A picot is a loop of thread created for functional or ornamental purposes along the edge of lace or ribbon, or crocheted , knitted or tatted fabric. The loops vary in size according to their function and artistic intention.
96-410: 'Picot', pronounced /piko/ , is a diminutive derived from the French verb piquer , "to prick". To create a picot in tatting, the first half of a double stitch is made, but instead of pulling the half-stitch taut against the stitch before it, the half-stitch is pinched against the foundation thread and held some distance from the stitch before it. The distance at which the half-stitch is held determines
192-411: A 50 g skein of bulky wool may contain only 60 metres. Craft yarn comes in several thicknesses or weights. This is not to be confused with the measurement and weight listed above. The Craft Yarn Council of America promotes a standardized industry system for measuring yarn weight, where weights are numbered from 0 (finest) to 7 (thickest). Each weight can be described by a number and name: Size 0 yarn
288-515: 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 hand 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). There are also different ways to insert the needle into
384-412: A central axis to facilitate yarn ball winding There are two subtypes of hanks: twisted and folded. A twisted hank is a hank that has been twisted into a rope braid. A folded hank is a hank that has been folded in half and wrapped in a label for retail purposes. Skeins are one of the most common types of yarn ball. Although skeins are technically described as yarn that has been wound into an oblong shape,
480-432: 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 is 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
576-456: A knitted fabric, e.g., for button holes, by binding/casting 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
672-421: 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
768-556: A leisure activity for the wealthy. English Roman Catholic priest and former Anglican bishop, Richard Rutt , authored a history of the craft in A History of Hand Knitting (Batsford, 1987). His collection of books about knitting is now housed at the Winchester School of Art (University of Southampton). 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
864-412: A loop is passed from one needle to the other) allows for a wide range of textures, including heel and linen stitches as well as 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 ,
960-594: A looped 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 is no single straight line of yarn anywhere in the pattern, a knitted piece of fabric can stretch in all directions. This elasticity is all but unavailable in 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
1056-401: 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. While creating knitting by hand, usually two needles are used to hold the live stitches. While crochet uses a single hook, usually creating one stitch at a time, finishing one stitch before creating
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#17327764883571152-463: A raised horizontal welt on the fabric. Not every stitch in a row need be knitted; some may be 'missed' (unknitted and passed to the active needle) 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
1248-452: A related pair of directions that lie roughly diagonally between the warp and the weft, while contracting in the other direction of the pair (stretching and contracting with the bias ), and are not very elastic, unless they are woven from stretchable material such as spandex . Knitted garments are often more form-fitting than woven garments, since their elasticity allows them to contour to the body's outline more closely; by contrast, curvature
1344-461: A single color 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 color ( intarsia , for example), busy small-scale patterns of color (such as Fair Isle), or both ( double knitting and slip-stitch color , for example). Yarn with multiple shades of
1440-615: A single uniform hue, but there is also a wide selection of variegated yarns: Each of these different colours and styles are achieved through a process called yarn dyeing. There are many different methods of yarn dyeing: package dyeing, skein dyeing, space dyeing, warp beam dyeing, and more. Yarn quantities for handcrafts are usually measured and sold by weight in ounces (oz) or grams (g). Common sizes include 25g, 50g, and 100g skeins. Some companies also primarily measure in ounces with common sizes being three-ounce, four-ounce, six-ounce, and eight-ounce skeins. Textile measurements are taken at
1536-428: A smell of burnt hair; this is because many, like human hair, are protein-derived. Cotton and viscose (rayon) yarns burn as a wick. Synthetic yarns generally tend to melt, though some synthetics are inherently flame-retardant . Noting how an unidentified fiber strand burns and smells can assist in determining if it is natural or synthetic, and what the fiber content is. Both synthetic and natural yarns can pill . Pilling
1632-471: A standard temperature and humidity because variations in heat and humidity can cause fibers to absorb different amounts of moisture from the air, thus increasing the measured weight of the yarn without adding any fiber material. The actual length of the yarn contained in a ball or skein can vary due to the inherent heaviness of the fibre and the thickness of the strand; for instance, a 50 g skein of lace weight mohair may contain several hundred metres, while
