A Handbook of Weaves: 1875 Illustrations

DRAFTING WEAVES

The weave draft or plan for interlacing the warp and filling is drawn on cross section or point paper, which has upright and horizontal lines at regular intervals intersecting each other at right angles and forming small squares, each of which represents the intersection of a warp and a filling thread.

Each space between the upright lines represents a warp thread. Each space between the horizontal lines represents a filling thread. The marks or points in the small squares indicate whether the warp or filling comes to the face at that point.

Throughout this work a mark on a draft, unless otherwise stated, indicates that the warp is raised above the filling at that point of intersection. The exceptions to this rule are found when it is better to indicate the filling floats by marks, as for broché effects.

TWIST OF YARN

It is evident that a thread can be twisted in either one of two directions, Figs. 30 and 31. The simplest method of designating the direction of the twist is by the terms right and left. Unfortunately the practice in this respect is not uniform. The same direction is styled right by a part of the trade, and left by another part. The more common custom is to call the twist at Fig. 30 right-hand; that at Fig. 31, left-hand. This seems to be the almost exclusive practice on the continent of Europe and in the cotton and cordage industries elsewhere. This custom will be followed in this work when referring to right or left twist.

FIG. 30.—Right or openband twist.

FIG. 31.—Left or crossband twist.

FIG. 32.

The twist at Fig. 30 is also called openband; that at Fig. 31, crossband. This method of indicating the direction of twist was derived from the old method of spinning yarn by hand. The thread is twisted in one direction when the band running from the wheel to the spindle is straight or open, and in the opposite direction when the band is crossed. The spinner turns the wheel by hand so that the top of the wheel moves to the right or away from the spinning spindle.

SET OF THREADS

The set ordinarily should be as near as possible the same for both warp and filling. If the warp is set too close, it is impossible to drive the filling uniformly into the fabric, and the goods may show ribbed or grooved effects crossways of the cloth. This result also follows when the filling is materially heavier than the warp. On the other hand, if the warp is coarse with an open set, while the filling is fine with a close set, the streaks or ribs will run lengthways. Ribbed effects are sometimes made purposely by alternating coarse with fine yarn in warp or filling.

Broadcloth is woven very wide as the weight, handle and finish of the fabric is largely the result of shrinkage by fulling. The loom width of wool-dyed and piece-dyed broadcloths varies from 85 to 95 inches for 6/4 goods.

To facilitate the felting of broadcloths and improve the face it is better to make the warp and filling of opposite twist.

THE PLAIN WEAVE

This work will treat of the interlacing of two sets of threads intersecting each other at right angles. The yarn running lengthways of the cloth is the warp; that running crossways and carried by the shuttle is the filling or weft. The order in which the warp and filling interlace each other is the weave.

Weaves are divided into three primary classes:

Plain.

Twill.

Satin.

From these three classes are derived an innumerable number of other weaves, known as mixed or derivative weaves. Where two or more weaves are used for the same fabric, the resulting weave is called a combination weave; and the fabric is called fancy, as distinguished from plain goods made with but one weave.

FIG. 33.

FIG. 34.

FIG. 35.

The plain weave is also called the taffeta weave in silk weaving, and is frequently designated as the cotton weave. It is balanced, that is, the warp and filling come to the face to the same extent. The weave covers two warp and two filling threads. At each pick each alternate warp thread is raised above the filling thread, the other warp threads being under the filling. This order is reversed at the next pick. For example, at one pick, warp threads 1, 3, 5, 7, etc., are raised and threads 2, 4, 6, 8, etc., are lowered in the shed. At the next pick, threads 1, 3, 5, 7, etc., are lowered and threads 2, 4, 6, 8, etc., are raised.

Fig. 27 shows the manner in which the threads are interlaced in a plain weave. Fig. 28 is a draft corresponding to Fig. 27, and in which the shaded squares indicate that the warp is raised above the filling. The blank squares indicate that. the warp lies under the filling. Fig. 29 is a longitudinal section of a cloth woven with a plain weave and showing two adjacent warp threads, marked 1 and 2. The black circles are the ends of the filling threads.

FIG. 36.

A warp set with 40 to 50 threads per inch can be woven easily with a plain weave on two shafts. A better shed can be obtained and the strain and friction on the yarn reduced by increasing the number of shafts as the set becomes closer. A general rule is to have not more than 20 to 25 threads per inch on each shaft.

