BASIC TYPES OF
LOOPS & STITCHES
Sonjit Kumar Saha
Lecturer
Department of Apparel Manufacturing & Technology
THE
NEEDLE LOOP
The needle loop (H + L in Fig. 1) is the basic unit of a knitted
structure.
It consists of a head or crown (H) and two side limbs or legs (L).
At the base of each leg is a foot (F), which meshes through the
head of the loop formed at the previous knitting cycle, usually
by that needle.
The yarn portion that connects two adjacent needle loops
Fig. 1. The needle loop
belonging in the same knitted course is called sinker loop.
THE
KNITTED STITCH
The knitted stitch is the basic unit of intermeshing. It usually
consists of three or more intermeshed needle loops (Fig. 2). The
center loop has been drawn through the head of the lower
previously-formed loop and is, in turn, intermeshed through its
head by the loop above it.
The term stitch is unfortunately sometimes used to refer to a Fig. 2. The knitted stitch
single needle loop.
THE
STITCH LENGTH
Stitch length is a length of yarn which includes the needle loop
and half the sinker loop on either side of it.
Generally, the larger the stitch, the more extensible and lighter
the fabric and poorer the cover, opacity and bursting strength.
Fig. 3. The knitted stitch
Stitch Length (l) = one needle loop + two half a sinker loop
THE INTERMESHING POINTS
OF A NEEDLE LOOP
All needle loops or overlaps have four possible intermeshing points (Fig.
4) – 1 and 2 at the head, where the next new loop will be drawn
through by the needle and 3 and 4 at the base, where the loop has Fig. 4. The knitted stitch
intermeshed with the head of the previously-formed loop. The
intermeshings at 1 and 2 are always identical with each other as are
intermeshings 3 and 4 with each other.
It is impossible to draw a new loop through the old loop so that its two
feet are alternately intermeshed (Fig. 5).
Fig. 5. An impossible intermeshing
THE THE
FACE LOOP STITCH REVERSE LOOP STITCH
The face loop stitches tend to show the side limbs of the Reverse stitches show the sinker loops in weft knitting most
needle loops or overlaps as a series of interfitting ‘V’s. prominently on the surface. The reverse loop-side is the
The face loop-side is the underside of the stitch on the nearest to the head of the needle because the needle
needle. draws the new loop downwards through the old loop.
THE Tuck
Loop
TUCK STITCH
A tuck stitch is composed of a held loop, one or more tuck
loops and knitted loops. It is produced when needle holding its
loop receives a new loop, which becomes a tuck loop because
it is not intermeshed through the old loop but is tucked in
behind it on the reverse side of the stitch.
THE
MISS STITCH
A float stitch or miss stitch is composed of a held loop, one or
Miss
Loop
more float/miss loops and knit loops. It is produced when a
needle holding its old loop fails to receive the new yarn that
passes. The miss loop floating freely on the reverse side of the
held loop.
THE
HELD LOOP
A held loop is an old loop that the needle has retained. It is not Held
Loop
released and knocked-over until the next, or a later yarn feed.
A held loop can only be retained by a needle for limited
number of knitting cycles before it is cast-off. A new loop is
then drawn through it, otherwise the tension on the yarn in held
loop becomes excessive even though there is a tendency to rob
yarn from adjacent loops in the same course.
THE OPEN &
CLOSE LOOP
Open loop: A knitted loop of which a thread enters and
leaves at the opposite sides without crossing over itself.
Closed loop: A knitted loop of which a thread enters
and leaves at the opposite sides with crossing over
itself. It is made by special needle.
If needle loop length is 0.95 mm and half sinker
> DO loop length is 0.05 mm then what is the Stitch
IT length?
a) 1 mm
b) 1.05 mm
c) 1.10 mm
d) 1.95 mm
