Everything about Knitting totally explained
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"Knit" redirects here. See also Knitted fabric.
Knitting is a method by which
thread or yarn may be turned into
cloth. Knitting consists of loops called stitches pulled through each other. The active stitches are held on a needle until another loop can be passed through them.
Knitting may be done by hand or by machine. By hand, there are numerous styles and methods. 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 color, texture, weight, or integrity.
Structure
Courses and wales
weaving, knitting is a technique for producing a two-dimensional fabric from a one-dimensional
yarn or thread. In weaving, the threads are always straight, running parallel either lengthwise (warp threads) or crosswise (weft threads). By contrast, the yarn in knitted fabrics follows a meandering path (a
course), forming symmetric loops (also called bights or
stitches) symmetrically above and below the mean path of the yarn. These meandering loops can be stretched easily in different directions, which gives knitting much more elasticity than woven fabrics; depending on the yarn and knitting pattern, knitted garments can stretch as much as 500%. For this reason, knitting was initially developed for garments that must be elastic or stretch in response to the wearer's motions, such as socks and hosiery. For comparison, woven garments stretch mainly along one direction (the
bias) and not very much, unless they're woven from stretchable material such as
spandex. Knitted garments are often more form-fitting than woven garments, since their elasticity allows them to follow the body's curvature closely; by contrast, curvature is introduced into most woven garments only with sewn darts, flares, gussets and gores, the seams of which lower the elasticity of the woven fabric still further. Extra curvature can be introduced into knitted garments without seams, as in the heel of a sock; the effect of darts, flares, etc. can be obtained with
short rows or by
increasing/
decreasing the number of stitches. The thread used in weaving is usually much finer than the yarn used in knitting, which can give the knitted fabric more bulk and less drape than a woven fabric.
If they're not secured, the loops of a knitted course will come undone when their yarn is pulled; this is known as
ripping out or
unravelling knitting. To secure a stitch, at least one new loop is passed through it. Although the new stitch is itself unsecured ("active"), it secures the stitch(es) suspended from it. A sequence of stitches in which each stitch suspended from the next is called a
wale. To secure the initial stitches of a knitted fabric, a method for
casting on is used; to secure the final stitches in a wale, one uses a method of
binding off. During knitting, the active stitches are secured mechanically, either from individual hooks (in knitting machines) or from a knitting needle or frame in hand-knitting.
Weft and warp knitting
warp knitting. In the more common
weft knitting, the wales are perpendicular to the course of the yarn; however, in
warp knitting, the wales and courses run roughly parallel. In weft knitting, the entire fabric may be produced from a single yarn, by adding stitches to each wale in turn, moving across the fabric as in a
raster scan. By contrast, in warp knitting, one yarn is required for every wale. Since a typical piece of knitted fabric may have hundreds of wales, warp knitting is typically done by machine, whereas weft knitting is done by both hand and machine. Warp-knitted fabrics such as tricot and milanese are resistant to runs, and are commonly used in
lingerie.
Weft-knit fabrics may also be knit with multiple yarns, usually to produce interesting color patterns. The two most common approaches are
intarsia and
double knitting. In intarsia, the yarns are used in well-segregated regions, for example, a red apple on a field of green; in that case, the yarns are kept on separate spools and only one is knitted at any time. In the more complex
double knitting, two or more yarns alternate repeatedly within one row and all the yarns must be carried along the row, as seen in
Fair Isle sweaters. Double knitting can produce two separate knitted fabrics simultaneously, for example, two socks; however, the two fabrics are usually integrated into one, giving it great warmth and excellent drape.
Knit and purl stitches
In securing the previous stitch in a wale, the next stitch can pass through the previous loop either from below or above. If the former, the stitch is denoted as a
knit stitch; if the latter, as a
purl stitch. The two stitches are related in that a knit stitch seen from one side of the fabric appears as a purl stitch on the other side.
The two types of stitches have a different visual effect; the knit stitches look like "V"'s stacked vertically, whereas the purl stitches look like a wavy horizontal line across the fabric. Patterns and pictures can be created in knitted fabrics by using knit and purl stitches as "
pixels"; however, such pixels are usually rectangular, rather than square, depending on the
gauge of the knitting. Individual stitches, or rows of stitches, may be made taller by drawing more yarn into the new loop (an
elongated stitch), which is the basis for
uneven knitting: a row of tall stitches may alternate with one or more rows of short stitches for an interesting visual effect. Short and tall stitches may also alternate within a row, forming a fish-like oval pattern.
