Our grandmothers and great-grandmothers sewed their wardrobe on their own, and much could tell us about a variety of fabrics. They already knew a lot about what materials it is better to make a dress or a blouse. Most of the ladies in those days did an excellent job of making home textiles: bed sets, curtains and tablecloths. They not only perfectly sewed all these household items, but also decorated it with embroidery and other decorations.
Mass hobby for sewing is a thing of the past. Now this occupation can be attributed to the category of hobbies - you will not meet him often. Far few women can talk about what kind of tissue is in their hands.
The textile industry impresses modern fashionistas with an abundance of new products. Fabrics are becoming high-tech and multifunctional. However, they are usually based on schemes and methods developed a century ago.
What is plain weave?
Plain weaving refers to the main types of fiber combination schemes. It is with the help of this textile technique that a large number of fabrics from various natural and synthetic fibers are produced . Other types of weaves are obtained by various variations or combinations of their main types.
Not only the appearance of the fabric, but also its mechanical, physical and technological characteristics depends on the nature of the weave. In order to understand the issue of tissue formation, first let's look at the basic textile concepts.
Basic textile concepts
Longitudinal threads are called warp and cross threads are called weft. In the structure of the fabric, they are intertwined and form an overlap, denoted by the symbol n F . The main crossing n FO is the place on the front of the fabric where the warp fibers are located above the weft. In the weft overlap n F Y the opposite picture is observed. Here, the warp threads lie under the weft threads.
Weaving in the textile business is usually denoted in the form of a pattern, which is presented in two colors. In the vertical rows are the warp threads, and horizontal - weft. They are arranged in a certain order and form one or another type of crossing. It is customary to denote the main overlap by dark cells, and weft by light cells.
There is a specific order in parsing a circuit. Warp threads are counted from left to right, and weft threads are counted from bottom to top. In the preparation and reading of the schemes, the concept of rapport R. Rapports make fabric production simple and straightforward. There are rapports of weaving along warp threads R o and weft R Y .
Also in the preparation of weaving patterns there is the concept of a shift S. This term refers to the number of threads on which a single overlap is removed from a similar one. Distinguish vertical shift S o on the basis and S Y on the weft.
How is plain weaving made?
Linen weaving, the scheme of which is the simplest, is characterized by the order in which the weft and warp threads intersect each other in every second successive overlap. This means that it has the smallest possible rapport.
Therefore, it is believed that plain weaving of threads is the primary source of all modifications of weaving patterns. It was under these rules that the first matters were made by our ancestors.
There is a certain rapport that characterizes plain weave. Its scheme is described in the form of formulas:
- R O = R Y = 2 strands;
- n FO = n FY = 1;
- S O = S Y = 1.
The plain weave fabric, in which the warp thread has a significantly smaller thickness with respect to that of the weft, is called false rep. In this case, a transverse scar is formed. Specialists attribute it to a type of weave called weft rep. For this type of weaving, weaving forms of fabrics such as cotton taffeta and poplin. Simple linen weaving serves as the basis for creating a variety of textile products based on a variety of natural raw materials: cotton, linen, silk, wool and other sources of fiber.
Cotton fabrics
Cotton fabric, in which the weave is plain, is very widely used in the textile industry. There are several types of such textiles, which are discussed in more detail below.
Calico
It is also called burmety or paper canvas. This fabric can be produced in the form of a harsh unfinished fabric, it can also be bleached (linen), one-colored or printed. As a part of coarse calico both cotton threads and artificial fibers can be present.
Canvas is used in modern textile industry in the manufacture of
bed linen. Coarse calico has good wear resistance, maintains a large number of washings. Canvas has many advantages:
- Excellent hygiene.
- Hypoallergenicity.
- Environmental friendliness.
- Ease.
- Low crease rate.
- Long-term preservation of the brightness of the picture.
- Affordable price.
It is these qualities that make it possible to produce high quality everyday and luxury bedding sets from coarse calico.
Chintz
Refers to light cotton fabrics and is one-colored or printed. Chintz is made from calico by dyeing and finishing manipulations. Typically, the density of this fabric is 80-100 g / m 2 . Chintz is used in the textile industry for sewing bedding, shirts for men, as well as for light outerwear.
Batiste
This fabric is particularly delicate and transparent. The raw material for the production of cambric is both cotton and linen. This plain weave fabric is made from the finest twisted fiber of high numbers. Batiste is one-colored, bleached, mercerized and stuffed. Typically, this material is used for sewing underwear, light dresses or blouses. Batiste also serves as a semi-finished product for the production of tracing paper.
Calico
This harsh cotton plain weave consists of coarse unbleached fibers. Most often, calico has a certain grayish tint. It serves as a semi-finished product for the manufacture of other fabrics and materials. If the calico is processed in the necessary way, then you can get linen products (muslin, madapolam) or chintz. Also, various oilcloths and dermatins are obtained from this raw material.
