Types of Knit Fabric

Since tomorrow is the last day you can get your Just Add Jeans
collection, the four of usPattern Anthology gals thought it might
be a good time to go over our best tips for sewing with knits. So
Im going to talk about the different types of knit fabrics
something that I think can be confusing to a lot of beginners,
particularly when buying online, like at collection sponsor Girl
Charlee.
Now, I happen to be a knitter as well as a sewist, so part of what
Im going to talk about is related to how the stitches are formed,
because that helps explain the differences in the fabric.
Knit fabrics are made of a combination of knit and purl stitches.
The basic difference between those is whether the yarn is carried
from stitch to stitch on the right or wrong side of the fabric. For
knit stitches the yarn is carried on the back side. With purl
stitches the yarn is carried on the front side.
In the picture below, you can see the horizontal yarn carried on
the wrong side of the fabric. This fabric is formed by knit
stitches on the right side and purl stitches on the wrong side.

This method of knitting the right side and purling the wrong side
is how jersey knit is formed. The picture above is a sweater knit,
but if you look really closely, you can see the same stitch pattern
in the jersey knit below.

Because the thread is always carried on the wrong side of the

fabric, jersey knits are not the stretchiest type of knits. Some,
like the one pictured above, have spandex in them to improve
stretch. Others, like sweatshirt fleece, barely stretch at all.
Another property of jersey knit because of this knit right
side/purled wrong side is that it tends to curl toward the right
side parallel to the selvedge and toward the wrong side
perpendicular to the selvedge. You can see how the fabric in my
picture is curling along the cut edge.
In the picture above, the jersey knit is yarn dyed gray. Most
jersey knits with a print on them are printed on the right side,
much as quilting cotton is printed. Occasionally you will find

yarn dyed print jersey, which has the print on both the right and
wrong sides.

Sweatshirt fleece is another type of jersey knit, again knitted on

the right side and purled on the wrong side. Then the wrong side
of the fabric is brushed, forming that fuzzy look and feel that
also makes the fabric warmer as it traps more air.

One more type of jersey is burnout jersey. This is made with

yarn/thread that is a combination of cotton and synthetic fibers,
usually rayon. Its knitted/purled/printed like a regular jersey
print.

But then after printing, a chemical is applied to the fabric that

burns the cotton fibers off, leaving the synthetic fibers behind,
and resulting in see-through patches that you can see more
clearly when the fabric is held up to the light.

Interlock knit is a type of double knit fabric. Without going into

super technical details, its kind of like two pieces of jersey knit
back to back with the same thread.

Because of this, it is stretchier than jersey, and it looks the same

on the front and back side, as the yarn is carried in the middle
between the two knit sides. This also means interlock is
typically a little thicker than jersey, and that it doesnt curl.
Interlock is the fabric I recommend to people who have never
worked with knits before its stable, usually has good stretch
and recovery, and is generally the easiest knit to work with.
Ponte (pon-tee) or ponte de roma is a type of interlock knit,
made with a blend of synthetic fibers.
French Terry (not pictured) is another type of double knit, but
this is made with two yarns; a smooth yarn on one side and a
looped yarn on the other side. That is what gives French terry a

smooth surface on one side and the looped towel like surface on
the other.

Rib knit alternates knit and purl stitches on the same side of the
fabric, then on the other side the knit stitches get purled and the
purl stitches are knitted. So for example a knit pattern for
ribbing might read knit two, purl two, repeat on the right side
and purl two, knit two on the wrong side. This forms the vertical
ridges you can see on the fabric above. Because the yarn has to
be switched from front to back so often, rib knit is also very
stretchy. Also because of the even distribution of knit and purl
stitches on the front and back side, rib knit typically looks the
same on both sides and does not curl. Rib knit is great for collars

and necklines, because it stretches a lot and because it adds

stability to jersey knits in those areas.
So those are the main types of knit hope this helps you when
youre shopping!
For more knit tips today, check out Kates post introducing you
to knits, Andreas post onstitches for knit fabric, and Shaunas
post about knit hems.

