DE69221557T2 - Tubular knitted fabric with three-dimensional shape and method for knitting this fabric - Google Patents

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a tubular or hose-like knitted fabric in which the circumferential length is changed in order to achieve a three-dimensional silhouette shape, and to a method for knitting this knitted fabric.

Using a conventional flat knitting machine provided with two needle beds, a front needle bed and a rear needle bed, a tubular fabric is produced by knitting a front half of the tubular fabric from a thread threaded onto the knitting needles of the front needle bed and by knitting a back half from a thread threaded onto the knitting needles of the rear needle bed, the back half being connected to the front half at both side edges. This process for producing a tubular shape is repeated to a predetermined extent.

Such tubular knits are usually made into textiles such as sweaters, jerseys, tights or trousers.

The tubular knitted fabric can be changed in its size or its circumferential length by increasing and/or reducing the number of knitting needles used or in particular by changing the number of long rows or waist rows.

If the circumference is increased by gradually increasing the number of knitting needles used, the tubular shape can be turned into, for example, a sleeve with a wide cuff.

An example of shortening the circumferential length by reducing the number of knitting needles to be used is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 22 92 48 (1990), in which a body part and two sleeve portions are reduced in width from the armpits as separately knitted parts.

The known method can be used successfully where a front-to-back asymmetry shape, for example a pumpkin shape, is to be knitted. If However, if a tubular knit is designed to make a sweater or a one-piece textile, it should have a front half that increases in height to the chest according to the shape of a human body, while no increase is necessary for the back half. In fact, the tubular knit is not symmetrical from front to back.

When an increase is produced on the front half of the tubular fabric by increasing and then decreasing the number of splays, a difference in the number of splays is produced between the two halves, the front and back halves. As a result, both side edges of the front half, where the splays have been increased, tend to be stretched towards the back half, so that the seams between the two halves become longer.

When a textile such as a sweater, jersey or pants made from the tubular knit fabric in which the seams are extended between the two halves, the front and back halves, is used, the loops of the thread along the seam between the two halves are stretched, causing an unflattering appearance.

In addition, if the difference in the number of long rows between the two halves of the tubular fabric, the front and back halves, is too large, the thread itself may break. If the difference in the number of long rows between the two halves is determined within a specific range, the shape of the increase as well as changes in the circumferential length are more or less limited.

The present invention was developed to eliminate the disadvantages explained above. Its object is to create an improved, tubular knitted fabric with a three-dimensional silhouette shape, which, when used as a textile, enables a natural fit without affecting the appearance. In addition, a method for knitting this knitted fabric is to be created.

The present invention provides a method for knitting a tubular fabric with a three-dimensional silhouette by changing the circumferential length of the tubular knitted fabric. The method includes the following steps: knitting a tubular knitted fabric consisting of a front and a back half joined together at the side ends using a flat knitting machine having four needle beds, a front upper needle bed, a front lower needle bed, a rear upper needle bed and a rear lower needle bed. The method is characterized by increasing or decreasing the number of wales on one of the two halves, the front or the back half, of the tubular knitted fabric so that there is a difference in the number of wales between the two halves. The method is further characterized by a transfer operation of yarn loops from needles of a first needle bed carrying a greater number of long rows to a second needle bed carrying a lesser number of long rows, the operation of feeding yarn to form loops on the needles of the second needle bed comprising catching the yarn on an unoccupied needle disposed adjacent to those needles carrying the loops, and feeding yarn to form a row of loops on knitting needles of the first needle bed. The method includes transferring the caught yarn to a needle of the first needle bed by knocking it off during transfer of the loops from the needles of the second needle bed so as to eliminate twisting during the transfer operation of the loop from the needle.

Another aspect of the invention provides a method of knitting a tubular fabric having a three-dimensional silhouette by varying the circumferential length of the tubular fabric. The method includes the steps of knitting a tubular fabric consisting of front and back halves joined together at the side ends using a flat knitting machine having four needle beds, a front upper needle bed, a front lower needle bed, a rear upper needle bed and a rear lower needle bed. The method is characterized by increasing or decreasing the number of spools on one of the two halves, the front or the back half, of the tubular fabric so that there is a difference in the number of spools between the two halves. The method is further characterized by a transfer process of thread stitches from needles of a first needle bed, which carries a larger number of long rows, to a second needle bed, which carries a smaller number of long rows, the method comprising the further step that, after thread has been fed, in order to transfer stitches on the needles of the first needle bed, thread is fed in an opposite direction to form another stitch on a needle of the needle bed so that twisting is eliminated during the transfer of stitches from the needle.

