Fabric Construction
Fabric Construction
• Fabric traits are determined
by their type, amount, size of
fibers, and usage
• Fabrics are constructed by
• weaving
• knitting
• felting
• bonding
Woven Fabrics
• Weaving is the interlacing of two sets of
yarns at right angles
• The warp yarns run the lengthwise direction
and form the lengthwise grain
• The weft yarns are the filling yarns that run in
the crosswise direction
• Grain is the direction threads run in a
woven fabric
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Woven Fabrics
• Weaves that manufacturers commonly use include:
• plain weave
• twill weave
• satin weave
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Woven Fabrics: Plain
• The simplest weave
• To create a plain weave, the
• weft yarn goes over and under each warp yarn
• two or more weft yarns are interlaced with two with the rib weave
• coarser weft yarns are combined with regular warp yarns to give a corded
effect
Goodheart-Willcox Publisher
Goodheart-Willcox Publisher
Woven Fabrics: Twill
• Has warp or weft yarn passing over
two or more yarns
• Each succeeding pass begins one yarn
above or below the last one
• The result is a wale, a diagonal rib/cord
pattern
• Are stronger than plain weave fabrics
and show soil less quickly
Woven Fabrics: Satin
• Has long floats, or segments of yarn on the
surface of the fabric
• Either warp or weft yarns float over four or more
opposite yarns, and then go under one
• Each successive float begins two yarns away from the
beginning of the last one
• is smooth and slippery
• drapes well and is good for linings
• is less durable than fabrics in other basic weaves
because the long floats snag easily
Goodheart-Willcox Publisher
Woven Fabrics: Pile
• a variation of plain and twill weaves
• velvet, velveteen, corduroy, terry cloth, and frieze
• Have a nap, which is a layer of fiber ends that stand up from the
surface of the fabric
Woven Fabrics: Weave Variations
• The jacquard and leno weaves are used in home-furnishings fabrics
for
• curtains
• thermal blankets
• The dobby weave has small geometric shapes woven into the fabric
Knitted Fabrics
• Knitting is the looping together of yarns
• Weft knits are either circular or flat and
• produce single, double, jersey, rib, and
jacquard knits
• Warp knits are flat and are generally
• tighter, flatter, and less elastic than weft knits
• Knitted fabrics are mainly used to back
other fabrics, such as upholstery fabrics
Other Types of Fabrics
• Other types of fabrics used in residential and commercial interiors are
not woven or knitted
• They vary in method of construction in such ways as
• joining fibers together with adhesives
• entangling fibers with heat fusion
• interlocking fibers to hold them together
• Nonwoven fabrics are generally not as strong as woven or knitted
fabrics
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Other Types of Fabrics
• Vinyl and other plastic materials are made from thin, nonwoven
sheets that
• look like fabrics or leather
• usually need a knit-fabric backing for stability and strength
Other Types of Fabrics
• Leather is sometimes classified as
a nonwoven fabric
• The process of tanning leather
causes it to become soft and
resistant to stains, fading, and
cracking
• Bonded fabrics
• Felted fabrics
