Historical Machine Knitting Patterns

Historical Machine Knitting Patterns covers the history, design styles, and technical methodologies of domestic and semi-industrial machine knitting prior to 1950.

Primary Source Documents

The following historical manuals and textbooks are hosted on the wiki for reference:

Flatbed & V-bed Manuals

• Flat Machine Knitting and Fabrics by H. D. Buck (1921) (PDF) – A comprehensive guide to V-bed flat latch needle machines, carriage cams, stitch formations, and mathematical drafting.
• Dubied Pattern Book (PDF) – The official stitch texture and carriage setup manual published by Edouard Dubied & Cie.
• Dubied N4-NF4-NHF4 Parts Manual (PDF) – Parts identification manual for manual Dubied flatbeds.
• Improved System of Knitting Mittens on the Lamb Knitting Machine (1873) (PDF) – Instruction book for knitting mittens on the Lamb V-bed flat knitting machine.
• Dubied Type MR Manual (PDF) – Operating instructions for the manual Type MR flat machine.
• Stoll Hand Flachstrickmaschinen Type KAR and JB Manual (PDF) – Pre-1950 operating instructions for Stoll manual flatbed machines (in German).
• Record Flatbed Knitting Machine Instructions (PDF) – 1940s user guide for the Swiss Record manual V-bed flatbed machine.
• Record Flatbed Pattern Book Volume 1 (PDF) – 1940s stitch designs and carriage setups for the Record flatbed machine.
• Record Flatbed Pattern Book Volume 2 (PDF) – 1940s stitch designs and carriage setups for the Record flatbed machine.
• Foster Flat Knitter Instruction Manual (PDF) – Pre-1950 instruction manual for W. & J. Foster's manual flatbed machines.

Circular Sock Machine (CSM) Manuals

• Harrison Sun Knitting Machine Manual Part 1 (PDF) – Operating manual for the Harrison circular sock machine.
• Harrison Sun Knitting Machine Manual Part 2 (PDF) – Detailed stitching layouts for the Harrison circular sock machine.
• Griswold Circular Knitter Manual (PDF) – Instruction book for the Griswold circular knitting machine.
• Gearhart Circular Sock Knitter Instructions 1908 (PDF) – Operating instructions and sock templates for the Gearhart CSM.

Pre-1950 Machine Knitting Styles

Before 1950, domestic machine knitting was heavily defined by the physical limitations of manual machines:

• Late Victorian & Edwardian (1880s–1910s): Dominated by seamless hosiery, circular shawls, mittens, and structured undergarments. Designs focused on utility and basic ribbing.
• The 1920s Sportswear Boom: The emergence of casual garments like sleeveless pullovers (jumpers), tennis vests, knitted suits, and cardigans. These garments typically featured clean geometric lines, V-necks, and flat-knit panels sewn together.
• The 1930s & 1940s: Refined shaping (darts, puff sleeves, and tailored collars) using V-bed needle bed transfer techniques, and the widespread use of finer gauge yarns for lightweight cardigans and twinsets.

Historical Techniques & Patterning

Prior to the introduction of automatic pattern cards (punchcards) and electronics, patterning on domestic machines was done manually:

Needle Selection & Transfers

To create patterns, needles were manually put into work (working position) or out of work (non-working position) in specific repeating sequences (e.g., 2 in work, 1 out of work). Transferring stitches between the front and back beds of V-bed flat machines using double-eyed needles allowed for changes in structure, such as transitioning from a bottom welt rib to single-bed jersey.

Carriage Cam Configurations

Operators manually engaged or disengaged tuck and slip cams on the carriage. This allowed for:

• Tuck Stitch (Cardigan/Milano): Holding loops on the needles for one or more passes to create thick, textured fabrics.
• Slip Stitch (Part): Bypassing specific needles to create floats, color stripes, or mock-lace patterns.

Circular Sock Machine (CSM) Mechanics

On circular machines, heels and toes were formed using **short-rowing**—a technique where half the needles are raised out of work, and the operator manually lifts and lowers needles at the edges of the working bed to narrow and widen the fabric, forming a seamless pocket.

Hand-Pattern Translation

Because step-by-step machine patterns were not widely published, operators used hand-knitting pattern booklets (such as those from Modern Priscilla or Weldon's Practical Needlework) and translated the stitch gauge using mathematical ratio formulas to calculate the exact row and needle counts needed to match paper garment templates.

Museum Archives & Historical Collections

Historical machine-knitted items, including 17th-century frame-knitted silk garments and early industrial flatbed creations, are preserved in several museum databases:

Outerwear, Sweaters & Accessories

• The Met Museum: Jantzen Wool Bathing Suit (1921–1925) – A classic early 1920s machine-knitted Jantzen wool bathing suit showing commercial rib-knit construction.
• The Met Museum: Jantzen Wool Bathing Suit (ca. 1920) – A very early 1920s machine-knitted wool one-piece swimsuit by Jantzen.
• The Met Museum: Jantzen Wool Bathing Suit (ca. 1925) – A mid-1920s rib-knit machine-knitted wool swimsuit by Jantzen.
• The Met Museum: Late Victorian Wool Sweater (ca. 1895) – An early domestic/industrial machine-knitted wool sweater.
• The Met Museum: Jantzen "Shouldaire" Cape (ca. 1931) – A vintage machine-knitted wool shoulder cape/scarf reflecting early 1930s knitwear styling.
• Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A): The History of Knitting – An overview of knitting history, detailing the impact of William Lee's stocking frame (1589) on the transition from handcraft to industrial factory-based production.

Hosiery & Stockings

• Historic Royal Palaces: King William III's Green Silk Stockings (c. 1690) – Bright green silk stockings with a knitted 'W' at the cuff, exhibiting back-seam and heel fashioning marks characteristic of early stocking-frame production.
• Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A): Spanish Silk Stockings (ca. 1780) – Accession no. T.156-1971. A pair of green and pink frame-knitted silk stockings featuring hand-embroidered clock details at the ankles.
• The Met Museum: Silk Stockings (1890s) – A pair of late Victorian silk stockings illustrating fine gauge machine-knit production.
• The Met Museum: Silk Stockings (1900–1915) – Edwardian silk stockings exhibiting early 20th-century automated lace-stripe knitting.
• The Met Museum: Silk Stockings (ca. 1930) – Art Deco era silk stockings highlighting the refinement of machine-knitted hosiery.
• The Met Museum: Cotton Stockings (1911) – Early 20th-century domestic/industrial machine-knitted cotton stockings.
• The Met Museum: Silk Stockings (1880–1899) – Late Victorian silk stockings illustrating fine gauge machine-knit ribbed construction.
• The Met Museum: Silk Stockings (1900–1915) – Edwardian silk stockings exhibiting early 20th-century automated lace-stripe knitting.
• The Met Museum: Silk & Cotton Stockings (ca. 1900) – Turn-of-the-century machine-knitted stockings with cotton-reinforced heels and toes.
• The Met Museum: Silk & Cotton Stockings (1890–1899) – 1890s stockings with machine-knitted lace-clock patterns.
• The Met Museum: Silk Stockings (1890–1010) – Transition-era machine-knitted silk hosiery with drop-stitch patterning.