Another aspect of the invention provides a tubular knitted fabric having a front and a back half joined together at the side ends and in which the circumferential length is varied by increasing and/or decreasing the number of long rows in one of the two halves, the front or the back half, to form a three-dimensional silhouette.

The effect of the present invention will now be explained.

When a known "4-bed" knitting machine is used which is provided with four needle beds, a front upper needle bed, a front lower needle bed, a rear upper needle bed and a rear lower needle bed, the front half of, for example, a sweater is knitted on one of the front or rear needle beds, while the rear half is knitted on the opposite needle bed while it is connected to the front half, so that a tubular shape can be produced.

To form an extended chest area on the front half of the tubular shape, the number of long rows in the front half is gradually increased by a degree corresponding to the size of the increase, while the long rows on the back half are kept unchanged.

For the purpose of reducing a difference in the number of long rows between the two halves, the front and the back half, stitches on both side edges of the front half are transferred to the back half.

A course of stitches is added to the stitches transferred to the back half. To avoid twisting each stitch during transfer of the course of stitches back to the front half, it is provided that a stitch is intentionally twisted in advance so that it can twist back to its normal shape during transfer from the back half to the front half.

As a result, there will be no twisting of the stitches after transferring from the back half to the front half.

The same procedure can be used when knitting a specific tubular shape by increasing and then decreasing the number of long rows in the front half.

The specifically shaped, three-dimensional knitted fabric can be produced by increasing and/or decreasing the number of long rows in one of the two halves, the front and the back half.

SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 shows a knitting pattern of a straight section of a tubular knitted fabric according to the present invention.

Figures 2 and 3 show preparatory runs at the beginning of a constricted section that follows the straight section.

Figures 4 to 32 show runs in reducing the number of long rows to shorten the circumferential length so that a first half of a necked-in section of the tubular fabric is knitted.

Figures 33 to 73 show runs for increasing the number of long rows to knit the circumferential length for knitting a second half of the necked section.

Figure 74 is a schematic view of a knitted fabric produced by a process other than the process according to the invention.

Figure 75 is a front view of the necked portion of the tubular knit fabric made by the method of the present invention.

Figure 76 is a front view showing a modification of the constricted portion of the tubular knit fabric, which has been produced by the process of the present invention.

Figure 77 is a front view showing another modification of the necked portion of the tubular knitted fabric manufactured by the method of the present invention.

Figure 78 is a front view showing another modification of the necked portion of the tubular knitted fabric manufactured by the method of the present invention.

Figure 79 is a front view showing another modification of the necked portion of the tubular knitted fabric produced by the method of the present invention.

The symbols used in the drawings have the following meaning:

a skipped front stitch

Knitting a front stitch

V Making a front tuck stitch

a new scam

Knitting a back stitch

split or half stitch

I Transferring a stitch

O Transferring a stitch

a missing front catch stitch

Transferring a tuck stitch

The invention will now be explained below by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawing figures mentioned above.

As is not shown in particular, a knitting machine used to realize the embodiments is a so-called "4-bed flat knitting machine", which has two pairs of front and rear needle beds arranged at the top and bottom, and a single-lock type carriage having both a knitting lock and a transfer lock in the same phase.

Figures 1 to 73 show a series of knitting courses for the knitting process in which the front lower needle bed is designated by FD, the front upper needle bed by FU, the rear lower needle bed by BD and the rear upper needle bed by BU. In addition, the capital letters "A" to "Z" designate the knitting needles on the lower needle beds, whereas the lower case letters "a" to "z" designate the knitting needles on the upper needle beds.

For ease of description, it is assumed that each fabric is knitted by flat knitting using a minimum number of knitting needles.

