GENERAL TERMS AND PRINCIPLES OF

KNITTING TECHNOLOGY
Dutimoyi Jahangir
Assistant Professor
Department of Textile Engineering
 Knitting Terms
Kink of yarn:
A length of yarn that has been bent into a shape appropriate for its transformation into a
weft knitted loop.
Knitted loop:
A kink of yarn that is intermeshed at its base i.e. when intermeshed two kink of yarn is
called loop.
 Knitting Terms
Knitted stitch:
Stitch is a kink of yarn that is intermeshed at its base and at its top. The knitted stitch is
the basic unit of intermeshing and usually consists of three or more intermeshed loops,
the center loop having been drawn through the head of the lower loop which had in turn
been intermeshed through its head by the loop which appears above it.
 Knitting Terms
Parts of Knitted Loop:
Top arc:
The upper curved portion of the knitted loop is called top arc.
Bottom half-arc:
The lower curved portion that constitutes in a weft knitted loop, half of the connection
to the adjacent loop in the same course.
Legs or side limbs:
The lateral parts of the knitted loop that connects the top arc to the bottom half-arcs.
 Knitting Terms
Loop:
Loop means a shape produced by a curve that bends round and crosses itself. In knitting it is
the basic unit of a knitted structure. It is produced by bending yarn with the help of some
knitting elements, namely needle and sinker.
Needle loop:
Needle loop formed by the top arc and the two legs of the weft knitted loop.
Needle loop = Top arc + Two legs
Sinker loop:
The yarn portion that connects two adjacent needle loops belonging in the same knitted course.
Bottom arc also called sinker loop.
 Knitting Terms
Open loop:
A knitted loop of which a thread enters and leaves at the opposite sides without
crossing over itself.
Closed loop:
A knitted loop of which a thread enters and leaves at the opposite sides with crossing
over itself. It is made by special needle.
 Knitting Terms
Face Loop:
If the new loop passes from the back to the front of the previous loop (towards the
viewer) made by the same needle during inter-looping, the loop is called face loop or
weft knitted loop.
Technical Face:
The side of the fabric which contains all face loops or weft knit loops is known as
technical face.
 Knitting Terms
Back Loop:
When the new loop passes to the back from the front of the previous loop during inter-
looping, the loop is called back loop or purl loop.
Technical back:
The side of the fabric which contains all back loops or purl loops is known as technical
back.
 Knitting Terms
Knitted loop structure:
The properties of a knitted structure are largely determined by the interdependence of
each stitch with its neighbors on either side and above and below it. Knitted loops are
arranged in rows and columns roughly equivalent to the weft and warp of woven
structures termed "courses" and "wales" respectively.
 Knitting Terms
Course :
The series of loops those are connected horizontally, continuously are called as course.
The horizontal row of loops that are made by adjacent needles in the same knitting
cycle.
Wales :
The series of loops that intermeshes vertically are known as Wales.
Vertical column of loops that are made from same needle in successive knitting cycle.
 Knitting Terms
A course length:
In weft knitted fabrics (except for structures such as jacquard, intarsia and warp
insertion), a course of loops is composed of a single length of yarn termed a course
length.
Weft knitted structures will unrove from the course knitted last unless it is secured, for
example, by binding-off.

A pattern row:
A pattern row is a horizontal row of needle loops produced by adjacent needles in one
needle bed.
 In plain weft knitted fabric this is identical to a course but in more complex fabrics
a pattern row may be composed of two or more course lengths.
 In warp knitting, every loop in a course is usually composed of a separate yarn.
 Knitting Terms
Stitch Density:
• Stitch density refers to the total number of loops in a measured area of fabric and
not to the length of yarn in a loop (stitch length).
• It is the total number of needle loops in a given area (such as a square inch, or three-
square centimeters).
• The figure is obtained by counting the number of courses or pattern rows in one
inch (or three centimeters) and the number of wales in one inch (or three
centimeters), then multiplying the number of courses by the number of wales.
• Stitch density gives a more accurate measurement than does a linear measurement
of only courses or only wales.
Stitch Density = CPI×WPI
 Knitting Terms
Loop or Stitch length:
The length of yarn knitted into one stitch in a weft knitted fabric. Stitch length is
theoretically a single length of yarn which includes one needle loop and half the length
of yarn (half a sinker loop) between that needle loop and the adjacent needle loops on
either side of it. Generally, the larger the stitch length the more elastic and lighter the
fabric, and the poorer its cover opacity and bursting strength.
Stitch Length, l = one needle loop + two half a sinker loop.

