KNITTING

'Knitting' is a craft by which thread or yarn may be turned into cloth. Similar to crochet, knitting consists of loops called stitches pulled through each other. Knitting differs from crochet in that multiple stitches are 'active', or in use, at the same time, and crochet uses a single tool, a crochet hook, instead of a minimum of two knitting needles. The active stitches are held on a needle until another loop can be passed through them with a second needle.
Knitting may be done by hand or by machine. By hand, there are numerous styles and methods. Some of these produce an entirely different end-product; some produce very similar results. Flat knitting, which is done on two straight needles, produces a length of cloth, while circular knitting, which is done on circular or double-pointed needles, produces a seamless tube.
Different yarns and knitting needles may be used to achieve different end products, by giving the final piece different colour, texture, weight or integrity.

Contents

Types of knitting

Weft knitting versus warp knitting

Flat knitting versus circular knitting

History and culture

Properties of knitted fabrics

Texture

Colour

Process

Materials and tools

Yarn

Knitting needles

Industrial applications

See also

Notes

References

External links

Instructional sites

Types of knitting

Weft knitting versus warp knitting

Main articles: Weft knitting, Warp knitting

There are two major varieties of knitting: weft knitting and warp knitting.^[1]
A weft-knitted fabric consists of ''horizontal'', parallel courses of yarn and requires only a single yarn. By contrast, warp knitting requires one yarn for every stitch in the course, or horizontal row; these yarns make ''vertical'' parallel wales. ^[2] Warp knitting is resistant to runs, and is common in lingerie fabric such as tricot.


Warp knitting is generally done by machine, whereas weft knitting may be done by machine or by hand (Spencer 1989:11-12). Knitting machines use a different mechanical system to produce results nearly identical to those produced by hand-knitting.

Flat knitting versus circular knitting

Main articles: Circular knitting, Flat knitting

Circular knitting (also called "knitting in the round") is a form of knitting that creates a seamless tube. Knitting is worked in rounds (the equivalent of rows in flat knitting) in a spiral. Originally, circular knitting was done using a set of four or five double-pointed knitting needles. Later, circular needles were invented. A circular needle resembles two short knitting needles connected by a cable between them. Flat knitting, on the other hand, is used, in its most basic form, to make flat, rectangular pieces of cloth.^[3] It is done with two straight knitting needles and is worked in rows, horizontal lines of stitches.
Circular knitting is employed to create pieces that are circular or tube-shaped, such as hats, socks, mittens, and sleeves. Flat knitting is usually used to knit flat pieces like scarves, blankets, afghans, and the backs and fronts of sweaters.

History and culture

Main articles: History of knitting

One of the earliest known examples of knitting was finely decorated cotton socks found in Egypt in the end of the first millennium AD.^[4] The first knitting trade guild was started in Paris in 1527.
^[5] With the invention of the knitting machine, however, knitting "by hand" became a useful but non-essential craft. Similar to quilting, spinning, and needlepoint, knitting became a social activity.
Hand-knitting has gone into and out of fashion many times in the last two centuries, and at the turn of the 21st century it is enjoying a revival. According to the industry group Craft Yarn Council of America, the number of women knitters in the United States age 25–35 increased 150% in the two years between 2002 and 2004.^[6] Additionally, many contemporary knitters have an interest in blogging about their knitting, patterns, and techniques.^[7]
There are now numerous groups that are not only growing individually, but also forming international communities. Communities also exist online, with blogs being very popular, alongside online groups and social networking through mediums such as Yahoo! Groups, where people can share tips and techniques, run competitions, and share their patterns. More people are finding knitting a recreation and enjoying the hobby with their family. Knitting parties also are becoming popular in small and large communities around the U.S. and Canada.

Properties of knitted fabrics

The topology of a knitted fabric is relatively complex. Unlike woven fabrics, where strands usually run straight horizontally and vertically, yarn that has been knitted follows a loopy path along its row, as with the red strand in the diagram at left, in which the loops of one row have all been pulled through the loops of the row below it.
Because there is no single straight line of yarn anywhere in the pattern, a knitted piece can stretch in all directions. This elasticity is unavailable from woven fabrics, which only stretch along the bias. Many modern stretchy garments, even as they rely on elastic synthetic materials for some stretch, also achieve at least some of their stretch through knitted patterns.


