Topic
Knit fabric guides: single jersey, rib, interlock, pique, fleece and French terry, plus knit-specific shrinkage, spirality, testing and fabric consumption.
Knit fabrics are made by interlooping yarn, which makes them stretchy and comfortable but also prone to curling, shrinkage and spirality. This topic gathers the notes that explain the main structures (single jersey, rib, interlock, pique, fleece and French terry), the problems specific to knits (shrinkage, spirality and stretch and recovery), the tests used on them (bursting strength and pilling) and how much knit fabric a garment needs (knit fabric consumption and T-shirt fabric consumption). If the subject is new, start with different types of knit fabrics and knit vs woven fabric.
15 notes
Bursting strength measures the pressure or force needed to burst a fabric stretched in all directions. Why it is used for knits instead of tensile tests, the hydraulic, pneumatic and ball burst methods, and what affects results.
A practical guide to the main types of knit fabrics: weft knits such as single jersey, rib, interlock, pique, French terry and fleece, and warp knits such as tricot, powernet and mesh. How each is made, typical weights, properties and the garments they suit.
Why woven and knitted fabrics shrink, how shrinkage is measured and calculated, typical causes in knitting, weaving and finishing, and how factories control shrinkage through relaxation, compaction and pattern allowance.
Fleece is a knitted fabric with a brushed, raised back. How cotton-rich sweatshirt fleece and polyester polar fleece are made, typical weights, the problems fleece brings (pilling, shedding, shrinkage) and how to specify it.
French terry is a knitted fabric with a smooth face and soft loops on the back. How it is made, how it differs from fleece, typical weights, and what to watch for in shrinkage, pilling and sewing.
Interlock is a double-knit made of two interlocked 1x1 ribs. Why it is smooth on both faces, more stable than jersey or rib, where it is used, and how it behaves in cutting, sewing and finishing.
The panel method for knit fabric consumption: list every panel, calculate area and weight by fabric, add allowances, and total by kg per dozen. Worked example for a hoodie with body fabric and rib.
Knitted fabrics are made of interlooped yarns; woven fabrics of interlaced warp and weft. How that difference affects stretch, shrinkage, costing, cutting, sewing and testing, with a side-by-side comparison.
Pilling tests rub or tumble fabric to simulate wear and grade the pills formed. The main methods (pilling box, Martindale, random tumble), how grades 1 to 5 work, why fabrics pill and practical ways to improve pilling resistance.
Pique is a textured weft knit made by adding tuck stitches to a jersey base. What gives it the honeycomb surface, single and double pique, its properties, and the problems to watch in polo shirt production.
Rib is a double-knit structure with wales on both faces. Why it stretches and recovers so well, the difference between 1x1 and 2x2 rib, how rib is used for cuffs, collars and fitted tops, and how to specify and cut it.
Single jersey is the basic weft-knit fabric behind most T-shirts. How it is made, the settings that control its weight and shrinkage, its typical problems (curling, spirality, laddering) and how to specify it.
Spirality makes wales slant and side seams twist around T-shirts after washing. Why single knits twist, how spirality is measured, the main causes in yarn, knitting and finishing, and how to reduce it.
Stretch is how far a fabric extends under load; recovery is how well it returns. What drives stretch and recovery in knits and wovens, elastane content, how the properties are tested, and what goes wrong in garments.
The body block method for calculating fabric consumption of a basic T-shirt in kg per dozen, with a worked example, how to handle neck rib, size ratios and wastage, and how to check the estimate against a marker.