1728-498: A stitch in the following stitch. Knitted fabric tends to be thinner, more flexible, and usually has easier to understand patterns because each new stitch must go into the next stitch. Because of the differences in how the fabrics are created, the first knitting machine was invented in Victorian times, while machine that can stitch a crochet fabric has yet to be produced. Although different methods, they can create similar projects using
1824-591: A subtle but interesting visual texture, and tend to draw the fabric inwards, making it stiffer. Plaited stitches are a common method for knitting jewelry from fine metal wire. The initial and final edges of a knitted fabric are known as the cast-on and bound/cast-off edges. The side edges are known as the selvages ; the word derives from "self-edges", meaning that the stitches do not 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
1920-588: A uniform hue . The word " yarn " comes from Middle English , from the Old English gearn , akin to Old High German garn , "yarn", Dutch garen , Ancient Greek χορδή , "string", and Sanskrit hira , "band". The human production of yarn is known to have existed since the Stone Age and earlier prehistory , with ancient fiber materials developing from animal hides , to reeds , to early fabrics. Cotton , wool , and silk were
2016-509: A very open fabric resembling needle or bobbin lace . Open vertical stripes can be created using the drop-stitch knitting technique. 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
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#17327764883572112-412: A whole garment is hand knit as a single piece, is also possible. Elizabeth Zimmermann is probably the best-known proponent of seamless or circular hand knitting techniques. Smaller items, such as socks and hats, are usually knit in one piece on double-pointed needles or circular needles. Hats in particular can be started "top down" on double pointed needles with the increases added until the preferred size
2208-471: Is cotton , which is typically spun into fine yarn for mechanical weaving or knitting into cloth . Silk is a natural protein fiber , some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The protein fiber of silk is composed mainly of fibroin and is produced by the larvae of the moth Bombyx mori . Silk production is thought to have begun in China and silk thread and cloth manufacture was well-established by
2304-510: Is slub yarns, yarn with thick or thin sections alternating regularly or irregularly. In a similar manner, creating deliberate unevenness, additions or injections of neps or metallic or synthetic fibers (along with natural fibers) in spinning creates novelty yarns. Filament yarn consists of filament fibres (very long continuous fibres) either twisted together or only grouped together. Thicker monofilaments are typically used for industrial purposes rather than fabric production or decoration. Silk
2400-464: Is a function of fiber content, spinning method, twist, contiguous staple length, and fabric construction. Single ply yarns or using fibers like merino wool are known to pill more due to the fact that in the former, the single ply is not tight enough to securely retain all the fibers under abrasion, and the merino wool's short staple length allows the ends of the fibers to pop out of the twist more easily. Yarns combining synthetic and natural fibers inherit
2496-411: Is a natural filament, and synthetic filament yarns are used to produce silk-like effects. Texturized yarns are made by a process of air texturizing filament yarns (sometimes referred to as taslanizing ), which combines multiple filament yarns into a yarn with some of the characteristics of spun yarns. They are synthetic continuous filaments that are modified to impart special texture and appearance. It
2592-484: Is a type of yarn intended for sewing by hand or machine . Modern manufactured sewing threads may be finished with wax or other lubricants to withstand the stresses involved in sewing. Embroidery threads are yarns specifically designed for needlework . Yarn can be made of a number of natural or synthetic materials, and comes in a variety of colors and thicknesses (referred to as "weights"). Although yarn may be dyed different colours, most yarns are solid coloured with
2688-438: Is achieved, switching to an appropriate circular needle when enough stitches have been added. Care must be taken to bind off at a tension that will allow the "give" needed to comfortably fit on the head. (See Circular knitting .) Yarn Yarn is a long continuous length of interlocked fibres , used in sewing , crocheting , knitting , weaving , embroidery , ropemaking , and the production of textiles . Thread
2784-413: Is also possible, by alternating rows of knit and purl stitches. Checkerboard patterns ( basketweave ) are also possible, the smallest of which is known as seed/moss stitch : the stitches alternate between knit and purl in every wale and along every row. Fabrics in which each knitted row is followed by a purled row, such as in stockinette/stocking stitch, have a tendency to curl—top and bottom curl toward
2880-404: Is called Lace, size 1 is Super Fine, size 2 is Fine, size 3 is Light, size 4 is Medium, size 5 is Bulky, size 6 is Super Bulky, and size 7 is Jumbo. Each weight also has several commonly used but unregulated terms associated with it. However, this naming convention is more descriptive than precise; fibre artists disagree about where on the continuum each lies, and the precise relationships between
2976-405: Is composed of twisted strands of fiber, which are known as plies when grouped together. These strands of yarn are twisted together ( plied ) in the opposite direction to make a thicker yarn. Depending on the direction of this final twist, the yarn will have either s-twist (the threads appear to go "up" to the left) or z-twist (to the right). For a single ply yarn, the direction of the final twist
