Knitting technology, Third Edition

Further information
anon
., Fifty years of circular sweater-strip machinery,
Knit. O’wr Times Yr. Bk.
, (1968), 231–6.
goadby
,
d
., Where next with garment making machines? 
Knit. Int.
, (1978), Sept., 79–82.
innes
,
r
., Garment length key is move to all-electronic,
Knit. Int.
, (Dec. 1987), 58–60.
lancashire
,
j
.
b
., Garment making interlock machines,
Hos
.
Trade J
., (1955), Nov., 62–4.
lancashire
,
j
.
b
., Sweater knitting on superimposed cylinder machines,
Knit. Times
, (1973), 17 July, 49–51.
reichman
,
c
., Merits of the circular technique and guide to sweater-strip machines,
Knit. Times
, (1978),
30 Jan., 21–3, 39.

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21
The manufacture of hosiery on 
small-diameter circular machines
For centuries the production of hosiery was the main concern of the knitting indus-
try. The prototype machines for warp, circular, flat and fully-fashioned knitting were
all originally conceived for knitting hosiery. Nowadays, however, hosiery production
is centred almost exclusively on the use of small-diameter circular machines. In
single cylinder and fine-gauge hosiery particularly, much of the latest development
is centred in Italy. One company – 
Lonati
– has acquired a major portion of hosiery
machine-building businesses, including their research and patents.
21.1
Types of hosiery
The term ‘
hosiery
’ specifically refers to knitted coverings for the feet and legs, but
it may be generically (but confusingly) applied to all types of knitted goods and
fabric.
Most hosiery articles are knitted with integral tubular legs and feet. The welts
and top are usually knitted first, the foot and toe last. Closing the toe also produces
a secure finish.
The machines have a master 
machine control
that automatically times and 
initiates the mechanical and electronic operations, and changes of stitch length 
necessary to produce the garment-length knitting cycle. Later making-up, such as
toe-closing and finishing operations, off the machine may still be required.
Hosiery is usually available for a range of foot sizes. In the case of staple fibre
spun yarns such as cotton or worsted, different foot lengths are obtained by knit-
ting them with differing total numbers of courses. However, hosiery knitted from
continuous-filament stretch nylon yarn may have an extension of 50 per cent so that
a standard foot length is capable of accommodating itself to various foot sizes.
The following types of hosiery articles are particularly common:
•
Hose
, which have a leg-length extending above the knee;
•
Three-quarter hose
, which are of knee-length (approximately twice the foot
length);

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The manufacture of hosiery on small-diameter circular machines
257
•
Men’s half-hose
, which are usually in two leg-length ranges of 7–9 inches and
11–15 inches (18–23 and 28–38 cm);
•
Stockings
, which are designed to fit the leg up to or above the knee and may or
may not be self-supporting;
•
Tights
, particularly in fine gauge, which are termed 
panty-hose
in the USA. They
may have a body section of the same knitted structure as the legs and an inserted
gusset and elasticated waist-band.