According to the present invention, a tubular knitted fabric symmetrically shaped from front to back is knitted using a thread fed in the counterclockwise direction. The number of long rows of a front half of the knitted fabric is first gradually decreased to shorten the circumferential length and then increased to form a constricted portion of the tubular knitted fabric along a belt line as shown in Figure 75.

A straight section of the tubular fabric is made by connecting both side ends hanging on the knitting needles (A and T) of the corresponding lower needle beds FD and BD as shown in Figure 2.

When the carriage moves to the right in Figure 2, thread is fed to form a course of stitches on the knitting needles A to T of the front lower needle bed FD. Subsequently, when the carriage moves back to the left, another course of stitches is formed on the knitting needles T to A of the rear lower needle bed BD, as shown in Figure 3.

After repeating the two runs shown in Figures 2 and 3, the thread stitches on the knitting needles A to G and N to T of the front lower needle bed FD are transferred to the knitting needles a to g and n to t of the rear upper needle bed BU, as shown in Figure 4.

The repeating of the knitting runs of Figures 2 and 3 is intended for reduction in at least every other run in order to prevent twisting of the stitches when transferring them from the needles to other needles.

As shown in Figure 5, the two rear needle beds BD, BU perform a shifting movement by one knitting needle pitch to the right and the stitches on the knitting needles a to g of the rear upper needle bed BU are transferred to the knitting needles B to H of the front lower needle bed FD so that two thread stitches overlap each other on the knitting needle H of the front lower needle bed FD.

The two rear needle beds BD, BU then carry out a shifting movement by one knitting needle spacing to the left and the stitches on the knitting needles n to t of the rear lower needle bed BD are transferred to the knitting needles M to S of the front lower needle bed FD in such a way that the stitch from the knitting needle n of the rear lower needle bed BD can be arranged above the stitch hanging down on the knitting needle M of the front lower needle bed FD, as shown in Figure 6.

Thereafter, as shown in Figure 7, a thread is fed to the front lower needle bed FD to form loops on the knitting needles B to S. Then, the loops shown in Figure 1 hanging on the knitting needles A to T of the front lower needle bed FD are reduced by two to hang on the knitting needles B to S.

After the stitch-forming yarn is fed to the knitting needles T to B of the rear lower needle bed BD as shown in Figure 8, it is threaded from left to right to thereby form a stitch on the knitting needle A of the rear lower needle bed as shown in Figure 9.

As shown in Figure 10, the feeder which forms a loop on the knitting needle A of the rear lower needle bed BD is arranged outside the knitting area of the machine and then feeds yarn to form a series of loops on the knitting needles B to S of the front lower needle bed FD as shown in Figure 11 while leaving the knitting needle T unoccupied where the yarn is caught.

Then the stitches are knitted on the knitting needles B to G of the front lower needle bed FD to the knitting needles b to g of the rear upper needle bed BU, as shown in Figure 12. The two rear needle beds BD, BU are moved to the right by one knitting needle pitch, as shown in Figure 13, and the stitches on the knitting needles b to g of the rear upper needle bed BU are transferred to the knitting needles C to H of the front lower needle bed FD such that two stitches of the thread on the knitting needle H of the front lower needle bed FD overlap. At the same time, the stitch on the knitting needle A of the rear lower needle bed BD is transferred to the knitting needle B of the front lower needle bed FD.

It is to be noted that when the thread is drawn from the knitting needle T to the knitting needle B of the rear lower needle bed BD as shown in Figure 8 and when the knitting operation shown in Figure 9 is not carried out, the loop shown in Figure 13 is rotated on the knitting needle B of the front lower needle bed FD as shown by the arrow x in Figure 74.

As can be seen from Figure 14, the two rear needle beds BD, BU are then moved back to the left by one knitting needle spacing and thread is fed in to form another row of stitches on the knitting needles 5 to B of the rear lower needle bed BD.

The stitches on the knitting needles N to S of the front lower needle bed FD are transferred to the knitting needle n to s of the rear upper needle bed BU, as shown in Figure 15, and furthermore the caught thread shown in Figure 11 is transferred to the knitting needle T of the rear lower needle bed BD.