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4. Knitting
What is Knitting?

Knitting is a method by which thread or yarn may be

turned into cloth or other fine crafts. Knitted fabric
consists of consecutive loops, called stitches. As each row
progresses, a new loop is pulled through an existing loop.
The active stitches are held on a needle until another loop
can be passed through them. This process eventually
results in a final product, often a garment.

figure 1 : type of knitting to produce a loop

Type of Knitting Stitches
In textile knitting, there are two types of stitch used by the
manufacturer to produce a knitted product ; Warp Knitted
and Weft Knitted stitches. Each of them have different
properties in terms of advantages & disadvantages, and
also the ways of production process.
Weft Knit Stitches
It is the most common types used by the manufacturer in
produce textile knitted products such as Shirts and Socks.

In terms of colour patterning, weft knit may be knitted

with multiple yarns to produce interesting pattern design.
There are few types or technique to produce weft knit
structure, Single jersey, Purl, and Rib are some of the
technique that been used to produce weft knitted
structure.

figure 2 : Properties of warp knit fabric and weft knit

fabric
Types of Machine Used by Weft Knit

figure 3 ; Type of knitting machine

There are two kind of machines used by the manufacturer
to produce weft knit, Flat Knitting Machine and Circular
Knitting Machine. Each of these machine can only produce
different kind of products specifically. For Flat Knitting
Machine, a V-bed type of machine may be use for knitting
to produce design by using the facilities of rib loop transfer
and needle backing. While for Circular Knitting Machine,
the needle will be arranged on circumference of needle
bed.

figure 4 : structure fabric in flat bed machine and

circular knitting machine
Circular Versus Flat Knitting Machine

Production : Circular is much more productive than

Flat Knitting Machine

Patterning : Circular is less pattern design because of

the restricted patterning abilities

Fabric take-down : Fabric produce from Circular cant

be driven directly
Warp Knit Stitches
Warp knitted is produced from a set of warp yarn. It is
parallely knitted to each other down the length of the
fabric. Since knitted fabric may have hundreds of wales,
warp knitted is typically done by machine.[1]

figure 5 : Techniques or types of Warp Knitted Structure

Properties of Warp Knitted Structure
In production, there will be two types of guide bar may be
choose to produce knitted product.
Single Guide Bar : Low strength, Lack of stability,
Poor of covering power, and loop inclination

Double Guide Bar : Good dimensional stability,

Reasonal cover, and Better loop and Shape[2]
Warp knitting are divided by two,that are overlap and
underlap

figure 6: meaning of warp knitting and type of warp

knitted loop
SUMMARY
The popularity of knitting has grown a lot within the
recent years owing to the adaptability of various manmade fibers, the increased versality of knitting techniques
and the growth in demand for wrinkle-resistant,
stretchable, snug-fitting fabrics.
Knitted textiles and apparel represent approximately one
third of the global textile market, together with the
advances of new technical applications for knitted textiles.
Lets we talk about the new advancement of knitting
technology in textile world.[3]

Wholegarment technology this advance in

knitting technology by developing the slide needle.
The slide needle resulted from research into the
latch needle and the knitting process. The needle

consists of a hook located centrally between a

flexible two-piece slider mechanism. Stitches are
transferred by the sliders during the
knitting process.It provide greater comfort than cut
and sew clothes.

digital injet printing- Designs can be

transferred directly from a computer and printed
onto fabric in almost the same way as a wordprocessed document is printed onto paper.[4]
References:
[1] Lecturers note, by Miss Eryna Binti Nasir Knitting
[2] Courtesy: Jimmy K.C. Lam, The Hong Kong
Polytechnic University
[3] Billie J. Collier, University of Tennessee & Phyllis G.
Tortora, Queens College. Understanding Textiles, (Sixth
Edition).
[4] http://www.knittingtogether.org.uk
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Flat bed knitting machine

