<p>To be absolutely honest, I don't fully understand the topic either, but hopefully enough to point you in the right direction for doing more research on your own.</p>
<p>Here's the summary of the patent (which is badly translated from Chinese) you linked (emphasis added by me). Since the pictures in the patent clearly show a knit fabric, I replaced &quot;weave&quot; with &quot;knit&quot;</p>
<blockquote>
<p>It is entried with <strong>jacquard knit</strong> and with reference to <strong>variation rib construction knit</strong>, change rib construction alternately to knit using selenium-rich fiber/coolmax mixed yarns [...] and spandex thread is added on variation rib-loop and figured texture knit Road road, increase elasticity, pass through organic arrangement of yarn, <strong>it assumes diamond in shape flower pattern in fabric face, reverse side is in fine irregularities clour effect</strong>,</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Fabric that has a different knit / weave on the back than on the front are usually &quot;double knit&quot; or &quot;double weave&quot;, respectively, and the machines that can produce such a fabric are usually &quot;double needle&quot; or &quot;double bed&quot; knitting machines.</p>
<p>They have (typically) one horizontal row of machine knitting needles and one vertical row. Each row can be fed a different type of yarn and each row can knit a different pattern. The needles are aligned so that each horizontal and vertical needle can pass through the same loop of the knitted fabric, thereby linking the front and back together into one coherent fabric.</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/0FZTw.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/0FZTw.jpg" alt="enter image description here" /></a></p>
<p>The diagrams show which needles are engaged or disengaged in each row of knitting.</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/zFAFn.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/zFAFn.png" alt="enter image description here" /></a></p>
<p>Read only the lower half of the diagram</p>
<ol>
<li>The first 2 needles knit the fabric, the following 6 are passive in this row (they are disengaged and the machine simply skips them), the next 2 knit, etc.</li>
<li>Reverse order: the first 2 needles are passive, then 6 knit, 2 passive, 6 knit, etc.</li>
<li>3 knit, 4 passive, 4 knit, 4 passive, etc.</li>
<li>3 passive, 4 knit, 4 passive, 4 knit, etc.</li>
</ol>
<p>Following the diagram further, that results in the polka dot pattern seen in this image:</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/ExDOo.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/ExDOo.png" alt="enter image description here" /></a></p>
<p>Now read only the upper half of each diagram:</p>
<ol>
<li>1 passive, 1 knit, 1 passive, 1 knit, etc.</li>
<li>1 knit, 1 passive, 1 knit, 1 passive, etc.</li>
</ol>
<p>This results in a simple rib pattern.</p>
<p>And please keep in mind that both sets of needles knit at the same time, so the same thread is part of the front and the back pattern everywhere the needle is not passive.</p>
<p>Some more resources to understand double bed knitting I came across are:</p>
<ul>
<li>publication <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/322504973_Knitwear_Design_and_Technology" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Knitwear Design and Technology</a> by Tracy Diane Cassidy (University of Life)</li>
<li>lacelegance's LiveJournal: <a href="https://lacelegance.livejournal.com/9917.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">How to set up front or collar bands on the knitting machine with two beds. Tutorial.</a></li>
<li>alessandrina.com <a href="https://alessandrina.com/2019/05/13/casting-on-double-bed/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Casting on, double bed</a> which shows directly the diagram for simple rib pattern</li>
<li>This <a href="https://youtu.be/HU6ZQy9HDNA?feature=shared" rel="nofollow noreferrer">YouTube video by Knitology 1x1</a> that shows a fabric being knitted on a double bed knitting machine that looks very much like what is described in the patent.</li>
</ul>
<p>Search for:</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-03-30T09:41:23.487Z
Patent or pattern? I assume an auto-correct error but I am not familiar enough with English knitting machine language to be sure.
Willeke
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-03-30T11:49:12.600Z
@Willeke The original diagram comes from a patent that was originally written in Chinese and very badly translated into english, so there was no explanation of the diagrams.
Elmy
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-03-26T09:13:23.757Z
2024-03-26T09:13:23.757Z
Elmy
<p>I am researching machine knitting techniques, which have come up in my work. I otherwise know very little about this craft.</p>
<p>I have encountered diagrams such as the one below, but do not know how to interpret them.</p>
<p>Could someone please explain to me how to read these diagrams?</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/zFAFn.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/zFAFn.png" alt="enter image description here" /></a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-02-19T09:45:05.890Z
Hi, welcome to Arts & Crafts! Asking for resources is off-topic here, as we want this to be a self-contained knowledge site. I'll edit out that request. Whether or not the remaining question is too broad or not I'll leave up to the community.
Joachim
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-02-19T11:53:46.060Z
Are those diagrams for some "special" patterns like lace or color work? Or for some special knitting machine? I cannot interpret them, but I think if you could add a link to the original source, maybe I'll be able to extrapolate some information.
Elmy
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-02-28T09:15:49.210Z
@Elmy The above diagram comes from Figure 4 of this patent application: https://patents.google.com/patent/CN108085853A/en?oq=CN108085853A 

I apologise for the late response - I was unaware that anyone had commented. I will check more frequently.
Pancake_Senpai
<knitting>
How to understand knitting diagrams
Pancake_Senpai
# How to understand knitting diagrams

(Asked by: username_0 on 2024-02-19)

I am researching machine knitting techniques, which have come up in my work. I otherwise know very little about this craft.