When cast off, the stitches are transferred across the stitch that was transferred from the knitting needle T of the front lower needle bed FD to the knitting needle T of the rear lower needle bed BD.

In particular, when latch needles are used for knitting, the knitting needles for picking up the stitches should be arranged in such a way that they can move upwards to a height where the stitches to be transferred are released from the distal end of the opened latch of each knitting needle.

If channel or slide needles are used, the transferring Stitches are arranged in such a way that they sit over the slider during the upward movement of the knitting needles to pick up the stitches and, when the knitting needles are moved back, slide on the slider to be knocked off over the caught thread.

As shown in Figure 1 6, the two rear needle beds BD, BU perform a shifting movement by one knitting needle pitch to the left and the stitches on the knitting needles n to s of the rear upper needle bed BU are transferred to the knitting needles M to R of the front lower needle bed FD so that two stitches on the knitting needle M of the front lower needle bed FD overlap. At the same time, the stitch on the knitting needle T of the rear lower needle bed is transferred to the knitting needle S of the front lower needle bed FD.

Specifically, the thread on the knitting needle T of the rear lower needle bed BD, which has not been formed into a loop in the step of Figure 14, is threaded through the loop carried on the knitting needle T of the rear lower needle bed BD to be transferred to the knitting needle S of the front lower needle bed FD.

As is apparent from Figures 11 to 16, the yarn caught on the knitting needle T of the front lower needle bed FD is formed, like the other loops, into a loop of the tubular knit at the end as shown in Figure 16. The feeding length of the caught yarn is preferably equal to the yarn length which forms a unit loop or a unit loop.

The yarn is fed to form a row of stitches on the knitting needles B to S of the front lower needle bed FD as shown in Figure 17 and in turn to form another row of stitches on the knitting needles S to B of the rear lower needle bed BD as shown in Figure 18. The process of Figures 17 and 18 is repeated once.

As shown in Figure 19, the stitches on the knitting needles B to G and N to S of the front lower needle bed FD are then transferred to the corresponding knitting needles b to g and n to s of the rear upper needle bed BU. The two rear needle beds BD, BU perform a shifting movement by one knitting needle pitch to the right and the stitches on the knitting needles b to g of the rear upper needle bed BU are transferred to the knitting needles C to H of the front lower needle bed FD in such a way that two stitches are on the Overlap knitting needle H of the front lower needle bed FD as shown in Figure 20.

Then, the two rear needle beds BD, BU perform a shifting movement backward by one knitting needle pitch, and the stitches on the knitting needles n to s of the rear lower needle bed BD are transferred to the knitting needles M to R of the front lower needle bed FD so that the stitch from the knitting needle n of the rear lower needle bed BD is arranged above the stitch on the knitting needle M of the front lower needle bed FD, as shown in Figure 21. As can be seen from Figure 22, thread is fed to form a row of stitches on the knitting needles C to R of the front lower needle bed FD. Consequently, the row of stitches on the knitting needles C to R is two stitches smaller than the previous row of stitches on the knitting needles B to S of the front lower needle bed FD, as shown in Figure 18.

Thread is fed from right to left to form a course of stitches on the knitting needles S to C of the rear lower needle bed BD as shown in Figure 23, and then threaded in the opposite direction to form another course of stitches starting from the knitting needle B of the rear lower needle bed BD as shown in Figure 24.

The feeder is moved to the left out of the knitting area after being pulled by the knitting needle A of the rear lower needle bed BD as shown in Figure 25 and feeds yarn to form a course of stitches on the knitting needles C to R of the front lower needle bed FD as shown in Figure 26 while leaving the knitting needle S unoccupied where the yarn is caught.

As shown in Figure 27, the stitches on the knitting needles C to G of the front lower needle bed FD are transferred to the knitting needles c to g of the rear upper needle bed BU. Then, the two rear needle beds BD, BU perform a shifting movement to the right by one knitting needle pitch and the stitches on the knitting needles c to g of the rear upper needle bed BU are transferred to the knitting needles D to H of the front lower needle bed FD so that two stitches on the knitting needle H overlap, as shown in Figure 28. At the same time, the stitch on the knitting needle B of the rear lower needle bed BD is transferred to the knitting needle B of the front lower needle bed FD.