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3072-467: Is cut fibers, generally sold in lengths up to 120 mm. Tow is a continuous "rope" of fibers consisting of many filaments loosely joined side-to-side. Filament is a continuous strand consisting of anything from one filament to many. Synthetic fiber is most often measured in a weight per linear measurement basis , along with cut length. Denier and Dtex are the most common weight to length measures. Cut-length only applies to staple fiber. Filament extrusion
3168-425: Is different from ring spinning . In open-end yarn, there is no roving frame stage. Sliver from the card goes into the rotor, is spun into yarn directly. Open-end yarn can be produced from short fibers. Open-end yarns are different from ring yarns. Open-end yarns are limited to coarser counts. Novelty yarns or complex yarns are yarns with special (fancy) effects introduced during spinning or plying. One example
3264-409: 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 or decreasing the number of stitches. Thread used in weaving
3360-428: Is known as a swatch . Like weaving , knitting is a technique for producing a two-dimensional fabric made from a one-dimensional yarn or thread. In weaving, 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) symmetrically above and below
3456-412: Is passed through it. Although the new stitch is itself unsecured ("active" or "live"), it secures the stitch(es) suspended from it. A sequence of stitches in which each stitch is 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/casting off . During knitting,
3552-826: Is sometimes referred to as "spinning," but most people equate spinning with spun yarn production. T-shirt yarn is a recycled yarn made from the same fabric as is used in T-shirts and other clothes. It is often made from the remainder fabric of clothing manufacture, and therefore is considered a recycled and eco-friendly product. It can also be made at home out of used clothing. The resulting yarn can be used in knitted or crocheted items. In general, natural fibers tend to require more careful handling than synthetics because they can shrink, felt , stain, shed, fade, stretch, wrinkle, or be eaten by moths more readily, unless special treatments such as mercerization or super washing are performed to strengthen, fix color, or otherwise enhance
3648-562: Is the major trade association for yarn manufacturers, reported that 38 million consumers participated in either knitting or crocheting in the United States in 2011. In a survey of 5,000 knitters and crocheters, the Craft Yarn Council (2012) discovered that 18- to 34-year-olds comprised 18% of all respondents. Historian Abrams (2006, p. 150) proclaimed, "Today hand-knitting is regarded as a creative and skilled endeavor which
3744-450: Is the same as its original twist. The twist direction of yarn can affect the final properties of the fabric, and combined use of the two twist directions can nullify skewing in knitted fabric. The mechanical integrity of yarn is derived from frictional contacts between its composing fibers. The science behind this was first studied by Galileo . Combed yarns are produced by adding another step of yarn spinning, namely combing, which aligns
3840-414: Is typically sold. The yarn is usually tied in two places directly opposite each other to keep the loops together and to keep them from tangling. Hanks are a preferred method of fastening yarn for many yarn sellers and yarn-dyers due to its ability to more widely display the qualities of the fiber. It is often wound using a swift , a standing contraption that holds a yarn hank without obstruction and spins on
3936-418: Is undergoing a revival and a re-evaluation by means of the re-appropriation and adaptation of traditional skills by modern artists and designers." Clearly, there is noteworthy growth in the number of knitters and yet there has been little scholarly attention paid to understand the motivations of knitters and the artifacts they create. There has also been a lack of research on young female knitters who are some of
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4032-428: 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 are not secured, the loops of a knitted course will come undone when their yarn is pulled; this is known as ripping out , unravelling knitting, or humorously, frogging (because you 'rip it', this sounds like a frog croaking: 'rib-bit'). To secure a stitch, at least one new loop
4128-465: Is very common. The most widely used blends are cotton-polyester and wool-acrylic fibre blends. Blends of different natural fibres are common too, especially with more expensive fibres such as alpaca, angora and cashmere . Yarn is selected for different textiles based on the characteristics of the yarn fibres, such as warmth (wool), light weight (cotton or rayon), durability (nylon is added to sock yarn, for example), or softness (cashmere, alpaca). Yarn
4224-501: The Shang dynasty (1600–1050 BCE). Linen is another natural fiber with a long history of use for yarn and textiles. Linen fibers are derived from the flax plant. Other plant fibers which can be spun include bamboo , hemp , maize , nettle , and soy fiber. The most common spun animal fiber is wool harvested from sheep . As long fibers make better yarn, sheep have been bred over time to produce longer fibers. This increases
