Spanish–English Weaving Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards covering key English weaving terms and their Spanish equivalents.

Loom

A frame or machine for weaving cloth; Spanish: telar.

Back strap loom

A simple loom in which warp tension is provided by a strap around the weaver’s back; Spanish: telar de cintura.

Back beam

The beam at the rear of a loom that holds the wound warp; Spanish: rodillo de enjulio.

Front beam

The cloth beam at the front of a loom on which finished fabric is wound; Spanish: rodillo plegador.

Treadle

A foot pedal used to raise or lower shafts on a loom; Spanish: pedal.

Treadles

Plural of treadle; multiple foot pedals controlling shafts; Spanish: pedales.

To treadle

The action of pressing the treadles to create sheds; Spanish: pedaleo.

Shaft

A frame carrying heddles that lifts or lowers warp threads; Spanish: cuadro de lizos.

Heddle

A wire or cord loop with an eye that guides individual warp ends; Spanish: lizo.

Beater

The swinging frame that pushes the weft into place; Spanish: batán.

Reed

A comb-like tool in the beater that spaces warp ends; Spanish: peine.

Dents

The individual slots in a reed through which warp threads pass; Spanish: palletas.

Shed

The opening formed between raised and lowered warp threads for the weft to pass; Spanish: calada.

Warp

The lengthwise yarns held under tension on a loom; Spanish: urdimbre.

Weft

The crosswise yarns woven through the warp; Spanish: trama.

Warping board

A frame with pegs used to measure and wind a warp; Spanish: urdidor de marco.

Peg (in warping board)

The wooden dowel on a warping board around which yarn is wound; Spanish: pivote.

Raddle

A pre-sleying comb used to space warp ends before beaming; Spanish: pre-peine.

Threading hook

Small hook used to pull warp ends through heddle eyes or reed dents; Spanish: pasa hilos.

Cross

The figure-eight intersection of warp threads that preserves their order; Spanish: cruz.

Knot

A tying method to secure yarn ends; Spanish: nudo.

Wind the warp

To measure and wrap warp yarns onto a board or reel; Spanish: enrollar la urdimbre.

Threading

The process of drawing warp ends through heddles; Spanish: remitido.

Selvedge

The finished edge of woven fabric that prevents unraveling; Spanish: orillo.

Linen

A textile fiber obtained from flax; Spanish: lino.

Cotton

Soft, cellulose fiber from the cotton plant; Spanish: algodón.

Wool

Protein fiber from sheep or similar animals; Spanish: lana.

Silk

Continuous filament fiber produced by silkworms; Spanish: seda.

Ramie

A strong, lustrous bast fiber from the ramie plant; Spanish: ramico.

Tabby

Plain weave structure with over-under sequence; Spanish: tafetán.

Twill

Weave creating diagonal ribs by offsetting interlacements; Spanish: sarga.

Point twill

A twill that reverses direction forming chevron or herringbone; Spanish: espiga de sarga.

Broken twill

A twill pattern interrupted to break diagonals; Spanish: sarga interrumpida.

Diamond twill

Twill draft creating diamond shapes; Spanish: rombo de sarga.

Satin

Weave with long floats creating a smooth lustrous surface; Spanish: raso.

Rosepath

Decorative Scandinavian twill pattern of small roses; Spanish: camino de rosas.

Basket weave

Variation of plain weave with two or more yarns acting together; Spanish: panamá.

Birds eye

Small repeated diamond motif resembling a bird’s eye; Spanish: ojo de pájaro / ojo de ganso.

Double weave

Structure with two connected layers of cloth woven simultaneously; Spanish: doble tejido.

Swedish lace

Lace-like weave with floats and plain weave blocks; Spanish: encaje sueco.

Lace

Openwork fabric created by deliberate openings in the weave; Spanish: encaje.

Overshot

Traditional American weave with pattern weft floating over plain weave; Spanish: coloniales.

Monk’s belt

Weave with blocky floats resembling a monk’s girdle; Spanish: cinturón de monje.

Honeycomb

Cellular weave structure forming hexagonal depressions; Spanish: nido de abejas.