How do I tell the difference in a knit and woven?

A woven is fabric that has been made by weaving a warp yarn (yarn that runs the length of the loom) with a weft yarn (yarn that runs the width of the loom). Woven fabrics have give, but they do not usually have stretch, unless they are woven with some lycra. There are three basic weaving constructions: plain weave, twill weave, and satin weave.


A knit is a fabric that has been knitted with needles, either by hand (like a wool sweater) or by machine (a t-shirt). These fabrics are either knitted in the flat or in a circle (tubular knits). They generally have stretch across the grain, although the degree of stretch can vary widely. There are also knits available that have 4 way stretch, both across the grain and with the grain.