Knit Vocabulary

Rachel Graham - Brighton University

2016
Vocabulary Relating to
General Knitting
Weft Knit
Warp Knit
Course
Wale
Welt
Loop Length
Stitch Density
Cut
Gauge
Gaiting
Circular Knit
Cylinder
Dial
Double Knit
 Weft Knit
A knit fabric where the stitches or loops run
horizontally across the fabric. Knit courses
usually are created with a single piece of yarn,
either by hand or machine.
 Warp Knit
A knit fabric produced by a machine with
yarns fed to the knitting elements from a
beam. Each needle has its own feed. Knit
stitches are formed by the guide bars
swinging and shogging.
 Course
A horizontal row of stitches or loops
formed by adjacent needles in the
same knitting cycle
 Wale
A vertical column of loops or stitches in weft
knitting made by one needle in successive
knitting cycles.
Wales are secured to the loops above and
below them.
 Welt
A secure edge of a knit fabric to prevent
raveling. Popular welt types include English,
French, tubular and racked.
 Loop Length
The length of a yarn required to make
an individual loop (or stitch).
 Stitch Density
The amount of stitches or loops per unit area.
Usually measured in stitches per square inch,
relates to the number of wales and courses per
unit area.
Stitch density is a determining factor in cost,
cover, porosity, and drape
 Cut
The number of needles per inch on a knitting
machine needle bed. Historically referred to
the number of tricks cut into the needle bed.
 Gauge
Number of stitches per horizontal inch of knit
fabric. Affected by the cut of the machine, the
type of yarn, the finishing on the fabric, and
the stitch used.
Affects the density, drape, porosity, and
weight of the fabric.
 Gaiting
The way two beds of needles are aligned with
respect to one another.
Either rib or interlock gaiting available on weft
knit machines.
 Circular Knitting
Fabric or garment production knit in a
tubular form in a continuous operation
- seamless.
 Cylinder
The main bed of a circular knit machine
with tricks cut radially around the
outer-circumference.
 Dial
The second bed on a circular knit machine to
produce ribs, must operate in conjunction with
the cylinder.
 Double Knit
A knit textile created using both beds of a
knitting machine.
 Vocabulary Relating to
Yarn + Advanced Knitting
Yarn Number
Staple Yarn
Filament Yarn
Core-Spun Yarn
Hand
Texture
Luster
Rib
Plaiting
Intarsia
Pointelle
Linking
Integral Knitting/Shaping
 Yarn Number
A way to evaluate and compare yarn size. A
means of determining the appropriateness of
a yarn for a specific construction or machine.
 Staple/Spun Yarn
Made from “short” length fibers such as
natural fibers (generally excluding silk) as well
as synthetic fibers cut to short lengths before
spinning. Tend to be fuzzier and less lustrous
than other yarns
 Filament Yarn
Made of one or more continuous strands
running the whole length of the yarn. Due to
their length, they require little to no twist.
Staple vs Filament Yarn
 Core-Spun Yarn
Yarn created by twisting fibers around a
central filament fiber, 40-50% stronger than
spun yarns.
 Hand
A description of how a fabric feels.
 Texture
The visual appearance of a fabric’s
surface.
 Luster
The amount of light reflected off the surface
of a fiber, yarn, or fabric.
 Rib
A knit structure characterized by textured
vertical lines/stripes, or ribs, that consists of
columns of face knit stitches alternating with
columns of back knit stitches.
The 2nd most common structure.
 Plating
A method of knitting using two or more yarns
fed together in separate feeders or in one
feeder with two holes to the knitting elements.
The resulting fabric face and back have
different yarn visible.

a knit by alum Drew McKevitt

 Instarsia
A colorwork technique where each yarn feed
knits independently on the same course
without the use of back knit or tuck stitches.
 Pointelle
A lightweight, knit fabric with subtle
openwork, also referred to as lace.
 Linker / Linking
A tool or method of seaming/attaching pieces
of a shaped-knit garment after they have been
knit.
 Full Fashioned
Integral Knit
A method or technique of shaping a knit
structure by increasing or decreasing the
number of wales or needles. Removes excess
waste from garment production.
Visibly recognizable due to marks left in the
garment from increase/decrease movements.
 Vocabulary Relating to
Performance Factors

Abrasion Resistance Flexibility

Pilling Resiliency
Hydrophobic Dimensional Stability
Hydrophillic Growth
Cover Boardy
Porosity Sleazy
Elongation Wicking
Elasticity
 Abrasion Resistance
A fabric’s ability to resist surface wear
caused by rubbing contact with another
material.

Martindale Abrasion Resistance Testing Machine

 Pilling
Small balls of fiber and lint on a fabric’s
surface formed by abrasion, moisture, and
friction.
 Hydrophobic
Fiber or material that repels water and
causes droplets on the surface, but not
be absorbed.
 Hydrophilic
Fibers, yarns, or fabrics that tend to be
wetted by or absorb water.
 Cover
Refers to the tightness or compactness of a
knit fabric and its ability to conceal and/or
protect.
 Porosity
The measure of empty space in a material.
In knit structures, porosity will influence its
physical properties such as bulk, density,
moisture absorbency, air flow, etc.
 Elongation
The ability of a knit fabric to be
lengthened or stretched.
 Elasticity
The ability of a fiber or fabric to return to its
original length, shape, or size immediately
after the removal of stress or tension.
This change must occur without laundering or
any alteration of the knit structure.
 Flexibility
The property of fibers related to their ability
to be bent or folded repeatedly without fiber
or yarn breakage of degradation.
 Resiliency
The ability of a fabric to spring back to its
original shape after being twisted, crushed,
wrinkled or distorted in any way
(think laundering).
 Dimensional Stability
An observation relating to a fabric’s ability to
retain its shape through use, care, and stress.
 Growth
Undesirable stretching of a knit fabric
due to wear and washing.
 Boardy
An over-constructed knit, which is marked
by stitches that are too tight or the yarn is
too coarse for the machine it was knit
upon, leading to a stiff and rough hand.
 Sleazy
Used to describe an under-constructed
structure, characterized by thin or flimsy
formation.
 Wicking
The ability of a fabric to transfer moisture
along its surface. It is the action of drawing
moisture to the exterior of a textile which
allows evaporation to take place more easily.