Flannel
This type of fabric can be made of either their cotton, wool or a combination thereof. Flannel has a rare two-sided or one-sided fluffy fleece and therefore saves heat well. It is soft and pleasant to the touch, it can be bleached, one-colored or printed.
Flannel has its drawbacks: it rolls with prolonged wear and, due to its high hygroscopicity, dries for a long time. This fabric is great for demi-season clothes and baby diapers.
Poplin
This type of fabric is bilateral, one-color or patterned. Poplin forms a plain weave of a thin base and a coarser rare transverse weft. The result is a small rib, which is characterized by a high density of the base, which is 1.5-2 times higher than the same indicator in the weft. Poplin can be bleached, printed, multi-colored or plain-dyed. It has a lot of advantages:
- It keeps its shape well.
- Its surface is pleasant to the touch.
- Thermostatic and hygroscopic.
- High wear resistance.
- Affordable price.
Thanks to these qualities, poplin is widely used for creating bedding, as well as for men and women’s shirts, towels and other products.
Taffeta
This fabric, which uses plain weave, is thin, dense and has a glossy surface. Taffeta is made of tightly twisted fibers, and not only cotton, but also silk, as well as synthetic threads are used. Traditionally, this type of fabric is used for sewing evening and wedding toilets, costumes for rhythmic gymnastics and various consumer goods.
Linen fabric
Linen - the fabric is quite hard and dense. It has a smooth surface and a matte sheen. The linen fabric does not stretch well, especially when moistened, its fibers intertwine with each other poorly.
This material is slightly polluted, does not form a pile and is very hygroscopic. Flax is a fabric that perfectly supports the natural heat transfer of the human body and therefore is great for sewing clothes. In the textile industry, several types of fabrics are made from this material by the method of plain weaving:
- Bortovka is a dense fabric intended for the manufacture of lining elements of outerwear.
- Sail - a heavy fabric made of thick linen thread, characterized by a special density. It repels moisture and is characterized by increased wear resistance. It was used to create sails, as well as for sewing water-repellent and specialized clothing. If this fabric is impregnated with a refractory, water-repellent and antifungal composition, then a tarp will be obtained.
- Cloth - smooth linen fabric, which has a shiny surface and is used to make dresses and suits.
Silk fabric
Silk is a very expensive and delicate material. It has long been used for sewing toilets of distinguished persons. Later, with the invention of rayon, clothes made of this material became available to everyone. In the manufacture of fabrics from natural and synthetic silk yarn , a plain weave type is also used. Basically, a variety of crepes are made in this way.
This type of fabric is made of fibers with high twist in the left and right direction with a certain alternation. Such processing of the filaments gives them elasticity and provides increased shrinkage of matter. The fabric acquires a finely rough texture.
The main advantage of crepe fabrics is their excellent drapeability combined with a slight crease, which makes them ideal for making evening toilets for women and men. Silk fabric plain weaving is of the following types:
- Crepe de Chine has a moderate sheen. It is relatively thin, but at the same time quite dense. Crepe de Chine is made from silk fibers at the base, and crepe torsion threads are used as weft. Also, wool and polyester fibers can be used in the fabric . Krepdeshin is widely used for tailoring evening and wedding sets.
- Chiffon crepe is an airy thin translucent fabric that has a pronounced relief structure. May contain both pure silk and synthetic threads. Chiffon crepe is used to make summer clothes and accessories.
- Crepe georgette is not only subtle and transparent, but also elastic. The texture of the fabric is pronounced. Crepe georgette is used for sewing light toilets, scarves and scarves.
- Crepe-marquine is distinguished by the presence of a thread of strong twisting at the base. It has a pronounced relief structure and is made from threads of natural silk, viscose, as well as wool. Crepe marquenes are mainly used for tailoring suits.
Wool Fabrics
Woolen threads also undergo plain weaving with the formation of certain types of fabrics, the main of which is cloth. This fabric is notable for the fact that on its surface the threads are so knitted and intertwined that all the gaps between the fibers overlap.
Thus, the fabric becomes like felt. Woolen cloth is of two types:
- Army is made with strict adherence to technology and is used to create clothing for the military, as well as for some work clothes.
- Urban has some differences in technology. It is softer and thinner, has a great color variety.
The cloth is well laid and does not shift during cutting, does not sprinkle on the slices, and can withstand ironing. However, this material wrinkles during operation, can shrink and does not withstand washing.
As you can see, the plain weave of threads in the fabric has generated a huge variety of unique and inimitable materials that modern housewives use for sewing clothes, bedding and other household items. Years pass, epochs change, but many of the foundations laid by our ancestors to this day do not lose their relevance.