In particular, the term weave structure refers to the interlacement in a weave of the vertical and horizontal parts. It dives over and under the horizontal portion, the weft, while the vertical element, the warp, crosses the fabric. Conversely, as it moves horizontally through the fabric, one can talk of the direction the weft takes, passing over and under the warp ends.
Furthermore, we call lengthwise yarns as warp when weaving and crosswise yarns as weft or filling. Most of the materials are made in ways, which avoid ravelling with their outer edges; they are called forests.
There are several types of weaving, with plain, twill, and satin weaving being the three basic types. All the others are variants of these basic weaves or their mixture. Let's dig into the three types of basic weave.
Plain Weave
The most basic of the three forms is plain weave.
Plain weaves are essentially classified into three types: warp rib, weft rib, Matt Weave. Fabrics in the plain weave include percale, muslin, and taffeta.
In addition to that, the warp and weft are aligned when weaving a plain weave, which creates a basic criss-cross pattern. By going alternately, each weft thread crosses the warp threads, first over one warp, then under the next, and so on.
Ribbed effects are created by the use of heavier yarns for either the warp or the filling in such fabrics as faille and bengaline. One or more filling yarns are alternately moved over and under two or more warp yarns in the basket weaving, as seen in the monk's cloth.
Some of the characteristics of plain weave fabric include:
Sewing is easy
Since the plain-woven fabric is typically not quite stretchy, without puckers, it's easy to sew.
Structured
Usually, plain weave fabric has a lot of structure, preserving its form instead of a soft drape around stuff. Also, if you tug on it, it's not very stretchy and will remain rigid.
Durable
Plain woven fabric is very durable, preserving its shape and avoiding pilling after several washes.
Twill
Twill is a sort of textile weave that has a diagonal parallel rib pattern. By moving the weft thread over one or more warp threads, and then under two or more warp threads, and so on, you can complete this technique.
Twill has various front and back sides, known as the technical face and technical back. For the visible side, the technological face is used because it has the most pronounced pattern, is more robust and more appealing. Some of the examples of this type of weave are Chino, denim, drill, gabardine, serge, and tweed.
Furthermore, Twills vary in the increased number of picks and ends needed to complete a repeat pattern from plain weaves.
Whereas for a repeat, a plain weave needs two ends and two picks, the simplest twill requires three picks and three ends.
Some of the characteristics of twill weave fabric include:
Durable
It is very durable and can withstand a lot of wear, making it great clothing and upholstery fabric.
Few Stains visible
Pattern orientation helps to conceal dirt and stains from view, so it is easier to mask spills at home or on clothing.
Opaque
There is no sheer quality in the twill weave, so all twill fabrics have great opacity, making them great for curtains, housewares, and clothes.
Satin
The third main weave of the woven fabrics is satin. The satin weave is similar to the twill weave in basic construction but typically uses from five to as many as twelve harnesses, providing a five-to-twelve-shaft construction.
Since the diagonal of the satin weave is not apparent, it varies in appearance from the twill weave; it is deliberately disrupted to contribute to the desired flat smooth, lustrous surface.
On the surface of the fabric, there is no obvious pattern since the yarns to be thrown to the surface are greater in number and finer in number than the yarns that shape the fabric reverse. A smooth, even, and glossy fabric surface is created by satin weaves. It is because the floats of the adjacent threads cover up the interlacing points.
Some of the characteristics of satin weave fabric include:
Drapes Beautifully
Satin weaves produce a soft and simple drape due to the concentration of fibres and the pliability of the fabric, which makes them suitable for evening wear and curtains.
Good Textured Fabric
Satin weaves create a bright, soft right side of the fabric and a dull back owing to the arrangement of the warp and weft threads.
Durable
As satin uses long, very tightly twisted filament fibres, the resulting material is stronger than many simple fabric materials.
The basis for producing many forms of fabric is weaving. What type of fabric can be made, and what it will be ideally suited for, depending on the material and its weight. Furthermore, it is up to you what type of weaving you’ll use in your specific project.
In creating various textiles for a multitude of uses, weaving has proven to be a very versatile process. Also, always remember that you have to consider a lot of ways aside from weaving.