Fabric construction

Learning outcomes
By the end of this unit, you should be able to:
• describe fabric constr uction .

Considering how little variety our ancest ors had Egypt where fabrics of fine qualit y have been
in relation to fabric constr uction , we are fortun ate discovered. Wove n fabric consis ts of sets of yarns
to have so many fibres and yams from which to interla ced at right angles . The yarns that run
make a variety of fabrics. Fibres and yarns are now parallel to the selvedge are called warp yarns or
combined in many ways to produ ce the variety of ends. Those that run across are called weft yarns,
fabrics available to the mode rn consu mer. Similar filling yarns, woof yams, shoots or picks. These are
methods to those used in ancien t civilisations are interlaced in a partic ular sequence.
still being used, except now advan ced machi nery Weavi ng can be described as the interla cing
has been invent ed to assist in what our ancestors of weft and warp thread s at right angles or the
did by hand, using crude tools. passin g of weft thread s altern ately over and under
Weaving and knittin g are the two main warp threads at right angles.
ways in which yarns are made into fabric. Other There are two basic weaves: Plain or tabby,
methods include croche ting, macra me/kn otting , and twill.
netting, braiding, lamin ating and lace-making.
However, non-woven fabrics are produ ced throug h Plain or tabb y weav e
other methods, such as bondi ng and felting. This is the simplest and m ost freque ntly used type
of weave .

Meth od of constructing the plain weav e

• One weft/filling yarn passes over and under
one warp thread alternately.
• The same warp thread is picked up in every
altern ate row.

Close-up view of fabric being wo ven

Weaving L warp thread

Weaving is one of th e oldest known arts. Evidence
of weaving has been foun d in the tombs of anci ent Th e structu re of p lain woven fab ric

Unit 4: Fabric constr uction 69

 Me t hod of const ruc ting t he twill
Pro per ties of plain woven fa bric s Vveav~
The we . thre ad pass es ove r and und er tw o vv
ft
• C lo sely \'lrov en fa brics a re st ro ng a nd arp
• Lo osely v,,ov e n fab ri c resu lts in a wea
firm . th rca d s all·e,·n ate ly. l n eac. h _row. the w eft thre
k fa b ric ne war p t hrea d to 1wa rd to give . · ac1 is
111 ove d o a dia
t h at pull s o ut of sh ape easil y. gonai
• Basket wea ve, a vari a ti o n o f t he plain ri b effe ct'.
wea ve,
pro du ces a tt ract ive fabr ic. Properties of twi ll we aves
• Ribb ed wca Ye, a , ·a riat io n of the plai n
weave, • They a re st ron g sinc e ya rn s a re u sual
p rodu ces attr active fa b ric. l y tightly
• The y hav e a sm ooth fee l. twis ted.
• Th ey are attr act ive.
Exa mp les of pla in wo ven fabrics • Tll ey d o n o t get as easil y so iled as plai
n woven
• Mu slin • C hi ffo n • Sha ntun g fabric s.
• Bati ste • Ca • Th ey h ave a rou gh feel.
mb ri c • Perca le
• O rga ndie • Pop lin • Law n
• Che esec loth • C ha m b ray Examples of twi ll we ave s
• Ca lico
• Bro adcl oth • Gin g h am
• Teeds • Flan nel • Hartelle
• Den im • Hab u ta i • Drill
• Gab ardi n e

G ingh a m

Tw ill we av e Den im
The oth e r bas ic wea ve p atte rn fo r fab
ri c
m an ufac t ure is t h e t w ill wea ve. It is Satin and sat een we av es
ch a ract erise d
b y a di ago n al lin e o n t h e fac e a nd ofte
n o n th e Sat in fabri cs are cha ract e ri sed b y lo n
bac k o f the fa b ric. g fl o ats o n tht'
fa c~ of th e fa br ic. The w arp thre ad s
fl oat o n tile
surt ace in sati n fa bri c a n d th e fi lli n g
fl o ats over
t he su rface in . n ·w eav e . Fila~
a sa tee m e nt varn s ai.t'
co mm o n ly used f •
0 1 sa t ·in s wh ile stap le yar, n s a,c
·,
used for sa teen \'\'ea ves.

