INTEGRATED TERM

PROJECT
ON

SOCKS

Foundation Programme
Semester- II

Mentor:- By:-

Mr. Shakeel Iqbal Anshuman (5)

Prachi Prakash (12)
 INTRODUCTION

Socks are a knitted or woven type

of hosiery for enclosing the
human feet.

Its name originated by shoes worn

by Roman comic actors
called “soccus” in Latin.

It was a slipper and fitted loosely so

it could be taken off quickly.
 NEED FOR SOCKS

They are used to-

ease chafing between the foot and footwear.

protect footwear by absorbing perspiration and dead skin lost
from the foot
provide comfort and tightness
keep the feet warm
soak up sweat, from the foot if sweaty
socks decrease the risk of frostbite in cold environments

Today socks are used for both fashionable as well as protection

purposes.
 HISTORY

The word "sock" is derived from the Latin soccus, the Old
English ‘socc’ and the Middle English word ‘socke’.

Socks were the first item to be knitted, with the evidence found
from Roman Egypt dating back in 5th century AD.

8th Century Barbarians wore brightly colored socks.

From about 1340 onwards men started to wear shorter garments

called gippons or pourpoints. This exposed the leg and required
hose that was better supported and tighter.
Socks found in Egypt in 12th Century
 HISTORY

By 12th century the word meant ‘a low shoe’ or ‘slipper’ and later

a knitted foot covering sometimes extending to the knee.

By 1583 the word "stocking" was used to describe a covering for

the feet and legs.

Reverend William Lee of England invented a sock-knitting

machine in l589, and started to make hosiery. These socks were
easier to produce, cheaper, and encouraged their popularity.
Coptic Socks From Egypt- 1000 AD Socks worn in Europe by Soldiers
 TYPES OF SOCKS

BASED ON

LENGTH PATTERN FIBER

 BASED ON LENGTH

Footies Anklet Crew/Calf Highs

Over-knee Thigh High Stockings Leggings

BASED ON PATTERN
 BASED ON FIBERS

Common Fibers used are:-

Cotton Wool

Lycra Nylon

Spandex Polyester
 CHARACTERISTICS

COTTON WOOL NYLON

• Soft, fluffy • Insulator • Thermoplasti
• Color • Fire resistant c
retention • Felting • Resilient
• Good property • Elastic
strength • Dye-able • Very strong
• Elastic
 CHARACTERISTICS

POLYESTE
SPANDEX LYCRA R
• Extremely • They are • Thermoplasti
Elastic trademarks of c
• Good spandex. • Hydrophobic
strength • Lightweight • Good
strength
 RAW MATERIALS
USED
1) Yarns like cotton, spandex, nylon etc.

2) Water for softening and washing purposes.

3) Electric power for running of knitting machine and processes

like drying etc.

4) Bunker C-oil is applied on yarns before fed into knitting

machine to help in slipping without friction.

5) Compressed air used to remove minute yarns and dust

particles.
 KNITTING

It describes the technique of constructing textile structures

by forming a continuous length of yarns into columns of
vertically intermeshed loops.

Loop Stitch
 KNITTING

Knitting consists of consecutive loops, called stitches.

As each row progresses, a new loop is pulled through an

existing loop. The active stitches are held on a needle until
another loop can be passed through them. This process
continues on…

Knitted garments are often more form-fitting than woven

garments, since their elasticity allows them to follow the body's
curvature closely.
 TERMS USED IN
KNITTING
Courses :- A course is horizontal
row of needle loops produced by
adjacent needles during knitting
cycle.

Wales:- A wale is vertical column

of intermeshed needle loops
produced by same needle at
successive knitting cycles.

Stitch Density:- Total no of loops

in a measured area of fabric(mostly
square inch).
Fig. A- Courses B-Wales
 TYPES OF
KNITTING
Weft knitting: The wales are perpendicular to the course of the
yarn.

Entire fabric may be produced from a single yarn, by adding

stitches to each wale in turn, moving across the fabric.

Warp knitting: The wales and courses run almost parallel.

One yarn is required for every wale. Since a piece of knitted fabric
may have hundreds of wales, warp knitting is done by machine.
Warp knitting

Weft knitting
 TYPES OF
KNITTING
Flat knitting: Used to make flat, rectangular pieces of cloth.
Done with two straight knitting needles and is worked in rows,
horizontal lines of stitches.