Cloth woven with a plain weave has a finer appearance and harder feel, and is smoother, but possesses less elasticity than fabrics woven with other weaves.

Fig. 32 shows a plain weave in which the warp twist is right or openband twist, Fig. 30, and the filling twist is left or crossband twist, Fig. 31.

Tricot effects can be made with a plain weave by arranging the threads in both warp and filling, 1 right twist, 1 left twist. To keep the two kinds of yarn separate in weaving, one is usually tinted slightly with aniline so it can be distinguished from the other.

THE TWILL WEAVE

A characteristic of the simplest form of the twill weave is that the float of each filling thread is set one warp thread to the right or left of the float of the preceding filling thread. For example, the 3-shaft twill running to the right, Fig. 37, is formed by but one warp thread being raised in one place, the threads on both sides being lowered. The first warp thread is over the first filling thread, then the second warp thread is raised over the second filling thread, the third over the third, etc. Each filling float is one warp thread to the right of the float of the preceding pick. By this progressive order of interlacing the warp and filling, raised or ribbed lines are formed, running in a diagonal direction.

FIG. 37.

FIG. 38.

FIG. 39.

FIG. 40.

FIG. 41.

FIG. 42.

The slant of this twill line is influenced by the set of the warp and filling. If the threads per inch in the warp are equal to the threads per inch in the filling, the line of this twill will be at an inclination of 45°. If the warp set is closer than that of the filling, the twill line will approach the perpendicular; if the filling set is closer, the twill line will approach the horizontal.

FIG. 43.

FIG. 44.

FIG. 45.

FIG. 46.

FIG. 47.

FIG. 48.

FIG. 49.

FIG. 50.

FIG. 51.

FIG. 52.

FIG. 53.

FIG. 54.

Twill weaves are classified as follows:

Uneven.

Balanced.

Uneven twills are those in which the warp comes to the surface to either a greater or less extent than does the filling. If the warp predominates on the face, the weave is called a warp twill. If the filling predominates, it is called a filling twill.

FIG. 55.

FIG. 56.

FIG. 57.

FIG. 58.

FIG. 59.

FIG. 60.

FIG. 61.

FIG. 62.

FIG. 63.

FIG. 64.

FIG. 65.

FIG. 66.

Fig. 36 shows the intersection of the warp and filling in the 3-leaf filling twill at Fig. 37. Other examples of uneven twills are shown at Figs. 37 to 82.

FIG. 67.

FIG. 68.

FIG. 69.

FIG. 70.

FIG. 71.

FIG. 72.

FIG. 73.

FIG. 74.

Balanced twills are those in which the warp and filling come to the surface to the same extent.

Fig. 83 shows the intersection of the warp and filling for the 4-leaf balanced twill at Fig. 84. Other examples of balanced twills are shown at Figs. 85 to 99.

All regular twills covering an uneven number of threads are necessarily uneven, and those with an even number may be made uneven. Regular balanced twills can be formed with only an even number of threads in the weave pattern.

FIG. 75.

FIG. 76.

FIG. 77.

FIG. 78.

The line of a twill can be run either to the right, Fig. 33, or to the left, Fig. 34. The directions of the twill and twist of the yarn have a great influence on the appearance of the cloth.

A twill to the right throws up and makes more prominent a left-twist warp; it throws down and makes less prominent a right-twist warp.

A twill to the left throws down and makes less prominent a left-twist warp; it throws up and makes more prominent a right-twist warp.

A twill that runs to the right when the warp threads are in a perpendicular position will be found to run to the left when the cloth is turned one quarter around to bring the filling threads perpendicular. Thus a twill runs in one direction in relation to the warp and in the opposite direction in relation to the filling. It is the custom, however, to designate the direction of the twill as it runs when the warp is perpendicular. In this sense of the term, a right twill will have the opposite effect on the filling to that which it exerts on the warp. Thus a twill to the right will throw a left-twist warp up and a left-twist filling down because the twill is in reality left hand in relation to the filling.

FIG. 79.

FIG. 80.

FIG. 81.

FIG. 82.

FIG. 83.

FIG. 84.

FIG. 85.

FIG. 86.

FIG. 87.

