Amity School of Fashion Technology
Module: I
Introduction To Woven Fabric Designing
Amity University, NOIDA
Amity School of Fashion Technology
CONTENT
INTRODUCTION
CLASSIFICATION OF WOVEN STRUCTURE
METHODS OF WEAVE REPRESENTATION
BASIC ELEMENTS OF WOVEN DESIGN
TYPES OF DRAFT
FUNDAMENTAL WEAVES
PLAIN WEAVE AND ITS DERIVATIVES
INTRODUCTION
Fabric produced by three commonly used methods:
Weaving,
Yarn to fabric conversion by interlacing threads.
Knitting,
Yarn to fabric conversion by interloping threads.
Non-woven,
Fiber to fabric conversion by
mechanical, chemical,
heat or thermal means.
Fabric classified in terms of structure are:
Woven structure,
Simple structure
Compound structure
Knitted structure,
Weft knitted structure
Lace,
Hand made lace
Machine made lace
Felt
Figure and design are put on the fabric, and the figured
fabric may be structural design or applied design.
WOVEN FABRICS
A woven cloth is formed by the interlacement of two sets of
threads, namely, warp and weft threads.
These threads are interlaced with one another according to
the type of weave or design.
The warp (ends) threads are those that run longitudinally along
the length of the fabric and the weft (picks or fillings) threads are
those that run transversely across the fabric.
CLASSIFICATION OF WOVEN
STRUCTURE
Woven structures are classified into the following categories:
Simple structures
Compound structures
In case of simple structures,
There is only one series of warp and weft threads.
Threads interlace with one another perpendicularly.
All the neighbouring warp and weft threads are parallel to one
another,
Both plays equivalent role in fabric properties.
In case of compound structures,
There may be more than one series of threads,
(one set forms the ground and the other forms the figure)
Unlike the simple structures, the neighbouring threads need not
be parallel to one another.
METHODS OF WEAVE
REPRESENTATION
Two kinds of interlacing are possible:
Warp overlap,
When the warp thread is lifted above the inserted weft.
Weft overlap,
When the inserted weft thread is above the warp thread.
There are two practical methods of weave representation.
Linear,
Each warp thread is represented by a
vertical line and
each weft thread by a horizontal line.
The point of intersection of lines corresponding to a warp overlap
is marked by the dot,
The point of intersection
corresponding to weft
overlap remains unmarked.
It is seldom used because the designer has to draw plenty of
Canvas,
A squared paper is employed, on which each vertical space represents
a warp thread and each horizontal space represents a weft thread.
Each square therefore indicates an intersection of warp and weft
thread.
To show the warp overlap, a square is filled in or shaded.
The blank square indicates that the weft thread is
placed over the warp (weft overlap).
Several types of marks may be used to indicate the warp
overlap. The ‘x’ mark is most commonly used.
WEAVE REPEAT (REPEAT SIZE)
The repeat of a weave is a quantitative expression of any given
weave.
It indicates the minimum number of warp and weft threads for a
given weave.
It comprises of warp and weft repeat.
The size of the repeat may be even or uneven depending upon the nature
of the weave.
In elementary weaves such as plain, twill, satin etc. the repeat size is
normally even.
However in weaves such as honey comb, huckaback the repeat size
may be even or uneven.
For any weave the repeat size is the sum of the warp and weft floats.
Thus in case of 2/1 twill, the repeat size is 3x3.
It is common practice to denote one repeat of a weave on design
paper.
BASIC ELEMENTS OF WOVEN DESIGN
The three basic elements in a woven design are:
Design,
The design indicates the interlacement of
warp and weft threads in the repeat of the
design.
It is made up of a number of squares, which constitute
the repeat size of a design.
The vertical direction of the squares indicate the ends and the
horizontal direction indicates the picks.
A blank in a square indicates that a warp goes below the
corresponding weft,
To show the weft overlap
‘X’ mark in the square indicates that the warp floats
above the weft,
To show the warp overlap
BASIC ELEMENTS OF WOVEN DESIGN
Draft or drawing plan,
The draft or drawing plan indicates the
manner of drawing ends through the heald eyes.
It also denotes the number of heald shaft required for a
given weave repeat.
The choice of the type of drafting plan depends upon the type
of fabric woven.
Peg or lifting plan,
The peg or lifting plan provides useful information to the
weaver.
It denotes the order of lifting of heald shafts.
