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51-469: There are a few types of damask: true, single, compound, and twill. True damask is made entirely of silk. Single damask has only one set of warps and wefts and thus is made of up to two colors. Compound damask has more than one set of warps and wefts and can include more than two colors. Twill damasks include a twill -woven ground or pattern. A damask weave is one of the five basic weaving techniques—the others being tabby , twill , Lampas , and tapestry —of

102-496: A darning egg and a separate comb-like piece with teeth to hook the warp over; these are used for repairing knitted garments and are like a linear knitting spool . Darning looms were sold during World War Two clothing rationing in the United Kingdom and Canada, and some are homemade. Circular looms are used to create seamless tubes of fabric for products such as hosiery, sacks, clothing, fabric hoses (such as fire hoses) and

153-439: A fairly simple loom . Twill weave is often designated as a fraction, such as 2 ⁄ 1 , in which the numerator indicates the number of harnesses that are raised (and thus threads crossed: in this example, two), and the denominator indicates the number of harnesses that are lowered when a filling yarn is inserted (in this example, one). The fraction 2 ⁄ 1 is read as "two up, one down" (the fraction for plain weave

204-477: A loom that folds into a narrow space when not in use. Loom frames can be roughly divided, by the orientation of the warp threads, into horizontal looms and vertical looms. There are many finer divisions. Most handloom frame designs can be constructed fairly simply. The back-strap loom (also known as belt loom) is a simple loom with ancient roots, still used in many cultures around the world (such as Andean textiles ). It consists of two sticks or bars between which

255-441: A lot of floor space, and full-time professional weavers are unlikely to use them as they are unergonomic. Their cheapness and portability is less valuable to urban professional weavers. In a treadle loom, the shedding is controlled by the feet, which tread on the treadles . The earliest evidence of a horizontal loom is found on a pottery dish in ancient Egypt , dated to 4400 BC. It was a frame loom, equipped with treadles to lift

306-418: A shed. To create the counter-shed, a heddle-bar is usually used. A heddle-bar is simply a stick placed across the warp and tied to individual warp threads. When it is lifted, it pulls the warp threads it is tied to out of position, creating a shed. A warp-weighted loom (see diagram) typically uses a heddle-bar. It has two upright posts (C); they support a horizontal beam (D), which is cylindrical so that

357-591: A single-shaft loom. The different shafts (also called harnesses) must be controlled by some mechanism. While non-rigid heddles generally mean that two shafts are needed even for a plain tabby weave , twill weaves require three or more (depending on the type of twill), and more complex figured weaves require still more harnesses. Treadle looms can control multiple harnessess with multiple treadles. The weaver selects which harnesses are engaged with their feet. One treadle may be connected to more than one harness, and any number of treadles can be engaged at once, meaning that

408-482: A tabletop. others are backstraps looms with a rigid heddle , and very portable. There exist very small hand-held looms known as darning looms. They are made to fit under the fabric being mended, and are often held in place by an elastic band on one side of the cloth and a groove around the loom's darning-egg portion on the other. They may have heddles made of flip-flopping rotating hooks (see Loom#Rotating-hook heddles ) . Other devices sold as darning looms are just

459-438: A twill weave, each weft or filling yarn floats across the warp yarns in a progression of interlacings to the right or left, forming a pattern of distinct diagonal lines. This diagonal pattern is also known as a wale . A float is the portion of a yarn that crosses over two or more perpendicular yarns. A twill weave requires three or more harnesses, depending on its complexity and is the second most basic weave that can be made on

510-399: Is 1 ⁄ 1 .). The minimum number of harnesses needed to produce a twill can be determined by totaling the numbers in the fraction; for the example described, the number of harnesses is three. Twill weave can be identified by its diagonal lines. Twill fabrics technically have a front and a back side, unlike plain weave, whose two sides are the same. The front side of the twill is called

561-399: Is a device that replaces the drawboy, the weaver's helper who used to control the warp threads by pulling on draw threads. "Dobby" is a corruption of "draw boy". Mechanical dobbies pull on the draw threads using pegs in bars to lift a set of levers. The placement of the pegs determines which levers are lifted. The sequence of bars (they are strung together) effectively remembers the sequence for

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612-461: Is a device used to weave cloth and tapestry . The basic purpose of any loom is to hold the warp threads under tension to facilitate the interweaving of the weft threads. The precise shape of the loom and its mechanics may vary, but the basic function is the same. The word "loom" derives from the Old English geloma , formed from ge- (perfective prefix) and loma , a root of unknown origin;

663-484: Is a type of textile weave with a pattern of parallel, diagonal ribs. It is one of three fundamental types of weave, along with plain weave and satin . It is made by passing the weft thread over one or more warp threads then under two or more warp threads and so on, with a "step", or offset, between rows to create the characteristic diagonal pattern. Because of this structure, twill generally drapes well. Twill weaves can be classified from four points of view: In

