KNITTING

by

M.Amsaveni, Assistant Professor, Dept. Costume Design and Fashion,

Kongunadu Arts and Science College, Coimbatore.

Finger knitting

Peg knitting

Hand knitting needles

Warp knitting machine

Circular knitting machine

Rib 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

width direction

Fabric has low stretch ability in both directions, higher

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 BackBack 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 stitchThe knitted stitch is the basic unit ofintermeshing. It usually consists of three ormore intermeshed needle loops. The centreloop has been drawn through the head ofthe lower previously-formed loop and is, inturn, intermeshed through its head by theloop above it.

NotationsKnitting 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 diagram3.Diagrammatic notation/ Chain notation4.Symbolic notation

Stitch lengthThe 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 lengthThe 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 densityStitch 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 inchStitch density= Wales density x Courses density

=Wales per inch X Courses per inch

= WPI X CPIUnit: number of loops per square inchOr, 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 wheel.

Brush: Its clean the pulley belt.

Tension Disk: It confronts the tension of the supply yarn.

Inlet and Outlet Stop Motion: It is an important part of the machine. It stops the machine instantly when a yarn is break.

Yarn Guide: Its help the yarn to feed in the feeder.

MPF Wheel: Its control the speed of the MPF. Pulley belt gives motion to the wheel.

MPF: It is Mamenger positive feed. It is also an important part of the machine. It’s give positive feed to the machine.

Feeder Ring: It is a ring. Where all feeders are pleased together.

Disk Drum: Use in jacquard machine to produce various types of design.

Pattern Wheel: Pattern Wheel use in Pai Lung and Auto Stripe machine because of that help to 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. And by this way fabric are produce. Prior to yarn feeding the needle is raised to clear the old loop from the hook, and received the new loop above it on needle stem. The new loop is then enclosed in the needle hook as the needle starts to descend.

Sinker: It is most important element of the machine. Its help to loop forming, knocking over and holding down the loop.

Sinker Ring: Sinker ring is a ring. Where all sinkers are pleased together.

Cam Box: Where the cam are set horizontally.

Cam: Cam is device s which converts the rotary machine drive in to a suitable reciprocating action for the needles and other elements.

Cylinder: Needle track are situated hear.

Cylinder Balancer: It helps the cylinder to set in a proper alignment.

Uniwave Lubrication: The Uniwave lubricator provides uniform lubrication to needles, cam 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 the dust by air flow.

Expander: To control the width of the knitted 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.