Used to knit flat pieces like scarves, blankets etc.

 TYPES OF
KNITTING
Circular knitting- Form of knitting that create seamless tube.
Knitting is worked in rounds in a spiral.

Employed to create pieces that are circular or tube-shaped, such

as hats, socks and sleeves.
 THE NEEDLE

Needle:- It is a hooked metal needle and is the principal

knitting element of the machine.

All types of needles must have a method to close the needle

hook to retain the new loop and exclude the old loop.

Types of needles used:-

1) Bearded needle
2) Latch needle
3) Compound needle
 BEARDED
1) Stem, around which theNEEDLE
needle loop is
formed.
2) Head, where the stem is turned into a
hook to draw the new loop through
the old loop.
3) Beard, curved continuation of hook
used to separate the trapped new loop
outside old loop as it slides.
4) Eye, or groove, cut in stem to receive
the pointed tip of the beard when
pressed, thus enclosing a new loop.
5) Shank, for individual location in the
machine.
 LATCH NEEDLE

The basic knitting action of a latch needle :-

1) Rest position
2) Latch opening
3) Clearing height
4) Yarn feeding and latch closing
5) Knocking-over and loop length formation.
 Head/hook
Latch

Rivet
Latch spoon

Blade/shank

Butt

Fig. Latch Needle

COMPOUND
NEEDLE
They comprise of two separately
controlled parts- open hook and
sliding closing element.

The two parts rise and fall as a

single unit, but at the top of rise,
the hook moves faster to open
the hook and start of the fall of
hook descends faster to close the
hook.
 KNITTING
ACTION OF
NEEDLE
Needle is in rest position with previously formed loop on
its stem and covered by hook.

Loop is cleared from needle hook to a lower position on

stem.

New yarn is fed to needle hook at high position on stem

than old loop.

A new loop is formed.

Hook is closed, enclosing new loop and landing old loop

outside closed hook.
 KNITTING
ACTION OF
NEEDLE
The new loop is drawn through the head of old loop.

Simultaneously, old loop slides off the closed hook of needle

and is knocked over.

The old loop now hangs from the feet of fully formed new
loop.

The same knitting cycle repeats again.

Expect for the manner of which hook is closed , the knitting

action is similar for all needles.
 TYPES OF WEFT
KNITTING

• Its technical face is smooth, with the

PLAIN side limps of needle loops having
appearance of columns of V’s in
STRUCURE wales.

• Rib has a vertical chord appearance

RIB because the face loop wales tend to
move over and in front of reverse
STRUTURE loop wales.
Plain knit-front Plain knit-back

Rib structure
 TYPES OF WEFT
KNITTING

• It has technical face of plain fabric on

INTERLOCK both sides, but its smooth surface
cannot be stretched out to reveal the
STRUCURE reverse meshed loop wales.

• It has one or more wales which

PURL contain both face and reverse loops.
It can be achieved with double-ended
STRUTURE latch needles or rib loop transfer.
Purl structure Interlock structure
 KNITTING
MACHINE
They are basically Circular knitted machines which are completely
computerized.

Yarns are fed into them through cones.

Designs are made initially on a supporting software ‘Styler’ which

are then fed into the machine.

Then by using the arrangement of cams and needles the machine

knits the socks.

The socks which comes out has an open end at the toe.
Modern knitting machine

Cam and needle

arrangement
 CONSTRUCTION OF
SOCKS

The small diameter of the circular knitting machine that produce

socks impose a limit on their structure so it is not possible to
increase the total size of the socks.

The sock is made at the ankle opening with a welt and rib
construction designed to grip the leg.

Modern socks also contain elastomeric threads in the rib to aid the
grip.
 CONSTRUCTION OF
SOCKS
After this the rib structure is changed to either plain fabric or
broad rib.

This section is often decorated with jacquard, semi-intarsia, wrap

stripe embroidery or structural design.

At the level of the heel the in-step half of the knitted tube is held
while knitting is continued on the heel-half reciprocally.

The length of the course is reduced by one loop on each side every
two courses.
 CONSTRUCTION OF
SOCKS

When the length of the course is 1/16th of the circumference of the

tube the process is reversed and the length of the course is
increased by one loop on each side every two courses, picking up
the reserved loops in the process.

When the course reaches half the circumference of the tube,

reciprocal knitting seizes and the spiral of the tube is
recommenced.

