Knitted member for an article of footwear

A method of manufacturing an article of footwear, the method comprising:

• providing an upper;
• warp knitting a knit element formed of unitary knit construction, the knit element having a warp direction and a weft direction, the knit element comprising a plurality of strap members that are configured to be substantially non-extensible along the warp direction for providing support to the upper;
• wherein warp knitting the knit element includes warp knitting the plurality of strap members to include at least a first strap member and a second strap member, wherein each of the first strap member and the second strap member includes a top edge, a bottom edge, a leading edge and an opposite trailing edge;
• wherein warp knitting the knit element further includes warp knitting the first strap member and the second strap member to be:
• (i) separated by a slit, and (ii) at least partially joined through knitting at a first end junction and at a second end junction, wherein the slit extends continuously from the first end junction to the second end junction;
• expanding the knit element to move the first strap member and the second strap member generally away from each other to form an expanded configuration;
• disposing the first end junction at a throat opening of the upper;
• disposing the second end junction at a lower edge of the upper;
• and
• securing the knit element to a portion of the upper in the expanded configuration such that the slit extends along a width of the upper between the throat opening and the lower edge.