(Continued from page 7)

contracts, promises, agreements or guarantees.
       On August 13 The Progress reported the real estate of the Gearhart Knitting Machine Co. had been sold at a trustee's sale to the Patchin-Clark firm. The sale developed some spirited bidding from three or four bidders, The Progress noted, but the property (the factory building on West Fourth Avenue) was finally knocked down to Walter Welch, Esq., at his bid of $30,000. Mr. Welch represented Messrs Aaron P. Clark and Carl E. Patchin, The Progress added.
       How long the Clearfield Knitting Machine Co. operated is not known. Apparently not too long, for it was in 1928, about two years after the firm was chartered, that the factory building was taken over by the State Highway Department for its District 2 office.
        This is the last of the series of columns extracted from the Clearfield Progress Newspapers.

       The articles dealing with the Clearfield Knitting Machine Company have come together in this issue more as a coincidence than a planned strategy. The last of the Clearfield Progress columns ended with a very thorough description of the end of the Gearhart Knitting Machine Company and the short life of the Clearfield Knitting Machine Company. It would be easy to confuse the two companies. They operated from the same city and built the same machine. Both displayed Clearfield, USA, on their labels.
       Pat Lee's article arrived at just the right time. Her "strange looking knitting machine" turned out to be both a Clearfield and Gearhart. The publisher could not resist showing a last model of Gearhart and Clearfield machines side by side. Note the similarity in the two company labels. (page 9)

    by Pat Lees
     
I have loved knitting, weaving and most fiber arts since I was a little girl.  This of course led to collecting and using, yarn, needles, and fiber gadgets all my life.  Remember those knitting spools and potholder looms?  I saw my first flat bed knitting machine in 1978 and was just amazed at what I could do with that.  Of course, I had to get one to add to my collection.  Since then I have moved to the country, started a flock of sheep and llamas to supply the yarn.  I learned to spin along the way too.
       About 7 years ago while antique hunting, my husband spotted a strange looking knitting machine and called me right over to see it.  We truly did not know what it was but just that it was some sort of knitting machine because the needles were the same as those on the flat beds I had at home.  Compared to what they are going for on eBay now, we got a great deal.  Especially, after bringing it home, it turns out that the 'box of parts' alongside the machine was actually another entire sock knitter!  It just wasn't set up on a stand.  The set up machine was a Clearfield with a ribber.  The one in the box was a Gearhart.  There were even instruction books for both in the box.  What a great find! 
       The poor thing just sat in the living room for a couple of years, because I never had the time to sit down and figure it out.  While surfing the Internet one day I stumbled upon a picture of another sock knitter at a website that has a link to join a sock knitters chat group.  Well, I joined right away and got so much help from the wonderful people there that I finally took the time to try out the machine.  Turns out my Clearfield just needed a clean up and adjustment to work perfectly.  This was such an excitement because I had been making and selling wool socks locally using the flat bed machines.  But the Clearfield made these beautiful circular socks with a ribbed top and no seams to sew.   
       I really don't know how old it is but the manual that came with it is entitled "Knitting Manual of Instruction and Sales", "First Edition Compiled by Clearfield Knitting Machine Co. Clearfield, Pa.  U.S.A." dated 1927.  The manual has many patterns for different types of socks, baby garments, scarves, etc.  They even suggest prices to charge for the socks you make.  It's a great resource.  They repeatedly say to use only 'worsted wool yarns' for knitting.  Another thing that always gives me a chuckle is the warning 'Be sure you are right and then go on.'  This is so true.  Most of the troubles were caused by me not checking that everything was right.   
       I have made many hundreds of socks since then and am always still amazed that this antique knitter still works so well.  I bet she could go on another 100 years with a little TLC.