A method for knitting a buttonhole in a knit product and a knit fabric having buttonholes

Abstract: A method for knitting a buttonhole (2) in a knit product by using a knitting machine which forms the remainder of the product. The method includes binding off some adjacent loops in a wale direction, in which a length corresponds to a width of a buttonhole, at the beginning of the buttonhole of a fabric knitted by using a flat knitting machine. The loops are released one by one in order to form a bottom peripheral portion of the buttonhole. An upper peripheral portion of the buttonhole (2) is with loops formed by a loop forming means above the bottom peripheral portion of the buttonhole (2).

Description: Background of the Invention This invention refers to a knitting method for a buttonhole formed on overlapping part of a knit product such as a cardigan and a knit fabric having buttonholes. In the prior arts, in making a buttonhole on a fabric, a hole is formed on the fabric first and then the hole is stitched with a string attached along the edge of the hole by using a stitching machine. Generally, two types of buttonholes are known, which are lateral type and vertical type. However, when a knit product having lateral buttonholes is put on and laterally stretched, loops forming the edge of the buttonhole are stretched out and the string attached along the buttonhole is released. Therefore, the vertical type of buttonhole is preferred for a knit product. However, there is a problem that in case a button is held by a vertical buttonhole, the buttonhole opens unpleasantly by being stretched in a lateral direction. Further, fabric around the buttonhole gets wavy, which damages the design and lessens value of the product. Further problem is that in the prior art buttonholes are formed by using another machine. The use of another machine to form the buttonholes leads to a complex knitting procedure and lowering of productivity. German patent Specification No.DE2502574 discloses a method of knitting a fabric involving a knitting direction different from that of the present invention and there is no teaching of a method of knitting in buttonholes. Object and Summary of the Invention The present invention is provided in view of the above problems, and an object is to prevent damage to the shape of a product by employing a lateral buttonhole and to form buttonholes within a knitting procedure of a fabric. The present invention comprises, in one aspect, a method for knitting a buttonhole in a knit product characterised by the steps of: binding off some adjacent loops in a wale direction, in which a length corresponds to a width of a buttonhole, at the beginning of the buttonhole of a fabric knitted by using a flat knitting machine (Fig 3.1-3.11) releasing the loops one by one in order to form a bottom peripheral portion of the buttonhole (Figs 3.12-3.14), and forming an upper peripheral portion of the buttonhole with loops formed by a loop forming means above the bottom peripheral portion of the buttonhole (Figs 3.15-3.37). Preferably the method is further characterised by the step of increasing loops one by one in a loop forming means by making two loops from one loop (Figs 3-15 to 3-17) from one end to the other end of the bottom peripheral portion of the buttonhole. Desirably the method of the preceding paragraph but one is further characterised by the step of knitting loops in a loop forming means (Figs 4-7 to 4-10) with both ends of an upper peripheral portion of the buttonhole being connected to the bottom peripheral portion of the buttonhole. Advantageously the method is further characterised by the step of newly knitting out loops (Figs 5-7 to 5-10) in a loop forming means above the upper peripheral portion of the buttonhole. The invention provides in another aspect a fabric having buttonholes characterised by a bottom peripheral portion of a buttonhole which is formed by binding off some adjacent loops in a wale direction of which a length corresponds to the width of the buttonhole, at the beginning of the buttonhole of the fabric knitted by a flat knitting machine, an upper peripheral portion of the buttonhole is formed above the bottom peripheral portion of the buttonhole by a loop forming means, and, a part of the fabric knitted consecutively to the upper peripheral portion of the buttonhole. Brief Description of the Drawings Fig. 1 is a front view of a buttonhole formed on a knit fabric knitted by the method in the present invention, Fig. 2 is an explanatory drawing for symbols used in knitting courses, Fig. 3-1 to 3-38 are explanatory drawings of knitting courses for a buttonhole in a knit fabric in a first embodidment, Figs. 4-1 to 4-10 are explanatory drawings of knitting courses for a buttonhole in a knit fabric in a second embodiment, Figs. 5-1 to 5-10 are explanatory drawings of knitting courses for a buttonhole in a knit fabric in a third embodiments, Figs. 6-1 to 6-8 are explanatory drawings of knitting courses for a buttinhole in a knit fabric in a fourth embodiment and, Figs. 7-1 to 7-11 are explantory drawings of knitting courses for a buttonhole in a knit fabric in a fifth embodiment. Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments A knitting method for forming a buttonhole in a knit product of the present invention will be described with reference to drawings hereinafter. Embodiment 1 A flat knitting machine comprising a pair of front and rear needle beds which movably support knitting needles employed in the present embodiment, and Figs. 3-1 to 3-38 show knitting courses of a buttonhole 2 laterally formed on a cardigan 1 as shown in Fig. 1. Further, marks used in the drawings are explained in Fig. 2, alphabetical capital letters A, B, C, D, E, ... represent knitting needles of the front needle bed 3, alphabetical small case letters a, b, c, d, e, ... represent knitting needles of the rear needle bed 4, and rightward numeral and letter P denote the distance of movement of the rear needle bed 4. First, knitting starts from a bottom end 1a of the cardigan 1, and tubular knit fabric on which the buttonhole 2 is to be formed is knitted by the front and rear knitting needles as shown in knitting courses of Figs. 3-1 to 3-2. At the beginning of knitting the buttonhole 2, a loop is formed on the front knitting needle H which places at the rightend of the buttonhole 2 as shown in Fig. 3-3 and then the loop held on the knitting needle H is transferred to the rear knitting needle h in Fig. 3-4. Next, the two loops held on the rear knitting needle h are transferred to the front knitting needle G after the rear needle bed 4 is moved 1 pitch leftward. Then, the front knitting needle G now holds three loops and the front knitting needle H and the rear knitting needle h become empty. The knitting courses in Figs. 3-3 to 3-5 are repeated in Figs. 3-6 to 3-8 and in Figs. 3-9 to 3-11 for predetermined times, and when knitting comes to the left-end of the buttonhole 2, at the front knitting needle E, for example, a supplied yarn is tucked on the front knitting needle C and forms a loop on each of the front knitting needles E, D as shown in Fig. 3-12. After the loop held on the front knitting needle E is transferred to the rear knitting needle e in Fig. 3-13, the rear needle bed 4 is moved 1 pitch leftward and then the loop held on the rear knitting needle e is transferred to the front knitting needle D in Fig. 3-14. As a result, a bottom peripheral portion 2a of the buttonhole 2 is formed on the front knitting needles H to E. After the bottom peripheral portion 2a of the buttonhole 2 is formed, a top peripheral portion 2b of the buttonhole 2 is formed as described below. In Fig. 3-15, a loop held on the front knitting needle D is made to be held also on the rear knitting needle d. In Fig. 3-16, a new loop is formed on the rear knitting needle d, and the new loop is transferred to the front knitting needle E after the rear needle bed 4 is moved 1 pitch rightward in Fig. 3-17. Thus the front knitting needle E which was empty in Fig. 3-14 holds a loop now, that is, a number of stitches has increased. The procedure to increase stitches as in Fig. 3-15 to 3-17 is repeated in Figs. 3-18 to 3-20, Figs. 3-21 to 3-23 and Figs. 3-24 to 3-26 for predetermined times and then the front knitting needles E to H which were empty in Fig. 3-14 come to hold a loop respectively. In Fig. 3-27, the loop held on the front knitting needle H is made to be held also on the rear knitting needle h. In Fig. 3-28, a new loop is formed on the rear knitting needle h, and the new loop is transferred to the front knitting needle I after the rear needle bed 4 is moved 1 pitch rightward in Fig. 3-29. Then the front knitting needle I holds two loops which reinforce the right-end portion of the buttonhole 2. On the other hand, the rear knitting needles d to h which have been knitting the back knitting part of the tubular knit fabric consisting of front and back knitting parts are empty at the buttonhole 2. In this place, after the rear needle bed 4 is moved 1 pitch leftward in Fig. 3-30, the loops held on the front knitting needles D to H are made to be held also on the rear knitting needles d to h respectively. Accordingly, new loops are formed on the front knitting needles A to C by supplying a yarn in Fig. 3-31, and in Fig. 3-32, new loops are formed on the rear knitting needles a to j by supplying a yarn, thus the back knitting part at the top peripheral portion 2b of the buttonhole 2 is knitted. In Fig. 3-33, a yarn tucked on the front knitting needle K is supplied to the front knitting needle J to A and loops are formed on them. In Fig. 3-34, a yarn is supplied to the rear knitting needles a to j and the front knitting needles K to V and a loop is formed on each of them. Further, in Fig. 3-35, a yarn is supplied to the front knitting needles A to V to form loops on them, and in Fig. 3-36, a yarn is supplied to the rear knitting needles a to j and loops are formed on them. Furthermore, in Fig. 3-37, a yarn tucked on the front knitting needle K is supplied to the front knitting needle J to A and loops are formed on them. By repeating the knitting courses in Figs. 3-34 to 3-37 for predetermined times, the body part of the cardigan 1 is formed. In this way, the lowest buttonhole 2 and the knitting fabric around the buttonhole 2 is knitted. The above knitting courses for the buttonhole 2 and the knitting fabric around the buttonhole 2 are repeated for expected