-···-····
2 x 2 twil l Warp
weav e
• • • • • • • • •
I I I - I I
!'■!
I I-
I
I I I I -
! ! ! fll! !-=
i. I
I I I

-·
. .··
···-··-··-···
W <' fl
iW iW i,
• • • •ii
V
... ....
• • • • •
• • • • • • • ••
I - I I I -
■ iiiW•1 ii
I I I
.i ■ia
I
• • • • • I
I -
~ li"""iil
Tw il l wea ve I I -
Sati n a- nd - --- - --~~=-- -- -- _..---r,/
sa t• e
~e n w
ea ve

70 To pi c 4: Fibr es, yarn s and fabr i cs

Method of constru cting satin w eave 3. Complete the sentence below.
The weft thread goes over four and under one The _ __ _ threads pass alternativ ely over
•
warp thread. and under the _ _ __ threads to produce
The thread moves along two warps in th e n ext the design .
•
row but still goes over four and und er one. 4. Name two other basic weaves .
5. Give an example of a fabric that can be made
Properties of satin weaves from each of the basic weaves.
• Fabric is lustrous and glossy on the right side. 6. Name a variation for any two of the basic
• The shiny surface tends to reflect light easily weaves.
therefore fa brics can be used for evening wear.
• Fabrics are smooth and can be used fo r lining
as they make it easy to slip item on and off Knitting
over other fab rics.
Knitting is defined as the interloop ing of yarns
• Fabrics are ,,veak.
to form a fabric. Two general methods are used
• Fabrics have a duller appearan ce on the
in making knit yarns. These are weft or filling
wrong side.
knitting and warp knitting.
• Fabrics are soft.

Examples of satin weave fabrics Weft knitting

• Bridal satin • Moleskin • Acetate Weft knitting is the process of interlocki ng
• Slipper satin • Faille satin • Satin loops using one continuo us yarn that passes
forwards and backward s forming horizonta l
loops ca lled courses. The vertical rows of loops
or lengthwise chains of loops are called wales.
Weft knitting is done by knitting across
the fabri c.

Exam ples of weft-kn itted fabrics

• Mutton cloth
• Ribbed jersey
• Single jersey
• Double jersey

Acetate satin Warp knitting

Warp knitting differs from weft or filling knitting
Review exercise 4.8
in that the loops are fo rm ed in a verti cal direction
l. Li st th ree meth ods of fa bri c constru ction . and yarns lying side by side are interloop ed . Warp
2· The diagram below shows a pi ece of fabri c. knitting is produced from a set of warp yarns.
a) Name th e weave. Usuall y at least one yarn per wale is used. The
warp yarns are knitted parallel to each other down
th e length of th e fabric . Warp knitting is worked
vertically and is usually produced as a fabric rather
th an a ga rm ent.

Unit 4 : Fab ric constructio n 71

 ·t hat is g lueing fibres together
together, '
with adhesive .

_ d f· brics 1,ave no g rain and are the refore

_ _ _ Course 3 Bo nde d .
1 ica l wh e n cutt in g out.
Tl
very eco no r

Examples
- - - Course?
• Vi le n e
_ _ _ Course 1
• Battin g
Wa le~

Wa rp kn itting Felting
Woo l is th e fibre usuall y associated with felt and
Examples of warp-knitted fabrics has been used traditionally for th e production of
• Tricot • Loc knit fe lt fabrics.
• Crimplene • Lace m alimo
• Net

Properties of knitted fabri cs

Knitted fabrics:
• can stretch
• are resi I ient an d therefore will sp ring back in to
shape afte r stretchi ng
• drape well
• are sofl to handle
• are c rease-resista nt
• shake off creases
• are comfo rtab le to wear A fel t hat
• are non -fraying
• can be packed into a limited space. M ethod of construction
• The woo l fibres a re cl ea ned, blended and
Weft knits ca n ladde r badl y. ca rd ed .
• The card is formed into a w ide web of fibres.
Bond in g • Laye rs o f ca rdweb are th en passed through
Bonding is :.i method of fab ric constru ctio n m ac hin es wh e re they are subjec ted to heat,
in which a web of fibres is h eld together by a m o isture and press ure to produ ce the felti ng
cementi n g medium . action.
• Th e machines are scie ntifi ca ll }' con t ro lled so
Method of constru cti on
th at th ey stop w h e n t h e d es ired thickn ess,
Twu m e thod~ are normall y used: h a rdness and deg ree o f fe ltino0 is atta-ined.
• various fibre:., some therm oplas ti c, are
arranged in a laye r, h eated and pressed to Uses of felt \

m el t th e th e rmoplas tic fibres thereb y fusi ng Felt ca n be used fo r th e fo llow ing:

al l in to a compac t fabric, t ha t is , h eating • h ats
fibres an d compressing them. • fl oo r mats
Variou s fibr es, so me tll e rm oplastic, are •
• unde rlin e rs for upholst e ry
a rra n ged in i:I laye r imm e r:.ed in, spr~_yed • pillow bac kings
or rolkd wi th ad llc~ive, to stick th e llbres • ta bl e m a ts .

72 Topic 4: Fib res, yarns and fabri c.s

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