TEXTILES for the

SEAMSTRESS

Including ? a Seamstress should ask…and understand

NATURAL FIBERS

• Wool can bend up to 20,000 times before breaking

• Cotton breaks after 3200 bends

• Silk breaks after 1800 bends

• Rayon after 75 bends

WOOL FACTS• Domesticated in southwest Asia 12K years ago. Romans started the industry in 3rd

century A.D. when occupied England.

• Flannel Act of 1600 in Britain: every corpse to be buried dressed entirely in wool. Living required to wear all-wool garments from Nov. to April.

• Ancient times: whitest fleece commanded highest prices

• Big production in Argentina, New Zealand, Australia where there are 40 sheep /person and 40 acres /sheep!

• 40 of hundreds of breeds are raised for fleece. Merino most widely distributed breed.

• Graded according to fineness of fiber: Fine, Medium, Coarse and Carpet

• Demands as much time and effort at the ironing board as at the sewing machine

• Lanolin is most important byproduct and is main ingredient in skin creams, soaps and cosmetics, and as a softener or lubricant.

• Used to stuff baseballs and mattresses, surface of tennis balls, tips of felt pens

Woolen

Worsted

COTTON FACTS • 12,000 B.C. Egypt

• 1607 first commercial planting in North America

• Industrial Revolution in US begun by Eli Whitney - Cotton Gin in 1793

• Huge demand led to use of slavery

• Upland Cotton - most common types against which others are graded

• Pima Cotton - U.S. (TX, Z, NM, CA)

• Egyptian Cotton - finest in world

• Planted March-April and harvested August-Sept.

• Hand-picked (15 #/hour) best and cleanest compare to 650#/hour by machine

• Linters (short fibers stuck to seed after ginning) used to make: rayon, acetate, plastics, paper, glass, film, high gloss lacquers, twine, wicks, carpet, mattress and furniture stuffingoils, lubricants, soap, paint, livestock feed, flour and fertilizer.

SILK FACTS • 2640 B.C. Empress accidentally dropped coccon into hot water where it unravelled

into the filament

• 3000 year monopoly on silk, then leaked to Japan and India

• 552 A.D. Monks smuggled to Constantinople then spread to Italy, Spain, Europe

• Base of finances for Renaissance

• Today: China, Japan (where first cultivated), India

• 1 cocoon yields 1600 ft to 1 mile of continuous filament

• ‘Gum’ is sericin. The more sericin that is boiled off, the better the quality of the silk making it softer, more lustrous and pliable.

• Found in: face powder, cold cream, wigs, dental floss, braces, bicyle tirres, fishing line, parachutes, Ben Franklin’s kite, electrical insulation, surgical sutures, nose of Concord Jet.

Silk Duppioni (doupioni, dupionni) = • produced when 2 or more silkworms spin their cocoons too close together. • produce slightly tangled cocoons to produce filament that is rough, uneven and not as strong as

cultivated silk • usually from cultivated (farmed on purpose) rather than wild silkworms because more crowded

growing place! • crosswise yarns subect to fraying and raveling • seam slippage likely so not close-fitting styles • falls into wide cones; can be gathered

‘shot’ or irridescent =

LINEN FACTS 1. Flax yarns and fabrics increase about 20% in strength on wetting. Linen is therefore stronger than cotton when it comes to washing.

2. Linen can absorb upto 20% of its own weight of moisture while still feeling dry to the touch. That explains why Linen cloth are always fresh and cool.

3. The tensile strength of Linen is thigh: twice as strong as cotton and 3 times stronger than wool. 4. Linen reduces gamma radiation almost by half and protects humans against solar radiation.

5. Linen Cloth does not accumulate static electricity- even 10% of linen in a blend is enough to eliminate the static electricity effect.

6. Cool to wear: Heat conductivity of Linen is 5 times as high as that of wool and 19 times as that of silk. In hot weather, those dressed in Linen clothes are found to show the skin temperature 3-4 deg below those wearing silk and cotton.

Among all the linens, Irish Linen is always known to be the best. Linen is an important fiber for Ireland, so much so that stamps and coins are minted showing linen leaves.

Sewers Need to Know…• Linen WILL wrinkle - love it, or don’t use it. “Status

Wrinkles” • Wash n dry several times - last time pull from dryer while

still damp. Iron to dry with a hot, dry iron using spray starch. Dping this will prevent wrinkling as much but won’t have stiff, dry crisp ‘hand’.

