Much like tailoring, the quality of knitwear is the combination of all the small choices and details that go into the making.
Broadly speaking, the making of knitwear can be broken up into the following main sections: yarn production, knitting, garment making, and washing and finishing. Rather than drown in the fine details of every stage, I will try to outline, in simple terms, how to produce the best possible knitwear. In future articles we will dig down further into each section.
The Yarn
The starting point of any knitwear garment is the yarn type and count, which needs to be chosen considering the purpose of the garment and the person for whom it is being made. Yarn type determines fibre type – from worsted wool to silk, camelhair to cashmere- while yarn count determines the fineness of the yarn to be knitted. The length and width of the fibres also determines the quality of the knit, its softness, structure, and longevity, depending on the purpose of the garment. For example, the longer and finer fibres in the highest quality cashmere, when correctly knitted and finished, will produce soft, warm garments that maintain their shape and appearance much better than yarn of lesser quality.
The Knit
When it comes to knitting, talented and experienced knitters understand how different yarns react; they know how and when to set the correct tension and size of pins on their machines for the knit; and they can produce knitted sections of the garment with subtle nuances, producing each section for its specific purpose. These decisions allow the maker to produce knitwear with even stitching, consistent texture and impeccable structure. As an example, with fully fashioned items it is possible to knit a polo collar with the fold pre-integrated, rather than simply folding a flat collar. As with tailoring, fully fashioned knitwear is finished with a mix of machine- and hand-stitching; makers must achieve harmony in edges and seams, while emphasising the inherent structure of the garment.
The Finish
An often-overlooked stage in the process is final washing and finishing. Knitted material is a lot more fragile than woven, and a great deal of care is needed to avoid shrinkage and loss of shape. Choices in washing and finishing methods and even selection of dyes can affect the softness and structure of a garment. The more care taken in the washing and ironing of the finished garments the more able makers are to produce knitwear that retains its structure and appearance in the long term.
Ultimately, the quality of yarn, equipment, aftercare, and the skill of the maker all come together to produce quality knitwear.
In future posts we will look more closely at many different facets of knitwear production, from combed versus carded yarn, to the different fibres and fabrics available, how best to fit these choices to the purpose of the garment, and further discuss what exactly we think defines quality knitwear.