to accommodate an individual of more portly build.