revolution in knitting

 

Revolutionary change...

The world of knitting eventually developed and expanded as a trade. It was passed through nations by the European explorers and colonists during the industrial revolution. It was in 1589 that a machine for knitting was invented. The Englishman William Lee created the stocking frame or the knitting machine, the first ever device that imitates the hand movements of a knitter. It has 8 needles to the inch and only produces a coarse fabric. Later on, Lee improved the mechanism with 20 needles to the inch, and was able to knit stockings with silk and wool. Several cities like the Nottingham became a major producer of machine-knitted fabrics. The land of Leicestershire and some of its neighbouring countries also ventured in hosiery or the leg wear industry. With the growing number of demands in the market, the knitting machine manufacturers also increased not just in the production, but also in the development of the different types of machinery such as the circular knitting machine.