In a peg plan the vertical spaces indicate the heald shafts and
the horizontal spaces indicate the picks.
The peg plan depends upon the drafting plan.
DESIGN, DRAFT & PEG PLAN
X
X X
X X
RELATION BETWEEN DESIGN, DRAFT
AND LIFTING PLAN
The construction of any woven fabric depends upon the design, draft and
lifting plan,
These are very closely dependent upon one another.
Knowledge of inter dependence is very valuable to the designer
upon whose skill,
Several mechanical limitations of the loom may be imposed.
The drafting systems and lifting orders enables to introduce
variety into rigid mechanical systems of operation.
In normal practice the designer has to produce a range of designs for
looms with a known pattern scope.
Usually involves the draft and the lifting plan construction.
A similar procedure is adopted when the designer is asked to
reproduce a specific design from a sample.
The weave in the sample is analysed and a suitable draft and
lifting plan is derived.
TYPE OF DRAFT PLAN
The various drafts are classified as
follows:
Straight draft
Pointed draft
Skip and sateen draft
Broken draft
Divided draft
Grouped draft
Combination draft
STRAIGHT DRAFT
This is the most common and simplest
types of draft plans.
In this kind of draft, the drafting order
progresses successively from first to the
last heald frame.
Thus, the first warp end of a weave is
drawn through the first heald shaft,
The second warp through the second
heald frame and so on.
One important feature of the straight draft
that distinguishes it from other types of
draft plans is that the peg or lifting plan is
same as the design.
Hence, it is sufficient to indicate only
the design.
SKIP DRAFT
The skip draft is suitable for a fabrics having
heavy warp thread density.
In this kind of draft plan, the number of heald
frames may be twice or more than the
minimum required for a weave.
Only to distribute the threads
warp more
uniformly so as to prevent
abrasion of the threads due to
overcrowding.
The heald frames are divided into
two groups.
All odd numbered warp threads are
drawn through the first group of heald
frames and all even numbered warp
ends are drawn through the second
group of heald frames.
The sateen draft serves the same purpose as the skip draft.
A skip draft is normally employed for weaves
such as plain and twill up to a repeat of 4.
Whereas the sateen draft is used for weaves having repeat size of more
than 5.
POINTED DRAFT
This is similar to a straight draft.
It is suitable for weaves,
Such as pointed twill, diamond weaves
and ordinary types of honeycombs.
The straight draft is reversed after half the
repeat in warp way.
The number of heald shafts is about half the
repeat size of the weave.
BROKEN DRAFT
A broken draft
resembles almost to
draft. the pointed
However, the
pointed effect is
broken.
This type of draft is suitable
for weaves,
Such as broken
twill and herring bone
twills.
DIVIDED DRAFT
This draft is used for
weaves having two series of
warp threads,
Such as terry, double
cloth, etc.
The two sets of warp
threads are divided into two
groups,
Which is called face
and back warps.
The first group is for 8
heald shafts and second for
9-12 heald shafts.
GROUPED DRAFT
These drafts are employed for the production of stripe and check
designs, in which the stripes have different weaves or their
combinations.
This draft is used for producing the fabric with two different
stripes.
The repeat of the draft is determined by the number of stripes and the
number of threads in each stripe.
The number of shafts in the draft depends upon the number of stripes
and the warp repeat of weave of each stripe.
COMBINED DRAFT
Various methods of drawing-in can be combined in one
draft for producing a certain type of fabric.
Two or more drafts described above can be applied
simultaneously,
For example, straight and skip or sateen, grouped
and divided, and so on.
Combined draft is the most complicated and can be
chosen only if there are some technological or
economical reasons.
The designer having a great experience can do it
properly.
FUNDAMENTAL WEAVES
Woven structure is the manner in which groups of warp yarns are
raised by the harness, to permit insertion of the weft yarn in the
given weave pattern,
Which affects the fabric durability and appearance.
Apart from the woven structure,
Fabric density (EPI / EPC & PPI / PPC)
Fabric weight
Yarn count (Yarn fineness & coarseness)
Yarn twist (Direction & amount of twist)
The THREE fundamental weaves are used for the majority of
fabrics,
Plain
Twill
Satin / Sateen
Each kind of the fundamental weave is determined by Repeat of
weave [R] and Shift [S].
Repeat is indicates the minimum number of warp and weft
threads for a given weave.
