Flax Yarns

Wet spinning produces the finest flax yarns. Normally, flax fibres contain glutinous matter that holds the fibres together in groups. To overcome this difficulty the roving is passed through a trough on the spinning frame containing hot water (180 deg. F.). This process softens the gum and allows the fibres to be drawn apart over each other, thus producing finer and more even yams. Dry Flax Spinning - Usually flax is only spun dry when it is desired to produce strong coarse yarns, or bulky tow yarn for weft or uses where unevenness is not considered a detriment.

Flax, Broken - Scutched flax which is less than 20-in. long and therefore unfit for hackling in the spinning mill. Flax, C.D. and T. - Graders' marks which denote the type of scutched flax: c (chaine) to represent warps, D (demi) to represent medium warps, and T (trame) to represent wefts. Flax, Green, or Natural - Scutched flax produced from de-seeded straw without any intermediate treatment such as retting. Flax, Line - The hackled flax produced by a hackling machine or hand hackling. A term sometimes erroneously applied to scutched flax. Flax, Retted - Scutched flax produced from straw which has been retted. Usually divided into three main classes, namely, water retted flax, dew retted flax, and chemically retted flax. Flax, Scutched - The product from the delivery end of a scutching machine or from scutching flax straw on a wheel. It consists of the long fibre strands in a parallel condition and substantially free from wood and other extraneous material. The yield of scutched flax is commonly expressed as stones (14-lb.) per acre, but in Ireland it is sometimes expressed as stones per peck of seed sown. The average yield per acre of scutched flax has varied according to year from about 20 stones per acre to 40 stones per acre, with occasional exceptional yields of 80 and 90 stones per acre. Grader, Flax - The man who places the scutched flaxes in their appropriate grades of quality by eye judgment and feel. Grades, Flax - Tank retted flaxes are graded from A through the alphabet in ascending order of value. Dam retted flaxes are graded from 1-7 in descending order of value. Dew retted flaxes are graded 0-6 in descending order of value. Grades, Tow - Green tow is graded 1-8 and then 9a, 9b, Z, Z₂, and beater tow in descending order of value. Tank retted tow is graded I, II, III, 1, 2, 3, 3X, 3XXX, in descending order, whilst dam and dew retted tows are I, II, II, 1, 2, 3. Pluckings - The short, clean fibre produced at the end of the scutching machine where the operatives dress and square the pieces of flax ready for selection. In grading pluckings are classed as tow (q.v.). Root Ends, Straw - The broken-off roots which fall from the straw under the breaking rollers. Rug, Scutching - All the detritus which falls below the two compartments of the scutching machine after the shives have been shaken out of it, or the waste made when producing scutched flax on a wheel. It consists of partly scutched short straws, broken straws, weeds, and beater tow. It is classed as root end rug or top end rug, according to which end of the flax it comes from. Selection - The preliminary sorting of the scutched flax into main grades at the delivery end of the scutching machine. Shives - The short pieces of woody waste beaten from the straw during scutching. Tow - Any substantially clean but tossed and tangled flax fibre of less than scutched flax length. Tow Baling - The operation of making-up tow into bales. Tow, Beater - Short, fine, clean fibres which fall from the last third of the compartments during scutching. Tow, Inferior low grade (Green) - Green tow of a grade lower than 9a. Tow, Inferior low grade (Retted) - Retted tow of a grade lower than 3XXX. Tow, Machine, or Cast - Tow produced by the hackling machine. Tow, Rejected - Tow unsuitable for spinning on flax tow machinery. Tow, Rescutched - Two scutched on tow handles or a tow scutching machine. Tow, Rolled - The product from passing scutching rug through tow rollers and highspeed shaker. Tow, Rolled and Beaten - The product from passing scutching rug through tow rollers and beaters, and a high-speed shaker. The principal flax markets of the world are at Courtrai, Bruges, Ghent, Lokeren and Zele in Belgium; Rotterdam in Holland; Riga in Latvia; Leningrad, Pernau and Witebek in Russia; Douai and Flines in France; Newry, Rathfriland, Strabane, Ballymoney, Lisnaskea, Ballybay and Armagh in Ireland. Courtrai flax is the finest produced. It is uniform in fibre, strong, clean and of a good colour. Yarns up to 200's lea are spun from it. Irish flax comes next in spinning qualities from 90's to 120's lea are produced. As a warp yarn it is much preferred as the strength is greater than other types. Flemish flax is dark in colour, dryer than others, strong, and can be spun up to 120's lea. Dutch flax is clean, good colour and spins into yams up to 90's lea. Russian flax is coarser than the above types and is usually spun up to about 70's lea.