FIG. 88.

FIG. 89.

FIG. 90.

FIG. 91.

FIG. 92.

FIG. 93.

FIG. 94.

The various combinations of twill and twist with their effects on the cloth are as follows:

In practice these effects are greatly modified by the quality of the stock, amount of twist, size and character of the yarn, whether single or ply, set of the fabric and finish. As far as the mere direction of twill and twist is concerned, however, the effects are as indicated above.

If the warp yarn is 2-ply, the two threads are ordinarily twisted to the left, Fig. 31. The twill should then run to the right, Fig. 33, to make the warp twill line more distinct.

FIG. 95.

If the twill in a pattern runs alternately to right and left and it is desired to have it equally distinct in both cases, right twist must be used for the warp yarn in the left twill; and left twist for the warp yarn in the right twill, Fig. 35.

The threads in a twill weave float farther than when a plain weave is used. The twilled cloth is more lustrous, softer, and more pliable than fabrics made with a plain weave.

FIG. 96.

FIG. 97.

FIG. 98.

FIG. 99.

The number of shafts used for a twill is usually equal either to the number of threads in the twill weave or to a multiple of the latter number, making the drawing-in draft straight in either case.

Figs. 36 to 99 illustrate many of the different styles of twill weaves.

For wide twills the draft is often made out in the following form: ⁴—2—¹—2. This is equivalent to 4 up, 2 down, 1 up, 2 down, producing the 9-shaft twill shown at Fig. 65. These illustrations, Figs. 36 to 99, give a good idea of the diversity of twill weaves and the methods of combination. Thousands of similar twills can be drafted. With a large number of shafts the number of twill weaves becomes practically unlimited. Twills take the filling much more easily than does the plain weave, and the set of twills can, consequently, be closer, making the cloth thicker and heavier.

THE SATIN WEAVE

The satin weave lacks the distinct diagonal line peculiar to the twill, and produces a smooth, lustrous face on the cloth. Adjacent threads in regular satin weaves must never be stitched on the same filling thread. The points or stitchers should be scattered as widely and as uniformly as possible. The farther they are removed from each other, the more indistinct do they become and the more attractive is the cloth.

FIG. 100.

FIG. 101.

The particular draft to be used for a satin weave depends on the set of the fabric, the quality of the material and the size of the yarn. If the weave is too loose, the result will be a spongy fabric of poor appearance and handle and lacking durability. On the other hand if the weave is too tight for a closely set warp, it will be impossible to drive the required number of picks into the cloth, and the result will be a ribby appearance.

The satin weave requires at least five shafts and can be made on any number of shafts above five. Frequently the broken 4-leaf twill weave is called a satin, but strictly speaking it is a broken twill. The twill and satin weaves become merged on five shafts, the 5-shaft satin weave being sometimes called a satin twill, because of the unavoidable twill line, as shown at Figs. 103 and 104. A twill effect is found in many satin weaves.

The following method is used for quickly determining the order of progression for the stitchers in satin weaves:

The number of threads in the pattern is divided into two unequal numbers, neither of which is divisible by the other (1 is not used). Beginning with the first pick each filling thread is stitched a certain number of threads in advance of the stitcher on the preceding pick until every warp thread in the weave has been interlaced with the filling. This number of threads is called a rising number, being one of the two numbers into which the total number of threads was divided. It must be a number that will result in the stitching of every warp thread when used as a rising number.

FIG. 102.

FIG. 103.

FIG. 104.

FIG. 105.

FIG. 106.

FIG. 107.

For example, the number 5 is divisible into 2 and 3. Beginning with thread 1, Figs. 100 and 101, and progressing 2 warp threads to the right at each pick, the warp threads are stitched in the following order: 1, 3, 5, 2, 4. The first warp thread is stitched on the first pick; the third warp, on the second pick; the fifth warp, on the third pick; the second warp, on the fourth pick; and the fourth warp, on the fifth pick.

FIG. 108.

FIG. 109.

FIG. 110.

FIG. 111.

FIG. 112.

FIG. 113.

The same weave is obtained by using 3 instead of 2 as a rising number, the only difference being that the direction of the twill is reversed, Figs. 102 and 103. This is evident because the advance of 2 threads to the right brings the stitcher 3 threads (the remaining number) to the left.

FIG. 114.