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Types of Knit Fabrics

By ShawnTe Pierce , eHow Con tributor
updat ed: S ept em ber 4, 20 10

Rib knit s are ideal for sweat ers t hat requi re a lot of stretch.

Knit fabrics provide comfortable wear to almost any style of garment. Most knits contour to the body's silhouette without restricting movement. This makes knit fabrics ideal for underwear, bodywear and activewear garments. While many variations of knit fabrics exist such that used for hosiery, only two types of knit fabric exis--weft and warp knits. From these two types of knit fabrics come various subtypes that consumers encounter in fabric stores and read w ithin garment descriptions.

Weft Knits
Weft knits use a single yarn to construct horizontal courses or rows of looped stitches. Each course in a weft knit builds upon the previous knitted course, according to T hreads Magazine. On a knitting machine, one yarn fed horizontally through all needles on the machine constructs weft knit fabrics. T he yarn configuration of w eft knit fabrics gives them ribs or visible vertical columns of loops on the face of the fabric.

Common Weft Knits

Common types of w eft knits fabric include double knit, jersey knit, rib knit and piqu . Double knits, just as the name implies, uses two sets of yarns on opposed needles resulting in a heavier fabric that looks the same on either side. Double knit fabrics have little stretch, retain their shape and works best for tailored garments. Jersey knits, also known as single knit, have an identifiable right/face and w rong side. The knit has little, if any, lengthwise stretch and works w ell when used on form fitting garments such as tank dresses.

Rib knits have a visible vertical ribs or columns on both sides of the fabric. Made from two alternating types of stitches, knit and purl, ribs knits have a considerable amount of crosswise stretch but little to no lengthwise stretch. Close -fitting turtlenecks, sweaters and dresses lend themselves well to rib knits due to its considerable crosswise stretch. Piqu knits have defined vertical and crosswise ribs that form small indented boxes betw een the ribs. Polo T -shirts often use piqu knits.

Warp Knits
While w eft knit construction utilizes one yarn to construction horizontal rows of stitches, Threads Magazine states multiple parallel yarns looped vertically at the same time create warp knits. Warp knit fabrics created on a knitting machine use one yarn for each knitting needle. The knitted stitches of w arp knits fabrics have a crisscross diagonal appearance that looks smoother than w eft knits.

Common Warp Knits

Classification of w arp knits, according to T hreads Magazine, is difficult due to the complex construction of warp knits. Tw o common types of warp knit fabrics include tricot and raschel knits. Tricot knits used primarily in lingerie due to its smooth appearance and texture. T he face of tricot knits have fine lengthwise ribs and the back side of the fabric has crossw ise ribbing. Raschel knits describe many knitted fabrics with a lace-like or open work knit. Many trendy sw eaters and sweater dresses use raschel knits to create knitted lace detailing along garment edges such as hems and necklines.

References
Th read s Magazin e: Kn ow Your K ni ts Th read s Magazin e: Sam plin gs of Weft and W arp Kn it F abric s "Claire Shaeff er's F abri c Sew ing G uid e" ; Claire Shaeff er; 2 00 8

Resources
Un iversity of Ken tu cky College of Agric ulture: S ew in g with K ni t F abric Co mp any A: Corp orate App arel Glos sary

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