4320-598: The Upper Paleolithic , and yarn spinning was one of the first processes to be industrialized . Spun yarns are produced by placing a series of individual fibres or filaments together to form a continuous assembly of overlapping fibres, usually bound together by twist. Spun yarns may contain a single type of fibre, or be a blend of various types. Combining synthetic fibres (which can have high strength, lustre, and fire retardant qualities) with natural fibres (which have good water absorbency and skin comforting qualities)
4416-408: The gaining needle so that the loops from the prior row can be pulled off the other needle without unraveling. Differences in yarn (varying in fibre type, weight , uniformity and twist ), needle size, and stitch type allow for a variety of knitted fabrics with different properties, including color, texture, thickness, heat retention, water resistance, and integrity. A small sample of knitwork
4512-410: The gauge/tension 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
4608-409: 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
4704-496: The "wrong side" stitches, known as purl stitches, either in columns (ribbing), rows ( garter , welting ), or more complex patterns. Each 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. The basic knitted fabrics are referred to by different names in
4800-471: 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
4896-414: 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
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#17327764883574992-482: The UK as tension, is a measurement of how many stitches and rows are produced per inch or per cm on a specified size of knitting needle or crochet hook. The proposed standardization uses a four-by-four inch/ten-by-ten cm knitted stockinette or single crocheted square, with the resultant number of stitches across and rows high made by the suggested tools on the label to determine the gauge. In Europe, textile engineers often use
5088-406: The active stitches are secured mechanically, either from individual hooks (in knitting machines) or from a knitting needle or frame in hand-knitting. There are two major varieties of knitting: weft knitting and warp knitting . In the more common weft knitting , the wales are perpendicular to the course of the yarn. In warp knitting , the wales and courses run roughly parallel. In weft knitting,
5184-417: The back loops, i.e., passing the needle through the initial stitch in an unusual way, but wrapping the yarn as usual. By contrast, the left-plaited stitch is generally formed by hand-knitters by wrapping the yarn in the opposite way, rather than by any change in the needle. Although they are mirror images in form, right- and left-plaited stitches are functionally equivalent. Both types of plaited stitches give
5280-430: The basis for entrelac , in which the wales run perpendicular to one another in a checkerboard pattern. 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, since the order in which stitches are knitted may be permuted so that wales cross over one another, forming a cable pattern. Cable patterns tend to draw
5376-567: The chain. While picots were once largely ornamental, today they are functional as well. For example, in tatting, the picot is the site of the join between two rings, chains, or other pieces of work. Rather than creating independently tatted rings or chains and then sewing or tying them together, an integral system of picots can be used to join the rings or chains as the work progresses. In older tatting and crocheting patterns, picots were sometimes specified as purls , purl stitches , or pearl stitches . These specifications are not to be confused with
5472-431: 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 which are 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
5568-440: The direction of a brush-stroke in oil painting. 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
5664-511: The earliest known examples being cotton socks dating from the 11th century, found in the remains of the city of Fustat, now part of Cairo. Nålebinding (Danish: literally "binding with a needle" or "needle-binding") is a fabric creation technique predating both knitting and crochet. The first commercial knitting guilds appear in Western Europe in the early fifteenth century (Tournai in 1429, Barcelona in 1496). The Guild of Saint Fiacre
5760-408: The embroidery resembles knitting, it is 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 attached to form
5856-687: 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 stranded colorwork . In intarsia,
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#17327764883575952-427: 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
6048-576: 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 is 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,
6144-907: The fiber's own properties. Some types of protein yarns (i.e., hair, silk, feathers) may feel irritating to some people, causing contact dermatitis , hives , or wheezing . These reactions are likely a sensitivity to thicker and coarser fiber diameter or fiber ends. In fact, contrary to popular belief, wool allergies are practically unknown. According to a study reviewing the evidence of wool as an allergen conducted by Acta Dermato-Venereologica, contemporary superfine or ultrafine Merino wool with their reduced fibre diameters do not provoke itch, are well tolerated and in fact benefit eczema management. Further studies suggest that known allergens applied during textile processing are minimally present in wool garments today given current industry practices and are unlikely to lead to allergic reactions. When natural hair-type fibers are burned, they tend to singe and have
