With so many options, it can be hard to know the difference between a 2-ply flat knit and a 4-ply cable knit. Here are a few descriptions of our common patterns.

Let’s start with ply. Cashmere is typically woven into 2-ply yarn, this mean’s the yarn is actually 2 strands together. This helps with strength and durability of the final knit piece. Cashmere is a natural insulator so 2-ply is common with pullovers and cardigans. Thicker (and warmer) pieces will have a higher ply like our 4-ply Mink Gloves or our 8-ply Big Cashmere Cable Blanket.

Now onto patterns… our most common knit is called flat knit. This is your typical lightweight cashmere garment. Flat knits typically have a right and wrong side with the ‘wrong’ side knit to face your body. While a hand-knit piece will be put together stitch by stitch, our flat knit machines can create fabrics by the row very quickly with a skilled machine knitter.

We also have a few other common patterns:

Cable Knit

This is a classic knit pattern, where stitches are made in front of or behind another to create a new pattern. There are many variations of a cable knit, but you can count on these to be a bit thicker with more texture than a flat knit item.

Rib Knit

Ribbing is the most widely used knit pattern. This is typically seen on hems, necklines, and cuffs of most sweaters because it creates a stretchy area than can easily ‘bounce back’ to the original shape.

Chain Knit

This knit pattern creates defined rows of stitches that typically form the letter V. You’ll see this in our warmer items like the 8-ply Chain Knitted Scarf.

These are just a few of the common patterns we use in our pieces. What’s your favorite knit pattern? Let us know in the comments below.