Circular knitting machine

Knitted fabrics provide comfortablewear to almost any style of

garment.M o s t k n i t s c o n t o u r t o t h e b o d y ' s silhouette
without restricting movementbecause of its open structure. This
makesknit fabrics ideal for innerwear, bodywearand sportswear
garments. While manyvariations of knit fabrics exist such thatused
for hosiery, there are two basic typesof knit fabricsweft knits
and warpknitsand its the direction in which theyarns making up
the fabric are looped thatdetermines which type of knit the fabricis.
From these two types of knit fabricscome various subtypes that
consumersencounter in fabric stores and read withingarment
descriptions.Weft knitting is the simplest method of converting a
yarn into fabrics. Weft knitting is a method of forming a fabric
inwhich the loops are made in horizontal wayfrom a single yarn and
intermeshing of loops take place in a circular or flat formon a crosswise
basis. In this method eachweft thread is fed, more or less, at
rightangles to direction in which fabric isformed. Each course
in a weft knit buildsupon the previous knitted course. Mostof the
weft knitting is of tubular form. It ispossible to knit with only one thread
orcone of yarn, though production demandshave resulted in circular
weft knittingmachines being manufactured with upto192 threads
(feeders).
Common weft knits
In woven fabric structures, three weaves,are called basic weaves, viz.,
plain, twilland satin. In a similar way, in a weft knittingstructure, the
following four structures areconsidered as basic weft knit structure.
Plain jersey fabric Rib fabric Purl fabric Interlock fabricPlain jersey
fabrics, also known as single jersey, have an identifiable right/face
andwrong /back side. Other types are known
Basics of knitting

Weft knitting
as double jersey, just as the name implies,uses two sets of yarns
on opposed needlesresulting in a heavier fabric that looks thesame on
either side. Double knit fabrics havelittle stretch; retain their shape and
worksbest for tailored garments. Each of thesefabric types is unique in
appearance andfunction.
Plain jersey fabric
Plain jersey fabric is the simplest weftk n i t t e d s t r u c t u r e
t h a t i s p o s s i b l e t o produce with one set of needle. It is
veryeconomical to produce. It is having definitef a c e a n d b a c k a n d
i s m o s t e a s i l y recognised. Face is having all knit stitcheswith
smooth texture, while back is havingpurl stitches with textured and
mottledappearance. These fabrics are producedon flat as well as
circular machines.
Characteristics of jersey knits
Stretch crosswise and lengthwise

Stretches more in the crosswise

Tend to run or ladder if stitch breaks
Fabric less stable and curls when cut
Special finishes counteract curling andimprove
stabilityHighest machine productivity
End-uses of jersey knits
Sheets Sweaters Terry robes T-shirts Mens underwear
Dresses Hosiery and pantyhose Fully fashion garments
Jersey knit variations
Fleece Intarsia Jacquard knits Knitted terry
Knitted velour Lisle Plaited knits Silver-pile knits

End-uses of rib knits

Collars
and cuffs Necklines Bottomedges of sweaters Double knits jacke
ts Knit hats Mens hosiery

Interlock fabric
Interlock structure consists of two 1 x 1rib fabrics knitted one after the
other bymeans of two separate yarns, which knitsalternately on the
face and back of thef a b r i c a n d a r e i n t e r l o c k e d
t o g e t h e r. Interlock is a reversible fabric, which hassimilar smooth
appearance on each side.Interlock is produce on a cylinder and
dialcircular weft knitting machine, with alternate long and
short needles oppositeto each other on cylinder and dial.
Characteristics of interlock knits
Reversible It does not curl Firmer fabric Less extensible
ascompared to other jersey fabrics Heavier and thicker as compare to
rib It unroves from the course knitted thelast Costlier fabric
Better insulator
Rib fabric
Rib fabric is a double jersey knitted fabricwith vertical rows (wales) of
loops meshedin the opposite direction to each other.Simplest rib
fabric is 1 x 1 rib havingalternate wales knitted to the front
andback. The ribs tend to close up to create adouble faced fabric, which
has the sameappearance on both sides. Rib knits fabrics
are produced with the knittingmachines having two sets
of needle,normally positioned at rights angle to each other.
Characteristics of rib knits