6240-411: The fibres and removes the short fibres carried over from the previous step of carding. Combed yarn results in superior-quality fabrics. In comparison to carded yarns, this particular yarn is slightly more expensive, because the weaving is a long, consuming process. Combining separates small fibres from elongated fibres, in which this procedure makes the yarn softer and smoother. Hosiery yarns are used in
6336-433: 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"). The word is derived from knot and ultimately from the Old English cnyttan , to knot. The exact origins of knitting are unknown,
6432-504: The first materials for yarn, and textile trade contributed immensely to the ancient global economy. In 2011, the Bangladesh University of Textiles established a specialized Department of Yarn Engineering, focusing on the advanced techniques of transforming textile fibers into yarn. Yarn can be made from a number of natural or synthetic fibers , or a blend of natural and synthetic fibers. The most common plant fiber
6528-401: The front (or knitted side) while the sides curl toward the back (or purled side); by contrast, those in which knit and purl stitches are arranged symmetrically (such as ribbing, garter stitch or seed/moss stitch) have more texture and tend to lie flat. Wales of purl stitches have a tendency to recede, whereas those of knit stitches tend to come forward, giving the fabric more stretchability. Thus,
6624-431: The manufacturing of knitted fabrics . Since the knitted materials are more delicate than woven materials; hence hosiery yarns are made 'softer' with fewer twists per inch than their woven counterparts. Hosiery yarn comes from a separate spinning process (melt spinning), and is used with circular knitting machines to form fabric. Open-end yarn is produced by open-end spinning without a spindle . The method of spinning
6720-477: The mean path of the yarn. These meandering loops can be easily stretched in different directions giving knit fabrics 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 or other of
6816-418: The most avid participants in the craft , according to the Craft Yarn Council (2012). Knitting is a method for production of textile fabrics by interlacing yarn loops with loops of the same or other yarns. It is used to create many types of garments . Knitting may be done by hand or by machine . Knitting creates stitches : loops of yarn in a row; they can be either on straight flat needles or in
6912-745: The need for shearing to prevent pests and overheating. Other animal fibers used include alpaca , angora , mohair , llama , cashmere , and silk. More rarely, yarn may be spun from camel , yak , possum , musk ox , vicuña , cat , dog , wolf , rabbit , bison , or chinchilla hair, as well as turkey or ostrich feathers. Some examples of synthetic fibers that are used as yarn are nylon , acrylic fiber , rayon , and polyester . Synthetic fibers are generally extruded in continuous strands of gel-state materials. These strands are drawn (stretched), annealed (hardened), and cured to obtain properties desirable for later processing. Synthetic fibers come in three basic forms: staple, tow, and filament. Staple
7008-403: The needle without unravelling the item. Although the mechanics are different from casting on, there is a similar variety of methods. In hand 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 hand knitted separately and then sewn together . Seamless knitting, where
7104-425: 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 is knitted, dip stitches can produce a subtle stippling or long lines across the surface of the fabric, e.g., the lower leaves of a flower. The new loop may also be passed between two stitches in
7200-457: The next. Knitted fabric tends to be flexible and flowing, the stitches forming a shape that is similar to a "V". Crochet fabric has a more structured feel, each stitch consisting of several loops entwined. Each textile has its own specialties and methods. Because of the different nature of each stitch, crochet fabric uses more yarn per stitch, is more structured, and is more flexible in the structures that can be created, not being restrained to create
7296-428: The piece. Fair Isle knitting uses two or more colored yarns to create patterns and forms a thicker and less flexible fabric. 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. Plenty of finished knitting projects never use more than
7392-399: The process of casting 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 methods employed to cast on, such as
7488-447: The properties of each parent, according to the proportional composition. Synthetics are added to lower cost, increase durability, add unusual color or visual effects, provide machine washability and stain resistance, reduce heat retention, or lighten garment weight. Spun yarn is made by twisting staple fibres together to make a cohesive thread, or "single". Twisting fibres into yarn in the process called spinning can be dated back to
7584-482: 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;
7680-421: The resulting fabric is more rigid because the slipped stitch 'pulls' on its neighbours and is less deformable. Mosaic knitting is a form of slip-stitch knitting that knits alternate colored rows and uses slip stitches to form patterns; 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
7776-654: The reverse stitch called ' purl' in knitting . Knitting Knitting has undergone a significant and somewhat surprising revival in the new millennium. Once viewed as “grannies” practicing a domestic chore, knitters are shedding this stereotype and are knitting on New York City subways, in crowded pubs, and in other trendy places.Many young women saying that some of the motivation is making their own garments and accessories allowed them to follow their own creative vision as opposed to that of retailers. They observed that items similar to what they had produced were not available for purchase. The Craft Yarn Council (2012), which
