Fabric Weaving -
How Fabric is Made
Here’s a quick course on how the fabric weaving or knitting process works. Knowing how fabric is manufactured will help you to understand grain, selvages, and thread fineness.
For information on different types of fibers used by manufacturers, start here at our Sewing Fabric page.
Fabric weaving on a loom
I spent 20 years weaving yardage, scarves, shawls and rugs on the numerous looms in my house. While it was certainly a creative hobby, I was still drawn to the fabric stores to see what designers and manufacturers would create next.
Most fabric weaving is done on a loom. It starts with lengthwise threads (the warp). So the first decision a weaver makes is how much yardage, lengthwise, they want.
Then, they decide how wide they want the yardage to be. On looms, the width of the woven piece is limited by the width of the actual loom. So, with a 45” loom in my living room, I could make yardage from 1” wide to about 45” wide.
What is thread count?
You know those fancy 800 thread count egyptian cotton sheets you can pay hundreds of dollars for? Thread count is the number of threads per inch in a loom, based on how close together each thread will be, and how wide the yardage will be.
The number of threads to cut is calculated based on how many threads there are “per inch”. Home weavers would thread up their looms at 12 stitches per inch, for example. So we would multiply 12(threads per inch) x 45” (the width of the loom) to calculate the number of threads needed to “warp” the loom.
Now, thread every heddle
Each thread needed is cut the same length, and threaded through “heddles” (individual needles with eyes to carry each thread, or several threads) in a prescribed order, depending upon the type of pattern wanted. Then the individual threads are placed through a “reed” at the front of the loom that spreads the threads at the correct distance per inch. All the threads are then tied to the front and back of the loom, and it is time to do some fabric weaving!
Finally, it's time to weave
The weaving is done with “weft” threads. The weft thread is wound on bobbins, which are placed in "shuttles" and passed the width of the loom, over and under the warp threads, in various combination of patterns. There are literally thousands of patterns of over and under, and thousands of ways to warp a loom through the heddles. That’s where different thread patterns come from.
Your cotton sheets have about 200 – 400 threads per inch. Imagine what your pioneer life would have been like if you had to make all the clothing for your family and hand weave it at 200 threads per inch! That’s why we have commercial fabric manufacturers to make the beautiful fabrics we see today.
How fabric is made today
Sewers and quilters are so lucky that fabric manufacturers have figured out a way to produce so many delicious choices. We have our pick of patterns and fibers. But the basic fabric weaving process remains the same: The selvages run the length of the warp threads, and the “crossgrain” runs the width of the weft threads.
Other weaves used by manufacturers are more involved. Satin weave has weft threads that go over more than two threads at a time – creating a smooth top surface. Pile weaves have surface loops that are cut, (like courdoroy or velvet), or not cut (like terrycloth). Leno weaves are open and sometimes lacy. The complicated jacquard weave have woven-in flowers, textures, and patterns, such as brocade.
Plain and twill weave
The easiest patterns for fabric weaving manufacturers to produce in massive amounts are plain weave and twill weave. Plain weave is just like what you did in elementary school – the “weft” thread goes under one warp, and then over the next warp. Under one, over one, repeatedly.
Twill weave is a pattern that creates a diagonal repeat – the most common twills are used for the 1 billion pairs of jeans made per day.
Fancy weaves
Other weaves used by manufacturers are more involved. Satin weave has weft threads that go over more than two threads at a time – creating a smooth top surface. Pile weaves have surface loops that are cut, (like courdoroy or velvet), or not cut (like terrycloth). Leno weaves are open and sometimes lacy. The complicated jacquard weave have woven-in flowers, textures, and patterns, such as brocade.
Knit fabric & non-wovens
Knit Fabrics are manufactured by building on a series of loops. Knits commonly stretch - either from side to side (selvage to selvage), or in both directions (like swimsuit material). They are easy to sew, come in a variety of fibers and drape beautifully.
Of course, there are also manufactured fabrics that are neither woven or knitted - they are not made from yarns, but rather, mushed together fibers or leftovers. Fleece, interfacings and felt are some examples of non-wovens.
Want to know more about
different types of fabric?
If you would like to learn more about different types of natural fibers and where they come from, here are some articles about
