WARP AND WEFT KNITTING

By Sunil Talekar, Student handout-SOF

BASIC
KNITTING

WEAVING-WARPING
PROCESS
Warping- A process of transfer the warp yarn from the single yarn
packages to an even sheet of yarn representing hundreds of ends
and then wound onto a warp beam.

WEAVING-SIZING PROCESS
Sizing/slashing- A process to give the strength to the yarn make it
smoother and lubricate it (no effect on subsequent process or
resulting fabric), also reduce the abrasion by give it through the
section of the slasher.

WEAVING-DRAW IN PROCESS
Draw-in- A process of draw every warp yarns through its dropper,
headle eyes and reed dent. [3]

WEAVING-TIE IN PROCESS
Tie-in- A process of tying each of a new beam to its
corresponding end of the old beam when mass producing the
same fabric.

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.

No of threads required for knitting?

KNIT VS WOVEN
KNIT FABRIC

WOVEN FABRIC

INTERLOOPING YARNS TO CREATE

FABRIC
CHEAPER TO PRODUCE

INTERLACING YARNS TO CREATE

FABRIC
EXPENSIVE TO PRODUCE

REQUIRE HIGHER QUALITY YARNS

CAN USE ANY YARN

YARNS MUST BE UNIFORM SO THAT

THIN SPOTS DONT FORM ON THE
FABRIC
KNIT FABRIC IS LESS OPAQUE

CAN NOT FORM THIN MARKS

HIGH OPAQUE

ALLOWS FOR STRETCH + RECOVERY AS LESS STRETCH

BODY MOVES
REQUIRES THICKER AND/OR HEAVIER
YARN TO PROVIDE EQUAL COVER TO
THAT OF A WOVEN

EVEN NORMAL THICKNESS YARN CAN

WRINKLE RECOVERY SUPERIOR

NEED TO TREAT FOR WRINKLE FREE

GIVE HIGHER FABRIC COVER

QUALITY

KNIT VS WOVEN
FABRIC
LENGTHWISE STITCHES ARE CALLED

WOVEN FABRIC
LENGTHWISE STITCHES ARE CALLED

RIBS AND THE CROSSWISE STITCHES

GRAIN

ARE CALLED COURSE OR

STITCHES ARE CALLED

CROSSGRAIN
THE MOST STRETCH IS EITHER IN THE

CROSSGRAIN
THE MOST STRETCH IS ALWAYS ON

CROSSGRAIN OR THE BIAS

THE BIAS ( DIAGONAL STRETCH)

GENERALLY HAVE MORE STRETCH AND

AND THE CROSSWISE

REQUIRE EASE WHEN SEWING

NATURAL GIVE
MOLD AND FIT THE CONTOURS OF THE
BODY BETTER
COOL AND BREATHABLE

LOOK GOOD WITH PLEATS AND

SHARP CORNERS
THICK AND WIND RESISTANT

KNIT VS WOVEN
FABRIC

WOVEN FABRIC

EDGES CURL AND SOME KNITS RUN

EDGES ARE PRONE TO RAVEL

(THINK NYLON PANTY HOSE)

NO SEAM FINISH IS REQUIRED,

REQUIRES SEAM FINISHING, LIKE

ALTHOUGH OPTIONAL

SERGING, TO PREVENT RAVEL

REQUIRES STRETCH STICHES, LIKE ZIG

EASIEST TO SEW ON AND FEED

ZAGS

THROUGH A SEWING MACHINE

TYPES OF KNITTING
Types of basic Knits

WEFT
KNITTING

WARP
KNITTING

WEFT KNITTING
JERSEY KNITS
Also called single knits
Economical to produce
Knit stitches on front/ Purl stitches on back
RIB KNITS
Knit and purl wales alternate across width
PURL KNIT
Alternate courses of knit and purl stitches
on both sides of the fabric

TYPES OF KNITTING
FLAT KNITTING
Polo t shirt collar and cuf
Sweaters
Scarves

WRAP KNITTING
Lingerie
Home furnishing
Net fabric garments and related items

TYPES OF KNITTING

FLAT BED KNITTING

Flat bed machine can
manufacture,
Woolen fabric
Full cardigan
Half cardigan
Milano
Half Milano
Rib structure

CIRCULAR KNITTING
Circular knitting machine
can manufacture,
T shirt jersey fabric
Pique fabric
Rib
Interlock
Socks
Lycra blend fabric

KNITTING TERMINOLOGY
STITCH
The loop of yarn formed by the knitting process
Knit

GAGE OR GAUGE

the density of knitting machine needles, and the number

of knitting needles per inch (approx. 2.54cm).
The smaller the figure, the coarser the stitch, and vice
versa

KNITTING TERMINOLOGY
COURSES
A series of successive loops laying
crosswise in the
Fabric
FACE/BACK
Just like a woven fabric, there is a face and
a back to
the knitted fabric
CUT
The fineness of weft knits made on a
circular knitting

KNITTED LOOP STRUCTURE

The knitted loop structure

These are termed courses and wales
respectively.
A COURSE
A course is a predominantly horizontal row
of needle loops (in an upright fabric as

KNITTED LOOP STRUCTURE

The knitted loop structure

A WALE
A wale is a predominantly vertical column
of intermeshed needle loops generally
produced by the same needle knitting at
successive (not necessarily all) knitting

SINGLE JERSEY OR PLAIN

FABRIC

Single jersey is the simplest to knit and it can be

produced either on circular or flat machines by means
of one set of needles which draw their loops to only one
side of the fabric.
The fabric has one appearance on the face side and a
diferent one on the reverse. The side on which the
straight parts of the stitches appear in V formation is
called the face side ( Technical Face) and the reverse
side ( Technical Back ) has twin rows of opposed semi
circles.

