Muna wa Wanjiru asked:


Knitting machines are used to create knit fabrics and are also known as a knitting frame, hand knitting machine and knitting loom. Knitting machines can be operated by hand or by motor. Mechanical punch cards, push buttons and computers are used to select the pattern stitches.

Lee invented the first knitting machine. There was a story behind his invention and a painting was displayed about Lee in the Stocking Framer’s Guildhall in London. Lee invented the machine because his girlfriend preferred knitting. Another story produced by Alfred Elmore is how Lee’s ideas are formed for the knitting machine, as he watched his wife knitting. His painting is popularly called ‘The Invention of the Stocking Loom’. Lee demonstrated the operation of the machine to Queen Elizabeth I, for a patent right, but the Queen refused it. Initially, the knitting machine had 8 needles to the inch and later it increased to 20 needles to the inch. Lee started knitting stockings from silk and wool. Lee changed his workplace to France, but unfortunately he did not flourish in the business. He died in Paris and his workers sold the machines in London.
__________________________________________________________________
Later John Ashton assistant of Lee improved the knitting machine and added the mechanism ‘divider’ to the machine. The business started developing by the spinners of Spitalfield village. The demand for stockings made of cotton rise. Knitting by machines was accepted, but it was too expensive for the knitters to buy. Knitters started to hire the machines and started knitting in the machine. In the year 1758, Jedediah Strutt, attached a device called the ‘Derby rib’. The trade moved towards Nottingham, and the workers were running short of raw materials. The spinners found great difficulty in using cotton whereas the Gloucester, spinners found easy to use cotton and they were competing with Nottingham spinners. Later Richard Arkwright, operated the machine by horsepower. Nottingham produced cotton stockings, Derby used silk and Leicester used wool.

There are two types of models known as industrial and domestic, to create rectangular and tubular fabric. There are two flat beds facing each other in the double bed machines. They are used to create purl and plain rib fabric. Single bed machines can also have rib attachment to produce same purl and plain ribs fabric. In the domestic model, 22 latch hook needles are used to hold the stitches. Across the bed of needle, a carriage or cam box is passed to create the next stitch. We can select a particular needle with the help of punch card to pass through the carriage. The machine knits ‘fair isle’ pattern and also the plating and knit weaving patterns.

Weft knitting method is used in domestic knitting machines and the fabric resembles the fabric knitted by hand. Knitting by domestic knitting machine is faster than in hand knitting. The texture of fabric knitted by machine is even the texture knitted by hand. Tuck stitches are easily made in machine knitting whereas the garter stitch is easier in hand knitting.



SILAS
Louise Nova asked:
__________________________________________________________________


I wanted to set out some basic knitting instructions as a refresher so here it is. All knitting instructions use basically two stitches, the knit stitch and the purl stitch. Once you know these two knitting essentials you will be able to follow most knitting instructions which are just combinations or variations of these two stitches.

Knitting Instructions for the Knit Stitch

Once you have cast on, hold the knitting needle with the cast on stitches in your left hand. Push the point of the right knitting needle in between the front of the first and second stitches, pointing the knitting needle to the right to feed the point through the first stitch keeping it under the left needle. The knitting yarn should be at the back of the work. Loop the knitting yarn around the right knitting needle from back to front, letting the knitting yarn rest between the needles. Catch the knitting yarn on the end on the right knitting needle and pull it through the first stitch to the front of the work. Slip the old stitch off the left needle. The new stitch is now on the right needle. Now you are getting the hang of the knitting instructions. It is a good idea to keep the knitting yarn draped over the right forefinger, this keeps it to the back of the work too. Repeat this process until all stitches are on the right knitting needle. Now count the stitches, if they are all there, turn the right knitting needle around and put it in the left hand. This is the first row from your knitting instructions. The knitting yarn will look like it is at the front and you will now take it to the back and start the second row of transferring stitches to the empty right needle.

Knitting Instructions for the Purl Stitch

The Purl stitch will also be in any knitting instructions. Start with the knitting needle with the cast on stitches in your left hand. Your knitting yarn will be hanging in front. Push point of right knitting needle into the front of the first stitch from right to left. Wrap the knitting yarn around the tip of the right knitting needle, crossing over the two needles and hanging once again in front. Slide the right knitting needle down and back taking the new loop of knitting yarn from front to back, through the old stitch. Slip the old stitch off the left knitting needle. If you have followed the knitting instructions you now have a stitch in purl on the right knitting needle and the yarn is hanging, once again, in the front. Repeat this process until all stitches are on the right knitting needle. Now count the stitches to make sure you haven’t dropped any and turn the work around putting the knitting needle with the stitches on in your left hand to start the next row.

I hope you could follow my basic knitting instructions. I have a lot more information about knitting on my Knitting Instructions blog so please join me there to learn more.



KURTIS
Oct
01
Filed Under (Hobbies) by Kert
Diane Palmer asked:


Do you love to knit?.. love to create?… but maybe its too hard on the hands?.. then why not try investing in a knitting machine?

Knitting, like any creating, is good for the soul, but can be hard for some people to do, and they end up with half finished projects laying around, and feeling stressed about it, which is the opposite of what crafting is suppose to do for the heart and soul!.
__________________________________________________________________

There are some great machines out on the market now, and there are a lot more patterns that are dedicated to machine knitting. The machines have been around for a while, but were basically reserved for scarves and blankets, but now there are some great machines with lots of features and you can make garments, sweaters, crafts and more.

You need to get a good brand name machine, that is heavy duty if you plan on machine knitting a lot, and search out some machine knitting patterns, they are popping up everywhere now as knitting becomes more popular, just make sure the pattern says for “machine knitting“ and you should be fine..

With the advance of the internet, it is now easier to find machines and supplies. If you love crafting and especially knitted garments, then why not check out knitting machines as an alternative to hand knitting. I personally would not totally replace hand knitting, as its a stress reliever for me!… but for those larger garments like dresses, knitted coats etc, you don’t want to be knitting for so long, you miss the seasons!.. Knitting has made a return as a great winter hobby, and there are so many great wools and supplies on the market now, especially the internet, that you don’t even have to leave home to get your supplies anymore! If you knit for your craft business, this would speed things up.

Get knitting, by hand or machine, and get creating!

knitting machines



GARY
mickey asked:


I have a standard and a bulky and would like to try some patterns for hand knitting but do not know how to convert these patterns.

MONROE
Jackie Blue asked:


Is a video available if you have no one to teach you in person? Is it more difficult to learn if a person is left handed? When I use a pair of scissors though, I cut right handed so I’m not sure how I would know which hand would do what in knitting or crocheting. Is knitting or crocheting easier for beginners? Sorry for so many questions, but I am curious in case I decided to take up the craft one day.

NOE