knit fabrics are made up of a series of interlocking loops, that result in a flexible construction. While all knits have stretch, they vary considerably in amount and direction of stretch. The influential factors in stretch are the yarn and the particular knit structure empolyed.

There are two basic knit structures weft and warp. The first derives from age old techniques of hand knitting. The second, a modern innovation is the product of complex machines. Records show that the first knitting machine was invented in 1589. Today’s advanced version turn out an incredible range of fabrics from sheer lingerie knits to bulky sweater types, even piles and jacquared patterns.

Some terms are relevant to knit constructions. Knit st is a basic link in which a loop is drawn through the front of the previous one.  Purl st a basic link in which a loop is drawn through the back of the previous one. All knit variations are achieved by changing the arrangement of these 2 basic stitches. Ribs are lengthwise rows of loops.

Knit fabrics may be tubular or flat. Some flat types have perforated lengthwise edges comparable to slevedges in woven fabrics. Complex stritches or special finishes sometimes obscure a knit structure, making it hard to tell whether a fabric is knitted or woven.

To settle the question pull a thread from one crosswise end. If loops show, the fabric is a knit, if a fringe appears, it is woven.

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Traditionally all dyes were based on animal, vegetables or mineral sources. In 1856 the first synthetic dyes were produced from coal tar products. Synthetic dyes have a higher fastness, they do not fade or wear as quickly and are are available in a wider range of shades. The cost of dye stuff varies considerably and some products are very toxic. Not all dyes are water soluble and many require the addition of other substances to allow complete dyeing.

There are several types of dyes:

Direct Dyes:Direct dyes are the largest group of dyes, used for cellulose fabrics cotton and viscose. The water soluble dyes are absorbed into them however, they are not fast to washing. Direct dyes are cheap and available in a wide range of shades.

Basic Dyes: When used for wool, the color fastness is poor. They are more important for acryclic fibre. Nylon and polyster have to be modified to accept basic dyes. Brilliant colors are possible.

Acid Dyes: Acid dyes can be used for protein fibres wool and silk, acrclic fabrics, lycra and nylon. They are applied from an acid solution so only fibres that are resistent to acid can be dted by them. They have a wide range of shades but the fastness is variable.

Azoic Dyes: Used primarily for cotton. Azoic dte stuffs produce brilliant fast colors at low cost. The dye is developed on the fabric due to a chemical reaction between two different chemicals which are applied from a low temperature bath. The range of shades is deficient in blues and greens.

Disperse Dyes: These dyes do not dissolve but are applied as a suspension with surface active agents. Disperse dyes were developed for acetate fibre but are now used on man made fibres.

The other dyes include vat dyes, reactive dyes, metal complex dyes and sulphur dyes.

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Polyster is a strong fabric with low absorbency. The fabric called ‘polyster’ holds in the body heat and resist wrinkling, stretching, shrinking moths and mildew. Polyster accumulates static elasticity and retains heat set pleats.

Wide variety of polyster in many weights and constructions are available. Polyster fabric is used for dresses, suits, sports wear, lingerie, linings etc. Polyster is is washable in warm water by hand or machine. It may need little or no ironing.

Rayon on the other hand proves to be good affinity for dyes. It is relatively weak absorbent. Just like polyster ryon holds in the body heat. Rayon wrinkles, shrinks or stretches unless treated. Rayon is available in many weights, textures. It is silky to coarse and is used in dresses, blouses, suits, linings and draperies. On the care front, many rayons must be drycleaned. Some can be washed iron at moderate settings.

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India is famous for its traditional embroideries. There are so many states in India and each one is famous for its own embroideries and stuff. Puri is an embroidery of Orissa. Puri is famous for applique- method used is to cut small patterns and sew them on a plain background to form large designs. Puri from orissa is used in umbrellas, canpies. This famous emroidery of orissa is normally done on a white background with bright red.

Orissa is also famous for vichitrapuri sarees. These vichitrapuri sarees are marriage sarees of people of Utkal and tribal area of sambalpur. These sarees from orissa are actually double ikat. The design both in the warp and weft is tied on to the yarn before weaving. The design forms are geometric, highly stylized birds and animals are sometimes used in the pallavs and borders of the saree. The colors used in these vichitrapuri sarees from orissa are mostly indian red and indigo. The size of the saree is 4.5 yards.

Orissa is very much famous for these sarees and embroideries.

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Roller printing is another famous process of printing. The earliest roller printing machines were developed in 1783. However roller printing is a developed from block printing which was used by early civilisations. In roller printing the area of the design to be printed is engraved either manually or chemically, onto copper rollers. A seperate roller is needed for each color in design upto a maximum of 16 rollers, color seperations. The engraved roller is rotated in color paste and the excess of color is removed by a blade.  Color remains only in the sudden areas. The roller is then pressed onto the cloth.

The regestration of one roller to the other designs is critical to the finished appearence. The size of the roller printed designs is limited by the circumfrance of the rollers. Roller printing is fast, accurate and economical. The cost of selling up new designs is high, so large quantities of fabric in each design are normally produced.