The basic knitted fabric (as in the diagram, and usually called a ''stocking'' or ''stockinette'' pattern) has a definite "right side" and "wrong side". On the right side, the visible portions of the loops are the verticals connecting two rows, arranged in a grid of ''V'' shapes. On the wrong side, the ends of the loops are visible, both the tops and bottoms, creating a much more bumpy texture sometimes called ''reverse stockinette''. (Despite being the "wrong side," reverse stockinette is frequently used as a pattern in its own right.) Because the yarn holding rows together is all on the front, and the yarn holding side-by-side stitches together is all on the back, stockinette fabric has a strong tendency to curl toward the front on the top and bottom, and toward the back on the left and right side.
Stitches can be worked from either side, and various patterns are created by mixing regular knit stitches with the "wrong side" stitches, known as purl stitches, either in columns (ribbing), rows (garter, welting), or more complex patterns. Each such fabric has different properties: a garter stitch has much more vertical stretch, while ribbing stretches much more horizontally. Because of their front-back symmetry, these two fabrics have little curl, making them popular as edging, even when their stretch properties are not desired.
Different combinations of knit and purl stitches, along with more advanced techniques, generate fabrics of considerably variable consistency, from gauzy to very dense, from highly stretchy to relatively stiff, from flat to tightly curled, and so on.

Texture

The most common texture for a knitted garment is that generated by the flat stockinette stitch—as seen, though very small, in machine-made stockings and T-shirts—which is worked in the round as nothing but knit stitches, and worked flat as alternating rows of knit and purl. Other simple textures can be made with nothing but knit and purl stitches, including garter stitch, ribbing, and moss and seed stitches. Adding a "slip stitch" (where a loop is passed from one needle to the other) allows for a wide range of textures, including heel and linen stitches, and a number of more complicated patterns.

Some more advanced knitting techniques create a surprising variety of complex textures. Combining certain increases, which can create small eyelet holes in the resulting fabric, with assorted decreases is key to creating knitted lace, a very open fabric resembling lace. Changing the order of stitches from one row to the next, usually with the help of a cable needle or stitch holder, is key to cable knitting, producing an endless variety of cables, honeycombs, ropes, and Aran sweater patterning. Entrelac forms a rich checkerboard texture by knitting small squares, picking up their side edges, and knitting more squares to continue the piece.
The appearance of a garment is also affected by the ''weight'' of the yarn, which describes the thickness of the spun fibre. The thicker the yarn, the more visible and apparent stitches will be; the thinner the yarn, the finer the texture.

Colour

Plenty of finished knitting projects never use more than a single colour of yarn, but there are many ways to work in multiple colours. Some yarns are dyed to be either ''variegated'' (changing colour every few stitches in a random fashion) or ''self-striping'' (changing every few rows). More complicated techniques permit large fields of colour (intarsia, for example), busy small-scale patterns of colour (such as Fair Isle), or both (double knitting and slip-stitch colour, for example).
Yarn with multiple shades of the same hue are called ''ombre'', while a yarn with multiple hues may be known as a given ''colorway'' — a green, red and yellow yarn might be dubbed the "Parrot Colorway" by its manufacturer, for example. ''Heathered'' yarns contain small amounts of fibre of different colours, while ''tweed'' yarns may have greater amounts of different coloured fibres.

Process

A piece of knitting begins with the process of ''casting on'' (also known as "binding on"), which involves the initial creation of the stitches on the needle. Different methods of casting on are used for different effects: one may be stretchy enough for lace, while another provides a decorative edging — ''Provisional'' cast-ons are used when the knitting will continue in both directions from the cast-on. There are various method employed to "cast on," such as the "thumb method" (also known as "slingshot" or "long-tail" cast-ons), where the stitches are created by a series of loops that will, when knitted, give a very loose edge ideal for "picking up stiches" and knitting a border; the "double needle method" (also known as "knit-on" or "cable cast-on"), whereby each loop placed on the needle is then "knitted on," which produces a firmer edge ideal on its own as a border; and many more. The number of active stitches remains the same as when cast on unless stitches are added (an increase) or removed (a decrease).
Most Western-style knitters follow either the English style (in which the yarn is held in the right hand) or the Continental style (in which the yarn is held in the left hand). A third but less common method, called combination knitting, may also be used. ^[8]
Once the knitted piece is finished, the remaining live stitches are "cast off." Casting (or "binding") off loops the stitches across each other so they can be removed from the needle without unravelling the item. Although the mechanics are different from casting on, there is a similar variety of methods.
In knitting certain articles of clothing, especially larger ones like sweaters, the final knitted garment will be made of several knitted pieces, with individual sections of the garment knit separately and then sewn together. Seamless knitting, where a whole garment is knit as a single piece, is also possible. Elizabeth Zimmermann is probably the best-known proponent of seamless or circular knitting techniques. Smaller items, such as socks and hats, are usually knit in one piece on double-pointed needles or circular needles. (See ''Circular knitting''.)

