Ülekutumine

Ülekutumine is an Estonian term that can be translated as "over-knitting" or "too much knitting." It refers to a situation where a knit fabric becomes excessively dense or thick due to a high stitch count in relation to the yarn weight and needle size. This can result in a fabric that is stiff, heavy, and may not drape well.

The phenomenon of ülekutumine often occurs when a knitter chooses a yarn that is finer than recommended for the pattern or uses needles that are too small for the yarn. This can lead to a greater number of stitches being packed into a given area. While some knitting patterns are designed to be dense, such as for outerwear or sturdy bags, ülekutumine generally implies an unintended or undesirable level of tightness.

Achieving the correct gauge, or stitch and row count per inch or centimeter, is crucial in knitting to ensure the final garment has the intended fabric properties. If a swatch shows ülekutumine, a knitter might need to switch to larger needles or a thicker yarn to achieve a softer, more flexible fabric. Conversely, if a pattern calls for a very fine and dense fabric, avoiding ülekutumine means carefully selecting the appropriate yarn and needle combination to achieve the desired density without excessive stiffness.