# Hand Framed Knitwear?



## yvie63 (Jun 28, 2012)

Excuse me for being a bit dense (not for the first time!) but I have heard the term hand framed knitwear being used and wondered exactly what this meant. Does it mean an item being made fully fashioned on a domestic knitting machine ie the carriage is not motor driven? Just wondered really whether anybody knew.


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## Elis (Nov 1, 2011)

There are a few knitwear companies which specialise in producing items entirely knitted by hand, using no sort of machinery, who proudly advertise their frame-knitting credentials. Mostly nowadays,however, hand operated machines are widely acceptable although electronically or electrically assisted machines are not. The most common handframe knitters in the 20th. century were the shetlanders producing their fair-isle knitwear but now though I understand that they work the plain parts of their garments on machines with only the coloured areas hand-knitted. This still seems to qualify them as frame knitters although the purists strongly object. The term "frame knitter" arose during the late 18th and l9th century, when many who earn their crust with hand knitting as out-workers were supplied by their employers with primitive machines to enable them to produce more goods - at much lower wages, of course. These machines were often the target for luddites.


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## Uyvonne (Dec 18, 2011)

In the US cottage industries use the term hand loomed to specify that the garments have been knit on a home knitting machine. This would include any knitting machine that is not industrial (like the Shima). The hand knitting market (with 2 needles) is not a feasible market. Even hand loomed garments are very expensive to produce.


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## sweetpeamo (May 11, 2012)

There is a Framework Museum in Nottingham and their website does give some information about the subject of framework knitting and shows the machines that were used then. It also lists people in the local area who worked these machines and also the Griswold sock machines I sent 3 of those to the charity shop some years ago I didnt realize Ruddington would have loved to have them for their display and I dont think they ever went in the shop to be sold. They ask for machines older that the 60's for their museum even now.
Dee


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## Jaszy (Apr 30, 2011)

I use a knitting machine and get quite upset when someone comments - "Oh, that is machine knit." One such person broke down and got a knitting machine and I am quite pleased that they now realize that it is not as easy as "turning on a machine and watching it knit". The industrial machines work that way but not the home knitting machines which are done with alot of hands on operation. I wonder if the Purists ever use a sewing machine or do they do it all by hand as there is no difference between sewing with a home sewing machine or knitting with a home knitting machine. I put the "Purists" in the same class as the "Tree huggers". Just my opinions. 


Elis said:


> There are a few knitwear companies which specialise in producing items entirely knitted by hand, using no sort of machinery, who proudly advertise their frame-knitting credentials. Mostly nowadays,however, hand operated machines are widely acceptable although electronically or electrically assisted machines are not. The most common handframe knitters in the 20th. century were the shetlanders producing their fair-isle knitwear but now though I understand that they work the plain parts of their garments on machines with only the coloured areas hand-knitted. This still seems to qualify them as frame knitters although the purists strongly object. The term "frame knitter" arose during the late 18th and l9th century, when many who earn their crust with hand knitting as out-workers were supplied by their employers with primitive machines to enable them to produce more goods - at much lower wages, of course. These machines were often the target for luddites.


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## yvie63 (Jun 28, 2012)

Thanks for your replies. I agree, many people think that 'machine knitted' items are easy to make when in fact there is still an awful lot of work involved in producing a garment on this type of machine. 

I use a domestic knitting machine, a basic punchcard model (not electronic) and make my own punchcards and design my own patterns. All my garments are fully fashioned and not cut and sew. I just wondered whether I could legitimately call the items I make "hand framed" which I think indicates the large element of hand work within the garments. However, I would not want to mislead people if this term was not accurate. From what you have all said I think I could probably call my knitted items "hand framed".


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## dianejohnson (Jul 26, 2011)

items made with a sewing machine are 'handmade'. 
items made with a knitting machine are also 'handmade'. 
items made with knitting needles are 'knitted by hand' or 'handknit'.