There are number of ways to go for fabric printing. Lets read them below:

Transpher printing: In transpher printing, design is first printed on paper, then transferred to fabrics by means of heat under pressure. Quality of result is comparable to that of roller or screen printing yet cost is about half . Transfer printing can be used in knits.

Burnt out printing: In burnt out printing fabric is printed with chemicals which actually dissolve one of the fibres used in construction. Usual result of burnt out printing is raised motif on sheer ground.

Discharge printing: In discharge printing fabric is first dyed, then roller printed with a chemical that bleaches out the design. This results in light prints on dark surface.

Duplex printing: In duplex printing fabric is printed on both sides, producing woven design effect.

Flocking: Fabric is roller printed with an adhesive, then cut fibres are applied to the surface, resulting in a textured pattern.

Resist printing: Resist paste is a roller printed or hand applied on fabric. The fabric is then piece dyed then paste removed, leavimg light pattern on darker ground.

Warp printing: Warp yarns are roller printed before weaving, then interlaced with plain weft yarns producing a design that is usually matted.

Roller printing: In roller printing design is transfered to fabric by means of engraved copper cylinders, a diff roller for each color. Fast and relatively inexpensive thousands of yards per hour can be printed.

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There are many types of printing used on fabrics.

Screen printing is one of these printing. Screen printing has its origin in stenciling. The screens are made by strtching fine mesh fabric, polyster, silk or nylon over a frame. Areas where dye is required on the fabric are blocked. A seperate screen is necessary for each shade. The fabric to be printed is firmy attached to a long table then each screen is accurately positioned registered onto the cloth. Dye paste is poured into the screens and squeezed through the mesh with a rubber blade, aqueezee. Flat bed printing allows the production of very large scale patterns but is relatively slow. Screens can also be made in cylinderical form.

The dye paste is fed through from the centre of the screen. Rotary screens are placed on a printing frame., usually running from the lightest shades to the darkest colors. Actually screen printing is the type of printing in which dye is forced through screens with an impremeable coating on all areas not a part of design, a diff screen is used for each color. Slower than a roller printing but permits larger designs and brighter colors. Can be used successfully for knits too. 

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Kota doria are basically made in the state of Rajasthan. These kota doria sarees were mostly made of pure cotton but now they are also available in silk and synthetic fabric (monga kota). The characterstics of kota doria sarees is in its checks which are formed during the wearing process. Course yarn are used for forming these checks. Kota doria sarees are available in 3 different types

Plain kota doria sarees have checks formed either by gold or by coarse cotton threads. Sometimes these threads have self embossed or woven designed.                                                                                                                                                                                               Printed kota doria sarees are generally white or off white background and has sanganeri patterns on them. Traditionally these kota doria sarees would have 3 to 4 inch border, a pallu and the body of the sarees printed either with single motifs or jalls.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Zari kota doria sarees have broad zari border which go upto 6 inches and zari pallu worked in the same style as the border. These type of kota doria sarees can have zari buttis on them. The patterns are floral or geomectrical. Bright colors like deep orange, red, purple, turquoise blue and yellow are favourite colors for these sarees.

Kotia doria sarees are very much famous and are all time favourite in summers.

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Kashida is one of the famous embroidery of kashmir. The favourite motifs of kashida are cypress- the cone, the almonds, chinar, leaf and lotus.

If we go in the details of kashida from kashmir its in different forms:

a. Zalakdazo which is a chain stitch

b. Suzni done on superior material executed in three types of stitches. Vata chikan kashmiri embroidery is buttonhole like stitch while dorookha is double sided work. All over embroidery designs are worked in treils patterns- jali and hunting scenes called sikara griha.

c. Famous Namda embroidery from kashmir is done on carpets. This embroidery from Kashmir has the chain stitch as the base foundation supplemented by others like satin stitch, cross, filling.

Kashida is one of the famous embroidery from Kashmir. It looks fabulous after its been done on different fabrics

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Gujrat is very much famous for its embroideries. Patola and gharchola from Gujrat has always been very famous around the world. Patola is a marriage saree of kathiawar. This is woven with warps and wefts that have been seperately dyed by the bandani or knot dyeing process. The speciality of these patola sarees remains that there is no harshness or abruptness of color, color flow one into another.

Gujrat is also famous for its gharchola sarees. These famous garchola sarees from Gujrat are type of tie-dye. Patterns are very intricate. As a rule a dark ground of red, choclate, brown or black. The bandhani work in these gharchola sarees is mostly in white, red, yellow or green. When more than two colors are used the design is called ‘phulwari’ and where animal motifs predominate it is called ’shikaris’

One can easily find elephants, birds flowers and dancing dolls are tir and dyed to form the traditional designs. In more expensives gharcholas gold charkhanas or square are woven into the original fabric and tie dyed pattern produced within these squares.

There are some design in gujrat where bandhani work is restricted to border of saree and to large circle of figures in a traditional dance pose.

Whether its patola sarees or gharchola sarees from Gujrat they are world famous and will always be.

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