Introduction to Textile Fabric

Part 4: More Double

Knit Structures
Dr. Jimmy Lam
Institute of Textiles & Clothing
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Content
• Half Milano and Full Milano Rib.
• Half cardigan and full cardigan
• Interlock fabric
• Eight lock and 12-lcok
• Ponte de Roma
• Single Pique

1
 Milano Ribs
Half Milano
• There are two types of
milano ribs, namely half
milano and full milano.
• Half Milano is two
courses per repeat,
with first course knits
on all needles (front
and back) and the
second course on front
needles only.

Milano Ribs
Half Milano
• Half milano is made up of 1 rib course
and 1 plain course; with plain course
always on the face side of the fabric.
• The resultant fabric is an unbalanced
structure, with different appearance
on both sides.
• Half milano is seldom knitted as piece
goods, it is used for sweaters of
coarser gauge (5 to 7 gauge V-bed
machine with woollen or acrylic yarns)

2
 Milano Ribs
Full Milano
• Full milano has three
courses per repeat;
with one course of
1x1 rib; one course of
plain on one side of
fabric and another
course of plain on the
other side.
• Although full milano
is slightly modified
from half milano, the
fabric property is
entirely different

Milano Ribs
Full Milano
• Full milano is normally knitted in higher
density to give a firm fabric.
• The two plain courses of full milano
reduces most of the width way
elasticity.
• As a result, full milano is a fabric with
much better dimensional stability.
• Full milano is produced mainly on
medium gauge machines as piece goods
for suiting fabrics

3
 Cardigans
(Half Cardigan)
• The cardigans are the rib
structures with tuck loops.
• The first type is the half
cardigan or royal rib. This
is a 2 courses per repeat,
with one course of 1x1 rib
and the other course of all
needles knit one side and
all needles tuck of the
other side of the fabric.

Half Cardigan
• Half cardigan is a wide fabric, the large amount
of tuck loops reduce the side way contraction.
• If a 1x1 rib shrinks for 30% after relaxation
on its width, then the half cardigan will shrink
only about 8%.
• The structure is mainly produced on coarse
gauge V-bed machines for fully fashion or cut
and sewn pullovers or cardigans.
• Half cardigan is not a balanced structure; the
number of courses per inch is different on
both sides of the fabric.

4
 Full Cardigan
(Polka Rib)

• Full cardigan has the same appearance on

both sides of the fabric (half cardigan
has different appearance on both sides)
• Although full cardigan is also two courses
per repeat, it contains no rib course.
• The structure has 50% tuck loops and
50% knit loops.

Full Cardigan
(Polka Rib)
• The excessive tuck loops make the fabric
bulk and heavy, therefore the structure
is suitable for chunky knitwear.
• Full cardigan is normally knitted on 3-12
gauge V-bed machines with wool or
acrylic yarns,

5
 Interlock Category
• There are TWO type of
needle arrangement in
circular machine.
• When the needle heads are
offset with each other, it is
called rib gating e.g 1x1 rib,
2x2 rib.
• If the needle heads are
facing with each other, it is
called interlock gating, eg.
Interlock fabric

Interlock fabric
• .

6
 Interlock fabric
• Although interlock is derived from 1x1 rib
structure, the fabric properties are not the same.
• Differences:
– It takes two knitting courses to form one repeat.
– Much higher in stitch density
– Lower in widthwise elasticity
– Fine and smooth surface texture
• Similar:
– Perfectly balanced structure
– Same appearance o both sides
– Can only be unroved from the last course.

Interlock fabric
• Interlock fabrics are mainly produced on specially
designed circular double jersey machines called
interlock machines.
• They are high speed, multi-feeders with closed
cam track machines.
• The common gauges for interlock fabrics are 20-
24 npi, using 1/30 Ne cotton or 1/48 Nm worsted
yarns.
• Worsted interlock is for ladies’ winter suiting
fabrics. For those 28 gauge fabrics, the yarns
used are mainly texturised polyester of 75 denier.

7
 Modified Interlock
eight-lock & 12-lock
• Both are modified from
simple interlock fabric
• The fabric is called 8-lock
because it takes eight
needles to make one repeat
of structure; and so is the
12-lock.
• Both of these structures
are not popular because of
the fabric performance is
not as good as plain
interlock.

Pont de Roma
• This is a 4 courses per
repeat interlock type
structure.
• It is composed of one
interlock course and one
tubular course.
• A plain interlock fabric
has a smooth surface on
both side; but when a
tubular course is added,
the fabric properties
changes accordingly.

8
 Pont de Roma
• The tubular course reduces the
widthwise elasticity.
• The fabric has better dimensional
stability than interlock

Discussion
• What is Interlock fabric?
• What is the different between
interlock and rib fabric?