Fashion Fabrics - Exam 2 - Kent State

Order of Fabric Construction:

-Fiber

-Yarn

-Fabric

-Dye and Print

-Finish

How is fabric constructed?

By weaving or knitting yarn together

Heavier the Weight of the fabric:

-More fiber

-Stiffer, more structured

-Better durability

-More opaque (thicker cover)

Lighter the weight of the fabric:

-less fiber

-softer drape

-softer hand

-potentially more sheer (thin)

Light/Sheer weight:

sheer, gauzy

Light/top weight:

- 4-6 oz/sq yd

- Blouse, casual shirts, dress shirts, knitted tops, pajamas, sweaters, Ts, undergarments

Medium weight:

heavy shirting, lighter bottoms

Bottom weight:

slacks, suiting, lighter jackets

Heavy weight:

work clothes, heavier coats, traditional denim

What is weaving?

2 sets of yarns interlacing at right angles to another.

Most common and varied form of construction

Woven Fabrics Production:

Warp Yarns:

threaded through heddles, attached to loom harness

harness lifted in various sequences to created a space called the shed

Woven fabrics productions:

Weft Yarns:

fed through this shed.

as harness are raised and lowered, yarns interlace at right angles

selvage:

finished edge along fabric length

Woven propertties: Warp:

yarns running parallel to selvage (lengthwise grain) (stronger)

Woven Properties: weft or filling:

yarns running perpendicular to selvage (crosswise grain)

Woven fabrics do not have significant stretch on grain?

true

warp (woven)

lengthwise grain - none

weft (woven)

crosswise grain - little

T/F woven fabrics have most stretch in bias direction

True

thread count

the number of threads that are packed together for any given amount of fabric

Higher the thread count:

smoother hand, better drape, better dimensional stability

lower thread count

coarser hand, poorer drape, less durable

balanced weave

similar number yarns/inch in each direction

unbalanced weave

more yarns/inch in either warp or weft direction

T/F unbalanced weaves create ribs

True

Fiber blends: Fabric Construction:

Fabric Blend:

warp yarns are made of a different fiber than weft yarns

1. silk warp & flax weft

2. less common than yarn blending

Fabric blending can be done to:

1. introduce visual interest with a novelty or texturized yarn in a weft direction

2. lower cost or improve strength

Basic weave types:

1. Plain

2. Twill

3. Satin

Complex Weaves:

Dobby, Jacquard, extra yarn, pile, slack tension, double cloth, and double weave

Woven designs

pattern or design motif is created during the weaving process

different color yarns are often used to emphasize the design

Dobby Woven Fabrics

Small repeating geometric designs, woven in with floating yarns

Motif placed on plain,twill, or satin background

requires more harness and pedals (with possible use of an attachment) to life a greater variation of warp yarns in a short repeat

Common Fabrics: Flat:

dobby shirting (spun yarns) or lining (filament)

Textured dobby Fabrics:

Pique and waffle cloth

Crepe Weave:

irregular interlacing pattern, using a dobby attachment

looks like surface is sprinkled with small specks

provides better drape, resiliency and elasticity

grainy hand, low luster

means of creating a crepe fabric with or without crepe twist

Jacquard Weave:

larger scale, intricate, curving design woven in

created on jacquard loom to control each warp yarn individually

yarns brought to face only when needed to create pattern

increased production time

many have long floating (face or back) that can snag or unravel more easily

Jacquard: Tapestry:

fatter weft yarns of various colors covers warps to created pattern

imitates traditional handwoven tapestries

tightly woven with ribbed effect

heavy weight fabrics with more structure

coats, accessories

Jacquard: Damask

Flat woven, curve-linear design

typically 1 or 2 colors

reversible design on both sides

uses filament or spun yarns

spun used in structured jackets, dresses, or coats

filament more often in formal apparel

Jacquard: Brocade

a. richly covered, woven curve-linear design

b. always filament yarns (usually silk or polyester)

c. can use metallic yarns

d. used in formal wear. trim or contrast fabrics

extra yarn 'spot' weave

a. extra set of yarns (separate from warp and weft) woven in certain areas of fabric to create a repeating pattern

b. distinctive front and back

c. extra yarns float on back

d. or can be cut (front and back)

e. common: dotted swiss and shirtings

pile weave

Extra yarns woven into a ground of warp and weft yarns and left looped or cut on fabric face.

Pile Weave common charasteristics:

-often bottom to heavy weight

-warmer (retains hear better with extra layer of yarns)

-softer hand

-good resilience

pile weave construction

a. cut

-fuzzy ends on surface

-think velvet

b. uncut

-loops on surface (can be both sides)

-think terrycloth (towels)

velvet vs velveteen

velvet:

-Cut warp, longer pile

-filament yarns

-better drape and luster

-more formal apparel

distinct face and back

Velveteen:

-cut weft, shorter pile

-spun yarns, typically cotton

-more structured

-more casual apparel and children's

-distinct face and back

pileweave: courduroy

A. rows of cut pile yarns create wales (ridges)

B. distinct face and back

-wales can be wide or fine

-typically spun yarns

-bottom weight - casual jackets, pants, skirts

Slack Tension Weave:

a weave in which two warp beams are used with one beam at regular loom tension and the other beam at a lower tension for weaving seersucker and terrycloth

