Terms With More Than One Name

Terms and Techniques Which Have More Than One Name

Also Terms, or Names, Which Are Used For More Than One Technique

This page came about because of a discussion on the Machine Knit List. Different techniques are known by different names in different parts of the world. This can be a source of great confusion. We all tend to think the name by which we know a technique to be the "correct" one. However, other knitters think their name is the right one. Rather than trying to determine who is right, and who is wrong, I feel that it will be helpful to list any that are causing confusion.

It used to be the "thing" for each company to use it's own terminology. We suspected that the importers did it deliberately, to tie their customers to their brand, so they would use only the patterns written specifically for it. Now that there are far fewer brands remaining, there are correspondingly fewer sets of terms and names to learn. Also, many of the current designers are really trying to write generically, and in the past few years the situation is getting better. You should have tried to read patterns in the mid 70's! We often needed a translator!

There are still enough of the old terms in common use, each of us using the ones we were taught, that we sometimes have a problem communicating. If any of you know of others that are causing confusion, please let me know. Rather than discussing whether a term is right or wrong, the simple fact that it exists means that some people really know a technique by that particular name. If we can get a list together covering the ones that are causing confusion, it will surely be helpful.

FLOATLESS FAIRISLE

In Mid-April, 1998, a thread began on the Machine Knit List concerning the name of a modified Double Jacquard technique. Basically a Fairisle, a few needles are used on the ribber in Double Jacquard technique to control the long Fairisle floats. I will not try to give detailed instructions on this technique here, only a very simplified explanation. Every needle is in work on the main bed, and every 3rd, 4th, or 5th needle is in work on the ribber. Ribber tension is usually tighter than normal, to minimize visibility of stitches on the right side of the fabric.

What is the name of this fabric? Ribbed Jacquard, Semi-Jacquard, or Floatless Fairisle? Either one makes sense. It certainly isn't traditional Double Jacquard, but neither is it traditional Fairisle. Different names for it emerged in different parts of the world. I learned it as Floatless Fairisle, in the western USA. However, this name is also found in Britain. In the February, 1993 issue of Machine Knitting Monthly, page 7, there are two photos of this technique, in an isolated pattern. The inventor of the isolated version, James Arundel is promoting a book, called, appropriately, Floatless Fairisle, which is for two-color motifs. A Multi-Color Motifs version is also available. Since this will undoubtedly prompt a question of where to buy these books, I am including here the only information I have, which is taken directly from this magazine.

Machine Knitting Centre, 30 Fore Street, Chacewater, Truro, Cornwall TR4 8PT.

Please contact Machine Knitting Centre directly for more information, since I don't have anything other than what is included on this page.

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