Warp knitting

Warp knitting is a family of knitting methods in which the yarn zigzags along the length of the fabric, i.e., following adjacent columns ("wales") of knitting, rather than a single row ("course"). For comparison, knitting across the width of the fabric is called weft knitting.

Since warp knitting requires that the number of separate strands of yarn ("ends") equals the number of stitches in a row, warp knitting is almost always done by machine rather than by hand.

Credit for the invention is usually given to a mechanic called Josiah Crane in 1775. He likely sold his invention to Richard March who patented (No. 1186) a warp frame in 1778. In the intervening three years March likely had discussed the device with Morris who submitted a similar patent (No.1282) for a twisting machine for making Brussels point lace. These early machines were modifications of the with an additional warp beam.

In 1795, the machine was successfully used to make lacey fabrics. Warp frames could be used with any thread, and the warps provided a fixed anchor for the transverse threads. In 1786 Flint invented the point bar which kept the threads at a fixed distance. In 1796, Dawson introduced cams to move the bars, and regulate the twist. Brown and Copstake succeeded in imitating Mechlen net. Lindley invented the bobbin in 1799, and Irving and Skelton the regulator spring. In 1802, Robert Brown of New Radford patented the first twist-frame, a knitter that could produce wide net. Whittaker's frame of 1804 had half its thread mounted on a warp beam and half wound on bobbins mounted on a carriage.

Heathcote's 1808 improvement of Whittaker's frame was essentially a warp knitting frame. The bobbin carrying beam was reduced to the same size as the machine- he called it a bobbinet. Heathcote's second patent, in 1809, was for a bobbinet that could produce wide fabrics- this was the Old Loughborough.

Warp knitting comprises several types of knitted fabrics. All warp-knit fabrics are resistant to runs and relatively easy to sew. Raschel lace— a common type of machine made lace—is a warp knit fabric but using many more guide-bars (12+) than the usual machines which mostly have three or four bars.

Tricot is very common in lingerie. The right side of the fabric has fine lengthwise ribs while the reverse has crosswise ribs. The properties of these fabrics include having a soft and 'drapey' texture with some lengthwise stretch and almost no crosswise stretch.

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