PROPERTIES OF SINGLE
JERSEY

Simplest knit structure.

Face side smooth and sheen.
Back side rough and dull.
Lighter fabric.
Economical.
Easily ravels at both the ends.
Highly extensible in length and width.
The fabric curls towards the face at the top and
bottom and towards the back at the sides.
Laddering is very common in these fabrics.
Knitted loops in plain knit fabrics tend to distort
easily under tension which helps to give a form
fitting and comfort due to property of elastic.

USE OF SINGLE JERSEY

End Uses of Jersey
Knits;
Sheets
Sweaters
T- s h i r t s
Mens underwear
Dresses
Hosiery

VARIATIONS OF SINGLE
JERSEY

Jersey Knit
Variations
Fleece
Intarsia
Jacquard knits
Knitted terry
Knitted velour
Lisle
Plaited knits
Silver-pile knits

RIB FABRIC
A fabric in which both back
and face loops occur along
the course, but all the loops
contained with in any wale
are of the same types
A rib structure implies a
knitted fabric with face and
back loops occurring in the
same courses but not in the
same wale
Rib fabric can be produced on
V bed machine and
footwear machine.

PROPERTIES OF RIB FABRIC

Rib is produced by two sets of needles being

alternately set orated between each other.
The simplest rib in (1 * 1) rib
It is now normally knitted with two sets of latch
needles and known as double jersey fabric.
Rib has a vertical cord appearance
Relaxed 1 x 1 rib is twice as thick and half the
width of an equivalent plain fabric.
1 x 1 rib normally relaxes by 30% compound with
its knitting width.
Rib cannot be unroved from the end knitted first
because the sinker loops are securely anchored by
the cross meshing between face and reverse loop.
It is used for loops for socks, cufs of sleeves, rib

USE OF RIB FABRIC

End Uses of Rib
Knits
Collars
Necklines
Cufs
Bottom edges of
sweaters
Knit hats
Mens hosiery

USE OF RIB FABRIC

Double knits
Sometimes called
double jerseys
Thicker than jersey
knits
Two-way stretch
Very stable will not
ladder
Apparel and
Upholstery used

INTERLOCK FABRIC
This 2-sided fabric has slightly noticeable ribs
and 2-way mechanical stretch.
It can be 100% polyester or 100% cotton, but is
often a blend of the two.
More cotton content will make it feel heavier.
Pilling in knits depends on the length of the
fibers used, not on the Polyester content

PROPERTIES OF INTERLOCK
FABRIC
Both sides of the fabric have an appearance like face
side of the single jersey fabric.
The structure do nor curl at edges when laid flat on
surface
Horizontal and vertical stripes can be produced by
using coloured yarns
The fabric ravels only from the end knitted last
The rate of production is low.
Interlock the technical face of plain on both sides so the
appearance of face and back are same.
The Wales of each side re exactly apposite to each
other and are locked together.

USE OF INTERLOCK FABRIC

Double knits
Sweat shirts
Table mat

PURL FABRIC

PROPERTIES OF PURL
Both sides of the fabric are similar in appearance to the
reverse side of the single jersey fabric
Ravels from both ends
Twice the thickness of the plain jersey
Rate of production is low
Almost equal extensibility in length and width
Most suitable for childrens garments, blankets shawls
and scarf etc.
Purl is reversible structure the both side appearance are
same.
Extensibility is same as all direction.
There is no curling tendency.(it does not curl at the
edges.
The fabric will run in the wale direction starting from
either end.

USE OF PURL FABRIC

End Uses for Purl
Knits
Infant and
childrens wear
Sweaters
Scarves

WARP KNITTING
Warp Knits
Second major category of knit fabrics
Characterized by vertical loops
More resistant to laddering than weft
knits
Usually done on flat knitting machine
Two main types of warp knitting
machine
(name = machine and fabric name)
* Tr i c o t

WARP KNITTING
Characteristics of Tricot Knits
Good elasticity
Best of warp knits
Inexpensive and quick to produce
Curls along crosswise edge
Good air and water permeability
Soft
Crease resistant
Good drapeability

WARP KNITTING
End Uses for Tricot Knits

Lingerie
Nightwear
Blouses
Dresses
Used as a backing fabric in multicomponent structures
Limited interior uses because of high
elongation

WARP KNITTING
Tricot Knit Variations
Brushed tricot
Satin tricot
Tricot-net fabrics
Tricot upholstery
Tulle

WARP KNITTING
Raschel Knits
Similar to Tricot Knits
Greater diversity in design
Diferences between Raschel and
Tricot
Knits
Raschel has:
More texture
Open spaces
Made from heavier yarns

WARP KNITTING
Variations and End Uses of Raschel
Knits
Warp knitted
Fine laces and nets
Heavy carpets
Thermal underwear with a waffle
efect
Power-net fabrics for swimsuits
and foundations

Source, Stoll, Shima seiki, Mayer and Cie