PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN AND APPLICATION

Lesson 2: Classification of Textile Designs

Structural designs by using weaves and its variations

Structural designs by using weave and its variations may be termed as woven designs. These designs are created by arranging and manipulating the yarns in fabric construction so that a design is formed. Weaving of fabrics consists of interlacing of two sets of yarns at right angles. By varying the interlacing, a wide variety of different fabric constructions can be made.

1. Making woven de­signs using basic weaves and their variations: Three types of basic weave structures namely plain weave, twill weave (Fig.2.6) and satin weave can be created on simple looms and by changing their interlacing arrangement many design variations are possible in woven fabrics.
   
   

   

   
   


2. Making woven de­signs using fancy and decorative weaves: Basic weaves also form the basis for most complex structures. Many other woven patterns are formed by combining basic weaves or by incorporating some variation in weaving style, which are termed as fancy or decorative weaves. Brocade, damask, dobby, tapestry, leno, woven pile structures and extra yarn figuring are considered as fancy or decorative weaves. Small, fancy and geometrical designs are woven on dobby loom; more elaborate designs are woven on jacquard loom for e.g. brocade and damask. Extra yarn figuring includes clipped spot, swivel, lappet structures, which are also called surface weaves, because they create ornamental effects similar to that of embroidery. Fabrics with extra yarns are:
   • Dobby and jacquard designs: Small, fancy and geometrical designs are woven on dobby loom (fig. 2.7); more elaborate designs are woven on jacquard loom (fig. 2.8) for e.g. brocade and damask.
     
     
     
   • Lappet designs resembles embroidery but are formed by needles which carry extra warp yarns from side to side of the design where they are bound by filling yarns (Fig. 2.9)
     
     

     

     
     
     
   • Swivel designsare woven with extra filling yarns, each carried by a special swivel shuttle around several warp yarns. The cut ends of the yarns in the pattern appear on the wrong side of the fabric.
   • Clipped spot designs are made by weaving extra filling yarns in spots across the fabric and cutting the loose floats at the ends of each figure (Fig.2.10). True swivel figures are usually securely anchored to the ground, but clipped spot designs may easily pulled out.