Materials and tools

Yarn

Main articles: Yarn


A wide variety of yarns are available for knitting. A yarn's usefulness for knitting is judged by several factors, such as its ''loft'' (its ability to trap air), its ''resilience'' (elasticity under tension), its washability and colorfastness, its ''hand'' (its feel, particularly softness vs. scratchiness), its durability against abrasion, its resistance to pilling, its ''hairiness'' (fuzziness), its tendency to twist or untwist, its overall weight and drape, its blocking and felting qualities, its comfort (breathability, moisture absorption, wicking properties) and of course its look, which includes its color, sheen, smoothness and ornamental features. Other factors include allergenicity; speed of drying; resistance to chemicals, moths, and mildew; melting point and flammability; retention of static electricity; and the propensity to become stained and to accept dyes. Different factors may be more significant than others for different knitting projects, so there is no one "best" yarn. The resilience and propensity to (un)twist are general properties that affect the ease of hand-knitting. More resilient yarns are more forgiving of irregularities in tension; highly twisted yarns are sometimes difficult to knit, whereas untwisting yarns can lead to split stitches, in which not all of the yarn is knitted into a stitch.
Although knitting may be done with ribbons, metal wire and even more exotic filaments, most yarns are made by spinning fibers. In spinning, the fibers are twisted so that the yarn resists breaking under tension; the twisting may be done in either direction, resulting in an Z-twist or S-twist yarn. If the fibers are first aligned by combing them, the yarn is smoother and called a ''worsted''; by contrast, if the fibers are carded but not combed, the yarn is fuzzier and called ''woolen-spun''. The fibers making up a yarn may be continuous ''filament'' fibers such as silk and many synthetics, or they may be ''staples'' (fibers of an average length, typically a few inches); naturally filament fibers are sometimes cut up into staples before spinning. The strength of the spun yarn against breaking is determined by the amount of twist, the length of the fibers and the thickness of the yarn. In general, yarns become stronger with more twist (also called ''worst''), longer fibers and thicker yarns (more fibers); for example, thinner yarns require more twist than do thicker yarns to resist breaking under tension. The thickness of the yarn may vary along its length; a ''slub'' is a much thicker section in which a mass of fibers is incorporated into the yarn.
The spun fibers are generally divided into animal, plant and synthetic fibers. These fiber types are chemically different, corresponding to proteins, carbohydrates and synthetic polymers, respectively. Animals fibers include silk, but generally are long hairs of animals such as sheep (wool), goat (angora, or cashmere goat), rabbit (angora), llama, alpaca, dog, camel, yak, and muskox (qiviut). Plants used for fibers include cotton, flax (for linen), bamboo, ramie, hemp, nettle, raffia, yucca, coconut husk, banana trees, soy and corn. Rayon and acetate fibers are also produced from cellulose mainly derived from trees. Common synthetic fibers include acrylics,^[9] polyesters such as dacron and ingeo, nylon and other polyamides, and olefins such as polypropylene. Of these types, wool is generally favored for knitting, chiefly owing to its superior elasticity, warmth and (sometimes) felting; however, wool is generally less convenient to clean and some people are allergic to it. It is also common to blend different fibers in the yarn, e.g., 85% alpaca and 15% silk. Even within a type of fiber, there can be great variety in the length and thickness of the fibers; for example, Merino wool and Egyptian cotton are favored because they produce exceptionally long, thin (fine) fibers for their type.

The spun yarn may used as is, or braided or plied with another. In plying, two or more yarns are spun together, almost always in the opposite sense from which they were spun; for example, two Z-twist yarns are often spun with an S-twist. The opposing twist relieves some of the yarns' tendency to curl up and produces a thicker, ''balanced'' yarn. Plied yarns may themselves be plied together, producing ''cabled yarns'' or ''multi-stranded yarns''. Sometimes, the yarns being plied are fed at different rates, so that one yarn loops around the other, as in bouclé. The single yarns may be dyed separately before plying, or afterwards to give the yarn a uniform look.
The dyeing of yarns is a complex art. Yarns need not be dyed; or they may be dyed one color, or a great variety of colors. Dyeing may be done industrially, by hand or even hand-painted onto the yarn. A great variety of synthetic dyes have been developed since the synthesis of indigo dye in the mid-18th century; however, natural dyes are often favored, although they are generally less brilliant. The color-scheme of a yarn is sometimes called its colorway. Variegated yarns can produce interesting visual effects, such as diagonal stripes; conversely, a variegated yarn may frustrate an otherwise good knitting pattern by producing distasteful color combinations.
Taken together, these various factors — the choice of fiber to be spun, the degree of twist in spinning, the colors — allow for an enormous variety even in a single yarn. This variety is multiplied when the possibilities for plying are considered. Therefore, the number of possible yarns is nearly infinite; even the largest yarn store can hold only a small selection.
Yarn for hand-knitting is usually sold as balls or skeins (hanks), although it may also be wound on spools or cones. Yarn is generally sold with a ''yarn-band'', a label that contains much useful information, such as the weight, length, washing properties, suggested needle size, likely gauge, etc.; it is common practice to save this band for future reference. Before knitting, the knitter will typically transform a hank into a ball where the yarn emerges from the center of the ball; this making the knitting easier by preventing the yarn from becoming easily tangled. This transformation may be done by hand, or with a dedicated device known as a ballwinder. When knitting, some knitters enclose their balls in jars to keep them clean and untangled with other yarns; the free yarn passes through a small hole in the jar-lid.