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## radar (Dec 6, 2011)

Yes Jaszy , I agree with you. I was invited to a baby shower and made a matinee Jacket with hat and blanket. One lady sneered and said "Oh machine made. I guess that didn't take much to do it." I wanted to sock her. There were raised eyebrows over that statement. I merely stated through clenched teeth that, "It was very much harder than you think and that the machine didn't knit by itself. Some brain power is required as well." Silence was deafening. I have since discovered that this individual is a strange bird anyway and has no manners whatsoever. Don't know wny my DIL puts up with her. I have been accused of "cheating" and I say, "well if that is the way you think, I expect to see you going to work with a horse and buggy and not to "cheat" by driving a car to work." It seems that sometimes manners are entirely forgotten now a days. Think what you want, but for Pete's sake use the "Golden Rule"


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## dragonfliee (Aug 5, 2011)

Knitting frames is an English term for knitting machine. But I like the term z "made by hand on a knitting frame" as it allows the actual work a machine knitter does to be expressed. I hve been a machine knitter for twenty years. I also knit on real knitting fraes which are in the knitting loom and board family. Hand knitters sometimes look down on this type of knitting too and say it is not really knittng. I also hand knit now but use a method that uses a crochet hook and is called Knooking. Some are saying that this is also not real knitting. I am just a total rebel when it comes to this knitting thing because I knit every way possible but with two pointy sticks. LOL


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## radar (Dec 6, 2011)

I dont think a real knitter would put down a knitting board or device that helps to knit. It is a hobby and to be enjoyed and manufactured as how you please. It could be a slight jealousy because they don't think they can do it. Knitting snobs, whatever it is, is a ridiculous attitude to take. So peaple, your efforts in whichever way you choose is valuable and you produce a lovely item.


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## dragonfliee (Aug 5, 2011)

radar said:


> I dont think a real knitter would put down a knitting board or device that helps to knit. It is a hobby and to be enjoyed and manufactured as how you please. It could be a slight jealousy because they don't think they can do it. Knitting snobs, whatever it is, is a ridiculous attitude to take. So peaple, your efforts in whichever way you choose is valuable and you produce a lovely item.


Thank you for your comment. I know many knitters, crafters and artists that respect any attempt at the creation of knitting in any form.


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## Celt Knitter (Jul 13, 2011)

I hand knit, machine knit, sometimes combine the two, and do what ever I want with MY yarn. Yes, there are the purists who are ignorant of the considerable skill required to make anything decent on a machine; Would they prefer hand-sewn apparel over machine sewn? I think not! Would my cakes taste any better if I hand beat them? Would my laundry be any cleaner if I hand-washed it? There may be purists who are tree-huggers, but I haven't met too many of them; I do, however, know a lot of knitters who could not give a toss about the environment.


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## Omnivore (Apr 16, 2012)

You could call them "home made knit-wear" or "hand crafted" maybe. After all, you didn't use your foot or your backside, did you


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## Uyvonne (Dec 18, 2011)

I too knit by any means necessary. This includes knitting needles, crochet hooks, and knitting machines. All produce knitted fabric. Do I feel that I am cheating, in no way!


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## yvie63 (Jun 28, 2012)

Omnivore said:


> You could call them "home made knit-wear" or "hand crafted" maybe. After all, you didn't use your foot or your backside, did you


 :lol: 
Hand Crafted sounds good.


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## susieknitter (Jul 14, 2011)

I have made personalized pram blankets, some of which I have put photos of on here. I decide which yarn and which colors I am using, do a swatch and then work out the size from the swatch. I then draw a sketch of the blanket with borders, center pic and wording. Some of the pics are my own. The working out, prior to actually knitting, can take just as long or even longer if my brains not in gear. After all the working out I finally cast on and actually knit. When the main part of the blanket is finally done I decide on a backing and what edging would suit it best.
I have a "friend" who actually owns a punch card and a electronic machine but only ever plain knits, or does transfer tool stitch patterns using bought patterns. When she saw one of my blankets she said "well you haven't done it, the machine did it for you, all my work is my own". I was so amazed at this comment I was struck dumb.


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## radar (Dec 6, 2011)

She hasn't a clue even though she owns a machine. No wonder you were stuck dumb. Why would she even make a comment like that. Must have been one gorgeous blanket. I call that sniping. Most jealous people do that. I've seen your knitting and no wonder she is jealous. Keep up the wonderful work.


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## Celt Knitter (Jul 13, 2011)

No....you were struck by a dummy:thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:


susieknitter said:


> I have made personalized pram blankets, some of which I have put photos of on here. I decide which yarn and which colors I am using, do a swatch and then work out the size from the swatch. I then draw a sketch of the blanket with borders, center pic and wording. Some of the pics are my own. The working out, prior to actually knitting, can take just as long or even longer if my brains not in gear. After all the working out I finally cast on and actually knit. When the main part of the blanket is finally done I decide on a backing and what edging would suit it best.
> I have a "friend" who actually owns a punch card and a electronic machine but only ever plain knits, or does transfer tool stitch patterns using bought patterns. When she saw one of my blankets she said "well you haven't done it, the machine did it for you, all my work is my own". I was so amazed at this comment I was struck dumb.


 :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:


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