stocking. In order, however, to hold the loops of the first row, they are caught on a series of hooks spaced exactly as are the needles and held under slight tension to pull the fabric slightly towards the front of the machine and away from the needles. When sufficient courses have been made to form the full width of the single thickness welt the welt bar is moved forward and the first row of loops is transferred back on to the needles of the needle bar and knitted into the fabric again.

At this point the welt bar ceases to be of any further use for the moment and a slender metal rod is inserted into the newly looped welt and two spring clips are attached to it to maintain a slight tension on the fabric as it is being knitted.

This welt turning has, until recent years, been performed always by hand but with the most modern machinery now coming into general use, the turning of the welt is performed by the machine.

Most stocking welts are knitted with either heavier yarn or folded yarn and this knitting with thicker yarn is very often continued for another inch or so beyond the true welt to give slight additional strength. Where this is done the section of single fabric, but of heavy construction, is called an after- or under-welt.

At the half-way point in the knitting of the welt, at the division between the welt and the under-welt, and sometimes at the end of the under-welt,