The knitting of the foot the toe is generated in the same manner as
the heel pouch
 MANUFACTURING
PROCESS
Arrival of raw
Winding Knitting
materials

Second First
Linking
Inspection Inspection

Soaping and Setting and

Packing
Softening Finishing
 MANUFACTURING
PROCESS

Arrival of Raw Materials:- Raw Materials come in various

forms like cheese, cones and pirn.

Winding:- Raw Material is wound into cones and oiled to allow

slipping while knitting.

Knitting:- Socks knitting machine is employed here.

First Inspection:- The knitted piece is checked for flaws.

Raw Materials

Winding of cones
 MANUFACTURING
PROCESS
Linking:- The toe is linked where there is a open end. It is done
with socks turned inside out.

Second Inspection:- After linking is completed, the socks with

damaged knitting are mended.

Soaping and softening:-Soaping is done to remove oil-stains

and dust. The finished socks are soaked in detergent then
washed. Then the are put in softeners. They are soaked for some
time then are dried in a drier.
 MANUFACTURING
PROCESS
Setting and Finishing:- Here the socks are heat pressed in a
machine after inserting them in a aluminum sheet which is of the
shape of socks.

Packing:- Socks are then classified by various sizes, patterns, brands

etc and are shipped or stored.

This is the complete process of manufacturing.

Inspection

Heat Pressing
 CARE

Care of socks help to keep the color going, reduce abrasion, keep it
smell-free and thus increases their life.

Various ways for care of socks are:-

Washing:- 1)They should be washed according to the

package instructions.
2)They can be hand washed or machine washed.
3)Colors stay longer if washed inside out.

Drying:- Should be dried at low heat or be air dried.

 CARE

Folding:– Should be rolled or folded in half. Folding one

pair over another shortens the lifespan as they loose their
elasticity.

Wearing:-Feet should be washed before wearing and

toenails should be regularly cut to reduce abrasion.

One should avoid ironing socks as they form beads in some types
of fibers.
 CONSUMER
SURVEY
The results of survey were-

1) 85% people preferred to use cotton socks.

2) People preferred comfort over other factors.
3) People preferred(50%) socks up to Rs. 100 which means that
they don’t go too much into brands.
4) Most common problems faced were smell and loosing
elasticity.
5) 50% people said that they wear socks for more than 6 hours in
a day.
6) 40% people said that their socks last for around 6 months.
 INDUSTRY VISIT

Company:- Annapurna Knittings, Plot no. 64,

Shaktipuram, Prashanti Nagar, Kukatpally,
Hyderabad.

It is a small-scale company with four partners.

Employees:- 15 in total, 10 in manufacturing alone.

They mainly cater local needs and sell their products to schools as
uniform socks and also export to retailers in Bangalore.
 THE INDUSTRY STORE ROOM

KNITTING MACHINE READY FOR IRONING

 INDUSTRY VISIT
Per day production: 80 dozens

Monthly turnover: Rs. 2 lakhs

Raw materials used: Cotton, Polyester, Spandex, Lycra

Machines used: Circular knitting machine, Compressor, Linking

machine, Washing machine, Dryer, Electric iron

The machine used by them are computerized. The pattern of the

socks to be knitted on the machine is designed via the software
Styler 5. The design is fed into the machine using specially made
USB’s.
BEFORE AND AFTER IRONING USING SOFTWARE FOR PATTERNS

KOREA TEXTILE MACHINERY COLLECTION OF WASTES

 8

18
Fig. Dimension of the socks
they manufacture.
22
30

All dimensions in ST(stretch)

 CONCLUSION

With this project we employed our learning's from subjects:

1) BTM- knitting structure, fibers used.

2) SAD- classification based on types and their popularity.
3) GEO-structure of socks, construction.
4) POM-industry visit.
5) FS-industry visit and depth of study.
6) MS-use of materials and machines in socks.
7) EOT-functioning of needles, cams etc.
 BIBLIOGRAPHY

Books:-
Knitting Technology- David J. Spencer
Knitting Clothing Technology- Terry Bracken Bury
Fiber to Fabric

Websites:-
http://www.artisansocks.com/index-socks-by-length.asp
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sock
http://www.artisansocks.com/index-socks-by-pattern.asp
http://www.artisansocks.com/index-socks-by-material.asp

Industry Visit:-
Annapurna Knittings, Kukatpally - Marketing Head Mr. Rama
Raju.
THAN
K YOU