The Framework Knitters’ Museum is a vital place for the preservation of the oldest knitting machines in the world. We are also the only place that trains knitters in this 400 year old endangered craft.

 

We have a great team of Frame workers who do an amazing job, but continuing the craft has a cost. This is why we are asking you to sponsor a frame, either in your own name or in memory of a loved one, for only £1 a week. Each frame has its own life story to tell from the village where it was born, to the people who operated it day in and day out, and even now spending their retirement in our museum. The money raised from sponsoring a frame will go solely for the frames, which will help cover the cost of yarn, needles, oil and vitally the training of new knitters.

 

In return, you will receive updates on your frame including; what we have done with it, what we have made on it, who is currently operating that frame, a small thank you piece made on your chosen frame. We will also place a plaque on the machine itself thanking you or a loved one personally for your support in preserving this endangered craft.

 

Please take a look at the frames we’ve chosen for round one, each with their own story, and please sponsor a frame today.

(all payments handled by PayPal)

 

 

The Frames

Essie, our main museum demonstrator. Donated by Vernon H. Cooper Ltd, it was the first frame installed onto the site in 1971. It is now our primary demonstration frame where we show the art of framework knitting to the public and even let people have a go!
The striped Argyle frame. Donated by Hosiery and Allied Trades Research Association in 1971, this is a frame with the interesting addition which allows the machine to manage two colours at once!
A four in one shawl frame, this machine came to us from Russel Kempton who acquired it from Wollats of Hucknall in 1980. This frame produces more panels of knitting than the other frames we have, most of our machines have two or three whereas this has four, one of the few that do!
The Black Iron frame. One of three frames we own which was made in Ruddington. Built in the 1930’s for Buck and Son Ltd of Hucknall, it now spends its retirement in the village it was born in. Now mainly operated by Matthew, our lead Framework Knitter, having been passed through three generations of museum frame knitters.
The end of an era. This is one of the last frames made by the Cooke family of Ruddington, the local Frame Smiths. Similar to our black iron frame, it was made in Ruddington, spent its working life for Bucks of Hucknall and now has its retirement here at Ruddington where this machine facilitates the training of the next generation of Frame knitters. We’ve even had the last generation of Frame Smiths come to the museum and recognise their own handiwork on the parts!
Acquired in 2013*, this frame has done more miles than all of us who work at the museum, combined! Having belonged to the Hucknall Manufacturing Company this machine made yearly trips to Japan for the textile trade shows for one month out of the year. It was a spectacle thoroughly enjoyed by the Japanese locals.