714-488: Is also called the takeup roll ). The portion of the fabric that has already been formed but not yet rolled up on the takeup roll is called the fell . Not all looms have two beams. For instance, warp-weighted looms have only one beam; the warp yarns hang from this beam. The bottom ends of the warp yarns are tied to dangling loom weights. A loom has to perform three principal motions : shedding, picking, and battening. There are also usually two secondary motions , because

765-527: Is typically done on lightweight fabrics. Soiling and stains are less noticeable on the uneven surface of twills than on a smooth surface, such as plain weaves, and as a result twills are often used for sturdy work clothing and for durable upholstery — denim , for example, is a twill. In addition, twill's durability, wrinkle-resistance, and low maintenance make it ideal for a range of other items, such as jackets, pants, backpacks, and even draperies. The fewer interlacings in twills as compared to other weaves allow

816-409: Is used for narrow work . It is also used to finish edges, weaving decorative selvage bands instead of hemming. There are heddles made of flip-flopping rotating hooks, which raise and lower the warp, creating sheds . The hooks, when vertical, have the weft threads looped around them horizontally. If the hooks are flopped over on side or another, the loop of weft twists, raising one or the other side of

867-553: Is used to control each warp thread separately, allowing very complex patterns. A drawloom requires two operators, the weaver, and an assistant called a "drawboy" to manage the figure harness. The earliest confirmed drawloom fabrics come from the State of Chu and date c. 400 BC. Some scholars speculate an independent invention in ancient Syria , since drawloom fabrics found in Dura-Europas are thought to date before 256 AD. The draw loom

918-564: The early Middle Ages Byzantine and Middle Eastern weaving centers. Damask was named after the city Damascus, Syria a large trading center on the Silk Road . In China, draw looms with a large number of heddles were developed to weave damasks with complicated patterns. The Chinese may have produced damasks as early as the Tang dynasty (618–907). Damasks became scarce after the 9th century outside Islamic Spain , but were revived in some places in

969-403: The weft (i.e. "that which is woven") is inserted so that it passes over and under the warp threads. The ends of the warp threads are usually fastened to beams. One end is fastened to one beam, the other end to a second beam, so that the warp threads all lie parallel and are all the same length. The beams are held apart to keep the warp threads taut. The textile is woven starting at one end of

1020-508: The yarns to move more freely, and therefore they are softer and more pliable, and drape better than plain-weave textiles. Twills also recover from creasing better than plain-weave fabrics do. When there are fewer interlacings, the yarns can be packed closer together to produce high-count fabrics. With higher counts, including high-count twills, the fabric is more durable, and is air- and water-resistant. Twills can be divided into even-sided , warp-faced , and weft-faced . Even-sided twills have

1071-464: The "technical face", and the back the "technical back". The technical face side of a twill weave fabric is the side with the most pronounced wale; it is usually more durable and more attractive, is most often used as the fashion side of the fabric, and is the side visible during weaving. If there are warp floats on the technical face (i.e. if the warp crosses over two or more wefts), there will be filling floats (the weft will cross over two or more warps) on

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1122-510: The 13th century. Trade logs between The British East India Company and China often demonstrate an ongoing trade of Chinese silks, especially damask. Damask is documented as being the heaviest Chinese silk. The word damask first appeared in a Western European language in mid-14th century French records. Shortly after its appearance in French language, damasks were being woven on draw looms in Italy. From

1173-447: The 14th to 16th century, most damasks were woven in one colour with a glossy warp-faced satin pattern against a duller ground. Two-colour damasks had contrasting colour warps and wefts and polychrome damasks added gold and other metallic threads or additional colours as supplemental brocading wefts. Medieval damasks were usually woven in silk, but weavers also produced wool and linen damasks. In daily nomadic life this form of weaving

1224-518: The 19th century, the invention of the Jacquard loom which was automated with a system of punched cards, made weaving damask faster and cheaper. Modern damasks are woven on computerized Jacquard looms. Damask weaves are commonly produced in monochromatic (single-colour) weaves in silk, linen or synthetic fibres such as rayon and feature patterns of flowers, fruit and other designs. The long floats of satin-woven warp and weft threads cause soft highlights on

1275-500: The backstrap loom. The warp-weighted loom is a vertical loom that may have originated in the Neolithic period. Its defining characteristic is hanging weights (loom weights) which keep bundles of the warp threads taut. Frequently, extra warp thread is wound around the weights. When a weaver has woven far enough down, the completed section (fell) can be rolled around the top beam, and additional lengths of warp threads can be unwound from