In the simplest knitted fabrics, all of the stitches are knit or purl; these fabrics are denoted as
stockinette and
reverse stockinette, respectively. Vertical stripes (
ribbing) are possible by having alternating wales of knit and purl stitches; for example, a common choice is 2x2 ribbing, in which two wales of knit stitches are followed by two wales of purl stitches, etc. Horizontal striping (
welting) is also possible, by alternating
rows of knit and purl stitches; the simplest of these is
garter stitch, so-called because its great elasticity made it well-suited for garters. Checkerboard patterns (
basketweave) are also possible, the smallest of which is known as
seed stitch: the stitches alternate between knit and purl in every wale and along every row.
Fabrics in which the number of knit and purl stitches are not the same, such as stockinette, have a tendency to curl; by contrast, those in which knit and purl stitches are arranged symmetrically (such as ribbing, garter stitch or seed stitch) tend to lie flat and drape well. Wales of purl stitches have a tendency to recede, whereas those of knit stitches tend to come forward. Thus, the purl wales in ribbing tend to be invisible, since the neighboring knit wales come forward. Conversely, rows of purl stitches tend to form an embossed ridge relative to a row of knit stitches. This is the basis of
shadow knitting, in which the appearance of a knitted fabric changes when viewed from different directions.
Typically, a new stitch is passed through a single unsecured ("active") loop, thus lengthening that wale by one stitch. However, this need not be so; the new loop may be passed through an already secured stitch lower down on the fabric, or even between secured stitches (a
dip stitch). Depending on the distance between where the loop is drawn through the fabric and where it's knitted, such dip stitches can produce a subtle stippling or long lines across the surface of the fabric, for example, the lower leaves of a flower. The new loop may also be passed between two stitches in the
present row, thus
clustering the intervening stitches; this approach is often used to produce a
smocking effect in the fabric. The new loop may also be passed through
two or more previous stitches, producing a
decrease and merging wales together. The merged stitches need not be from the same row; for example, a
tuck can be formed by knitting stitches together from two different rows, producing a raised horizontal welt on the fabric.
Not every stitch in a row need be knitted; some may be left as is and knitted on a subsequent row. This is known as
slip-stitch knitting. The slipped stitches are naturally longer than the knitted ones; for example, a stitch slipped for one row before knitting would be roughly twice as tall as its knitted counterparts. This can produce interesting visual effects, although the resulting fabric is more rigid, because the slipped stitch "pulls" on its neighbours and is less deformable. Slip-stitch knitting plays an important role in
mosaic knitting, an important technique in hand-knitting patterned fabrics; mosaic-knit fabrics tend to be stiffer than patterned fabrics produced by other methods such as
Fair-Isle knitting.
In some cases, a stitch may be deliberately left unsecured by a new stitch and its wale allowed to disassemble. This is known as
drop-stitch knitting, and produces a vertical ladder of see-through holes in the fabric, corresponding to where the wale had been.
Right- and left-plaited stitches
Edges and joins between knitted fabrics
The initial and final edges of a knitted fabric are known as the
cast-on and
bound-off edges. The side edges are known as the
selvages; the word derives from "self-edges", meaning that the stitches don't need to be secured by anything else. Many types of selvages have been developed, with different elastic and ornamental properties.
Vertical and horizontal edges can be introduced within a knitted fabric, for example, for button holes, by binding off and re-casting on again (horizontal) or by knitting the fabrics on either side of a vertical edge separately.
Two knitted fabrics can be joined by embroidery-based
grafting methods, most commonly the Kitchener stitch. New wales can be begun from any of the edges of a knitted fabric; this is known as
picking up stitches and is the basis for
entrelac, in which the wales run perpendicular to one another in a checkerboard pattern.
Cables, increases and lace
Ordinarily, stitches are knitted in the same order in every row, and the wales of the fabric run parallel and vertically along the fabric. However, this need not be so. The order in which stitches are knitted may be permuted so that wales cross over one another, forming a cable pattern. Cables patterns tend to draw the fabric together, making it denser and less elastic;
Aran sweaters are a common form of knitted cabling. Arbitrarily complex braid patterns can be done in
cable knitting, with the proviso that the wales must move ever upwards; it's generally impossible for a wale to move up and then down the fabric. Knitters have developed methods for giving the illusion of a circular wale, such as appear in
Celtic knots, but these are inexact approximations. However, such circular wales are possible using Swiss darning, a form of embroidery, or by knitting a tube separately and attaching it to the knitted fabric.
