EXTRA WEFT FIGURING

A method of adding ornament to a fabric. In this case, as in extra warp figuring, removal of the extra figuring threads leaves a complete woven structure. Extra weft may interweave with all the fabric ground threads, or only in parts, in which case the floating portions may be removed by cropping. There may be one, two or more extra wefts used and only one warp.

In this method of producing fancy fabrics, there are two or more series of warp threads and only one weft. This method has many advantages over extra weft figuring, viz., greater production, any number of colours can be used, a single shuttle only is necessary. A disadvantage of the system is that in most cases one or more extra warp beams are required.

Extra weft figuring in the form of spots or other figures produced upon a ground cloth while it is weaving. The swivel figures are woven from separate small shuttles and usually consist of weft floats with the minimum number of binding points, but quite firmly bound at the two extreme edges of the figure. No material is wasted in useless floats between the isolated figures. The swivel weft is frequently silk and many of the cloths are expensive.

The loom mechanism is entirely different from that used for leno brocade work in which the ordinary doup is used and all the warp is drawn through the mail eyes of the jacquard. For Madras muslins the jacquard is different as doup harness and slackener harness must be provided. Qualities vary from 36 to 50 ends and 27 to 36 picks per inch, of 60's to 80's warp and 40's to 80's weft. The coloured warp yarns are 50's, 2/70's or 2/100's. The figuring weft ranges from 8's to 16's, 2/16's to 2/32's and rayon weft from 500 denier to 150 denier. The cloth is an open gauze ground cloth and extra weft figures are woven on this base. The extra weft appears only where figure is required and the floating yarn between one figure and the next is cut off after weaving.

The loom mechanism is entirely different from that used for leno brocade work in which the ordinary doup is used and all the warp is drawn through the mail eyes of the jacquard. For Madras muslins the jacquard is different as doup harness and slackener harness must be provided. Qualities vary from 36 to 50 ends and 27 to 36 picks per inch, of 60's to 80's warp and 40's to 80's weft. The coloured warp yarns are 50's, 2/70's or 2/100's. The figuring weft ranges from 8's to 16's, 2/16's to 2/32's and rayon weft from 500 denier to 150 denier. The cloth is an open gauze ground cloth and extra weft figures are woven on this base. The extra weft appears only where figure is required and the floating yarn between one figure and the next is cut off after weaving.

These are plain weave fabrics of the ordinary gingham check style with an extra ornament produced with a thick extra weft forming small spots. The floating yarn between each spot is cut off during finishing. An example is woven 76 X 72 per inch, 52's combed Egyptian warp, 80's combed Egyptian weft, both grey and colours, and 10's soft spun weft figuring with four picks to a spot. Woven on a check loom with dobby.

Very fine muslins used for curtains, etc., which have large jacquard designs produced by extra weft. The ground cloth is plain open weave muslin made from fine warp and weft. Thick figuring weft interweaves with the ground warp only where required for pattern, and otherwise floats loosely on the back and is afterwards cropped off.

A term in the U.S.A. for fabrics in which extra weft is used for figuring and have only one figuring pick to each ground pick.

Cotton fabrics with extra warp and weft figuring on a plain ground.

Cloths of a light muslin character with plain ground weave and figuring produced by zig-zagging extra warp ends over the top of associated warp threads, but not interweaving with them. The lappet threads lie in the same direction as the weft, and are bound at the extremities of the figure, e.g., at the reversing points by passing underneath picks of weft. Each figure is made from one thread only, which is drawn through the eye of a needle fixed in a frame in front of the reed. The movement of the frame is controlled by a groove cut in a circular disc of wood. This is known as the " Scotch lappet motion," and is the most generally used.

A French term given to a method of forming fancy edges to narrow fabrics. Figuring threads are wound on special bobbins and used as extra warp, very slightly weighted so that the yarn can be drawn off quickly. These extra warp or roquetin threads take the place of weft, and interweave with the ordinary warp at each side of the fabric.

A native woven Indian plain cloth, made from all-cotton yarns, with extra coloured warp for figuring. Made with 52 ends and 46 picks per inch, 30's warp, 36's weft.

A designer's term for small dots. Many vestings are made with pointille figuring, obtained by bringing coloured threads of extra warp or weft to the face in small spots.

A French silk brocade fabric, made with warp and weft of different coloured yarn, having an extra warp for figuring of a third colour.

The extra warp threads which form the figuring in lappet cloths. These threads do not interweave with the other warp threads, but zigzag to and fro in forming the figure and are held permanently in position by passing underneath picks of weft at the reversing points.