KNITTING

by

M.Amsaveni, Assistant Professor,

Dept. Costume Design and Fashion,
Kongunadu Arts and Science College, Coimbatore.
 Finger knitting

Peg knitting
 Warp knitting machine

Hand knitting needles Rib knitting machine

Circular knitting machine

Weft knitting:

In this type of knitting, the direction of loop formation is at right

angles to the direction of fabric formation. Normally the fabric is formed
vertically and the loops are formed horizontally. It is the most common
fabric formation technique for knitted fabric. It is usually knitted with one
piece of yarn, and can be made either by hand or using a knitting
machine. Weft knitting is the most common form of knitting as it is simpler
than warp knitting, the other form of knitting. There are four basic weft
knitted fabric structures: interlock, purl, plain, and rib. The action of the
needle during loop formation produces all these distinct weft knitted
structures. On the basis of the type of weft knitting machine, the weft
knitted fabric can be classified as single jersey or double jersey.
Warp knitting:

The second knitting method is termed warp knitting,

though its share in the production of knitted fabric is low
compared to weft knitting but it is used in technical areas.
In warp knitting, the yarn runs zigzag along the length of
the fabric. It requires the preparation of a warp sheet for
further use on machine. The most common warp knitted
designs or structures are raschel and tricot.
 COMPARISON OF WARP AND WEFT KNITTING
S/No Weft Knitting Warp Knitting

1 Plain, rib, interlock, purl Tricot, raschel, milanese, crochet etc.

2 Loops are produced along the width of fabric Loops are produced along the length of fabric

3 Less production speed More production speed

4 Not necessarily each needle has its own thread Each needle has its own thread

5 Yarn is supplied from a cone held on creel Yarn is supplied from a beam

6 Knitting process can be done from a single yarn Large number of yarns are required for knitting a fabric

7 Staple yarn is preferable but filament is also used Filament yarns are preferable but staple yarns are also
used
8 Less preparatory processes are required More preparatory processes are required

9 Latch needle are used in all machines Bearded needle is mostly used but latch needle can also
use in some cases
10 Less variety of structure can be made Wide variety of structure can be made

11 Fabric has less aesthetic value Fabric has more aesthetic value
12 Fabric has good stretch ability in both directions, higher in Fabric has low stretch ability in both directions, higher
width direction in width direction
13 Dimension stability of fabrics is lower Dimension stability of fabrics is higher

14 Machines may be flat or circular Warp knitting machines are generally flat

15 Width wise more elastic Length wise more elastic

16 More shrinkage Less shrinkage
17 Easy snagging Less snagging
18 It may ravel from edges Does not ravel from edges
Course & Wales
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
GENERAL TERMS IN KNITTING
Parts of a loop
Each knit stitch (knit loop) is a basic unit for the knitted goods
H: Head or Crown or top arc
L: Side limbs or Legs
S: Bottom arc or Sinker loop
→Needle loop=H+2L
→A complete loop=Needle loop+Sinker loop
Needle loop:
Needle loop is the upper part of the loop produced by
the needle drawing the yarn.
Sinker loop:
The lower part of the knitted loop is technically referred
as sinker loop. It is the connection of two legs belonging
to neighboring stitches lying laterally.
Open loop:
The open loop is one in which the loop forming yarns do
not cross at the bottom of the loop.
Closed loop:
In closed loop the legs cross at the bottom, so that the
loop closing takes place.
Face loop and technical face

Face loop:
During loop formation, when the new loop emerges through the old loop from
back to the face side then it is termed as 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.
Back loop and Technical Back
Back loop:
During loop formation, when the new loop passes from the face side
to the back of the previous loop then it is termed as 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.
Knitted stitch
The knitted stitch is the basic unit of
intermeshing. It usually consists of three or
more intermeshed needle loops. The centre
loop has been drawn through the head of
the lower previously-formed loop and is, in
turn, intermeshed through its head by the
loop above it.
Notations
Knitting notation is a simple, easily-understood, symbolic
representation of a knitting repeat sequence.
Its resultant fabric structure that eliminates the need for
time-consuming and possibly confusing sketches and
written descriptions.
Notations are used to express the knitted fabric structure
and design.

Notations are of four types:

1.Verbal notation.
2.Line diagram/ Looping diagram
3.Diagrammatic notation/ Chain notation
4.Symbolic notation
Stitch length
The length of yarn required to produce a complete
knitted loop (i.e Needle loop and sinker loop) is
known as stitch length or loop length.