A wale can split into two or more wales using
increases, most commonly involving a
yarn over. Depending on how the increase is done, there's often a hole in the fabric at the point of the increase. This is used to great effect in
lace knitting, which consists of making patterns and pictures using such holes, rather than with the stitches themselves. The large and many holes in lacy knitting makes it extremely elastic; for example, some Shetland "wedding-ring" shawls are so fine that they may be drawn through a wedding ring.
By combining increases and decreases, it's possible to make the direction of a wale slant away from vertical, even in weft knitting. This is the basis for
bias knitting, and can be used for visual effect, similar to the direction of a brush-stroke in oil painting.
Ornamentations and additions
Various point-like ornaments may be added to knitting for their look or to improve the wear of the fabric. Examples include various types of
bobbles, sequins and
beads. Long loops can also be drawn out and secured, forming a "shaggy" texture to the fabric; this is known as
loop knitting. Additional patterns can be made on the surface of the knitted fabric using
embroidery; if the embroidery resembles knitting, it's often called Swiss darning. Various closures for the garments, such as frogs and buttons can be added; usually buttonholes are knitted into the garment, rather than cut.
Ornamental pieces may also be knitted separately and then attached using
applique. For example, differently colored leaves and petals of a flower could be knit separately and applied to form the final picture. Separately knitted tubes can be applied to a knitted fabric to form complex
Celtic knots and other patterns that would be difficult to knit.
Unknitted yarns may be worked into knitted fabrics for warmth, as is done in
tufting and "
weaving" (also known as "couching").
Types of knitting
Flat knitting versus circular 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. 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.
There is also such a thing as
finger knitting. It isn't done like knitting on needles, it's done on your fingers. This produces a tube like piece.
History and culture
One of the earliest known examples of knitting was finely decorated cotton socks found in
Egypt in the end of the
first millennium AD. The first knitting trade guild was started in Paris in 1527.
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's 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. While some may say
knitting has never really gone away, this latest reincarnation is less about the make do and mend of the 1940’s and 50’s and more about making a statement about individuality as well as developing an innate sense of community.
Additionally, many contemporary knitters have an interest in
blogging about their knitting, patterns, and techniques.
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's 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 colors. Some yarns are dyed to be either
variegated (changing color 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 color (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
There are many hundreds of different
knitting stitches used by knitters. 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 stitches" 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.
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's 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.)
Knitting materials
Yarn
Yarn for hand-knitting is usually sold as balls or skeins (hanks), although it may also be wound on spools or cones. Skeins and balls are generally sold with a
yarn-band, a label that describes the yarn's weight, length, dye lot, fiber content, washing instructions, suggested needle size, likely
gauge, etc. It is common practice to save the yarn band for future reference, especially if additional skeins must be purchased. Knitters generally ensure that the yarn for a project comes from a single dye lot. The dye lot specifies a group of skeins that were dyed together and thus have precisely the same color; skeins from different dye-lots, even if very similar in color, are usually slightly different and may produce a visible stripe when knitted together. If a knitter buys insufficient yarn of a single dye lot to complete a project, additional skeins of the same dye lot can sometimes be obtained from other yarn stores or online.
The thickness of the yarn is a significant factor in determining the
gauge, for example, how many stitches and rows are required to cover a given area for a given stitch pattern. Thicker yarns generally require thicker knitting needles, whereas thinner yarns may be knit with thick or thin needles. Hence, thicker yarns generally require fewer stitches, and therefore less time, to knit up a given garment. Patterns and motifs are coarser with thicker yarns; thicker yarns produce bold visual effects, whereas thinner yarns are best for refined patterns. Yarns are grouped by thickness into six categories: superfine, fine, light, medium, bulky and superbulky; quantitatively, thickness is measured by the number of wraps per inch (WPI). The related
weight per unit length is usually measured in
tex or dernier.
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 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.
A yarn's usefulness for a knitting project 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's 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. A key factor in knitting is
stitch definition, corresponding to how well complicated stitch patterns can be seen when made from a given yarn. Smooth, highly spun yarns are best for showing off stitch patterns; at the other extreme, very fuzzy yarns or eyelash yarns have poor stitch definition, and any complicated stitch pattern would be invisible.
Although knitting may be done with ribbons, metal wire and 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 fibers, 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,
jute,
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,
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, for example, 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.