- slack yarns crinkle or buckle and form a puckered stripe in warp direction

-expensive process due to slow weaving speed

-little to no ironing needed

-uses: Summer clothing - children's wear

Double weave: Double Cloth:

A. made up of 2 sets of warp and 2 sets of weft yarns that interconnect periodically to create 2 connected layers.

B. Is made of 2 fabrics connected by a separate, 5th set of yarns can be separated

Leno Weave:

A. pairs of warp yarns twist around weft yarns

b. made with a dobby loom and special harness to twist the warps

creates a very stable fabric that works well for open weave, low thread count fabrics

Knit construction: Knitting

Yarn interconnecting in loops to create fabric

What does Woven Material look like?

Square, think picnic blanket

What does Knit material look like?

Loops

Knit production:

a. uses needles to loop one or more sets of yarns together

- each loop is a stitch

1.) knit, purl, tuck, or miss

Knit: Stitches

Knit, Purl, Tuck, Miss (Float) stitch

Knit stitch:

looks like colums of V's going lengthwise

Purl stitch:

looks like rows of bumps or waves going crosswise

Tuck stitch:

stitches create open work areas in fabric

ex., pointelle

Miss (float stitch)

stitches float on back when not creating pattern on front

ex., jacquard

Knit production:

Flatbed and Circular Machine

Flatbed Machine:

-produces sheet of fabric

-can produce flat panels 'to size' for garments

Circular Machine

-faster, more likely to become distorted as twists

-produces socks, hosiery, tubular pieces

Knits Vocab: Gauge

-stitches per inch, across fabric

Higher gauge =

finer loops

Lower gauge =

coarser loops

Major Knit Catergories include:

Weft and warp

Weft knits:

single and double

Warp knits:

tricot and raschel

Benefits of Knit:

-Faster production than woven

-Increased elasticity (most knits)

-drapes well

-better wrinkle recovery than wovens

-can insulate well without wind due to the bulk of loops

-can be increased with bulkier, low twist yarns

Drawbacks of knit:

-Distortion (lack of care with washing, drying, ironing)

-loops tend to snag and pull

-run or ladder more easily

Weft knits:

Knits made with only one yarn that runs crosswise forming a horizontal row of interlocking loops.

-circular or flat production (single or double)

-better elasticity than warp knits

-susceptible to snags and runs

Single weft knits:

knit stitches on face, purl on reverse

most commonly jersey fabric

more often top weight

fluid drape (even limp)

tshirts, underwear, light dresses, socks

bulkier yarn, lower gauge = sweater knit

Drawback of weft knits:

-edges when cut

-shape is distorted more easily

Double weft knits:

a. 2 sets/beds of needle

b. many reversible - often knit stitches on face and reverse.

-less distortion and edge curling

-more stability and potential for structure

-wide range of yarns, fabric weights and end uses

common double weft knits:

-rib knit

-interlock

-some sweater knits

Double Weft Knits: Rib Knit:

- alternating knit and purl stitches

- increased elasticity

- often used in cuffs and collars

- thicker yarns - sweater knits

Weft Knit variations: Knit in Patterns

Jacquard Knit, Pointelle

Jacquard Knit:

1. Pattern knitted different color yarns

2. Single or double knit

Pointelle

1. Open work patterns made with tuck stitches

2. typically light weight

Weft Knit Variations : Thermal Retention

- by adding bulk through texture and extra yarn layers

1. waffle/thermal knits

2. cable knit

3. pile knit - cut/or uncut

a. knit velour, knit velvet, french terry

b. and/or brushed (napped) face or back

Weft knits:

One yarn or set of yarns fed in across the fabric in courses

Warp knit construction

Loops fed in wales, zigzagging the length of fabric, interlacing with loops below and adjacent.

Warp knitting properties:

made on a flat knitting machine

different yarn fed in each wale

less susceptible to laddering

typically less elasticity than weft knits unless elastomer fiber Is added

Warp Knit: Tricot

-Fastest knit production

-Finer (higher) gauge, more tightly knit

-Made with uniform filament yarns

-Knit stitches on face, and distinct horizontal floats on back created by underlaps

Tricot end uses

lingerie, sleepwear, activewear

Common used fabrics with tricot

1. plain tricot, satin tricot, brushed tricot

2. swimwear tricot (think spandex)

3. tricot net or mesh

Raschel:

greater variation in design and texture through knitted - in patterns and openwork

uses filament or spun yarns

common uses of raschel

1. machine made laces, crochets and nets

2. some sweater knits with spun yarns

3. power mesh (with extra spandex) for lingerie or athletics

warp knit: raschel lace and crochet

-imitates traditional handmade lace and crochet

-raschel knitting machines allow for less expensive alternative

laid yarns can be inserted to create more texture and pattern including novelty yarns

Warp knit Variations:

Pile

-Faux fur (sliver pile knit) Napped (brushed) or Sueded (sanding)

-Brushed tricot

-Faux suede or suede cloth (tricot)