Know the WEIGHTS of Linen• Handkerchief: hi thread count, perfect for baby clothes,

blouses, christening gowns • Medium-weight: for sportwear blouses, pants skirts, vests • Bottom-weight: jackets, pants, skirts

from my friend Louise Cutting - the linen authority!

http://mytextilenotes.blogspot.com/

2011/08/some-facts-about-linen.html

• absorbs moisture• dries quickly• static-free• lint-free• moth stain resistant• sheds surface dirt• dyes well

MAN-MADE FIBERSCELLULOSIC

Rayon Lyocel (Tencel)***

Acetate***/TriAcetate

SYNTHETICS Acrylic & Modacrylic

Nylon Olefin

Polyester Rubber Saran

Spandex Vinyon

RAYON“Poor Man’s Silk” til early 1920’s as ‘Rayon’ • pine, spruce, hemlock,

even cotton

• Bamboo

Know this about … RAYON • loses 50% strength when wet …. avoid hot iron, press on wrong side

• more comfortable than poly

• less static-producing than poly

• shrinks

• dries slowly

• 3 processes:

• Cupramonium - Germany 1857 - less of

• Metrocellulosic - France 1884- not around

• Viscose - England 1892 - widely used today

Know this about …TENCEL• 1972 developed form of rayon made from hardwood pulp

• Only 1 current producer: Lenzing AG

• More $$$ than cotton or viscose rayon.

• Soft, absorbent, very strong when wet or dry, wrinkle-resistant

Know this about …ACETATE most common fabric known today of acetate is

‘Slinky Knit’

Know this about …POLYESTER• Dupont introduced 1951 • Petroleum by-product • Absorb poorly • Dull tools quickly • Wrinkle resistant • Less stretchy than nylon • Pill easily and attract lint • Dust and smoke retained • Fabric softener can permanently stain • Durable • High color retention • Reputation SAVED by BLENDS & Microfibers

Know this about …MICROFIBERS• Usually polyester or nylon • must be synthetic • 0.7 denier or less in size • 1 denier = 1/20 fineness of silk strand • silk strand = 1/5 diameter of human hair • Ultrasuede - one of first successful synthetic microfibers • popular in 1990’s starting in Sweden

Micro = ‘Little’ = MORE surface area

THEREFORE

• More surface area = more susceptible to EVERYTHING incl breathability • Presscloth NECESSARY - self fabric works - from WRONG side • Water resistant, therefore sew-in rather than fusible interfacings preferable • Teflon Foot, Even Feed Foot, Reduce foot pressure

Microdenier fabrics feel soft, are durable, and have the ability to wipe surfaces clean even without using a wetting agent.

Know this about …NYLON

• The ‘miracle fiber’ - 1st synthetic created 1938 • Term so popular could not register ‘nylon’ • 1st used for Toothbrush…then stockings at reasonable cost

because of puncture resistant moreso than silk • WW2 .. not dependent on imports, wide use for military ie: parachutes, outer clothing, tires, etc. • More expensive to produce than poly so more $$$ • Nylon is 11% of synthetic production • Polyester is 58% of synthetic production

Remember…..Qiana Nylon??

Nylon Polyester

Chemical NamePolyamide Polyethylene Naphthalate

ManufactureCreated as a liquid, mechanically spun and dried into individual fibers.

Spun into thread from chemical solution.

UsesMore common to certain kinds of apparel, including lingerie, tights, raincoats, and swimwear. Carpets,

More widely used in all kinds of apparel. Carpets, drapes, and bedding. Some industrial use.

WearabilityLow moisture absorbency Wrinkle resistant

DurabilityExceptionally strong, abrasion resistant, resistant to damage from oil and many chemicals.

Strong, resistant to stretching and shrinking, resistant to most chemicals, crisp and resilient wet or dry, abrasion

FlammabilityMelts then burns rapidly Melts and burns at same time

Environmental impact

Most nylon made from unavoidable oil refinery byproducts

Non-biodegradable, but can be recycled - possible to purchase 100% recycled polyester

ComfortLight-weight, warm, smooth, soft, quick drying.

Quick drying, light-weight, smooth.

F ROM WWW.DIFFEN.COM

Know this about … NYLON compared to POLYESTER

FIBER STRUCTURE

staplenatural or synthetic

must be spun into yarn

poly fiberfill is example

filamentonly natural is silk

long strands

TWIST Counterclockwise Clockwise

DENIER

Denier = fineness of man-made fibers weight of 9K meters of yarn (or fiber)

clothing fibers range from 1-7 denier carpet fibers range from 15-24 denier

average silk yarn: 4-5 deniers

*amount of twist varies with length of fibers, size, yarn’s intended use *increasing twist up to a certain point strengthens the yarns *too much twist places fibers at right angles to center and causes shearing action between fibers and yarn loses strength *yarns with long fibers don’t require as much twist as yarns with short fibers since they establish more points of contact per fiber and give stronger yarns for the same amount of twist.

Low Twist - in filling yarns of fabrics that are to be napped permits napping machine to tease out ends of staple fibers.

Average Twist - most often used for yarns of staple fibers, seldom for filament yarns.

Standard Warp Twist - warp yarns must be stronger to resist wear of weft yarns snuggled among the warp yarns.

High, Hard Twist - (voile) 30-40 turns per inch.