Same as Saxony wheel. ———————— This spinning wheel was the next improvement after the Jersey wheel and was run by foot-power and enabled the spinner to twist, draw, and wind without stopping the wheel. The distaff was fixed in the framework, around the spindle was a horseshoe arrangement called a " flyer " which twisted the thread, on the flyer were hooks for spreading the thread evenly on the spindle. The thread was stronger than that spun on the Jersey wheel, and was used for warp, the softer thread of the Jersey wheel being used as weft. These wheels were used from the 14th to the 18th centuries and all yarns for fabric were made in this way.

See Flax Yarns.

(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.

Is a mineral substance resisting the action of fire. It is spun into single and two or more fold yarns, the yarn is very smooth and slippery. Canadian asbestos is the most valuable for textile purposes, as it gives a curly fibre which is more easy to spin into threads than any other. It is a long, white, lustrous fibre, difficult to spin alone, so a little cotton is mixed with it, the cotton eventually being burnt away. Used for making fireproof curtains, for packing purposes, gloves, clothing for firemen and workers in furnaces,etc.

Very fine plain cloths. The original lawn was a fine linen cloth used for dress purposes, but is now known as " linen lawn " (see Boiled Linen Lawn). Indian Lawn is from 30-in. to 36-in. wide, 24 yards long, 72 ends and 64 picks per inch, calendered and made up book fold, or if 40-in. wide in long fold; the yarns are about 50/60's to 60/80's, both American and Egyptian. Victoria Lawn is a stiff-finished lawn, 24/26-in. wide, 92 ends and 92 picks per inch, and similar yarns to Indian lawns. Persian Lawns, 32-in., 24 yard, 100 ends and 100 picks per inch, 60's T., 80's W., and finer, Egyptian yarns, soft finish. Bishops' Lawn - A bleached and finished cloth with a blue tint, similar quality to Victoria lawn. Boiled Linen Lawns - Fine set dress fabric, made from all flax yarns such as 72 ends and 90 picks per inch, 60's/80's lea. Up to 100's lea warp and 140's lea weft is used. In many widths 32-in. upwards. Sheer Lawns - Linen cloths made from green or natural coloured yarns and piece-bleached. These also vary considerably in qualities and up to 100's lea warp and even 160's lea weft is used. Widths 37¹/₂-in. to about 45-in. Lawn was first known in England in Elizabeth's reign, when it was a linen fabric and used for ruffs, shirts, etc.

This name was derived from the province of Osnaburg, Hanover, where the cloth was originally made from coarse flax yarns in a plain weave. It is now made from very coarse cotton yarns, such as 14's to 24's warp, and 6's to 8's weft, or coarser. Woven 28 to 40 ends and 32 to 36 picks per inch. Shipped to West Africa, the Canary Islands, and other ports. When stripes or checks are introduced the cloth sells well in the Southern States of America. The cloth is woven with very irregular yarns. The American makers use the following terms for these fabrics: - " 30-in. 7-oz. high count " which is 40 ends and 30 picks per inch, 6's warp, 6's weft; " 30-in. 7-oz. low count " which is 32 ends and 28 picks per inch, 6's warp, and 4¹/₂'s weft. Other standard qualities are: 40-in., 32 ends and 28 picks per inch, 11's warp, 11's weft, 3¹/₂ yards per lb.; 36-in., 32 ends and 28 picks per inch, 11's warp, 11's weft, 3-90 yards per lb., all-cotton yarns.

