From knitting basics to 3D knitting

In order to understand the interest, potential and problems of 2.5 or 3D knitting, it is necessary to underlined few elements and definitions relating to knitting, its two main manufacturing processes and the 2D knits obtained.

The stitch is the elementary entity of a knitted fabric. It's a loop, made up of a portion of yarn, whose shape depends on the type of knitting. Stitches are interlocked in the machine direction, forming a wale. The stitches in a wale are (with a few exceptions) made by the same needle. Several needles knit a course of stitches in one knitting cycle, which is therefore in the cross-machine direction. Several needles on several knitting cycles therefore form a knitted surface.

The needles are...