Warp repeat (Ro) and weft repeat (Ry)
Shift is indicates the distance from a painted square on a
thread to its corresponding painted square on its adjacent
thread.
The shift can be counted in warp way (So) and in weft
way (Sy),
(mostly in warp way)
The shift can be either positive or negative depending on the
direction of counting.
Counting from the left to right or from low to high
gives positive shift.
Counting from the right to left or
from high low gives negative shift.
Every warp and weft must have at least one warp or
weft overlap with in the repeat [R].
PLAIN WEAVE
Plain weave is the simplest and most commonly used type of
weave.
It found in a wide range of fabrics and also it has wide
range of application.
Variously known as “calico” or “tabby” weave.
Plain weave is usually denoted by fractions,
The numerator refers to the number of warp overlaps.
The denominator refers to the number of weft overlaps.
It requires TWO harness for 1/1plain weave,
Because the weave repeats every two ends and picks.
Weave repeat [R] = 2 and Shift [S] =1
But it requires four, six or more heald shafts when the
number of ends/cm becomes large with skip draft.
Plan diagram
Longitudinal
section diagram
Cross-section diagram
From the diagram,
The 3rd warp thread has the same movement
with the 1st, and the 4th same with 2nd.
Similarly, the 3rd weft thread is same with
the 1st weft thread; the 4th is same with the
2nd.
Thus, the weave repeats after 2 ends Repeat
Fabric with a plain weave is reversible,
Face and back are the same,
Unless one side is chosen as the face by
finishing or printing.
It can be classified as:
Balanced or Square plain weave
Unbalanced plain weave,
Which can be warp faced and
weft faced plain weave.
Balanced or Square plain weave:
Density of yarn
Linear density
are the same
Crimp
Unbalanced plain weave:
Warp faced plain weave,
EPC > PPC
Warp crimp < Weft crimp
Warp yarn is finer
Weft faced plain weave,
PPC > EPC
Weft crimp < Warp crimp
Weft yarn is finer
PLAIN WEAVE CHARACTERISTICS
It has firm construction,
Because it has maximum number of binding points.
The threads interlace on alternate order of 1 up and 1 down.
(50% up and 50% down)
The thread density is limited,
Cloth thickness and mass per unit area are limited.
It ravels less than other weaves.
It has good wear resistance than others (abrasion resistance).
It has lower wrinkle resistance than others.
It has lower tear strength than others,
Because when tearing a plain weave fabric, the yarn breaks
once at a time.
It provides a good background for printed and embossed design,
Because it have a flat surface.
PLAIN WEAVE DERIVATIVES
The plain weave may be modified by extending it warp or weft
way or both.
The extension of the plain weave thus produces a rib effect.
A warp rib results from extending the plain
weave in the warp direction.
A weft rib structure results from extending the plain
weave in the weft direction.
A matt rib results from extending the plain weave in
both
directions
PLAIN WEAVE DERIVATIVES
WARP RIB
These are produced by extending the plain weave in warp way
direction and can be constructed on regular and irregular basis.
The warp rib is denoted by a fraction.
The numerator shows the number of warp overlapping
and the denominator, the number of weft overlapping on
the same thread within the repeat.
The sum of the fraction numerator and denominator is
equal to the weft repeat.
Exercise
• 2/1 warp rib X X
X X
• 4/3 warp rib X
X
X
• 2/3 weft rib X
• 1/3 weft rib X
X
• 4/2 Matt
• 3/3 Hopsack / / /
/ /
X X X X
X X X
/ /
/ ./ / /
X X x
X X X
X X X X X
X X X X X
X X X X X
X X X X X
PLAIN WEAVE DERIVATIVES
WEFT RIB
Constructed by extending the
plain weave in weft direction
and can be constructed on
regular and irregular basis.
The sum of the fraction
of numerator and
denominator is equal to
the warp repeat.
MATT RIB
These weaves are also variously known as
hopsack or basket weaves.
The matt rib structures from
extending result both
directions. the plain weave in
In case of regular matt weave,
the plain weaves are extended equally in
the warp and weft directions.
In case of irregular matt weaves,
the plain weave is extended unevenly or
irregularly in the warp and weft
directions.
Matt weave finds extensive uses for a
great variety of fabrics such as dress
materials, shirting's, etc.
Example..
Use full Links
• https://youtu.be/NeRVurZ7llA
• https://youtu.be/VDNJXvhGgn4
Thanks
