Topics: Basic Weft Knitted Structure

Sonjit Kumar Saha

Lecturer, Dept. of AMT
BGMEA University of Fashion & Technology
 Weft Knitted Structure
There are two types of basic weft knitted structure-

 Single Jersey: The weft knitted fabric (Tubular/flat)

which is produced by one set of needles.

 Double Jersey: The weft knitted fabric (Tubular/flat)

which is produced by two sets of needles.
Representation of Weft Knitted Structure

 Representation of weft knitted fabric different

structure can be done by “Notation Diagram”.
 In notation diagram, different symbol used for
various types of stitch.
 Another name of notation diagram is loop diagram.
Knitting Notations

A knitting notation is a simple, easily understood,

symbolic representation of a knitting repeat
sequence and its resultant fabric structure that
eliminates the need for time consuming and
possibly confusing sketches and written
descriptions.
Importance of Notation Diagram
 By notation diagram one can easily show the
structure of knit fabric.
 Chance of showing different types of stitch and
easily differentiate from original one.
 It is easy to set out the needle.
 Easy to set out the cam for different types of stitch.
 In a single word, one can easily set the machine by
showing the notation which is very tough when it is
done by showing the original fabric.
Representation of Weft Knitted Structure

Face loop

Back loop
Representation of Weft Knitted Structure

Face loop
Technical Face

Back loop
Technical Back
Basic Weft Knitted Structure

1. Plain
2. Rib

3. Interlock

4. Purl
Types of Weft Knitted Structure

Weft Knit
Structure

Single Double
Jersey Jersey

Rib Interlock Purl

Balance Unbalance Balance Unbalance

Types of Weft Knitted Structure

Single Jersey Rib

Interlock Purl
Single Jersey Structure
 Plain is produce by the knitting
needles as a single set Example
drawing the loops away from  Jersey blister, jersey lily,
stockinet etc.
the technical back and
towards the technical face side
of the fabric.
 It is the base structure of
ladies hosiery, fully fashioned
knitwear and single jersey
fabrics.
 Its basic structure unit is only
one face loop or back loop.
Single jersey fabric
Single jersey fabric structure: Looping diagram, chain notation and symbolic notation
 Single Jersey Structure Characteristics
 Use only one set of needle to produce fabric;
End Use
 Simplest and most economical production;
 Around 40% potential recovery after stretching;
 Basic T-shirt.
 Possibility of curling at both ends when cut;
 Men’s Vest.
 Technical face is smooth and V-shaped and can
be seen through the wales;  Body of sweater.
 Technical back is rough and have a semi-circle  Socks.
appearance and can be seen at the back  Tights & Stockings
thought the course;  Hosiery product.
 If the yarn breaks, needle loops successively
unmesh down a wale and sinker loops unmesh up
a wale; this structural breakdown is termed
laddering;
 Unroving of yarn can be prevented by binding-
off.
Plain Single Jersey Fabric
Rib Structure
 A rib structure is one in which loops in the
same coarse are drawn to opposite sides
of the fabric. The resultant fabric is called
a rib fabric.
 Rib requires two sets of needles operating
in between each other so that wales of
face stitches and wales of reverse stitches
are knitted on each side of the fabric.
 The simplest rib fabric is 1x1 rib. It consist Rib fabric
of alternate face and back wales, where
a face wale is composed entirely of face
loops and a back wale is composed
entirely a back loops.
1 x 1 Rib structure: Looping diagram, chain
notation and symbolic notation 6 x 3 Derby Rib structure: Chain notation

1 x 1 Skeleton Rib
2 x 2 Rib
 Rib Structure Characteristics
 It is normally knitted with 2 sets of latch needle; End Use
 Rib has vertical card appearance;
 1×1 rib has the appearance of technical face of plain  Bottom edge of
fabric on both sides; sweater body.
 Released 1×1 rib is theoretically twice as thick and half  Bottom edge of
the width of an equivalent plain fabric; sweater sleeve.
 It is more expensive to produce than plain;  Waist Bands.
 It can be unravel from the end knitted last by drawing  Cuffs & Collars.
the free loop heads through to the back of each stitch;  Body fabric of
 It is a heavier structure; sweater for expensive
 1×1 rib is balanced by alternate wales of face loops item.
on each side; it therefore lies flat without curl when cut.
 Rib structures are elastic, form fitting and retain warmth
better then plain structure.
2x1 Rib
3x3 Rib
2x1 Rib
1x1 Rib
2x1 Rib
Rib Structure
 Balance Rib: A balance rib is that where combination of face
and back loop is equal number in a repeat. Such as, 1x1 rib,
2x2 rib, 3x3 rib, 4x4 rib etc.

