TEXTILES AND SEWING

History of Sewing
Prehistoric Era- ancestors used animal bone needles and animal sinews to stitch
together animal hides.
Ancient Egypt- Egyptians used sewing techniques to create fitted garments.
Ancient Greece and Rome- Sewing became more refined, with the use if wool and
linen fabric.
14th Century- the term “sewing” was officially used.
Middle Ages- Hand-sewing continued to be dominant method for creating garments
and textiles, sewing skills were highly valued.
Industrial Revolution (1760-1840) - Sewing machine were invented in this time, there
was transition from sewing by hand to using machine.
1804- John Duncan create a machine to do embroidery.
1830- Barthelemy Thimonnier received a patent from the French government for a
practical commercial machine to produce uniform for the army.
1844- Elias Howe made one of the popular sewing machine that is practical for
household use. It helps the mass production of clothes.
1845- Howe demonstrate how the machine saved time. 250 stitches a minute (lockstitch
sewing).
19th Century- Sewing machine were producing not only clothing but cloth bag, tents and
more.
20th Century- Further advancements in sewing technology.
21st Century- Sewing remains a popular hobby and a profession.
What is Sewing?
Sewing is the craft of fastening or attaching objects using stitches made with a needle
and thread. As mentioned, it is one of the oldest textiles arts and it started in the caves.
Before the more advanced spinning or weaving came about, archaeologists believe that
our Stone Age ancestors across Asia and Europe sewed fur and skin clothing using
bone, antler and Ivory needles, using 'thread' made from various animal body parts
such as sinew, catgut and veins.
Unsurprisingly, for thousands of years, sewing was always done by hand until the
invention of the sewing machine in the 19th century and the rise of technology which led
to mass production and export of sewn objects. Hand sewing is still practiced around
the world today and is associated with high quality tailoring, couture fashion and custom
dress making.
Four Types of Stitching
Hand Stitching, Machine Sewing, Serging, and Overlocking are the four primary forms
of sewing.
The most fundamental sort of sewing is hand stitching, which is accomplished with a
needle and thread. It is frequently employed for little tasks like buttoning clothing or
making repairs.
The fastest and most effective method of stitching is machine sewing. Using a sewing
machine, two pieces of cloth are joined together using a needle and thread. There are
many different kinds of sewing machines, from simple ones that can only make a few
stitches to more sophisticated ones that can make a large range of stitches, including
decorative ones.
Serging is a technique of stitching where the cloth edges are finished with a serger
machine. Multiple needles and threads are used by serger machines to produce a
clean, completed edge. Clothing and other sewed products frequently have their seams
finished with serging.
Another technique for sewing that is used to finish the edges of fabric is overlocking.
Similar to serger machines, overlocking machines employ a different kind of stitch to
provide a more robust edge. Heavy- duty products like towels and blankets frequently
have their seams overlocked to finalize the look of the fabric.
Basic Tools in Sewing
Thread - a long, thin line of something such as light or smoke
Needle- a small slender usually steel instrument that has an eye for thread or surgical
sutures at one end and that is used for sewing.
Tailors pencil - Tailoring pencils are an excellent choice for marking patterns, designs,
measurements, applique lines, and more.
Seam rippers - are tools designed to slide between sewn stitches and gently cut the
thread without tearing at the surrounding fabric.
Tracing wheel - It is used to transfer markings from sewing patterns onto fabric with or
without the use of tracing paper, and can be used to make slotted perforations.
Bobbin - a cylinder or spindle on which yarn or thread is wound (as in a sewing
machine).
Bobbin case - holds the bobbin securely in place while the sewing machine creates
stitches.
Glass Headed Pins - when you need to hold materials down during pressing.

What Are Textiles?