All-flax yarns are used for these dress fabrics, the yarns are boiled and bleached, and used in self-colours. Colours are always pale shades of pink, blue, hello, fawn and creams. Single and doubled yarns vary according to quality. Weaves are mostly plains, matts and twills.

Irish or Scottish-made fabrics for the American trade, woven from strong hemp or flax yarns in plain weave. The yarns are rough and the cloth is shipped grey.

A cotton cloth woven with jacquard designs and used for table covers, napkins, curtains, upholstery cloth, etc. They can be reversible or one-sided only. Designs may be floral or geometrical. Yams 8's to 40's warp and weft. The ground and figure are bound by uniform weaves, generally twill or satin. The figure is developed by interchanging the warp and weft and the pattern so made up that the reflection of light on the threads brings out the effect. Linen and silk damasks only differ in material, as cotton damasks are made in very fine yarns. ———————— A fabric of single structure formed by two satin weaves with figure developed in warp and ground in weft satin weaves resulting in a design that shows very clearly as a warp figure on a weft ground. The figure can be made more prominent by using coloured yam. For table damasks a cotton warp with linen weft is often used. Damasks are made in numerous qualities, but all are figured in the five- or eight-shaft satin weaves. As early as the reign of Henry VIII a damask was a rich figured satin or linen and a damask was known in England as early as the 13th century. The name is derived from Damascus and is presumed to refer to the design and not the material. The finest linen damask is woven about 126 ends and 188 picks per inch from superior flax yarns. The finished sizes vary up to 90-in. wide, 6 yards long, and as a rule damask napkins and table tops can be obtained to match. Standard cloths of single damask are made: - Five-end satin, 60-ends and 56 picks per inch, 50's T., 35's lea W., boiled; 8-end satin, 80 ends and 76 picks per inch, 50's T., 60's lea W., boiled (see Double Damask) ———————— Originally an all-silk fabric with large designs developed in many colours. It was a heavy cloth with satin ground and weft figure. Imitations are now made with cotton warp and cotton or rayon weft. Used for dresses, and when very heavy for curtains, furnishings, dancing shoes, etc. The brocade effects are developed in colour or fancy weaves. Damasse Arabesque has arabesque designs. Damasse Brocat has gold and silver weft for figuring. Damasse Broche has flowered designs. Damasse Cachenir has palm leaf designs. Damasse Chine has printed silk warps. Damasse Egyptien has Egyptian designs. Damasse Jardinier is an expensive damask made with silk warp and fine mercerised cotton weft. The design is of detached flowers in colours. Many coloured wefts are used.

A gauze type of fabric made of flax yarns; sometimes of cotton yarns in France, and used for embroidery, curtains, etc.

A linen trade term for flax yarns. There are from 1¹/₂ to 12 bundles in a bunch. Up to 20's lea a press bunch may contain 1¹/₂ bundles or 25 hanks, while 100's lea and finer may be made into 12 bundle bunches, containing 200 hanks. Also 180,000 yards of flax yarn is termed a bunch.

Flax yarns that have first been boiled, then bleached with bleaching powder. They lose about 10 to 12 per cent in weight (see Flax)

A heavy sailcloth of French make, originally of flax yarns, but latterly made of flax warp and cotton weft.

This term covers a number of fabrics made from flax yarns in plain weave, and applied to such purposes as cushion covers, tablecloths and centres, and embroidery work. Generally white, ecru or tan shades, but many colours are now being shown. The fine plain weave linens are also used for dress purposes. Numerous qualities, widths and weaves arc included in the term. A sample of plain weave art linen is made as follows: - 39-in. reed 7⁰⁰ 40-in. scale, 20's lea warp and weft, 7 shots on ³⁷/₂₀₀ glass, and weighs 5 • 9-oz. per yard.

A strong, heavy linen cloth in plain weave, made from long fibre flax yarns in blue and bleached stripes. Used for butchers' aprons, and the same quality of cloth when all white for dresses and suitings.

A fine batiste made in France from flax yarns, about 80 X 66, 110's/140's, linen counts.

A strong cloth for corset making, made in straight or herringbone twill weave, from cotton or flax yarns. A fair sample of each is made as follows: -