1326-477: The beams can be simply held apart by hooking them behind pegs driven into the ground, with wedges or lashings used to adjust the tension. Pegged looms may, however, also have horizontal sidepieces holding the beams apart. Such looms are easy to set up and dismantle, and are easy to transport, so they are popular with nomadic weavers. They are generally only used for comparatively small woven articles. Urbanites are unlikely to use horizontal floor looms as they take up

1377-489: The design. Multiple rows of holes are punched on each card and the many cards that compose the design of the textile are strung together in order. It is based on earlier inventions by the Frenchmen Basile Bouchon (1725), Jean Baptiste Falcon (1728), and Jacques Vaucanson (1740). To call it a loom is a misnomer. A Jacquard head could be attached to a power loom or a handloom, the head controlling which warp thread

1428-432: The fabric which reflect light differently according to the position of the observer. Damask weaves appear most commonly in table linens and furnishing fabrics, but they are also used for clothing. The damask weave is prevalent in the fashion industry due to its versatility and high-quality finish. Damask is often used for mid-to-high-quality garments—associating itself with higher quality brands/labels. Twill Twill

1479-415: The fell. The nature of the loom frame and the shedding, picking, and battening devices vary. Looms come in a wide variety of types, many of them specialized for specific types of weaving. They are also specialized for the lifestyle of the weaver. For instance, nomadic weavers tend to use lighter, more portable looms, while weavers living in cramped city dwellings are more likely to use a tall upright loom, or

1530-422: The finished cloth can be rolled around it, allowing the loom to be used to weave a piece of cloth taller than the loom, and preserving an ergonomic working height. The warp threads (F, and A and B) hang from the beam and rest against the shed rod (E). The heddle-bar (G) is tied to some of the warp threads (A, but not B), using loops of string called leashes (H). So when the heddle rod is pulled out and placed in

1581-466: The forked sticks protruding from the posts (not lettered, no technical term given in citation), the shed (1) is replaced by the counter-shed (2). By passing the weft through the shed and the counter-shed, alternately, cloth is woven. Heddle-rods are used on modern tapestry looms. Tablet weaving uses cards punched with holes. The warp threads pass through the holes, and the cards are twisted and shifted to created varied sheds. This shedding technique

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1632-497: The like. Tablet weaving can be used to knit tubes, including tubes that split and join. Small jigs also used for circular knitting are also sometimes called circular looms, but they are used for knitting, not weaving. It is possible to weave by manually threading the weft over and under the warp threads, but this is slow. Some tapestry techniques use manual shedding. Pin looms and peg looms also generally have no shedding devices. Pile carpets generally do not use shedding for

1683-436: The loop, which creates the shed and countershed. Rigid heddles are generally used on single-shaft looms. Odd warp threads go through the slots, and even ones through the circular holes, or vice-versa. The shed is formed by lifting the heddle, and the countershed by depressing it. The warp threads in the slots stay where they are, and the ones in the circular holes are pulled back and forth. A single rigid heddle can hold all

1734-636: The newly constructed fabric must be wound onto cloth beam. This process is called taking up. At the same time, the warp yarns must be let off or released from the warp beam, unwinding from it. To become fully automatic, a loom needs a tertiary motion , the filling stop motion. This will brake the loom if the weft thread breaks. An automatic loom requires 0.125 hp to 0.5 hp to operate (100W to 400W). A loom, then, usually needs two beams, and some way to hold them apart. It generally has additional components to make shedding, picking, and battening faster and easier. There are also often components to help take up

1785-417: The number of different sheds that can be selected is two to the power of the number of treadles. Eight is a large but reasonable number of treadles, giving a maximum of 2 =256 sheds (some of which will not have enough threads on one side to be useful). The weaver must remember the sequence of treadling needed to produce the pattern. A drawloom is for weaving figured cloth. In a drawloom, a "figure harness"

1836-528: The pattern. Speed is lower, and shedding and picking devices may be simpler. Looms used for weaving traditional tapestry are called not as "vertical-warp" and "horizontal-warp", but as "high-warp" or "low-warp" (the French terms haute-lisse and basse-lisse are also used in English). Inkle looms are narrow looms used for narrow work . They are used to make narrow warp-faced strips such as ribbons, bands, or tape. They are often quite small; some are used on

1887-409: The pile, because each pile thread is individually knotted onto the warps, but there may be shedding for the weft holding the carpet together. Usually weaving uses shedding devices. These devices pull some of the warp threads to each side, so that a shed is formed between them, and the weft is passed through the shed. There are a variety of methods for forming the shed. At least two sheds must be formed,

1938-479: The same amount of warp and weft threads visible on both sides of the fabric. Warp-faced twills have more warp threads visible on the face side, and weft-faced twills have more weft threads visible on the face side. Even-sided twills include foulard or surah, herringbone , houndstooth , serge , sharkskin , and twill flannel . Warp-faced twills include cavalry twill, chino , covert, denim , drill , fancy twill, gabardine , and lining twill. Loom A loom

