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KNITTING
TECHNOLOGY
 INDEX
• Basics of Knitting
• Knitting : Some Concept
• Types of knitting:
Weft Knitting
Warp Knitting
• Variation in Stitches
• Comparison between Weft and Warp Knits
• Advantages of Knit Fabric
• Disadvantages of Knit Fabric
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BASIC OF KNITTING

•Knitted Fabrics are made from interlocking loops, formed from one or
more yarns.

•The origins of hand knitting cannot be dated, but it is believed to be

quite old.

•Hand knitting uses two needles or pins (which are available in a range
of diameters). One or more yarns may be used in a variety of stitches to
produce weft knitted fabrics.

•In machine knitting, loops of yarns are formed with the help of thin,
pointed needles. As new loops are formed, they are drawn through the
previous ones, thus producing a knitted fabric.
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BASIC OF KNITTING
•First knitting machine was developed in 1589, by Reverent
William Lee in Germany. It is a Mechanical knitting frames
(Flat bed) which uses spring beard needles.
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KNITTING : SOME
CONCEPT
•Stitches
Loop or stitch is the basic structural element of a knit
construction. Each loop has one head, two legs and two feet.

1. Head
2. Legs
3. Connecting part (feet)
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KNITTING : SOME
CONCEPT
•Wales
Vertical column of loops which runs parallel to the length of the knitted
fabric. It can be compared to the warp in a woven fabric.
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KNITTING : SOME
CONCEPT
•Courses
Horizontal row of loops which run perpendicular to the length of the
knitted structure. It can be linked to the weft in a woven structure.
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KNITTING : SOME
CONCEPT

Gauge or Cut

It is an indictor of the fineness and coarseness of a

knitted fabric which in turn is related to the number
of needles used on the machine. Units of gauge are
number of needles per inch on the machine (npi) or
number of needles per centimeter (npcm).
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TYPES OF KNITTING
Knitting is divided into two parts:
•Weft Knitting
•Warp Knitting

Weft Knitting Stitches:

There are four weft knit stitches: Plain, Purl, Rib, Interlock. Two
variation can also be made (Tuck and Float) using weft knitting.
PLAIN, SINGLE,
JERSEY
•Made with one needle bed and one set of needles
•Basic stitch, most commonly seen in knitted structures
•Technical face has flat, vertical Wales of loops whose legs
are prominent.
•Back has dominant horizontal rows formed by head and
feet of loop.
PLAIN, SINGLE,
JERSEY
PURL FABRIC
•Made with two needle beds and one set of needles
which are double hooked
•Fabric has the same appearance on face and back,
which resembles the technical back of a single jersey
• Fabrics produced are thick, bulky and do not curl
•Machine maintenance is expensive and production
is slow, thus escalating the cost of the final product
•Mainly used for infant and children's sweaters,
stoles.
PURL FABRIC
RIB FABRIC
•Made with two needle beds and two sets of needles which are
arranged in an alternating manner
•Fabric has same appearance on face and back with columns of
loops interspersed with ridges of loop heads
•Structure can be lx1(one column of Wales and one ridge), 2 x 2
or 3 x 3
•Fabrics have excellent crosswise stretch and do not curl
•Commonly used in sleeve bands, waist bands and necklines of
sweaters to give a snug fit
RIB FABRIC
INTERLOCK
FABRIC
•Made by two needle beds and two sets of needles, which are
placed directly opposite to each other. These work alternately

•Made by two rib fabrics (1 x 1) intermeshed with each other

to produce a double fabric which is reversible and resembles
the face side of a single jersey

•Fabric produced is firm and does not curl.

INTERLOCK
FABRIC
VARIATION IN
WEFT KNITTING
Tuck stitch
•A needle receives a new loop but does not shed the
old one. These accumulated loops are knitted together
to produce "blister effect.
• The fabric has a soft handle and lofty appearance,
though less extensible.
TUCK STITCH
VARIATION IN
WEFT KNITTING
Miss/Float Stitch
•It connects two loops of the same course that are not
in adjacent Wales.
•Miss stitch is formed by holding a needle in a non-
working position so that it misses a loop, the yarn
being carried as s float past it.
FLOAT/MISS
STITCH
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WARP KNITTING
•In warp knitting, one or more sets of warp yarns
are wound on warp beams. Each individual yarn is
drawn through a yarn guide to the hook of the
knitting needle which is mounted on a guide bar that
extends across the width (lapping) of the machine.