times. In the above embodiment, the back knitting part at the top peripheral portion 2b of the buttonhole 2 in the tubular knit fabric is knitted by using a method of making one loop be held on two confronting knitting needles. However, it is needless to say that loops may be formed on the rear knitting needles by supplying a yarn in a zigzag pattern between the front knitting needles and the empty rear knitting needles. Embodiment 2 In a knitting method for a buttonhole in a knit product in the embodiment 2, the bottom peripheral portion 2a of the buttonhole 2 is formed in the same way as the embodiment 1, but on and after Fig. 3-14, the embodiment 2 employs a knitting procedure that is different from that in the embodiment 1 for knitting the top peripheral portion 2b of the buttonhole 2 as described below. After the bottom peripheral portion 2a of the buttonhole 2 is formed on the front knitting needles H to E, that is, after a knitting course in Fig. 4-1, a yarn is supplied in a zigzag pattern between the front knitting needles D to I and the rear knitting needles d to h as shown in Fig. 4-2. In Fig. 4-3, a yarn is supplied to the loops which have been formed on the front knitting needles D to H to form new loops and at the same time the old loops are transferred to the rear knitting needles d to h. Further, in Fig. 4-4, a yarn tucked on the front knitting needles C and I forms loops on the front knitting needles D to H and the loops are transferred to the rear knitting needles d to h in Fig. 4-5 in the same way as shown in Fig. 4-3. In Fig. 4-6, a yarn is supplied to the front knitting needles A to C to form loops on them and in Fig. 4-7, a yarn is supplied to the rear knitting needles a to j to form loops on them. Furthermore, a yarn tucked on the front knitting needle K is supplied to the front knitting needles A to J to form loops on them in Fig. 4-8, and in Fig. 4-9, a yarn is supplied to the rear knitting needles a to j and the front knitting needles K to V and a loop is formed on each of the knitting needles. By repeating the knitting courses in Figs. 4-7 to 4-10 for predetermined times, the body part of the cardigan 1 is knitted. In this way, the lowest buttonhole 2 and the knitting fabric around the buttonhole 2 in the cardigan 1 are knitted. The above knitting courses for the buttonhole 2 and the knitting fabric around the buttonhole 2 are repeated for necessary times. The procedure to form the buttonhole 2 in the embodiment 2 has an advantage that it needs a less number of knitting courses than that in the embodiment 1. Embodiment 3 In a knitting method for a buttonhole in a knit product in the embodiment 3, the bottom peripheral portion 2a of the buttonhole 2 is formed in the same way as the embodiment 1, but on and after Fig. 3-14, the embodiment 2 employs a knitting procedure that is different from that in the embodiment 1 for knitting the top peripheral portion 2b of the buttonhole 2 as described below. After the bottom peripheral portion 2a of the buttonhole 2 is formed on the front knitting needles H to E, that is, after a knitting course in Fig. 5-1, a yarn is supplied in a zigzag pattern between the front knitting needles D to I and the rear knitting needles d to h as shown in Fig. 5-2. In Fig. 5-3, a yarn tucked on the front knitting needle C is supplied to the front knitting needles D to H to form loops on them. Further, in Fig. 5-4, a yarn is supplied to the rear knitting needles d to h to form loops and the yarn is also tucked on the front knitting needle I. In Fig. 5-5, the loops held on the front knitting needles D to H are made to be held also on the rear knitting needles d to h. Furthermore, a yarn is supplied to the front knitting needles A to C to form loops on them in Fig. 5-6 and a yarn is supplied to the rear knitting needles a to j to form loops on them in Fig. 5-7. Subsequently, a yarn tucked on the front knitting needle K is supplied to the front knitting needles A to J to form loops on them in Fig. 5-8. Further, in Fig. 5-9, a yarn is supplied to the rear knitting needles a to j and then front knitting needles K to V to form loops on them. By repeating the knitting courses in Figs. 5-7 to 5-10 for predetermined times, the body part of the cardigan 1 is knitted. In this way, the lowest buttonhole 2 and the knitting fabric around the buttonhole 2 in the cardigan 1 are knitted. The above knitting courses for the buttonhole 2 and the knitting fabric around the buttonhole 2 are repeated for necessary times. Embodiment 4 In a knitting method of a buttonhole for a knit product in the embodiment 4, the bottom peripheral portion 2a of the buttonhole 2 is formed in the same way as the embodiment 1, but on and after Fig. 3-14, the embodiment 2 employs a knitting procedure that is different from that in the embodiment 1 for knitting the top peripheral portion 2b of the buttonhole 2 as described below. After the bottom peripheral portion 2a of the buttonhole 2 is formed on the front knitting needles H to E, that is, after a knitting course in Fig. 6-1, a yarn is supplied in a zigzag pattern between the front knitting needles D to I and the rear knitting needles d to h as shown in Fig. 6-2. In Fig. 6-3, a yarn is supplied to the loops which have