can the opening be closed with exactly
the same stitch as that made by the needles of the power knitter.
However, the seam is of small proportions, and when the goods are
scoured, pressed, and finished the presence of the seam is a minor
item, as it neither incommodes the wearer nor mars the appearance of
the stocking. Seamless goods are made in a great variety of qualities,
ranging from cotton half-hose at fifty cents per dozen to the fine
worsted stockings at $6.00 per dozen. A notable and very commendable
feature of seamless hose is the socket-like shape of the heel, which
fits that portion of the foot as though really fitted to it. As far as
comfort and fit are concerned, the manufacture of seamless hosiery has
now reached such a degree of perfection as to bring it second only to
the full-fashioned variety.

Full-fashioned hose are produced by means of complicated and expensive
knitting frames, which automatically drop the requisite number of
stitches at the ankle so as gradually to narrow the web down and give
the stocking the natural shape of the leg. The toe is produced in the
same way, and the shaping of heel and gusset is brought about in like
manner. Hence, the goods are called full-fashioned, because so
fashioned as to conform to the proportions of the leg and foot. Hose
and underwear made by this method are knit in flat strips and then
seamed either by hand or machine. Generally special machines are used,
which take up and complete the selvedges, thus avoiding objectionable
seams with raw edges.

The knitting frames used for making full-fashioned goods are large,
intricate, expensive, and slow in operation; they are difficult to
keep in order and require skilful operators. The largest ones knit
from fourteen to eighteen stockings at once, using as many as four
threads of different colors in the production of patterns. The first
operation consists in knitting the leg down to the foot; then the legs
are transferred by expert workmen to another frame which knits the
foot. Next they go to another department where, with the aid of a
special looping machine, the heels and toes are stitched together.
Then the stockings or socks are handed over to expert women operators,
who seam up the legs on a machine especially adapted for the purpose.
After being sorted they are taken to be dyed, boarded, stitched,
dried, and finally subjected to heat and pressure to give them a
finished appearance. It usually requires two w