 Unbalance Rib: A unbalance rib is that where combination of

face and back loop is not equal number in a repeat. Such as,
2x1 rib, 3x1 rib, 3x2 rib, 4x1, 4x2 rib etc.
Rib Structure

Now Differentiate
Between Balance and
Unbalance Rib
Structure
Variegated Rib Structure
 When more than one different rib combined in a single rib
structure than it is called variegated rib.

 The different rib structure may be balance or unbalance or

balance unbalance both.

 The main objectives is to produce various width rib cord line in a

single structure.
Variegated Rib Fabric
 Flat back Rib Structure
 When back side of the rib fabric is flat as like back side of single
jersey instead of vertical cord line than it is called flat back rib.

 One rib fabric and one single jersey fabric combined together.

 So that, fabric thickness is high.

 This type of fabric is made by only flat bed knitting machine.

 In first knitting cycle one rib fabric loop is produce by using two
needle bed. In second knitting cycle a single jersey loop is produce by
using front needle bed and it combined with the previously produce
rib loop.
Flat back Rib Structure
Interlock Structure
 Interlock is composed of two 1x1 rib fabrics locked together.
 It has the technical face of plain fabric on both sides.
 Its smooth surface cannot be stretched out to reveal the reverse
meshed loop wales because the wales on each side are exactly
opposite to each other and are locked together.

Interlock fabric
Interlock fabric structure: Looping diagram and
chain notation
 Interlock Structure Characteristics
 The appearance of the face and back is the same.
 Extensibility width wise and length wise are approximately the same
as single jersey.
 The fabric does not curl at edges, reverse loop cannot be seen.
 The fabric can be unraveled from the end knitted last.
 The thickness of the fabric is approximately twice that of single jersey.
 This is a balanced, smooth, and stable structure.
 Slow production thus costly.
 Finer, better, more expensive yarn is required.
 Both horizontal and vertical stripe can be produced;
End Use
 Body fabric of sweater for expensive garment.
 Purl Structure
 Purl was originally spelt ‘pearl’ and
was so named because of its similar
appearance to pearl droplets.
 The purl fabric, sometimes known as
links and links fabric, in which successive
coarse are drawn to opposite side of
the fabric.
 Purl structures have one or more wales
which contains both face and reverse
loops.
 This can be achieved with double-
ended latch needles or by rib loop Purl fabric
transfer from one bed to the other,
combined with needle bed racking.
Purl fabric structure: Looping diagram, chain
notation and symbolic notation
 Purl Structure Characteristics
 Same appearance face and back. End Use
 Highly extensible in all directions.
 The fabric does not curl at edge.  Body fabric of sweater.
 The fabric may be unraveled coarse by coarse  Children’s clothing.
starting from either end.  Knitwear, thick and heavy
 The fabric tends to be two or three times thicker outerwear.
than single jersey.  Under Garments.
 There are two types of purl needle bed machine.
Flat bed and circular purl.
 The simplest purl is 1×1 purl.
 The tricks of the two needle beds in purl m/c are
exactly opposite to each other and in the same
plane, double ended latch needles are used in
purl m/c.
Purl Fabric
Comparison Between Basic Weft Knitted Structure

Property Plain Rib (1x1) Purl (1x1) Interlock

(1x1)
Appearance Different on Same on both Same on both Same on both
face and back side side side
Lengthwise Moderate Moderate Very high Moderate
extensibility
Widthwise High Very high High Moderate
extensibility
Thickness & Moderate Much thicker & Very much Very much
warmth thicker & warmer thicker & thicker &
warmer warmer warmer
Unroving Either end End knitted Either end End knitted
last last
Curling Tendency to No tendency No tendency No tendency
curl to curl to curl to curl
Identification of Single Jersey & Double Jersey

Single jersey have the following feature

 All face loops are in one side and all back loops are in other
side.
 Both sides are should be different appearance.

Double jersey have the following feature

 Both sides of the fabric contain only face loop or only back loop

or combination of face and back loop.

 Both sides are same appearance for basic and balance structure.