Cashmere Yarns

French woollen manufacturers make a fabric on jacquard looms in many coloured effects from fine worsted and woollen yarns that they term cashmere shawls. At the best they are only imitations. ———————— The natives of Kashmir and Tibet have made these shawls for centuries, and they are, perhaps, the finest textiles known. They are made on hand looms from hand spun yarns of Pashmina wool. Either plain or twill weave, one or more colours, in numerous gorgeous designs and often being embroidered. A doubled warp yarn and single weft is usual, the weft being wound on small sticks to use as shuttles. There are numerous varieties, of which the most esteemed are Doshalla, Kussaba, Jamewar and Ulwan. The fabric is also used for gowns and dress purposes (see kasabeh, jamawar). The ornaments of the shawls are denoted by different names, viz: - Pala - The whole of the embroidery at the two ends. Hashia - The border, one at each side. Zanjir (or Chain) - Runs above and also below the principal mass of the Pala and confines it. Dhour (or Running Ornament) - Situated to the inside in regard to the Hashia and the Zanjir enveloping the whole field. Kunjbutha - A cornet ornament of clustered flowers. Mitton - The field or ground within the borders. Matton - The decorated part of the field. Butha - Generic term for flowers, especially the cone-like ornaments (see butha)

This fibre is remarkable for its softness and is used for the manufacture of the famous Indian shawls. There are two qualities of cashmere wool, the one consisting of the fine soft down-hairs from 1¹/₄-in. long, and the other of long, coarser beard-hairs from 3¹/₂-in. to 4¹/₂-in. long. The fibre is obtained from the Tibetan goat in Tibet, China and Northern India. Yarns are spun in Yorkshire, U.S.A., Germany and other countries.

(See knitting). All yarns used for knitting are termed hosiery yarns in Leicester, but in America only yarns actually used for knitted footwear come under this term. These yarns are much softer than required for weaving. Miscellaneous Yarns - Goat wools, such as llama and alpaca are employed in spinning. yarns for the knitting trade. Vicuna and camel yarns are used to a limited extent. Ramie yarn is specially employed for knitting gas mantle fabrics. Soft spun flax yams have been used for making underwear fabric. Chenille and other manufactured threads are used to a small extent in warp knitting. Composite yarns, such as union yarns - spun from a mixture of wool and cotton fibres; cordon yarns - cotton and worsted singles, doubled together; wool and rayon or spun silk, cotton and rayon or spun silk are largely used to produce self or two-colour effects. Fancy yarns, such as slub yams, voiles, and curled and loop yarns are also employed. Hosiery Yarns (Cotton) include condenser, hosiery, condenser lisle thread, mercerised and sewing cottons. Condenser yarns are spun in coarse counts from low-grade cotton, Indian and American. They are carded, condensed and mule spun, and possess little twist. Hosiery cotton yarns vary considerably in counts and qualities, practically all varieties of Indian, American and Egyptian being used in varying proportions to obtain suitable mixture for quality and price. Cheaper yarns are carded and mule spun. American and Egyptian cotton yarns are combed mainly with the object of removing seed particles. High-class Egyptian and Sea Islands cotton yarns are super-combed. The chief features of a hosiery cotton yam should be: (1) Regularity; (2) cleanliness; (3) fullness. Regularity prevents the making of cloudy fabric, showing thick and thin places. Cleanliness is essential, as the seed particles clog the eyelet hole in the yam guides and cause breakages. Fullness is desirable to cover the loop interstices. Elasticity and pliability are quite as essential as tensile strength. Yams are usually soft spun and if two-fold soft doubled, average twists in two-fold being 2/10's 6¹/₂T., 2/20's 8¹/₂T., 2/30's 10T., 2/40's 16T., 2/80's 20T. Softer twist less 25 to 30 per cent of average (T= turns per inch). Lisle thread is a comparatively hard-twisted and doubly-gassed thread in which there are no projecting fibres. It is always of a two-fold character, and the doubling twist varies from 24 to 34 turns per inch in 2/60's. It is used largely in the manufacture of ladies' hose tops and feet and for lace hosiery. Mercerised yams are used largely in the fancy trade, a comparatively soft twist again being employed. Sewing cottons for seaming, linking and making-up are specially prepared in two to six cord open and reverse twist. Woollen and Worsted Yarns include lamb's wool, wheeling, skein yarns, gala yams (woollens), worsted, crossbreds, fingering, cashmere, dry spun botany (see under each name). Worsted and crossbred yarns of various qualities are used. These yams are spun softly with " hosiery twist." The drawing may be open, cone or French, and the spinning may take place on cap, ring or flyer frames. The chief essentials of hosiery yarn are softness of fibre, fullness, minimum of twist consistent with the requisite tensile strength, regularity, pliability and elasticity. Cashmere Yarns, as used in the knitted goods industry, are spun from short, loose and weak wools as well as from better qualities by French drawing and mule spinning. A small proportion of real cashmere is used for outer garments. In recent years nylon yarns have been largely employed.

