Abstract: A three-piece panty garment can include three panels formed from separate tubular blanks knit on a small-circumference circular knitting machine designed for making pantyhose. As a result, such a panty garment can comprise an unstretched girth that is substantially three times the circumference of a small-circumference circular knitting machine knitting cylinder. Such panty garments and methods of making such panty garments can provide larger size panty garments made on a circular knitting machine designed for making pantyhose.

Abstract: A garment run prevention method includes cutting an opening, for example for a leg, in a portion of a knitted garment approximately parallel to the wales across a minimum number of wales to prevent runs in the direction of knitting. Another aspect of such a method includes knitting a garment from back to front and placing run-prevention stitches, such as float stitches or tuck stitches, in areas where cutting a front leg opening cuts across wales of the garment to prevent runs in the direction of knitting.

Abstract: A three-piece panty garment can include three panels formed from halves of tubular blanks knit on a small-diameter circular knitting machine designed for making pantyhose. As a result, such a panty garment can comprise a girth that is substantially three times the diameter of a small-diameter circular knitting machine knitting cylinder. Such panty garments and methods of making such panty garments can provide larger size panty garments, for example, size 10, 12, and 14, made on a circular knitting machine designed for making pantyhose.

Abstract: A circularly knit hosiery member and garment formed therefrom and a method for producing both. The member has a first tubular portion with a lateral portion having a plurality of courses with short lengths. The garment is formed from a pair of the members disposed in a side-by-side relationship, slit along a part of their length and joined at paris of the edges thus formed to provide a panty section with front, rear and lateral portions. The lengths of the stitches in the courses in the lateral portions are shorter than the stitch lengths in the front and rear panty portions so that the panty section has an arcuately shaped leg profile within the lateral portions. The method includes forming the panty pantyhose combination garment from the two separate tubular members with the stitches in the courses of the lateral portions made smaller than the stitch lengths in the rear and front portions.

Abstract: A circularly knit tubular hosiery member and garment formed therefrom and a method for producing both. The member has a first tubular portion with a lateral portion having a plurality of courses with short stitch lengths. The garment is formed from a pair of the members disposed in a side-by-side relationship, slit along a part of their length and joined at pairs of the edges thus formed to provide a panty section with front, rear and lateral portions. The lengths of the stitches in the courses in the lateral portions are shorter than the stitch lengths in the front and rear panty portions so that the panty section has an arcuately shaped leg profile within the lateral portions. The method includes forming the panty pantyhose combination garment from the two separate tubular members with the stitches in the courses of the lateral portions made smaller than the stitch lengths in the rear and front portions.

Abstract: A panty garment, panty hose or the like where the garment is formed from first and second adjacent, circularly knit and identically configured tubes each having a first panty section and a second panty section each of which are slit along part of their length at different locations so that when joined at edges thus formed provide a front panty portion made up of substantially all of the first panty sections and a rear panty portion made up of substantially all of the second panty sections, the yarns being knit in each of the sections to permit more vertical stretch in the rear panty section than in the front panty section when the garment is worn.

Abstract: A panty garment, panty hose or the like where the garment is formed from first and second circularly and oppositely configured knit tubes forming a front panty section having a shield shaped configuration and a back panty section having a V shaped configuration contained therein wherein the front and rear panty sections are formed from a multiplicity of yarn courses and the yarns are knit in stitch loop constructions to permit more vertical stretch in the rear panty section than in the front panty section when the garment is worn. Differing stitch loop constructions are utilized for the front and rear panty sections to enable this fit characteristic.

Abstract: This invention is directed to a method of manufacturing knitted briefs and the briefs made by the method. In accordance therewith, two separate seamless tubular blanks are knit each with a knit-in waistband, a body portion and a crotch portion. The tubular blanks are each slit walewise, and the free coursewise edges of the crotch portions are sewn together by a crotch seam.Thereafter the side edges of the combined blank are trimmed to define the leg openings, and narrow elastic is sewn to the side edges. The side edges of the body portions are then sewn together. The yarn at the crotch area is then bulked to further reduce the crotch width.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing support garments for human extremities, and the garments so produced. A support garment form is cut from a sheet of warp-knit power fabric, the fabric having a lengthwise (machine) dimension of greatest stretch and power, and a filling dimension (the cross-machine direction) in which the stretch is incidental (i.e., about 250%/80% or at least 2/1) and the sheet being orientated during cutting so that the lengthwise dimension of the sheet extends circumferentially in the final garment produced. The edges of the garment formed are seamed to produce the final support garment, the seam extending along the dimension of elongation of the extremity on which the support garment fits.

Abstract: A one-piece construction for pantyhose or the like that has sufficient crotch rise and contains no excess material in the longitudinal dimension. An integral elongated tube of knit fabric has a waist slit formed in the middle portion thereof extending in the dimension of elongation of the tube. One or more crotch slits are formed in the middle portion of the tube in an area thereof generally opposite the waist slit, the crotch slit(s) extending generally in the dimension of elongation of the tube and each crotch slit having a pair of end terminating points. The end terminating points of the crotch slit(s) are moved toward each other so that the orientation of the crotch slit is changed, the crotch slit assuming a translocated position, and then the tube is closed in the area of the crotch slit while the crotch slit is in the translocated position.

Abstract: An improved seamless crotch pantyhose garment includes an integrally knitted, continuous tubular blank having a pair of seamless tubular leg portions and a body portion which is knit integral with and interconnects the leg portions, thereby defining a seamless crotch area. The body portion is slit walewise to define a body receiving opening opposite to the seamless crotch. A decorative lace-like material which is substantially wider than the normal or even widest elastic support known and of substantially greater strength than the tubular blank is sewn onto the body portion of the blank about the slit to thereby define a panty portion of pantyhose which material provides the additional depth required to provide a satisfactory reach or rise from the crotch to the waistband necessary for a well fitted undergarment.

Abstract: Seamless one-piece panty hose, integrally knit on a circular knitting machine, has tubular leg and foot portions made by unidirectional rotary knitting, upwardly and outwardly tapering extensions fashioned by reciprocatory knitting at the upper ends of the leg portions and a tubular body portion made by unidirectional rotary knitting in the form of an endless band extending between and connecting the extensions and the upper ends of the leg portions at their inner sides. The lower portion of the tubular body portion forms the crotch area of the garment while its upper portion is slit walewise to form the waist opening. The tubular body portion together with the extensions essentially form the panty part of the garment. Preferably the crotch area is knit with a stitch length differential to constrict and minimize stretchability of the fabric in a walewise direction on this area to achieve better fit.