I have encountered diagrams such as the one below, but do not know how to interpret them.

Could someone please explain to me how to read these diagrams?

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/zFAFn.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/zFAFn.png)

**Tags:** knitting

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Hi, welcome to Arts & Crafts! Asking for resources is off-topic here, as we want this to be a self-contained knowledge site. I'll edit out that request. Whether or not the remaining question is too broad or not I'll leave up to the community.  
> **username_2**: Are those diagrams for some "special" patterns like lace or color work? Or for some special knitting machine? I cannot interpret them, but I think if you could add a link to the original source, maybe I'll be able to extrapolate some information.  
> **username_0**: @username_2 The above diagram comes from Figure 4 of this patent application: https://patents.google.com/patent/CN108085853A/en?oq=CN108085853A   I apologise for the late response - I was unaware that anyone had commented. I will check more frequently.  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2024-03-26. Score: 1

To be absolutely honest, I don't fully understand the topic either, but hopefully enough to point you in the right direction for doing more research on your own.

Here's the summary of the patent (which is badly translated from Chinese) you linked (emphasis added by me). Since the pictures in the patent clearly show a knit fabric, I replaced "weave" with "knit"

> It is entried with **jacquard knit** and with reference to **variation rib construction knit**, change rib construction alternately to knit using selenium-rich fiber/coolmax mixed yarns [...] and spandex thread is added on variation rib-loop and figured texture knit Road road, increase elasticity, pass through organic arrangement of yarn, **it assumes diamond in shape flower pattern in fabric face, reverse side is in fine irregularities clour effect**,

Fabric that has a different knit / weave on the back than on the front are usually "double knit" or "double weave", respectively, and the machines that can produce such a fabric are usually "double needle" or "double bed" knitting machines.

They have (typically) one horizontal row of machine knitting needles and one vertical row. Each row can be fed a different type of yarn and each row can knit a different pattern. The needles are aligned so that each horizontal and vertical needle can pass through the same loop of the knitted fabric, thereby linking the front and back together into one coherent fabric.

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/0FZTw.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/0FZTw.jpg)

The diagrams show which needles are engaged or disengaged in each row of knitting.

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/zFAFn.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/zFAFn.png)

Read only the lower half of the diagram

1. The first 2 needles knit the fabric, the following 6 are passive in this row (they are disengaged and the machine simply skips them), the next 2 knit, etc.
2. Reverse order: the first 2 needles are passive, then 6 knit, 2 passive, 6 knit, etc.
3. 3 knit, 4 passive, 4 knit, 4 passive, etc.
4. 3 passive, 4 knit, 4 passive, 4 knit, etc.

Following the diagram further, that results in the polka dot pattern seen in this image:

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/ExDOo.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/ExDOo.png)

Now read only the upper half of each diagram:

1. 1 passive, 1 knit, 1 passive, 1 knit, etc.
2. 1 knit, 1 passive, 1 knit, 1 passive, etc.

This results in a simple rib pattern.

And please keep in mind that both sets of needles knit at the same time, so the same thread is part of the front and the back pattern everywhere the needle is not passive.

Some more resources to understand double bed knitting I came across are:

* publication [Knitwear Design and Technology](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/322504973_Knitwear_Design_and_Technology) by Tracy Diane Cassidy (University of Life)
* lacelegance's LiveJournal: [How to set up front or collar bands on the knitting machine with two beds. Tutorial.](https://lacelegance.livejournal.com/9917.html)
* alessandrina.com [Casting on, double bed](https://alessandrina.com/2019/05/13/casting-on-double-bed/) which shows directly the diagram for simple rib pattern
* This [YouTube video by Knitology 1x1](https://youtu.be/HU6ZQy9HDNA?feature=shared) that shows a fabric being knitted on a double bed knitting machine that looks very much like what is described in the patent.

Search for:

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: Patent or pattern? I assume an auto-correct error but I am not familiar enough with English knitting machine language to be sure.  
> **username_2**: @username_3 The original diagram comes from a patent that was originally written in Chinese and very badly translated into english, so there was no explanation of the diagrams.  

---