7872-414: The round on needles with (often times plastic) tubes connected to both ends of the needles . There are usually many active stitches on the knitting needle at one time. Knitted fabric consists of a number of consecutive rows of connected loops that intermesh with the next and previous rows. As each row is formed, each newly created loop is pulled through one or more loops from the prior row and placed on
7968-415: The same fibers and yarns. Both knit and purl stitches may be twisted: usually once if at all, but sometimes twice and (very rarely) thrice. When seen from above, the twist can be clockwise (right yarn over left) or counterclockwise (left yarn over right); these are denoted as right- and left-plaited stitches, respectively. Hand-knitters generally produce right-plaited stitches by knitting or purling through
8064-468: 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 colored fibres. There are many hundreds of different knitting stitches used by hand knitters. A piece of hand knitting begins with
8160-499: The setting of industrial manufacture. The fabric known by hand knitters as stockinette is called plain knit or jersey , and the fabric known by hand knitters as garter is called purl knitting or links-and-links. 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. The most common texture for
8256-498: The simplest of hand-knitted fabrics, every row of stitches are all knit (or all purl); this creates a garter stitch fabric. Alternating rows of all knit stitches and all purl stitches creates a stockinette stitch/stocking stitch pattern. 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 )
8352-405: The size of the picot. As the second half of the stitch is formed, it is slid down the foundation thread and into place next to the stitch before it. The resulting picot is thus anchored between two double stitches. It is also possible to anchor the picot between the two halves of a full double stitch. In crochet, the hook is inserted into the third chain from the hook and pulled through all loops on
8448-454: The sizes. These terms include: fingering, sport, double-knit (or DK), worsted , aran (or heavy worsted), bulky, super-bulky, and roving. Another measurement of yarn weight, often used by weavers, is wraps per inch (WPI). The yarn is wrapped snugly around a ruler and the number of wraps that fit in an inch are counted. Labels on yarn for handicrafts often include information on gauge , which can also help determine yarn weight. Gauge, known in
8544-441: The stitch. Knitting through the front of a stitch is called Western knitting. Going through the back of a stitch is called Eastern knitting. A third method, called combination knitting , goes through the front of a knit stitch and the back of a purl stitch. Once the hand 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
8640-426: 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 is 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
8736-402: The two fabrics are usually integrated into one, giving it great warmth and excellent drape. In securing the previous stitch in a wale, the next stitch can pass through the previous loop from either below or above. If the former, the stitch is denoted as a 'knit stitch' or a 'plain stitch;' if the latter, as a 'purl stitch'. The two stitches are related in that a knit stitch seen from one side of
8832-415: The unit tex , which is the weight in grams of a kilometre of yarn, or decitex, which is a finer measurement corresponding to the weight in grams of 10 km of yarn. Many other units have been used over time by different industries. There are many different ways in which yarn is wound, including hanks, skeins, donut balls, cakes, and cones. A hank of yarn is a looped bundle of yarn, similar to how wire
8928-415: The word "skein" is used generically to describe any ball of yarn. Many large-scale yarn retailers like Lion brand and parent companies like Yarnspirations sell their yarn in skeins. Unlike other types of yarn balls, a skein allows you to access both ends of the yarn. The yarn end in the inside of the skein is called a center pull. One major complaint of center pull bullet skeins is that the inside yarn end
9024-509: The yarns are used in well-segregated regions, e.g., 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 stranded approach, 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 (e.g., two socks). However,
9120-499: Was founded in Paris in 1527 but the archives mention an organization (not necessarily a guild) of knitters from 1268. The occupation: "cap knitter" describes Margaret Yeo, of London, in 1473. With the invention in 1589 of the stocking frame , an early form of knitting machine , knitting "by hand" became a craft used by country people with easy access to fiber. Similar to quilting , spinning , and needlepoint , hand knitting became
9216-459: Was originally applied to synthetic fibers to reduce transparency, slipperiness and increase warmth, absorbency and makes the yarn more opaque. It was used to manufacture a variety of textile products: knitted underwear and outer wear, shape-retaining knitted suits, overcoats. They also were used in the production of artificial fur, carpets, blankets, etc. Yarn may be used undyed, or may be coloured with natural or artificial dyes . Most yarns have
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