A Primer on Fabrics

The subject of fabrics can be a daunting experience for the uninitiated. One may soon find oneself in an unfamiliar world of alien terminology. A quick review will therefore be useful in navigating through the skein of terms.

All fabric require the starting material, the fiber. These are essentially three - cotton, silk and wool. We limit ourselves to only the most common natural fibers and exclude artificial ones, since Lavanya primarily deals with such only. The fibers in turn need to be processed into threads, more commonly referred to as the ‘yarn’. This is done through a process called ‘spinning’ and the yarn so produced is spooled on ‘spindles’. Spindles are large bobbins spooled with yarn. Thereafter the yarn is woven into cloth or fabric on an apparatus called a 'loom'. There are many styles employed in weaving, each of which produces its distinctive characteristic. Weaving when done in combination with different yarn, produces yet more complex fabric types. The cloth so produced may then be printed on, using dyes to produce images and motifs. In some instances the yarn is dyed prior to weaving to produce an even more different effect. Finally embroidery may be employed on the fabric to produce exotic artistic finishes, and this is what makes many a head turn in admiration.

The first step in weaving process is to stretch the warp, or longitudinal yarns, which must be very strong. The weft, woof, or filling crosses the warp, binding the warp threads at either side to form the selvage. This therefore is the essential criss-cross pattern that is evident in any fabric one examines.

Woven fabrics are classified as to weave or structure according to the manner in which warp and weft cross each other. The three fundamental weaves, of which others are variations, are the plain, twill, and satin.

In plain weave, also known as calico, tabby, taffeta, or homespun weaves, the weft passes over alternate warp threads, requiring two harnesses only. The relatively simple construction suits it to cheap fabrics, heavy yarns, and printed designs. Variations are produced by the use of groups of yarns, as in basket weave and monk's cloth, or by alternating fine and coarse yarns to make ribbed and corded fabrics, as the warp-ribbed Bedford cord, piqué, and dimity and the weft-ribbed poplin, rep, and grosgrain.

The second primary weave, twill, shows a diagonal design made by causing weft threads to interlace two to four warp threads, moving a step to right or left on each pick and capable of variations, such as herringbone and corkscrew designs. Noted for their firm, close weave, twill fabrics include gabardine, serge, drill, and denim.

Satin, the third weave, has floating or overshot warp threads on the surface which reflect light, giving a characteristic luster. When the uncrossed threads are in the weft, the weave is called sateen.

Pile fabrics have an additional set of yarns drawn over wires to form loops, and may be cut or uncut. Warp-pile fabrics include terry and plush; weft-pile, velveteen and corduroy. In double-cloth weave two cloths are woven at once, each with its warp and filling threads, and combined by interlacing some yarns or by adding a fifth set.

The distinctive characteristic of the cotton and the silk textiles of the southern India is that the woven designs are an integrated part of the woven fabrics, rather than a addition to the fabric,as in the case of extra weft weaving. The ‘jamdani’ or inlay technique was used in the cotton weaves of Venkatagiri, known for their fine quality weaving.

The most interesting technique which was possibly developed in the Tamil Nadu area is the weaving of solid borders known as ‘Korvai’ with the use of three shuttles. Two side shuttles carry colours for the border, which are of the same materials and colour as the border warp and the center shuttle carries the material and the colour of the body of the saree. The solid mundhi-pallu matching with the border is created by cutting the warp thread and adding another warp by twisting the new set of warp threads with the original warp of the body. The main body warp and pallu warp are then woven together. This complicated technique of weaving is used for weaving traditional sarees both in cotton and silk.

This then, completes our basic introduction into the mysteries of the fabric.