Abstract: A tennis vest is formed from a circularly knit fabric tube having an extended turned welt at a bottom region of the vest to form outer and inner plies. The plies are sewn together along longitudinal lines to form two pockets. A pair of openings are knitted into the outer ply, each opening associated with one pocket. The pockets and openings are sized to accommodate a tennis ball in each pocket. The pockets are preferably located on a rear side of the garment.

Abstract: A brassiere for extending around a wearer's torso and supporting the wearer's breasts. The brassiere includes a torso strap supporting a pair of breast cups which in turn support the wearer's breasts. The breast cups are constructed of a two-ply fabric, preferably a circularly knit fabric, and each of the breast cups has a fold line positioned along at least a portion of its top edge so as to improve wearer comfort and reduce seams visible through clothing. Also, an underwire may be attached to an exterior side of one of the plies of the two-ply material of each of the breast cups to provide extra support. Optionally, the fold may be knit to have a thinner material than the remaining plies to facilitate formation of a smooth folded upper edge of the breast cup with a finished appearance.

Abstract: A tennis vest is formed from a circularly knit fabric tube having an extended turned welt at a bottom region of the vest to form outer and inner plies. The plies are sewn together along longitudinal lines to form two pockets. A pair of openings are knitted into the outer ply, each opening associated with one pocket. The pockets and openings are sized to accommodate a tennis ball in each pocket. The pockets are preferably located on a rear side of the garment.

Abstract: A circularly knit garment is provided, the garment comprising a circularly knit fabric body having an inner surface adapted to be disposed adjacent to a wearer's skin when the garment is worn. The garment further includes at least one discrete electrically-conductive region formed at the inner surface of the body during the circular knitting thereof in such as manner as to contact the wearer's skin when the garment is worn. The at least one electrically-conductive region is comprised of electrically-conductive threads, wherein the electrically-conductive threads are knit into the body such that the electrically-conductive threads at the inner surface are confined to the at least one electrically-conductive region. The at least one electrically-conductive region is further adapted to cooperate with the wearer's skin to conduct an electrical signal therebetween. An associated blank and a method of making such a garment are also provided.

Abstract: A two-ply support garment such as a brassiere, panty, or the like, is made by positioning a piece of heat-bondable polymer film between two fabric plies of a two-ply fabric blank in one or more selected areas that will become portions of the garment, heating the film to bond the plies to the opposite faces of the film in the one or more selected areas, and fashioning a two-ply garment from the blank. A brassiere embodiment includes the film in partial regions of the cups, in a central panel between the cups, and in side panels of the brassiere.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for joining together two or more fabric components without thread, the components including at least one ultrasonically bondable component. The apparatus comprises an ultrasonic horn operable to emit ultrasonic energy through a fabric-engaging end face thereof, and a rotatable anvil support having an outer peripheral surface on which one or a plurality of anvil supports are formed. The anvil support and the horn are arranged so as to define a nip between the respective fabric-engaging surfaces thereof for receiving the components to be joined. The anvil support rotates about an axis thereof as the components pass through the nip such that the outer peripheral surface of the anvil support defining the anvil structures is stationary relative to the components passing through the nip.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for joining together two or more fabric components without thread, the components including at least one ultrasonically bondable component. The apparatus comprises an ultrasonic horn operable to emit ultrasonic energy through a fabric-engaging end face thereof, and a rotatable anvil support having an outer peripheral surface on which one or a plurality of anvil supports are formed. The anvil support and the horn are arranged so as to define a nip between the respective fabric-engaging surfaces thereof for receiving the components to be joined. The anvil support rotates about an axis thereof as the components pass through the nip such that the outer peripheral surface of the anvil support defining the anvil structures is stationary relative to the components passing through the nip.