been formed on the front knitting needles D to H to form new loops and at the same time the old loops are transferred to the rear knitting needles d to h. In Fig. 6-4, a yarn is supplied to the front knitting needles A to C to form loops on them, and after that, a yarn is supplied to the rear knitting needles a to j to form loops on them as shown in Fig. 6-5. Further, a yarn tucked on the front knitting needle K is supplied to the front knitting needles A to J to form loops on them in Fig. 6-6. In Fig. 6-7, a yarn is supplied to the rear knitting needles a to i and the front knitting needles J to V to form loops on them. By repeating the knitting courses in Figs. 6-5 to 6-8 for predetermined times, the body part of the cardigan 1 is knitted. In this way, the lowest buttonhole 2 and the knitting fabric around the buttonhole 2 in the cardigan 1 are knitted. The above knitting courses for the buttonhole 2 and the knitting fabric around the buttonhole 2 are repeated for necessary times. Embodiment 5 In a knitting method for a buttonhole in a knit product in the embodiment 5, the bottom peripheral portion 2a of the buttonhole 2 is formed in the same way as the embodiment 1, but on and after Fig. 3-14, the embodiment 2 employs a knitting procedure that is different from that in the embodiment 1 for knitting the top peripheral portion 2b of the buttonhole 2 as described below. After the bottom peripheral portion 2a of the buttonhole 2 is formed on the front knitting needles E to H, that is, after a knitting course in Fig. 7-1, a yarn is supplied in a zigzag pattern between the front knitting needles D to I and the rear knitting needles d to h as shown in Fig. 7-2. In Fig. 7-3, a yarn tucked on the front knitting needle C is supplied to the front knitting needles D to H to form loops on them. In Fig. 7-4, a yarn is supplied to the rear knitting needles d to h to form loops on them. In Fig. 7-5, a yarn is supplied in a zigzag pattern between the front knitting needles D to I and the rear knitting needles d to h. In Fig. 7-6, a yarn is supplied to the front knitting needles A to C to form loops on them. Further, a loop is supplied to the rear knitting needles a to j to form loops on them in Fig. 7-7, and subsequently in Fig 7-8, a yarn tucked on the front knitting needle K is supplied to the front knitting needles A to J to form loops on them. In Fig. 7-9, a yarn is supplied to the rear knitting needles a to j and the front knitting needles K to V to form loops on them. By repeating the knitting courses in Figs. 7-8 to 7-11 for predetermined times, the body part of the cardigan 1 is knitted. In this way, the lowest buttonhole 2 and the knitting fabric around the buttonhole 2 in the cardigan 1 are knitted. The above knitting courses for the buttonhole 2 and the knitting fabric around the buttonhole 2 are repeated for necessary times. In the above embodiments, a flat knitting machine having a pair of front and rear needle beds is used. However, it is needless to say that a flat knitting machine used in the invention is not limited to the one having such a construction but two pair of confronting needle beds might be provided on the flat knitting machine.

Claims: A method for knitting a buttonhole in a knit product characterised by the steps of: binding off some adjacent loops in a wale direction, in which a length corresponds to a width of a buttonhole, at the beginning of the buttonhole of a fabric knitted by using a flat knitting machine releasing the loops one by one in order to form a bottom peripheral portion of the buttonhole, and forming an upper peripheral portion of the buttonhole with loops formed by a loop forming means above the bottom peripheral portion of the buttonhole. A method for knitting a buttonhole for a knit product as set forth in claim 1, further characterised by the step of increasing loops one by one in a loop forming means by making two loops from one loop from one end to the other end of the bottom peripheral portion of the buttonhole. A method for knitting a buttonhole for a knit product as set forth in claim 1, characterised by the step of knitting loops in a loop forming means with both ends of an upper peripheral portion of the buttonhole being connected to the bottom peripheral portion of the buttonhole. A method for knitting a buttonhole for a knit product as set forth in claim 1, characterised by the the step of newly knitting out loops in a loop forming means above the upper peripheral portion of the buttonhole. A fabric having buttonholes characterised by a bottom peripheral portion of a buttonhole which is formed by binding off some adjacent loops in a wale direction of which a length corresponds to the width of the buttonhole, at the beginning of the buttonhole of the fabric knitted by a flat knitting machine, an upper peripheral portion of the buttonhole is formed above the bottom peripheral portion of the buttonhole by a loop forming means, and, a part of the fabric knitted consecutively to the upper peripheral portion of the buttonhole.

Inventors: MITSUMOTO SHIGENOBU, OKUNO MASAO, MITSUMOTO, SHIGENOBU, OKUNO, MASAO
Applicants: SHIMA SEIKI MFG, SHIMA SEIKI MFG., LTD.
Application year: 1992
Main classification: D04B1
IPC codes: D04B1, A41F1