Textiles are flexible materials made from natural or artificial yarn, fiber, filament, or
thread. The term "textiles" is a general one encompassing all fiber-based materials.
These materials are manufactured using several methods, including knitting, weaving,
crocheting, pressing, knotting, pressing, or braiding. The method used to manufacture a
particular textile depend on its intended use.
The development of the textile industry has played an essential role in advancing
human civilization.
Since prehistoric times, humans have discovered ways to make textiles used for every
task one can imagine, from solely producing materials for clothing to upholstery for
automobiles to space suits.
Textiles vary according to how they are produced, which plays a role in how they are
used and the different product fabrics.
Textile production involves the following:
Firstly, the textile fibers are harvested from various natural sources. The fibers could be
natural plant fibers such as cotton, and linen, animal fibers such as wool, and silk,
synthetics such as polyester and polyacrylic, or artificial fiber such as rayon.
These fibers can be arranged in various ways to get the flexibility strength, texture, and
appearance prominent in today's fabric.
Next up, the fibers produced are then spun into yarns. This mechanical process
requires spinning oils to minimize friction and increase the fiber's strength and cohesion.
After spinning the fabric yarn, they are subjected to different processes such as knitting,
weaving, crocheting, or other methods.
With weaving, two distinct sets of yarns are interwoven at right angles to form a fabric
with looms. For knitting, a continuous yarn or set of yarns is/ are used to create a series
of interlocking loops using knitting needles.
Dyeing and printing are applied to the textiles, which give the color of choice and
design to the textiles using dyes and pigments.
Depending on the type of textile being produced and the specifications that go along
with it, clothing manufacturers utilize various colors in the production process. Printing is
done after dyeing in the process of enhancing the appearance of textiles, and it is
accomplished by applying pigments, dyes, and other substances in the shape of
patterns.
Textile fabric printing uses rollers, blocks, heat transfer, screens, and digital printing with
printing techniques including discharge,
For crocheting, a crochet hook is used to interlock loops of yarns.
The fabrics, yarns, or fibers produced are then pre-treated to allow for subsequent
chemical processing of the material.
Fabric pretreatment is a multi-step process and usually varies based on the type of
fabric, blend of fiber, and finishing treatments. These pretreatment steps include
washing and cleaning the fabrics, scouring natural fibers, die-sizing yarns, bleaching,
and treatment with sodium hydroxide (mercerized) and carbonizing.
After all the processes are concluded, the fabric is passed through end treatments with
a broad range of chemicals used to add unique characteristics and aesthetic appeal to
the textile.
Types of Textiles
Natural Textiles
Natural Bamboo Textile
These are the types found in nature. They’re usually lightweight.
• Plant Textiles
For years, many manufacturing companies have preferred to use plant-based textile
fabrics because they're strong, highly renewable, and eco-friendly. With technological
advancements, it's also become easier to transform these fibers into exquisite fabrics.
Some of the plant- based textile fibers include cotton, linen, hemp, and many others.
• Animal Textiles
These textiles are made of fur and hair of animals and used in making coats, blazers,
jackets, and similar clothes. Animal-based fibers are elastic, have outstanding absorb
characteristics, and are wrinkle.
Synthetic textiles include:
• Cellulosic Textiles
Cellulosic textile fibers are manufactured from natural materials reformed by chemical
processes. That is by extracting cellulose from woody plants and combining it with
caustic soda and carbon disulfide.
Cellulosic textiles have a great texture and are highly durable. Examples are viscose,
triacetate, and acetate.
• Synthetic Textiles
These textile fibers are made by chemical synthesis from start to finish. They're created
to imitate.
They're created to imitate natural textile fibers and tend to be smooth, lightweight, and
resistant to wrinkles. They are also high in demand, probably because of their
affordability.
Spandex, polyester, and acrylic are examples of this textile. The downside to these
artificial fibers is the non-eco-friendly and harmful materials involved in their
manufacturing process.
• Mineral Textiles
Mineral textiles are inorganic and nonmetallic textile fibers. These fibers are obtained
from mineral resources.
Examples of such textiles include asbestos and basalt used for sheeting, stage curtains,
and adhesive. There's also metal fiber, metal wire, and metal foil used in making jewelry
and other related items.
Based on their uses, textiles include:
• Consumer Textiles
Consumer textiles include apparel textiles used to make clothing, household textiles,
and textiles for upholstery, furnishings, carpeting’s, and table and bed covers. These
textiles are also used to bags and baskets and for sewing, quilting, and other forms of
handicraft.
• Technical Textiles
Technical textiles are used for industrial purposes and possess subtypes based on the
industry it's used in. They range from agro textile. medical textile, geotextile, and so on.
Technical textiles are used to manufacture items like protective wears, parachutes,
tents, sails, flags, bulletproof vests, backpacks, and other related things.