A single spun yarn may knitted 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 individually; for example, two Z-twist yarns are usually plied 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-19th century; however, natural dyes are often favored, although they're 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.
Knitting tools
Knitting needles
drop; (2) these stitches must be released sometime after they're secured; and (3) new bights of
yarn must be passed through the fabric, usually through active stitches, thus securing them. In very simple cases, knitting can be done without tools, using only the fingers to do these tasks; however, knitting is usually carried out using tools such as
knitting needles,
knitting machines or rigid frames. Depending on their size and shape, the rigid frames are called knitting boards, knitting rings (also called knitting looms) or knitting spools (also known as knitting knobbies, knitting nancies, or corkers). Other tools are used to prepare yarn for knitting, to measure and design knitted garments, or to make knitting easier or more comfortable.
There are three basic types of knitting needles (also called "knitting pins"). The first and most common type consists of two slender, straight sticks tapered to a point at one end, and with a knob at the other end to prevent stitches from slipping off. Such needles are usually 10-16
inches long but, due to the compressibility of knitted fabrics, may be used to knit pieces significantly wider. The most important property of needles is their diameter, which ranges from below 2
mm to 25 mm (roughly 1 inch). The diameter affects the size of stitches, which affects the
gauge of the knitting and the elasticity of the fabric. Thus, a simple way to change gauge is to use different needles, which is the basis of
uneven knitting. Although knitting needle diameter is often measured in millimeters, there are several different size systems, particularly those specific to the
United States, the
United Kingdom and
Japan; a conversion table is given at
knitting needle. Such knitting needles may be made out of any materials, but the most common materials are metals,
wood,
bamboo, and
plastic. Different materials have different frictions and grip the yarn differently; slick needles such as metallic needles are useful for swift knitting, whereas rougher needles such as bamboo are less prone to dropping stitches. The knitting of new stitches occurs only at the tapered ends, and needles with lighted tips have been sold to allow knitters to knit in the dark.
The second type of knitting needles are straight, double-pointed knitting needles (also called "dpns"). Double-pointed needles are tapered at both ends, which allows them to be knit from either end. Dpns are typically used for
circular knitting, especially smaller tube-shaped pieces such as sleeves, collars, and socks; usually one needle is active while the others hold the remaining active stitches. Dpns are somewhat shorter (typically 7
inches) and are usually sold in sets of four or five.
Cable needles are a special case of dpns, although they usually are not straight, but dimpled in the middle. Cable needles are typically very short (a few inches), and are used to hold stitches temporarily while others are being knitted. Cable patterns are made by permuting the order of stitches; although one or two stitches may be held by hand or knit out of order, cables of three or more generally require a cable needle.
The third needle type consists of circular needles, which are long, flexible double-pointed needles. The two tapered ends (typically long) are rigid and straight, allowing for easy knitting; however, the two ends are connected by a flexible strand (usually nylon) that allows the two ends to be brought together. Circular needles are typically 24-60 inches long, and are usually used singly or in pairs; again, the width of the knitted piece may be significantly longer than the length of the circular needle. Special kits are available that allow circular needles of various lengths and diameters to be made as needed; rigid ends of various diameters may be screwed into strands of various lengths. The ability to work from either end of one needle is convenient in several types of knitting, such as
slip-stitch versions of
double knitting. Circular needles may be used for
flat or
circular knitting.
Ancillary tools
Various tools have been developed to make hand-knitting easier. Tools for measuring needle diameter and yarn properties have been discussed above, as well as the
yarn swift, ballwinder and "yarntainers". Crochet hooks and a darning needle are often useful in
binding off or in
joining two knitted pieces edge-to-edge. The darning needle is used in
duplicate stitch (also known as Swiss darning), while the crochet hook is also essential for repairing
dropped stitches and some specialty stitches such as
tufting. Other tools are used to prepare specific ornaments include the pompom tree for making pompoms conveniently. For large or complex patterns, it's sometimes difficult to keep track of which stitch should be knit in a particular way; therefore, several tools have been developed to identify the number of a particular row or stitch, including circular stitch markers, hanging markers, extra yarn and counters. A second potential difficulty is that the knitted piece will slide off the tapered end of the needles when unattended; this is prevented by "point protectors" that cap the tapered ends. Another problem is that too much knitting may lead to hand and wrist troubles; for this, special stress-relieving gloves are available. Finally, there are sundry bags and containers for holding knitting, yarns and needles.
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.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Knitting'.
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