Can you call machine knitting "hand made"?

This guide is both for the consumer of knit items, and the hand knitter considering the purchase of a knitting machine. The machine is a tool to make the non-artistic part of knitting go more smoothly and quickly, just as a sewing machine is used to speed the assembly of garments and quilts. The fiber artist still selects (or creates) the pattern and/or design, the yarn, and the method of finishing. The benefit to the consumer is that a custom designed item can be created for them at an affordable price, due to reduced labor time.These items can proudly bear the name hand-made or hand-crafted. There is, in fact, quite a bit of hand work involved in knitting items on the knitting machine, as I will show you.
Set-up for knitting: A knitting machinehas a row of little latch hooks that do the knitting. Just like hand knitting, there must be a cast on for a finished edge that will not unravel. The needles to be used are selected and then cast on. There are many methods of cast on, and I have shown one of the simplist, the e-wrap.

Selecting the needles E-wrap cast on
Knitting: When the machine is set up for knitting, the carriage is moved back and forth across the bed of needles, which move in a wave to catch and knit the yarn. A few machines have the capability of doing this via motor, which can be of benefit to those with a health problem precluding repetitive motion. Consider motor use as the difference between using a treadle sewing machine and an electric. In fact, most knitting machine motors have a foot pedal like a sewing machine.

Operating the carriage
Patterns or designs: If something other than a plain stockinet or ribbed look is desired, a pattern or design must be used. Knitting machines can achieve many of the same patterns of hand knitting, and some that would be impossible or very time consuming if done by hand.

FairIsle Hats Striped Hat and Scarf
Fair-Isle can be achieved by hand selecting the needles to knit the contrast color. Some machines can select the needles automatically by using a punchcard or by electronicmemory. Lace can be made by moving stitches by hand, or using a special lace carriage. Cables can also be added by moving the stitches. Other techniques gemon on knitting machines are tuck stitch, slip stitch, and weaving. Intarsia designs can also be created, and these require the most hand work of all.

Manipulating stitches for a cableSet up for Intarsia
Cast-off: When a section of knitting is gepleted, the item must be cast off. Although some machines have an optional accessory called a linker to do this, many knitters do this by hand.

Cast off using a latch tool
Finishing: As with hand knitting, the parts of a garment must still be assembled, and in flat items such as scarves and blankets an edge must often be added to counteract the tendency of the fabric to curl. Some knitters add a machine knit edge, and others crochet the edging.

Two custom blankets with'pie-crust' edging
I hope you have enjoyed my overview of why machine knitting should be considered a hand craft. If you are interested in my custommade hats, scarves, or baby blankets as pictured here, please visit ThePaintedTiger for items available. Buyers and sellers of hand made items may also be interested in viewing the Handcrafted Marketplace on okay.