WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF KNITWEAR?
You would have to have gone to a fashion school, worked in the fabric industry or even be a couturier to know and understand the different types of knits that exist and why some are preferred over others. Sand stitch, moss stitch, mesh, weaving, warp and weft, all these technical terms are the everyday life of houses like ours. We enlighten you here on the many things to know in order to feed your curiosity on the subject. For the sake of transparency always, and sharing.
KNITTING OR WEAVING?
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First and foremost, in order to understand the different manufacturing processes, it is essential to know that there are two main techniques in the world of yarn, knitting (mesh) and weaving (warp and weft).
What is knitting?
Knitting is a manufacturing process that involves interweaving loops of threads called stitches. This technique relies on the use of needles. The stitches between them constitute in the end a stretchy and very resistant fabric. This is the main difference with weaving which, because the threads are taut and there are no loops like in knitting, it does not have this property of stretching or "deforming".
What is weaving?
Weaving is a technique of assembling threads carried out using a loom (the machine used to make fabric). This consists of crossing the threads between them once stretched, unlike knitting which uses loops. We speak of warp and weft, warp for the threads stretched in the direction of the loom length, weft for the threads stretched in the direction of the width. With evolving technologies, today weaving can be done on a large scale and on very sophisticated machines.
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The choice of la Maison de la Maille
In making its wool pieces, La Maison de la Maille has chosen (as its name suggests rather well by the way) to work only with mesh. For a matter of prestige but also because it's many advantages give the brand's throws and shawls the qualities we know them by.
Flexibility: the mesh is very stretchy, therefore, de facto, extremely flexible. This allows it to adapt, to follow the curves of the body and to make it totally enveloping for infinite comfort without ever altering it's aesthetics or its resistance.
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Freedom: knitwear offers those who use them a huge range of possibilities to obtain the desired material rendering. With its many varieties of knitting stitches and depending on the number of threads and the choice of needles used for the making, the stitch can be thick, thin, dense, or less dense and its feel is different depending on the model of mesh chosen.
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The knit also has the quality of letting the natural fibers move and evolve freely thanks to the adjusting power of the knit. This allows for puffiness when necessary for certain fibers (as is the case for example for alpaca).
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THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF KNITTING:
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Sand stitch knitting
The sand stitch is quite technical, it is the combination of a knit row and a row where the knit and purl stitches alternate. This knitting is used in particular for our baby alpaca throws.
Moss stitch knitting
On the first row of moss stitch knitting, alternate knit stitch, purl stitch, knit stitch, purl stitch... On the second row we start with purl stitch then knit stitch... And so on for each new row.This knitting is used in particular for our eco-designed wool throws.
Jersey point knitting
It is simply a matter of alternating between a row with knit stitch and a row with purl stitch.This knit is used in particular for our merino wool throws.
Garter stitch knitting
It is one of the easiest knits to knit. You just have to knit all of your stitches.This knitting is used in particular to make the monogram in the middle of our throws and shawls.
Pique stitch knitting
The pique stitch uses the principle of alternating between purl stitch and knit stitch but is repeated regularly and more spaced, to create relief patterns.This knitting is used in particular for our shawls.
Full stitch knitting
This is the first and last stitch of the row by knitting for the outline of the piece, and in between all the stitches in the row are knitted normally. This knitting is used in particular for the edge of the pique knitted shawl.
Rib knitting
This is the knitting used in the finish of our pieces. This knitting is used in particular for the border of our throws.
Discover more products:
In the wonderful world of wool, there are many different categories. La Maison de la Maille works with Baby Alpaca wool, Merino wool and eco-designed wool. We will focus on this last one today, a recycled material that has many advantages and that is part of the ethical dynamic that La Maison de la Maille is keen to represent.