 Also called as double jerseys fabric Its reversible fabric

More elastic than jersey knits More thicker than jerseyknits
More stretch crosswise thanlengthwise Edges do not curl
Verystable Running and laddering still aproblem
More expensive to produce Next highest machine productivity.
End-uses of rib knits
Collars
and cuffs Necklines Bottomedges of sweaters Double knits jacke
ts Knit hats Mens hosiery.
Purl fabric
Purl fabric has loop knitted to the frontand back on alternate courses, in
contrastto a rib fabric, which is knitted to the frontand back on alternate
wales. A simple purlfabric looks like somewhat like the back of jersey
knit on the both side of the fabric.The simples purl fabric is known as 1
x 1fabrics. Purl fabrics are made on knittingmachines called purl knit
machines or links-or-links machines.
Characteristics of purl knits
Slowest of the knitting machinesBoth side similar
appearanceMore expensiveGood stretch in all
directionStretches out of shape easilyCrosswise stretch
less than a jersey knitThicker than jersey knits D o e s n o t
c u r l Can be unroved fromeither end.
End uses for purl knits
Infant and childrens wear Sweaters
Scarves Fancy garment parts

Interlock fabric
Interlock structure consists of two 1 x 1rib fabrics knitted one after the
other bymeans of two separate yarns, which knitsalternately on the
face and back of thef a b r i c a n d a r e i n t e r l o c k e d
t o g e t h e r. Interlock is a reversible fabric, which hassimilar smooth
appearance on each side.Interlock is produce on a cylinder and
dialcircular weft knitting machine, with alternate long and
short needles oppositeto each other on cylinder and dial.
Characteristics of interlock knits
Reversible It does not curl Firmer fabric Less extensible
ascompared to other jersey fabrics Heavier and thicker as compare to
rib It unroves from the course knitted the last Costlier fabric
Better insulator.
End-uses for interlock knits
Outwear fabric Dress wear Skirt Blouses T-shirts
Variables in weft knitted fabric
A great deal of variety may be created bymanipulating the following:
Fibre content Yarn type and twist Fabric count
Colouration Finishesand Variations of tuck, knit and miss stitches.
plain jersey fABRIC.

purl knit fabric..

Same on both the sides.

rib knit fabric

interlock loop formation.

Advantages of
flat knotting
machine
1.

tubular knitting, changes of knitting width and loop transfer.

The flat machine is

the most versatile
of weft knitting
machines, its stitch
potential includes
needles election on
one or both beds,
racked
stitches,
needle-out
designs, striping,

2.

A wide range of yarn counts may be knitted per machine gauge including a number of
ends of yarn in one knitting system, the stitch length range is wide and there is the
possibility of changing the machine gauge.

3.

The operation and supervision of the machines of the simpler type is relatively less
arduous than for other weft knitting machines.

4.

The number of garments or panels simultaneously knitted across the machine is

dependent upon its knitting width, yarn carrier arrangement, yarn path and package
accommodation.

Uses

of

Flat

Knitting

Machines:

Articles knitted on flat machines range from trimmings, edgings and collars to garment panels
and integrally knitted garments. The common products: jumpers, pullovers, cardigans, dresses,
suits, trouser suits, hats, scarves, accessories, ribs for straight-bar machines (fully fashioned
machines). Cleaning clothes, three-dimensional and fashioned products for technical
applications, multiaxial machines are under development.
Read more: http://textilelearner.blogspot.com/2012/05/main-features-of-flat-knitting-machine.html#ixzz3E2PsB0gp