Knitting Factory Items
Handcrafted knitted products have an originality that those made in a knitting factory cannot claim. Each piece is normally handcrafted with knitting needles, rather than by a factory knitting machine and have a unique flair to them. Each piece, even if made by the same individual, is different to some degree, and for this reason alone some people prefer the handcrafted pieces. Others prefer the factory made pieces for their consistency in sizing and the ability to follow fashion trends, as these pieces are normally mass produced and are purchased by a large amount of people.
Historically, a knitting factory consisted of industrial knitting machines that were operated by people, although that has changed somewhat. In most modern factories, computers operate the industrial machines and are “fed” knitting patterns. The knitting pattern is the set of instructions that tells the machine when, where and how to manipulate the yarn. This creates authentic knit stitches that are joined to create a knit product, much the same way a knitter joins individual stitches with knitting needles. Many factories have multiple machines, which are divided into groups that handle the various types of yarn, allowing one knitting room to produce several different knitted fabrics at one time. Because the machines are in constant production, they require regular maintenance and repair of moving parts to keep the knitting process running smoothly and consistently.
In addition to repair, maintenance and basic programming of machines, human employees serve a vital role in the knitting factory. Knitting machines do not produce knit shirts, bags or any other type of knitted product. Instead, they produce rows of knitted fabric. Employees must take these rows of knit fabric to a laundry area, where they are washed and dried to ensure that products made from the fabric can be laundered without shrinking or damage. After the fabric is laundered, it is taken to a cutting room, where employees manually cut the pieces of knit products, such as shirt fronts or sleeves. Cutting the pieces by hand helps ensure the accuracy of each piece. Those cut pieces are then sewn together and finished, by hand, by skilled sewers who make sure each seam is properly sewn and reinforced.
It is true that those knitted fabrics made in a knitting factory and those that are handcrafted have many differences. Those differences make it hard to compare the two to each other. While the factory made pieces can be purchased in large quantities that will all look similar, handmade pieces will have an original appeal. Which you choose is actually a personal choice, but why choose at all? You can enjoy those items that are made on a knitting machine and still love your handcrafted pieces as well.
By Crafts Editor
