Knitted fabrics
Task.
Compare the structure of a knitted jumper
with that of a polyester fleece jacket.
• Describe the characteristics of each
fabric.
This tasks requires you to formulate your
own response, the answer is not found in
the text book!
Weft knitted
Weft knitted fabric is made from a single
yarn, which is fed across the width of the
fabric.
• Weft knits are stretchy, they have a right
and wrong side to the fabric.
•They may be prone to laddering
CAD/CAM knitting machine
• These systems produce 90% of the
knitted jersey, rib and jacquard fabrics
that are used for T-Shirts, socks,
underwear and knitwear.
Properties of weft fabric
• This kind of knitting
produces comfortable,
soft fabric that has a
variable stretch depending
on it’s structure.
Types of production
• Hand knit, can be used to produce one off,
designer knits: jumpers of cushions
Straight bar or fully fashion machine
• Produces very high quality knitwear
using natural fibres, especially wool,
cashmere and merino wools.
• http://vimeo.com/44718350
• http://vimeo.com/20955663
Single or double flat bed machines
• Used to knit rectangular shaped panels for
garments.
• Very versatile when designing using
CAD/CAM.
Circular knitting machine
These machines vary in
size, depending on what
they make. For example
socks , jumpers or T-Shirts.
These machines use
CAD/CAM systems for
continuous production,
making single or double
jersey fabrics.
Make sure that you can
identify which is which.
Single jersey
• A course is a horizontal row of loops, formed by
the needles during one knitting cycle.
• A wale is a vertical column of loops formed by a
single needle.
• The size of needle and the fineness of the yarn
determines the density of the knit construction.
• The combination of loop size, fineness of yarn,
width and length of fabric determines the
weight of the fabric.
Single jersey properties
The front of single jersey fabric is smooth.
When cut it tends to curl.
It has relatively low stretch in the width.
Can be made from, cotton, cotton blends,
acrylics, polyester, modal, viscose or wool.
2-5% elastane blends provide added comfort,
crease resistance, enhanced drape and better
shape retention
Double jersey knits.
• Is made on twp sets of needle beds in which
the needles are opposite each other and work
alternatively.
• It takes two courses to make one row of loops
on the front and back.
• Double jersey fabrics are compact, stable,
durable, keep their shape and are not very
elastic.
• They can be cut like woven fabrics.
Double jersey end uses…..
T-shirts,
Underwear,
Polo shirts,
Sportswear,
Skirts and leggings.
Rib fabrics
• Are made with two sets of needles which are
staggered.
• Alternate loops are knitted in the opposite
direction to form vertical lines in the fabric.
• Most popular construction is 2x2, where both
sides of the fabric look the same.
• The resulting fabric is very elastic widthways.
Suitable for jumpers, waistcoats,
underwear and socks.
Jacquard fabric
• Has a patterned design in 3 or more colours.
• Its made by selecting needles to knit to a specified
pattern using CAD systems.
• In each succeeding course, the pattern is built up and if
the colour isn’t needed it “floats” on the back.
• There is a limit to the length of floats, can you think
why>
• Jacquard fabric isn’t very stretchy
• This type of knitted fabric goes in and out of fashion for
winterwear.
Warp knitted
• Fabrics are made on circular or
• Straight CAD/CAM knitting machines.
• Each loop of fabric is fed by it’s own separate
yarn.
Warp knitted fabrics
• Are made on straight or circular knitting
machines.
• Each loop of the fabric is fed by it’s own loop of
yarn.
• The loops interlock vertically, along the length of
the fabric.
• Wrap knits are stretchy but do not ladder and
can’t be unravelled.
• Warp knit fabrics for example velour and terry are
used for leisure and sportswear, furnishing fabrics
and sheeting.
Properties and uses
• Warp knitted fabrics have some elasticity , do
not ladder and they can’t be unravelled.
• They can be cut like woven fabrics, yet they
have a limited application for clothing.
• They are mainly used for swimwear, leisure
wear, linings, lacing, ribbons, trimmings.
• They also have many industrial end uses, for
example geo textiles
Tricot
• Is an industrial product warp knit, mostly
using synthetic yarns.
• Each yarn works in a zig-zag fashion and it’s
used for gloves, lingerie and light weight
furnishings
Locknit
• Is a combination between tricot and 2x1 plain
knit stitches.
• Made from a filament yarn.
• The fabric is lustrous fabric used for linings
and underwear.
• The face of the fabric has vertical wales of
loops and the back has characteristic zig-zags.
Knitted velour – pile fabric
• Is made from continuous filament fibres, has a
raised fleecy surface effect, formed when the
loops are cut and they stand up form the
fabric,
Polar fleece
• Made from acrylic or polyester or
nylon, is a double boucle knit,
where the fabric is heavily raised
on one side or the other.
• It’s light weight, has a high bulk,
it’s very breathable and very
warm.
• It’s used as an insulating fabric in
leisure wear and sportswear.
• NOT to be confused with a
sheep's fleece
Task.
• Make a collection of knitted fabrics, used for a
range of end uses.
• Examine each fabric, try to identify the
construction, is it warp of weft knitted?
• How many colours? What yarn has been
used?
• Add your samples to the table for you Tech
book, sketch construction and explain
suitability for end use.
Sample
construction
Yarn used
End use