Technically upright:
A knitted fabric is technically upright when its courses run horizontally and its wales
run vertically, with the heads of the needle loops facing towards the top of the fabric
and the course knitted first situated at the bottom of the fabric.
 Knitting Terms
Design appearance requirements
The terms technical face, technical back, and upright are purely technically descriptive
terms. They do not necessarily indicate the orientation of the fabric from the designer’s
viewpoint.
For example:
• Socks and ladies hosiery are usually worn upside-down compared to their sequence
of production.
• The technical back of structures is often used for plush and pile effects.
• Curtains may be hung sideways compared to the wales.
• Diagonal stripes may be achieved for dress-wear by cutting the fabric at an angle.
 Knitting Machine
The machines those produced fabrics by intermeshing or interloping of one or one set of yarn.
Knitting machines are divided as follows-
 Weft knitting machine:
A machine producing a knitted fabric by intermeshing loops formed successively across the
width of the fabric from a yarn fed substantially crosswise to the length of fabric.
This machine is two types: 1. Circular knitting machine 2. Flat bed knitting machine
 Warp knitting machine:
A machine in which the fabric formation occurs by interlacement of loops formed
simultaneously across the full width of the fabric from a system of yarns which are fed to the
needles substantially in the direction of the length of fabric.
 Other loop forming and combined technique machines:
Machines that form the fabric by the technique of intermeshing of yarn loops, but which
cannot be defined either as weft or as warp knitting machines.
 Principle Elements of Knitting Machine

 Needle
 Sinker
 Cam
 Needle

Needle is hooked metal part which is used for the formation of loops.
It is the principle knitting element of knitting.
They are displaced vertically up and down and are mounted into the tricks
of the knitting cylinder.
 Needle bed or Carrier
Needle bed or needle carrier is the place where the needles are located or
mounted in a knitting machine. Needle moves up and down in the trick of
a needle carrier.
Two types of needle carrier:
1.Cylindrical or circular
2. Flat
 Needle Pitch
The distance between two neighboring needles is needle pitch.
Space required for each needle.

Feeder
 Feeders are the yarn guides placed close to the needles to the full
circumference of the knitting zone.
 The feeders feed the yarn into the needle hooks and control the needle
latches in their open position while the needle attain their clearing
position.
 Machine gauge or Needle gauge
The number of needles present in one inch of a needle bed is called
machine gauge. It is denoted by G.
Total no. of needles= ΠDG
Here, D= Diameter of the machine in inch
G= Needle gauge
E.g. A 4 inch dia. socks machine has 168 needles. What is the needle
gauge?
We know, Total no. of needles = ΠDG
Needle gauge = 168/ΠD = 14 needle/inch
 Types of Knitting Needle
In general, there are 3 types of needles. They are:
1. Latch needle
2. Spring Bearded needle
3. Compound needle

According to the butt position latch needles are 4 types:

1. One butt latch needle
2. Two butt latch needle
3. Three butt latch needle
4. Four butt latch needle
 Latch Needle
Different Parts of Latch Needle:
1.The hook: Grasping a new yarn in the process of
knitting i.e. the hook which draws and retain the new
loop.
2. The latch: Freely rotating around the axle and tightly
closing the hook owing to the spoon located at the end of
the latch.
The latch blade: This locates the latch in the needle.
The latch spoon: which is an extension of the blade and
bridges the gap between the hook and stem covering the
hook when closed as shown in broken lines.
 Latch Needle
3. The stem: This carries the loops in the clearing or rest
position.
4. The rivet: Which may be plain or threaded. This has
been dispensed with one most plate metal needles by
pinching in the slot walls to retain the latch blade.
5. The Butt: Which serving to displace the needle along
the needle bed slot.
6. The Tail: This is an extension bellow the butt giving
additional support to the needle and keeping the needle in
its trick.
 Latch Needle
Advantages:
• Major advantages of being self acting or loop controlled, so that
individual movement and control of the needle enable stitch selection to
be achieved.
• Ideally suited for use with computer controlled electronic selection
device.
• Latch needle can operate at any angle.
• Variation of the height of vertical can produce knit, miss and tuck loop
which helps to manufacture different design fabrics.
 Latch Needle
Limitation:
• Latch needle are thick and rigid, so any deflection in design effect on
fabric.
• Needle deflection is difficult.
• It imposes a certain strain on yarn.
• There is also possibility of fluff or lint accumulation on the latch due to
rubbing of the yarn on needle.
 Spring Bearded Needle
Different parts of Spring Bearded Needle:

• The head, where the stem is turned into a hook to draw the
new loop through the old loop.
• The beard, which is the curved downwards continuation of
the hook that is used to separate the trapped new loop inside
from the old loop as it slides off the needle beard.
• The stem, around which the needle loop is formed.
• The eye, or groove, cut in the stem to receive the pointed tip
of the beard when it is pressed, thus enclosing the new loop.
• The shank, which may be bent for individual location in the
machine or cast with others in a metal ‘lead’.
 Spring Bearded Needle

Advantages:
• Less expensive.
• Strain on yarn is less.
• No possibility of fluff or lint accumulation on needle.
• Good for warp knitting machine.
 Spring Bearded Needle

Limitation:
• Required an additional element to close the beard during knitting.
• High wear and break easily.
• Limiting productivity.
• A knitting section occupies a considerable amount of space.
• Individual loop formation must be achieved by a loop forming
element, this leads to a more complicated.
 Compound Needle
Different parts of Compound Needle:
►Compound Needle consists of two separately controlled
parts; these are- the open hook and the sliding closing
element (tongue, latch, piston, and plunger).
►The two parts rise and fall as a single unit but at the top
of the rise, the hook moves faster to open the hooks and at
the start of the fall the hook descends faster to close the
hook.
►It is easier to drive the hooks and tongues collectively
from two separate bars as in warp knitting; than to move
each hook and tongue individually as in weft knitting.
 Compound Needle
Advantages:
• It has short, smooth and simple action.
• It can stitch chain stitches.
• No yarn strain.
• Less movement.
• High speed and high productivity.
Uses:
• Warp knitting machine.
• Flat knitting machine.
• Single jersey knitting machine.
 Difference Between Latch and Bearded Needle
Latch needle Spring bearded needle

1. It contains a hook portion at the 1. This needle consists of a top

top & a latch reverted at certain hook curved downwards with a
distance from the needle head. finished tip.
2. The main element of knitting is 2. The downward continuation is
latch. called beard.
3. The latch needles are self-acting. 3. The spring bearded needles are
not self-acting type.
4. Do not need outside agency to 4. It requires pressure to close the
close the hook. needle.
 Difference Between Latch and Bearded Needle
Latch needle Spring bearded needle

5. Machine gauge is coarser than 5. Machine gauge is finer than latch

spring bearded needle. needle.
6. This one is not simple type 6. Simple type of needle.
needle.
7. It has reduced stroke. 7. It has more stroke than latch
needle.
8. Most widely used in weft 8. More widely used in warp
knitting. knitting.
 Sinker
 The sinker is the second primary knitting element (the needle being
the first).
 It is a thin metal plate with an individual or a collective action
operating approximately at right angles from the hook side of the
needle bed, between adjacent needles.
 Sinker
The functions of sinker are given below:
 Loop formation
 Holding-down
 Knocking-over

According to these functions the sinkers are also divided into three
groups-
 Loop forming sinker
 Holding-down sinker
 Knocking over sinker
 Cam
Cam is another primary knitting element. The cams are the mechanical
devices which convert the rotary machine drive into a suitable
reciprocating action for the needles or other elements.

There are two types of cams:

 Engineering cams
 Knitting cams
 Cam
Engineering Cam:
It is circular cam. This circular engineering cams indirectly control the
motion of bars of elements which move as a single unit in cottons patent
to and warp knitting machine. They are attached to a rotary drive shaft
situated parallel to and below the needle bar.
In warp knitting machines, four types of cam drive have been worked:
I. Single acting cams
II. Cam & counter cams
III. Box cams
IV. Contour cams
 Cam
Knitting Cam:
The angular knitting cam acts directly on the butts of needles or other
elements to produce individual or seriatim movement in the tricks of latch
needle in weft knitting machines as the butts pass through the stationary
cam system or the cams pass across the stationary tricks.
There are three groups of knitting cam:
I. Knit Cam
II. Tuck Cam
III. Miss Cam
Cam

Knit Cam Tuck Cam Miss Cam

 Cam
In Each yarn feed position, there is a set of cams consisting of-
 The Raising cam: It causes the needles to be lifted to either tuck,
clearing, loop transfer or needle transfer height depending upon
machine design.
 The Stitch cam: It controls the depth to which the needle descent thus
controlling the amount of yarn drawn into the loop; It also
simultaneously as a knock-over.
 The up through cam: Takes the needles back to the rest position allows
the newly formed loops to relax.
 The guard cam: It often placed on the opposite side of the cam race to
limit the movement from falling out of track.
Cam