A course length
The length of yarn required to produce a complete
knitted course is known as course length.
Course length= No. of loops per course X
Stitch length
Course length= No. of needles X Stitch
length
Stitch density
Stitch density refers to the total number of loops in
a measured area of fabric.
It is the total number of needle loops in a given area
(such as a square inch
Stitch density= Wales density x Courses density
=Wales per inch X Courses per
inch
= WPI X CPI
Unit: number of loops per square inch
Or, SD= CPC x WPC (cm scale)
Single jersey & Double jersey
Single jersey or plain fabric: The weft knitted fabric
(Tubular/flat) which is produced by one set of needles.

Double jersey: The weft knitted fabric (Tubular/flat) which is

produced by two sets of needles.
Needle bed or needle 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:
Cylindrical or circular
Flat
Cylinder and Dial
Cylinder:
Cylinder is a circular steel bed having grooves / tricks /cuts on it’s outer periphery into
which the needles are mounted.
With reference to the tricks, the needles move vertically up and down by their butt being in
contact with the cam track.
The diameter of the cylinder also varied based on the type and width of the fabric.
Maximum diameter of the cylinder: 46 inches.
Dial:
Dial is the upper steel bed used in double knit circular machines.
Into the grooves of the dial, the needles are mounted horizontally and are allowed to move
radically in and out by their dial cams.
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 or E.
Needle pitch:
The distance between two neighboring needles
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.
Cut edge fabric
Cut edge fabric usually produced by slitting open a tube of fabric
produced on a circular machine. A slit tube of fabric from a 30”
diameter machine will have an open width of 94”(πd) at knitting &
before relaxation.
Tubular Fabric
This may be produced in double faced or single
faced structures on circular machine, or in a single
faced from on a straight machines with two sets of
needles provided each needle set only knits at alternate
cycles and that the yarn only passed across from one
needle bed to other
 Important Parts of Circular Knitting Machine:

Creel: Creel is a part of a knitting machine. Hear

yarn package are store and ready to feed in the
machine.

VDQ Pulley: It is a very important part of the

machine. It controls the quality of the product.
Altering the position of the tension pulley
changes the G.S.M. of the fabric. If pulley
moves towards the positive directive then the
G.S.M. is decrease. And in the reverse direction
G.S.M will increase.
Pulley Belt: It controls the rotation of the MPF Brush: Its clean the pulley belt.
wheel.

Tension Disk: It confronts the tension of Inlet and Outlet Stop Motion: It is an
the supply yarn. important part of the machine. It stops the
machine instantly when a yarn is break.
Yarn Guide: Its help the yarn to feed MPF Wheel: Its control the speed of the MPF.
in the feeder. Pulley belt gives motion to the wheel.

MPF: It is Mamenger positive feed. It is also an Feeder Ring: It is a ring. Where all feeders
important part of the machine. It’s give are pleased together.
positive feed to the machine.
 Pattern Wheel: Pattern Wheel use in Pai Lung and
Disk Drum: Use in jacquard machine to
Auto Stripe machine because of that help to
produce various types of design.
produce various types of design and stripe.

Feeder: Feeder is help yarn to feed in to

the machine. Needle Track: Where all Needles is placed
together in a decent design.
Needle: It is a principal element of the knitting
machine. Its help the yarn to create a loop. Sinker: It is most important element of
And by this way fabric are produce. Prior to the machine. Its help to loop forming,
yarn feeding the needle is raised to clear the knocking over and holding down the
old loop from the hook, and received the new loop.
loop above it on needle stem. The new loop is
then enclosed in the needle hook as the
needle starts to descend.
Sinker Ring: Sinker ring is a ring. Where all Cam Box: Where the cam are set horizontally.
sinkers are pleased together.

Cam: Cam is device s which converts the

rotary machine drive in to a suitable Cylinder: Needle track are situated hear.
reciprocating action for the needles and
other elements.
 Uniwave Lubrication: The Uniwave lubricator
Cylinder Balancer: It helps the cylinder
provides uniform lubrication to needles, cam
to set in a proper alignment.
tracks, lifters and other knitting machine
components. The patented nozzle construction
separates the air-oil mixture into air and
droplets of oil.
Adjustable Fan: This part removes lint,
hairy fibre from yarn and others. To clean
Expander: To control the width of the knitted
the dust by air flow.
fabric. No distortion of the knitting courses.
Even take down tension in the knitting
machine. As a result, an even fabric structure is
achieved over the entire fabric width. The
deformation of the knitted fabric goods can be
reduced.

Needle Detector: This part detect the

any type of faults of needles.
Air Gun Nozzle: To feed the yarn; sometimes
it is used for cleaning purpose.