The two rear needle beds BD, BU are moved back to the left by one needle pitch and thread is fed to form a row of stitches on the knitting needles R to C of the rear lower needle bed BD, as shown in Figure 29.

As shown in Figure 30, the stitches on the knitting needles N to R of the front lower needle bed FD are transferred to the knitting needles n to r of the rear upper needle bed BU. In addition, the caught thread shown in Figure 26 is transferred to the knitting needle S of the rear lower needle bed BD.

For transferring, the stitches are cast off on the knitting needles of the rear lower needle bed BU above the caught stitch, which is transferred from the needle bed FD to the needle bed BD in the same manner as explained above.

The two rear needle beds BD, BU perform a shifting movement by one knitting needle spacing to the left and the stitches on the knitting needles n to r of the rear upper needle bed BU are transferred to the knitting needles M to Q of the front lower needle bed FD in such a way that two stitches on the knitting needle M of the front lower needle bed FD overlap, as shown in Figure 31.

The process shown in Figures 1 to 31 is repeated a predetermined number of times to reduce the circumferential length of the tubular knitted fabric. Subsequently, yarn is fed to form a course of stitches on the knitting needles C to R of the front lower needle bed FD as shown in Figure 32. Thereafter, the number of long courses in the process is increased from Figure 33. Specifically, two stitches are transferred by a split stitch and a half stitch, respectively, from the knitting needles H and M of the front lower needle bed FD to the knitting needles h and m of the rear upper needle bed BU as shown in Figure 33. Subsequently, the stitches on the knitting needles C to G of the front lower needle bed FD are transferred to the knitting needles c to g of the rear upper needle bed BU as shown in Figure 34.

As shown in Figure 35, the two rear needle beds BD, BU perform a shifting movement by one knitting needle pitch to the left and the stitches on the knitting needles c to h of the rear upper needle bed BU are transferred to the knitting needles B to G of the front lower needle bed FD. At the same time, the stitches on the knitting needles M to R of the front lower needle bed Transfer FD to knitting needles n to s of the back upper needle bed BU.

The two rear needle beds BD, BU are moved back to the right by the same distance and the stitches on the knitting needles m to s of the rear upper needle bed BU are transferred to the knitting needles M to S of the front lower needle bed FD, as shown in Figure 36.

Then, thread is fed to form a course on the knitting needles R to C of the rear lower needle bed BD, with the end of the thread caught on the knitting needle B which remains unoccupied, as shown in Figure 37. Thereafter, thread is fed to form a course on the knitting needles C to R of the front lower needle bed FD, as shown in Figure 38.

As shown in Figure 39, the yarn caught on the knitting needle B of the rear lower needle bed BD is transferred to the knitting needle B of the front lower needle bed FD. It is then transferred back to the knitting needle B of the rear lower needle bed BD as shown in Figure 40.

The yarn fed from the feeder is threaded from right to left to form a stitch on the knitting needle S of the front lower needle bed FD as shown in Figure 41. The feeder is moved out of the knitting area as shown in Figure 42 and feeds yarn to form a stitch row on the knitting needles R to B of the rear lower needle bed BD as shown in Figure 43.

The stitch on the knitting needle S of the front lower needle bed FD is transferred to the knitting needle S of the rear lower needle bed BD as shown in Figure 44 and fed with yarn to form another row of stitches on the knitting needles C to R of the front lower needle bed FD as shown in Figure 45.

As a result of performing the knitting runs shown in Figures 33 to 45, the number of long rows is increased by two as the stitches on the knitting needles C to R of the needle bed BD are added to the stitches on the knitting needles B to S.

The two stitches on the knitting needles H and M of the front lower needle bed FD are transferred by half a stitch to the knitting needles h and m of the rear lower needle bed BU, respectively, as shown in Figure 46. Then, the stitches on the knitting needles C to G of the front lower needle bed FD are transferred to the knitting needles c to g of the rear upper needle bed BU, as shown in Figure 47.

