WEAVES
"If life is a loom, the pattern you weave is not so easily unraveled"
- Lloyd Alexander
Plain Weaves
Plain weave
Plain weave (stripes)
Plain weave (checks)
Plain weave (checks)
Plain Weave is one of the most fundamental fabric weaves available. Most other types of weave are just variations of the plain weave. Plain weave is created using warp threads and a weft thread. The warp threads are spaced out evenly and held down at either end by a loom. The weft yarn is then interwoven between these warp yarns. The weave pattern for plain weave is ‘One under one over.’ This means that the weft goes over one warp yarn and under the next. This repeats until the whole fabric is done.
Properties of Plain Weave Fabrics
No right or wrong side
No lengthwise of crosswise stretch, only stretch is on the bias
Doesn’t fray as easily as other weaves
Creases easily
Less absorbent than other weaves
Fabrics range in weight from sheer to heavy, depending on the yarns used
Versatile
Flexible
Tightest weave structure
Strong
Hard-wearing
Durable
Basket Weave
Basket weave
Basket weave is a variation of the basic Plain Weave construction. It used a Warp and a Weft yarn like in all types of weaving. The Warp yarn is anchored at both ends of where the fabric will be and the weft yarn is interwoven through these yarns. Like plain weave, Basket weave follows the same pattern of the Weft yarn going under one warp yarn and over the next, creating a checkerboard effect.
The difference between basket weave and plain weave is that adjacent yarns are grouped together. They are usually grouped in pairs, but sometimes more yarns can be grouped together. These are woven as if they are one yarn. This results in a fabric that resembles a woven basket; this is where the name originates.
Properties of Basket Woven Fabrics
Interesting pattern created
Different colored yarns can be used to create a contrast
More pliable and stronger than plain weave
Loose
Not as stable as plain weave
Frays easily
No Crosswise of lengthwise stretch
Flatter than plain weave
Less of a crimp
Drapes Well
Fibers and yarns used dictate the properties of the finished fabric
Twill Weaves
Twill weave
Left handed twill
Broken Twill
Twill Weave is strong and hard-wearing, used for fashion and furnishing fabrics. In plain weave, the warp and weft are aligned so that they form a simple criss-cross pattern. Each weft thread crosses the warp threads by going over one, then under the next, and so on. The next weft thread goes under the warp threads that its neighbor went over, and vice versa. Plain weave is also known as “tabby weave” or “taffeta weave”.Twill is a type of fabric woven with a pattern of diagonal parallel ribs.
Properties of a Twill Weave Fabrics
May have face/back and up/down orientation
Interesting surface and texture
Seldom printed
The soil is less evident
More pliable
Better wrinkle recovery
High counts possible (more durable)
More expensive
Wale may be prominent
Dobby Weaves
Dobby weave
Dobby weave
Dobby weave
Dobby weave was first developed in 1840, and although it is woven on a loom, like all types of weaving, Dobby weave requires a special piece of equipment that attaches to the loom. This device is called a ‘Dobby’ and allows for the production of small geometric prints to actually be woven into the fabric.
This technique is done by the manipulation of the warp yarns in the fabric. This weave is similar to jacquard, as this uses an attachment for the loom to create these designs. The designs created on a Dobby loom are much less complex than a Jacquard pattern though.
Fabrics produced on a Dobby loom usually used two or more different colours of yarns to make the patterns and designs noticeable, it provides an alternative to printing fabric after it has been woven. Many different patterns can be created on a Dobby Loom but it is more tedious and time consuming than Plain weaving. The design is usually repeated frequently and an all-over patterned fabric is produced.
Dobby Weave can use many different fibres such as Cotton, Nylon or Silk. A lot of Dobby fabrics use a combination of these to achieve different properties depending on the requirements of the fabric.
Properties of Dobby Woven Fabrics
Inexpensive to produce
Small geometric patterns
More texture than Plain weave fabrics
Less complex than Jacquard Fabrics
Different colors available
Hundreds of different patterns can be made
Flexible
Versatile
Good Drape
Slight Stretch
Resistant to creasing