Knitting needles

Main articles: Knitting needle


Most knitting needles (also called "knitting pins") are long, slender sticks with either one or two tapered ends used to hold and bring the working yarn through active stitches. Knitting needles may be made out of a plethora of materials, including aluminium, plated brass, wood, bamboo, and plastic. They come in many sizes, which give knitted fabrics a variety of elasticity and tightness. Worldwide, knitting needles are usually measured in millimeters; in the United States, needles are assigned a numbered size unrelated to metric measurements.
Knitting needles used for flat knitting (pictured at right) are tapered at one end, with a knob at one end to prevent stitches from slipping off that side. Double-pointed knitting needles, which are used for circular knitting, or knitting tube-shaped pieces, are tapered at both ends, and usually come in sets of four or five, with all but one holding the active stitches through which the working yarn is pulled with the last needle. Circular needles, which are used for the same purpose as double-pointed needles, have two tapered ends connected by a piece of flexible plastic upon which active stitches are held. One of the tapered ends is then used to pull the working yarn through the active stitch on the other end.
Cable knitting requires moving stitches behind or in front of other stitches and working them "out of order" to create a twisted look. This can be done either by transferring stitches to a small, often curved needle (called a cable needle), or by various methods of slipping and knitting stitches (without using a holder) to change the direction in which they overlap.

Industrial applications

Industrially, metal wire is also knitted into a metal fabric for a wide range of uses including the filter material in cafetieres, catalytic converters for cars and many other uses. These fabrics are usually manufactured on circular knitting machines that would be recognised by conventional knitters as sock machines.

See also

★ Crochet ★ Embroidery ★ Finger knitting ★ Knitted fabric ★ Loom ★ Macrame

★ Needlework ★ Spinning (textiles) ★ Tatting ★ Textile manufacturing ★ Weaving

Notes

1. Knitting Basics
2. A wale, according to ''Knitting Technology: a Comprehensive Handbook and Practical Guide'', is "a predominantly vertical column of needle loops generally produced by the same needles at successive (not necessarily all) knitting cycles. A wale starts as soon as an empty needle starts to knit" (Spencer 1989:17).
3. Differently shaped fabric may also be created using special stitches within the work.
4. History 101
5. Consumption and the World of Goods, , Roy, Porter, Routledge, , ISBN 0-415-11478-0
6. Craft Yarn Council of America press release, CYCA News: Knitting & Crocheting Are Hot! ''craftyarncouncil.com'' Retrieved on 2006-12-13.
7. Cohan, Jillian. Women find creativity, comfort in knitting circle. ''The Witchita Eagle'' (November 9, 2006). Retrieved on 2006-12-13.
8. How to do the knit stitch
9. Acrylic Fiber Technology and Applications, , James, Masson, Marcel Dekker, Inc., ,

References

★ Hiatt, June Hemmons. (1988). ''The principles of knitting: Methods and techniques of hand knitting''. Simon and Schuster, New York.

★

★ Rutt, Richard (2003). ''A history of handknitting''. Interweave Press, Loveland, CO. (Reprint Edition ISBN)

★ Knitting Technology: a Comprehensive Handbook and Practical Guide, , David J., Spencer, Woodhead Publishing, , ISBN 1 85573 333 1

★ Stoller, Debbie. (2004) ''Stitch 'n Bitch: The Knitter's Handbook.'' Workman Publishing Company

★ Thomas, Mary. (1938). ''Mary Thomas's Knitting Book''. Dover Publications. New York. (1972 Reprint Edition ISBN)

★ Zimmermann, Elizabeth. (1972). ''Knitting Without Tears''. Simon and Schuster, New York. (Reprint Edition ISBN)

External links

★

Instructional sites

★ Expert Village: Knitting: Step-by-step videos on knitting for beginners

★ Basic knitting: Beginner's instructions with clear illustrations

★ KnittingFool: Knitting Abbreviations; Knitting Symbols; and free knitting patterns

★ Knitting Help: Knitting videos and tutorials, with both beginner and advanced techniques

★ Lets Knit2gether: Instructional Videos on knitting techniques

★ Knitting News Product, Pattern and website reviews