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Instructed by Jade Carlin

Textiles: Secret Life of Fabrics

Week Four:Knits

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Knits

Socks from Egypt. Dating back to 1000 CE.

General Characteristics of Knits

Knits provide stretch

Knits don't need a seam or edge finish; will not fray

Single knit fabric curls to the right side when stretched

Interlock knit is thicker

Terminology

• Knits, or knitted fabrics, are made from only one set of yarns that runs in the same direction

• Wales are the ridges that run lengthwise in the fabric

• Courses run crosswise

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Construction

Knitting- yarns are fashioned by needles into a series of interlocking loops to make a fabric

© Boardworks Ltd 20058

There are two types of knitted fabrics. Both processes work by forming interlocking loops of yarn.

Weft knitting is when the loops run across the fabric. Weft knitting can be constructed by hand and will unravel if the yarn is broken. The most common example of weft knitting is jersey.

Warp knitting is when the loops run vertically. This is constructed using a machine and produces a sturdier fabric. This method hardly ever ladders and keeps its shape.

Knitted fabrics

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Weft Warp

Videos

❖ https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5-7ocwc9PAU

❖ https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=aHDY-QxANVk

❖ https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=NNxgo9Z4Lb4

Weft Knits

Warp Knits

Warp Knitting

• Warp knitting is defined as a stitch forming process in which the yarns are supplied to the knitting zone parallel to the selvedge of the fabric, i.e. in the direction of the wales.

• In warp knitting, every knitting needle is supplied with at least one separate yarn.

Warp Knit Structure

• A warp knitted structure is made up of two parts. The first is the stitch itself, which is formed by wrapping the yarn around the needle and drawing it through the previously knitted loop.

• This wrapping of the yarn is called an overlap.

• The second part of stitch formation is the length of yarn linking together the stitches and this is termed the underlap, which is formed by the lateral movement of the yarns across the needles.

• The length of the underlap is defined in terms of needle spaces.

• The longer the underlap, the more it lies at right angles to the fabric length axis.

• The longer the underlap for a given warp the greater the increase in lateral fabric stability,

• conversely a shorter underlap reduces the width-wise stability and strength and increases the lengthways stability of the fabric.

• The length of the underlap also influences the fabric weight.

• When knitting with a longer underlap, more yarn has to be supplied to the knitting needles.

• The underlap crosses and covers more wales on its way, with the result that the fabric becomes heavier, thicker and denser.

• Since the underlap is connected to the root of the stitch, it causes a lateral displacement in the root of the stitch due to the warp tension.

• The reciprocating movements of the yarn, therefore, cause the stitch of each knitted course to incline in the same direction, alternately to the left and to the right.

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Graphical Representation of

Warp Knitting Structures

Tricot

Choosing the Right Knit Firm, stable knits. These stretch very little and are handled similarly to woven fabrics. These include double knits and Raschel knits, a novelty knit recognized by lacy, stable construction.

Lightweight single knits. They have lengthwise ribs on the right side, horizontal rows on the reverse side and moderate stretch. Examples are jerseys and tricot knits.

Interlock knits. These are lightweight, drapable and have a fair amount of crosswise stretch. They do not curl at the edges, but can run on the crosswise edge. Interlock knits are heavier, thicker, and easier to sew than jersey knits.

Textured knits. These may be single or double knits. Examples include knitted terry and velour, sweater knits, and sweatshirt fleece. These knits have moderate to good stretch except sweatshirt fleece which has little or no stretch.

Two-way stretch knits. They stretch in both length and width and have a high percentage of resilient spandex fibers. These knits are usually selected for active sportswear.

Ribbing. This is a stretchy knit used for stretch trims at wrists, ankles, neck and waist. It is available in tubular ribbing and in rib trim.