machine knitting

Method of knitting using a machine to loop and knot yarn, rather than doing so by hand, using knitting needles. Machine knitting is used for a high proportion of fabrics, especially for clothing such as sportswear, T-shirts, underwear, jumpers, and sweatshirts.

There are two main types of machine knitting, known as weft and warp knitting. The weft knitting process is similar to that of hand knitting, but the needles on a knitting machine have hooks on the end. Both domestic and industrial weft knitting machines are available. The fabric is produced by passing one row of loops through the next. The main drawback to this type of knitting is that a break in the thread on any of the loops means there is nothing to hold in place the loop below, and so this also comes undone, forming a ‘run’ or ‘ladder’ in the fabric. Warp knitting machines also use needles with hooks, but the threads run vertically and lock into the stitches on either side. This produces a fabric which is less elastic, and which does not ‘run’ when a stitch breaks, but is more expensive to produce than weft-knitted fabric.