The two rear needle beds BD, BU perform a shifting movement by one needle pitch to the left and the stitches on the knitting needles c to h of the rear upper needle bed BU are transferred to the knitting needles B to G of the front lower needle bed FD, as shown in Figure 48. At the same time, the stitches on the knitting needles M to R of the front lower needle bed FD are transferred to the knitting needles n to s of the rear upper needle bed BU. The two rear needle beds BD, BU are then moved back to the right by one needle pitch and the stitches on the knitting needles m to s of the rear upper needle bed BU are transferred to the knitting needles M to S of the front lower needle bed FD, as shown in Figure 49.

As shown in Fig. 50, thread is fed to form a course on the knitting needles S to B of the rear lower needle bed BD. Then, thread is further fed to form another course on the knitting needles B to S of the front lower needle bed FD as shown in Fig. 51, and further threaded to form another course on the knitting needles S to B of the rear lower needle bed BD as shown in Fig. 52. Finally, thread is fed to form a course on the knitting needles B to S of the front lower needle bed FD as shown in Fig. 53.

As a result, the stitches on the knitting needles C to R of the front lower needle bed FD are rotated or added to the stitches on the knitting needles B to S as shown in Figure 54, thereby increasing the number of long rows by two.

The series of knitting runs shown in Figures 33 to 52 is repeated from Figure 54 to Figure 73, so that the long rows increase in number.

In particular, the two stitches on the knitting needles H and M of the front lower needle bed FD are passed through a half stitch onto the knitting needles h and m of the rear upper needle bed BU as shown in Figure 54. Then, the stitches on the knitting needles B to G of the front lower needle bed FD are transferred to the knitting needles b to g of the rear upper needle bed BU as shown in Figure 55.

The two rear needle beds BD, BU perform a shifting movement by one needle pitch to the left and the stitches on the knitting needles b to h of the rear upper needle bed BU are transferred to the knitting needles A to G of the front lower needle bed FD, as shown in Figure 56. At the same time, the stitches on the knitting needles M to 5 of the front lower needle bed FD are transferred to the knitting needles n to t of the rear upper needle bed BU. Following this, the two rear needle beds BD, BU are moved back to the right by one needle pitch and the stitches on the knitting needles m to t of the rear upper needle bed BU are transferred to the knitting needles M to T of the front lower needle bed FD, as shown in Figure 57.

As shown in Figure 58, thread is fed to form a course on the knitting needles S to B of the rear lower needle bed BD, with the thread end being caught on the knitting needle A, which is left unoccupied. Subsequently, thread is fed to form a course on the knitting needles B to S of the front lower needle bed FD, as shown in Figure 59.

The caught yarn on the knitting needle A of the rear lower needle bed shown in Figure 58 is transferred to the knitting needle A of the front lower needle bed FD as shown in Figure 60. It is then transferred back to the knitting needle A of the rear lower needle bed BD as shown in Figure 62.

The yarn fed from the feeder is threaded from right to left to form a stitch on the knitting needle T of the front lower needle bed FD as shown in Figure 62. The feeder is then moved to the right out of the knitting area as shown in Figure 63 and fed yarn to form a stitch row on the knitting needles 5 to A of the rear lower needle bed BD as shown in Figure 64.

The stitch on the knitting needle T of the front lower needle bed FD is transferred to the knitting needle T of the rear lower needle bed BD as shown in Figure 65 and thread is fed to knit another row of stitches. needles B to S of the front lower needle bed FD as shown in Figure 66.

As a result of the knitting runs shown in Figures 54 to 66, the number of long rows is further increased by two as the stitches on the knitting needles B to S of the needle bed BD are added to those on the knitting needles A to T.

In addition, the two stitches on the knitting needles H and M of the front lower needle bed FD are transferred by a half stitch to the knitting needles h and m of the rear upper needle bed BU, respectively, as shown in Figure 67. Then, the stitches on the knitting needles B to G of the front lower needle bed FD are transferred to the knitting needles b to g of the rear upper needle bed BU, as shown in Figure 68.