•The warp knitting machine resembles the weaving

loom in some ways, though it is much wider than
most looms. The stitches on the face of the fabric
appear vertically, though at a slight angle. The back
shows horizontal floats (also called laps or under
laps) which appear to be at a slight angle.
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WARP KNITTING
There are four salient warp knits:
• Tricot
•Raschel
•Milanese
•Simplex

More than 95% of warp knitting goods are made

by tricot or raschel knitting machines. The rest are
made using simplex and Milanese knits.
TRICOT KNIT
•Tricot in French means, to knit.
•Simplest tricot is made with one set of needles and two
guide bars. Some machines can have 3 or 4 guide bars.
•Spring beard or compound needles are used in these
machines.
•Machine widths can be 168 inches and the speed of
production is quite high.
•Filament yarns of nylon, polyester, acetate or
triacetate are generally used.
•Technical face has vertical Wales and finer
appearance than the back which has horizontal
courses
TRICOT KNIT
•Being run-proof and non-raveling, tricot knits have high
resiliency and elasticity
•Its chief uses include lingerie, women's dresses and
blouses, men's shirts, sport wear and sleepwear.
RASCHEL KNIT
•These machines have 1-2 needle beds with latch
needles in a vertical position and up to 30 guide bars.
•Spun yarns can be used in the Construction of
raschel knits.
•A large number of guide bars implies great design
possibilities.
•Uses of raschel knits span from women's dresses,
laundry bags, curtains, upholstery to nets and laces.
RASCHEL KNIT
MILANESE KNIT
•These can be recognized by the interloping pattern
which produces a diagonal path at the technical back.
•Such fabrics have greater regularity in structure,
higher elongation and tear strength than tricot they
are also highly run-resistant.
•Limited design possibilities have made Milanese
knits capture only a small share in total knit
production.
MILANESE KNIT
SIMPLEX KNIT
•This is a heavier, thicker version of the tricot
•These finds limited applications in handbags and
gloves.
VARIATIONS IN KNIT
FABRICS
1. Transfer stitch, spread stitch and cross stitch are some
variations produce a variety of patterns in weft knitting.
2. Use of colored yarns or fancy yarns to produce stripes, cables
and open mesh structures.
3. Knitted terry fabric is made by introducing an extra yarn
which forms loops extending above the plane of the fabric.
4. Fake fur or silver knit is obtained by feeding fiber slivers to
the needles. These get entrapped and stay in position by the
intermeshing loops. The technical back exhibits a pile or fleecy
effects.
Market Survey
COMPARISON BETWEEN 32

WEFT AND WARP KNITS

Weft Knitting Warp Knitting
1. One continuous yarn forms 1. Many yarns form Wales along
courses across the width. the length
2. The yarn is fed crosswise to 2. The loop forming yarn is fed
the length of the fabric. in the direction of the length of
3. Can be done by hand or the fabric.
machine 3. Only through machine
4. Can produce straight fabric (on 4. Only flat bed machines are
flat bed machines) or tubular used to produce straight fabric.
fabric (in circular machine) 5. Cannot be unraveled, usually
5. Can be unraveled: may ladder does not ladder
Market Survey
COMPARISON BETWEEN 33

WEFT AND WARP KNITS

. Weft Knitting Warp Knitting

6. Knitting needles can work 6. Knitting needles always work

sequentially (one at a time) or together as a unit.
simultaneously (all together) 7. Compound needles and
7. Latch needles are used. sometimes spring-bearded
8. Loops have an open structure needles are used.
9. Yarns specification is not very 8. Loops have a closed structure
stringent and hence weft knits 9. Yarn specification is more
are comparatively cheaper. stringent and hence cost is
more.
Market Survey
COMPARISON BETWEEN 34

WEFT AND WARP KNITS

Weft Knitting Warp Knitting
Presentation title 35

ADVANTAGES OF
KNIT FABRIC
•Flexible
•Absorbs Moisture
•Fitting
•Convenient Care
•Comfortable
Presentation title 36

DISADVANTAGES OF
KNIT FABRIC
•Pilling
•Hard to Sew
THANK
YOU Annu Yadav
SOAD- FASHION
[email protected]