History Of Framework Knitters

Many families in Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire were involved in framework knitting. Census returns from the nineteenth century show the occupation of many people as Framework Knitter, FWK, Stockinger, Glove Hand or Knitter. The number of different names for Framework Knitters can be confusing particularly as Stockingers did not always make stockings. However, whether they knitted stockings, socks, gloves, shirts or cravats, they all did so sitting at a large frame either in their own home or in a workshop.

Although there were knitting workshops, many families had frames in their homes. As framework knitting provided a comfortable living during the eighteenth century many families owned their own frames. However during the nineteenth century, the introduction of machinery and increase in imported goods caused wages and the amount of work to fall. Many families sold their frames and instead rented the frames (often of a poorer quality) they used. These families had to pay frame-rent even if they were not using their frames due to illness or lack of demand. If a family had a frame at home, they were responsible for its upkeep and had to buy needles. They made lead sinkers to hold the needles in the frame by melting lead over the home fire and pouring it into moulds.

Framework knitting was often a family affair. This was particularly the case during the mid-1800s when wages fell and families were forced to involve all able members of the family in knitting to increase the family income and earn enough money to live on. Consequently, daughters and sons sat at frames and knitted alongside their parents. Female members of the family were sometimes seamers who stitched the seams on knitted items. Even young children not yet old enough to knit helped their parents and served an apprenticeship as winders, winding yarn ready to be put on the knitting frame.