The two rear needle beds BD, BU are moved by one knitting needle pitch to the left and the stitches on the knitting needles b to h of the rear upper needle bed BU are transferred to the knitting needles A to G of the front lower needle bed FD, as shown in Figure 69. At the same time, the stitches on the knitting needles M to S of the front lower needle bed FD are transferred to the knitting needles n to t of the rear upper needle bed BU. Then, the two rear needle beds BD, BU are moved back to the right by one knitting needle pitch and the stitches on the knitting needles m to t of the rear upper needle bed BU are transferred to the knitting needles M to T of the front lower needle bed FD, as shown in Figure 70.

As shown in Fig. 71, thread is fed to form a course on the knitting needles T to A of the rear lower needle bed BD. Then, thread is further fed to form another course on the knitting needles A to T of the front lower needle bed FD as shown in Fig. 72, and this thread is threaded to form another course on the knitting needles T to A of the rear lower needle bed BD as shown in Fig. 73.

As a result, the stitches on the knitting needles B to 5 of the front lower needle bed FD, as shown in Figure 66, are added to the stitches on the knitting needles A to T, thereby increasing the rows by two.

The resulting tubular knit has a front-to-back The back half has an asymmetrical shape, with the front half being formed of a smaller number of long rows, as best shown in Figure 75. The back half has both side ends extending to the front half to be joined to the front half.

It should be noted that the two front needle beds FD, FU can be moved by offsetting, although only the offsetting movement of the two rear needle beds BD, BU has been explained in this embodiment.

Although the waistline-constricted portion of the tubular fabric has been knitted by reducing the number of slants at both side ends of the front half, it can be produced by decreasing the number of slants at one side end of the front half as shown in Figure 76, by increasing the number of slants at the side end of the front half as shown in Figure 77, or by increasing the number of slants at both side ends and then decreasing these two side ends to form extensions as shown in Figure 77. Moreover, a three-dimensional silhouette of the tubular fabric can be produced using any combination of the techniques explained above.

Claims (3)

1. A method for knitting a tubular fabric with a three-dimensional silhouette by changing the circumferential length of the tubular fabric, comprising the following steps: Knitting a tubular knitted fabric consisting of a front and a back half connected to each other at the side ends using a flat knitting machine having four needle beds (FU, FD, BU, BD), a front upper needle bed, a front lower needle bed, a rear upper needle bed and a rear lower needle bed, characterized by increasing or decreasing the number of long rows on one of the two halves, the front or the back half, of the tubular knitted fabric so that there is a difference in the number of long rows between the two halves, and further characterized by a transfer process of thread stitches from needles (A and T) of a first needle bed (BD) which carries a larger number of long rows to a second needle bed (FD) which carries a smaller number of long rows, the process comprising feeding thread to form stitches on the needles (B to S) of the second needle bed (FD), catching the thread on an unoccupied needle (T) arranged adjacent to those needles carrying the stitches, and feeding thread to form a row of stitches on knitting needles (S to B) of the first needle bed (BD), the method including transferring the caught thread to a needle (T) of the first needle bed by knocking it off during transfer of the stitches from the needles (N to S) of the second needle bed so as to eliminate twisting during the transfer operation of the stitch from the needle (T). 2. A method for knitting a tubular fabric having a three-dimensional silhouette by changing the circumferential length of the tubular fabric, comprising the following steps: Knitting a tubular fabric consisting of a front and a back half joined together at the side ends using a flat knitting machine having four needle beds (FU, FD, BU, BD), a front upper needle bed, a front lower needle bed, a rear upper needle bed and a rear lower needle bed, characterized by increasing or decreasing the number of long rows on one of the two halves, the front or the back half, of the tubular fabric so that there is a difference in the number of long rows between the two halves, and further characterized by a transfer process of thread loops from needles (A and T) of a first needle bed (BD) carrying a larger number of long rows to a second needle bed (FD) carrying a smaller number of long rows, the method comprising the further step that after the thread has been fed to form loops on the needles (T to B) of the first needle bed (BD), Thread is fed in an opposite direction to form another stitch on a needle (A) of the needle bed so that twisting during the transfer process of the stitches from the needle (A) is eliminated. 3. Tubular knitted fabric comprising a front and a back half joined together at the side ends, in which the circumferential length is varied by increasing and/or decreasing the number of long rows in one of the two halves, the front or the back half, in order to form a three-dimensional silhouette.