A coarse cashmere made 24-in. to 26-in. wide from all-wool yarns and used as dress material.

An all-worsted dress fabric woven in the 2 & 2 twill weave instead of the usual 2 & 1. Qualities are about 60 ends and 120 picks per inch, 42's warp, 48's weft, botany yarns. Piece-dyed in many colours. Differs from the ordinary Cashmere by having botany warp.

A super grade of dress goods fabric, woven from fine worsted yarns in 2 X 1 twill weave. Summer weights.

A narrow woollen fabric made in Cashmere of woollen yarns. Also known as Putto.

A woollen fabric made at Cashmere for women's dress purposes. It is 54-in. wide and a fine gauze net weave. Yarns are spun from the Pashmina wool. Hand looms are used and the cloth is worn by wealthy natives.

A very fine cotton cashmere, three-shaft twill weave, made 72 X 140 per inch, 52's/80's, and many other fine yarns. Originally made in France with wool warp and weft, then cotton warp and wool weft, using dyed yams.

A twill cloth made from cotton and silk, worsted and silk, or all worsted. Used as a dress fabric, varying in width and quality. One quality is made 64/128 per inch. 50's T., 72's W., botany yarns. Actually the cloth is a cashmere. It was introduced shortly after Queen Victoria's marriage to Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg. The Coburg today is an all-worsted fabric (see Paramatta)

A cashmere fabric with a fine twill weave, very closely woven from all-worsted yarns. Used for garments in the summer.

A high-grade dress cloth woven from fine silk warp and fine botany weft in the 1 X 2 weft twill weave. A high number of picks are put in. The finish is soft and lustrous. The cloth is a super quality cashmere and often all botany yarns are used, such as 64 ends and 144 picks per inch, 50's T., 72's W. If the warp is silk 60's/2 spun silk is usual. The name was given in honour of Henrietta Maria, of England, Queen of Charles I. The silk warp, hand-woven original cloth was produced about 1660

A fine mesh woollen fabric made at Cashmere from Pashmina wool for use as women's veils. Made 54-in. to 90-in. square in many qualities. The following are the vernacular names in order of quality: - Khathdar, Cbantahi, Chaharbagh, Mearamat, Tararumi, Chand, Shashmantahi, the last is the lowest quality. ———————— Indian term for cotton handkerchiefs made in the Madras Presidency and mostly in checks. The sizes vary from 18-in. to 36-in. square and in many qualities. One popular style is 56 ends and 54 picks per inch, 28's warp, 30's weft. Used for head-dress or as a scarf. Another, but super cloth is made about 100-in, square from 46's warp and 54's weft yarns and has lace embroidery borders.

A worsted dress cloth, 2 & 2 twill weave, low ends and picks, soft and woolly handle, piece-dyed. It is a trade name and claimed to be the finest wool cloth made. Originated by Paul Rodier, a French manufacturer and made from camel hair in 54-in. Today the yarns are a special blend of cashmere and merino wools. The fabric is a vicuna with a kasha finish and is registered under this name.

These are woven in Kashmir from hand-spun Pashmina wool and on native hand looms in the 2 & 2 twill weave. About 78 ends and 90 picks per inch, 94's warp 2/94's weft. The qualities range from single 94's up to 2/120's yarns and weights from 2¹/₂-oz. to 3¹/₂-oz. per square yard (see Cashmere shawls)

A term given to a dress fabric made from fine cashmere wool in many small dobby weaves. Piece-dyed and made in many qualities. One example has 84 ends and 66 picks per inch of 54's T., and 48's W., worsted yarns.

Cashmere shawls made in Paisley from fine worsted yarns with fringes and designs of Indian pine effects.

All-wool tapestry rugs woven in Transcaucasia. They are made in loose weave and from coarse dyed yarns in geometrical designs. They are also called Kashmir, but the rugs are not of the Cashmere quality of wool. They are made in small and large sizes. The knots are tied in a slanting direction with alternate rows in a reverse direction causing the underside of the rug to have a herring-bone effect. Two rows of tufts are knotted for the insertion of two ground picks. The term is a corrupted form of Shemaka, which town is a weaving centre.