1989-408: The shed and the countershed. Two sheds is enough for tabby weave ; more complex weaves, such as twill weaves , satin weaves , diaper weaves , and figured (picture-forming) weaves, require more sheds. A shed-rod (shedding stick, shed roll) is simply a stick woven through the warp threads. When pulled perpendicular to the threads (or rotated to stand on edge, for wide, flat shedding rods), it creates

2040-427: The technical back. If the twill wale goes up to the right on one side, it will go up to the left on the other side. Twill fabrics have no "up" and "down" as they are woven. Sheer fabrics are seldom made with a twill weave. Because a twill surface already has interesting texture and design, printed twills (where a design is printed on the cloth) are much less common than printed plain weaves. When twills are printed, this

2091-477: The threads (those passing through the heddles), and lowering the shaft lowers the same threads — the threads passing through the spaces between the heddles remain in place. A treadle loom for figured weaving may have a large number of harnesses or a control head. It can, for instance, have a Jacquard machine attached to it (see Loom#Shedding methods) . Tapestry can have extremely complex wefts, as different strands of wefts of different colours are used to form

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2142-420: The warp threads, and progressing towards the other end. The beam on the finished-fabric end is called the cloth beam . The other beam is called the warp beam . Beams may be used as rollers to allow the weaver to weave a piece of cloth longer than the loom. As the cloth is woven, the warp threads are gradually unrolled from the warp beam, and the woven portion of the cloth is rolled up onto the cloth beam (which

2193-416: The warp threads, leaving the weaver's hands free to pass and beat the weft thread. A pit loom has a pit for the treadles, reducing the stress transmitted through the much shorter frame. In a wooden vertical-shaft loom, the heddles are fixed in place in the shaft. The warp threads pass alternately through a heddle, and through a space between the heddles (the shed ), so that raising the shaft raises half

2244-450: The warp threads, though sometimes multiple rigid heddles are used. Treadles may be used to drive the rigid heddle up and down. Rigid heddles (above) are called "rigid" to distinguish them from string and metal heddles, where each warp thread has its own heddle, which has an eye at each end and one in the middle for the warp thread. The eyes in the ends are fastened to a shaft, all in a row. This requires multiple shafts; it cannot be done on

2295-563: The warps are stretched. One bar is attached to a fixed object and the other to the weaver, usually by means of a strap around the weaver's back. The weaver leans back and uses their body weight to tension the loom. Both simple and complex textiles can be woven on backstrap looms. They produce narrowcloth : width is limited to the weaver's armspan. They can readily produce warp-faced textiles, often decorated with intricate pick-up patterns woven in complementary and supplementary warp techniques, and brocading. Balanced weaves are also possible on

2346-400: The weaver. Computer-controlled dobbies use solenoids instead of pegs. The Jacquard loom is a mechanical loom, invented by Joseph Marie Jacquard in 1801, which simplifies the process of manufacturing figured textiles with complex patterns such as brocade , damask , and matelasse . The loom is controlled by punched cards with punched holes, each row of which corresponds to one row of

2397-408: The weights to continue. This frees the weaver from vertical size constraint. Horizontally, breadth is limited by armspan; making broadwoven cloth requires two weavers, standing side by side at the loom. Simple weaves, and complex weaves that need more than two different sheds, can both be woven on a warp-weighted loom. They can also be used to produce tapestries. [REDACTED] In pegged looms,

2448-502: The whole word geloma meant a utensil, tool, or machine of any kind. In 1404 "lome" was used to mean a machine to enable weaving thread into cloth. By 1838 "loom" had gained the additional meaning of a machine for interlacing thread. Weaving is done on two sets of threads or yarns, which cross one another. The warp threads are the ones stretched on the loom (from the Proto-Indo-European * werp , "to bend" ). Each thread of

2499-436: Was generally employed by women, specifically in occupations such as carpet-making. Women collected raw material from pasture animals and dyes from local flora, such as berries, insects, or grasses, to use in production. Each woman would create a specialized pattern sequence and color scheme that aligned with her personal identity and ethnic group. These techniques were passed down generationally from mother to daughter.   In

2550-550: Was invented in China during the Han dynasty ( State of Liu ?); foot-powered multi-harness looms and jacquard looms were used for silk weaving and embroidery, both of which were cottage industries with imperial workshops. The drawloom enhanced and sped up the production of silk and played a significant role in Chinese silk weaving. The loom was introduced to Persia, India, and Europe. A dobby head

2601-402: Was raised during shedding. Multiple shuttles could be used to control the colour of the weft during picking. The Jacquard loom is the predecessor to the computer punched card readers of the 19th and 20th centuries. The weft may be passed across the shed as a ball of yarn, but usually this is too bulky and unergonomic. Shuttles are designed to be slim, so they pass through the shed; to carry

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