Introduction to Knitting Technology

Course Code: TEX 209

Md. Omar Faruque

Lecturer, Department of Textile (Fabric)
Engineering
Green University of Bangladesh
 Reference Books

1.Knitting Technology: a comprehensive handbook and practical guide – David J

Spencer (Woodhead Publishing)
2. Fundamentals and Advances in Knitting Technology – Sadhan Chandra Ray
(Woodhead Publishing India)
3.Understanding Textiles for a Merchandiser – Engr. Shah Alimuzzaman Belal,
C.Text. ATI (U.K.) (BMN foundation)
4. Circular Knitting: Technology, Process, Structures, Yarns, Quality –
Chandrasekhar Iyer (Meisenbach Bamberg)
5.Knitting Fundamentals, Machines, Structures and Developments – N. Anbumani
(New Age International)
Historical Background of Knitting Technology
 General Terms Related to Knitting

Knitting: The process of forming a fabric by the intermeshing of loops of yarn.

According to the direction of movement of yarn during loop formation, knitting
can be primarily classified as weft knitting and warp knitting.

Weft Knitting: Weft knitting is a method of making a fabric by making loops from
each weft thread that are formed substantially across the width of the fabric.

Warp Knitting: Warp knitting is a method of making a fabric by making loops

from each warp formed substantially along the length of the fabric.
 General Terms Related to Knitting

Figure: Weft Knitting Figure: Warp Knitting

 General Terms Related to Knitting
Loop: In knitting, loop 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.
According to the knitting element, which is forcing the yarn to bend, loops may be
termed as needle loop and sinker loop.

Figure: Loop Parts

 General Terms Related to Knitting
Parts of a loop/stitch –
Needle Loop: Needle loop is a portion of the whole loop in the fabric formed
initially by the needle hook. It consists of a head/top arc and two side limbs or legs.
Sinker Loop: The sinker loop is the piece of yarn which joins one needle loop to
the next. As the legs of the needle loop are formed by the support of the sinker, the
joining of the legs is called sinker loop. Sinker loop is also called bottom arc.
Foot: The base portion of each leg is called foot.

Figure: Loop Parts

 General Terms Related to Knitting
Course: A course is a horizontal row of loops produced by all the adjacent needles
during the same knitting cycle. Number of loops in a course is equal to the
number of needles in operation.
Wale: A wale is a vertical column of loops made by the same needle in successive
knitting cycles. The total number of wales in a fabric is obtained from the total
number of needles in operation.

Figure: Course and Wale in Knitted Structure

 General Terms Related to Knitting
Stitch Density: Stitch density is the total number of loops in a unit area such as a
square inch or a square centimeter. It is obtained by multiplying the number of
courses and wales per inch or centimeter together.
Stitch Density = WPI (wales per inch) x CPI (courses per inch)

Stitch Length/Loop Length: Length of yarn contained in a loop is called loop

length or stitch length. Alternatively, stitch length is a length of yarn which includes
the needle loop and half the sinker loop on either side of it.

Course Length: Course length is length of yarn required in the production of a

course. Course length is obtained by multiplying the stitch length with the number
of needles involved in the production of the course.
 General Terms Related to Knitting
Face Loop and Back/Reverse Loop –
A loop is called face loop or back (reverse) loop according to the direction of
passing of one loop through another one during inter-looping. 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. Face loops tend
to show the side limbs (legs) of the needle loops as a series of inter-fitting ‘V’s.
When the new loop passes to the back from the front of the previous loop
during inter-looping, the loop is called back loop. Further the back loops are also
known as reverse loops. Whether face loop or back loop, due to inter-looping or
intermeshing each loop has four intermeshing points – two at the head with the loop
above (next) and two at the base with the loop at the bottom (previous).
General Terms Related to Knitting

Figure: Face Loop Figure: Back Loop

General Terms Related to Knitting

Figure: Single Jersey

Structure
 General Terms Related to Knitting

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.
 Characteristics of Knitting Yarn

●Yarn count ●Yarn twist

● Fiber composition ● Whether grey, bleached or dyed
● Breaking strength ● Elongation
● Regularity or evenness ● Specific gravity
● Hairiness ● Effect of heat, water, chemicals, etc.
● Feel, appearance, lustre, etc. ● Elasticity
● Abrasion resistance ● Speciality
● Surface smoothness and friction ● Bending rigidity
 Selection of Yarns for Knitting
Selection of yarn for any particular end product is based on the
following factors –
I. Final appearance and quality
II. Users’ point of view
● Drapeability
● Wrinkle resistance
● Dimensional stability
● Porous structure
● Durability
● Soft handle
● Light weight
● Ease of care
III.Fabric design and construction
 Selection of Yarns for Knitting
IV. Type of machine and gauge
V. Knitting point of view (requirements of machine)
(a) Uniform thickness
(b) Circular cross section
(c) Smooth surface i.e., low coefficient of friction
(d) High elongation at break
(e) High abrasion resistance
(f) High elasticity and quick recovery
(g) Free from neps, slubs, knots, etc
(h) Moderate tensile strength
(i) Regularity in twist, evenness and regain
(j) Good resiliency
 Selection of Yarns for Knitting

VI. Wet processing behavior: As most of the knitted fabrics are subjected
to wet/chemical treatments such as scouring, bleaching, dyeing, printing and some
special finishes before or after manufacturing the end product, the effect of the
water, chemicals used and the conditions of the wet processing process
(temperature, pH, pressure, etc.) are to be considered before selection of yarn/fibre
for producing a particular end product.
Thank You