Method for joining knitted fabrics and joined knitted fabrics

A knitted fabric knitted by using a flat knitting machine comprising at least a pair of first and second needle beds, which are extended laterally and confront each other in front and back;

• each of which has a large number of needles;
• and at least either of which can be racked laterally to transfer loops between the front and back needle beds,
• wherein a first knitted fabric, a second knitted fabric and a third knitted fabric are knitted, with the first knitted fabric sandwiched between the second and third knitted fabrics, and the first knitted fabric is joined to the second and third knitted fabrics in a joining process in which the knitting wherein loops in final courses of the second and third knitted fabrics are sequentially overlapped with loops at ends of the first knitted fabric from a side thereof closer to the first knitted fabric, processing from one end thereof toward the other end thereof, and next course loops are formed in the first knitted fabric is repeatedly performed, in the process of which with the second knitted fabric and the third knitted fabric separately retained on front and back needle beds, the first knitted fabric and the third knitted fabric are shifted toward the second knitted fabric by racking;
• the first knitted fabric is changed over between the front and back needle beds and a loop of the first knitted fabric at an end thereof on the second knitted fabric side and a loop of the second knitted fabric at a side end thereof are overlapped with each other and a loop of the third knitted fabric at a side end thereof and a loop of the first knitted fabric at an end thereof on the third knitted fabric side are overlapped with each other;
• and then a yarn is fed to the first knitted fabric to form next course loops therein, this knitting process being repeatedly performed to join together the first, second and third knitted fabrics.