Sew…..Why does TWIST Matter?

SPINNERET ‘SHOWER HEAD’

THRU WHICH SYNTHETIC ‘GOO’ FORCED Determines Characteristics of Fabric

trilobal = silky flat = straw-like and high luster multilobal fibers = bulky

thick/thin Shapes hollow Shapes

Other characteristics determined by shape of hole in spinneret •clingy or static prone •soil resistance •breathability •color acceptance •shiny - or not • color can be added at time of spinning = solution dyeing. Colorfast!

SEW WHAT? WHY DOES SHAPE OF HOLES IN SPINNERET MATTER?

CRIMPING

-by cooling one side of fiber faster than other side as melt-spun fibers are extruded

-by heating one side of fiber during stretching or drawing process

SEW What’s the big deal? Crimp = Crepe Yarns!

Image from All About Cotton by Julie Parker

CONSTRUCTIONNonwovens • ‘Felt’ - technically fabrics made from wool • all others called "nonwovens" • = fibrous sheets made by bonding and/or interlocking textile fibers by mechanical (needle punching), chemical, thermal or solvent means

NONWOVENS IN OUR WORLD • In exercise wear: can wick moisture away from your body and keep you cool or warm• For clean rooms: provide a protective barrier to keep dangerous pathogens and microbes from

coming into contact with workers• For first responders: bulletproof vests, firefighting suits and military apparel. • Cost-effectiveness.

KNITSall knits are created by either:

• Weft Knittingjersey, ribbing, interlocks, double knits, pile knits, stretch terry, velour

• Warp Knittingtricot or raschel knits, most lace knits - named by type of machine

WEFT KNITS- made with one continuous yarn moving horizontally - stretch both directions - garment parts can be knitted to shape or cut and sewn - will run because made with a single yarn. -‘RIBS’ = vertical rows -‘COURSE = horizontal rows

WARP KNITS- involve many yarns, move vertically - present in a zigzag pattern - not much lengthwise stretch - edges are straight, not uneven or ravelly - most lace knits - garment must be cut and sewn - run-resistant

FINALLY … Use knit terms CORRECTLY!

Single Knit = ‘Jersey’ ‘I T Y’ means WHAT? ‘interlock twist yarn’

Double Knit = Interlock ‘Ponte’

JERSEY: • Lightweight, smooth, flat vertical 'wales' on right side and

horizontal 'courses' on wrong side. • Stockinette stitch to knitters. • Shrink alot first few times washed. • Runs if a yarn is broken. • Can run from both ends if pulled crosswise. • Usually curls to right side on crosswise grain*** • Limp drape that falls into soft flares, sew… fashion into loose-fitting

styles with soft fullness or shaped by stretching it into close-fitting garments.

Includes velour, panne, terry, fake fur. Matte jersey is made with textured yarn.

Which way does Cross-grain on Jersey Knits CURL?

Curling to right side

curling to wrong side

Which way does Cross-grain on Jersey Knits CURL?

DOUBLE KNITS

• Produced with two sets of needles so look the same on both sides. • Usually refers to medium to heavy weight, relatively firm and stable knits that look the same on both sides.

• Fashion into tailored styles with shaped seams. Topstitch nicely. Ideal travel fabric. • Often called ‘ponte’.

INTERLOCK: knits • Are softer, lighter double knits yet firmer than single knit ‘Jersey’ • Made from 2 fine-gage 1x1 ribs interknitted so identical on both sides. • Firmer than jersey and have more controlled crosswise stretch. • Hold their shape better than jersey. • Have extra body that gives more graceful drape than jersey.

Do NOT curl, but can run from one end if stretched crosswise - esp poor quality knits

RIB KNITSDouble Knit

• two sets needles; one for back and one for front creating vertical ribs on both sides

• knit one, purl one for knitters • significant crosswise stretch make rib knits perfect for necklines, cuffs and

hems • can be used for body-hugging garments

Remember ‘Poor Boy Knit Tops?

WOVEN FABRICS PLAIN WEAVE

• Yarns at right angles alternately passing over and under each other • BALANCED. • 80% of all fabrics wear evenly wrinkle badly, tear easily, shrink, least drape-able, least absorbent of any weave

• Unbalanced: rib weave and basket weave

WARP = lengthwise yarns

WEFT = crosswise yarns

BASKET WEAVE … PLAIN WEAVE VARIATION

faille Bengaline taffeta broadcloth poplin

RIB WEAVE

TWILL WEAVEgabardine

denim

• Steeper diagonal = higher quality • Strongest weave, but many twills

shrink and fray along edges and folds.

• Wear easily

Calvary Twilldouble twill line

on face

BROKEN TWILL WEAVE

Uneven Twill Weaves

Even Twill Weave

Satin Weave

• lengthwise, warp floats over 4 or more filling yarns, then under 1 filling yarn •the less twisted the yarns; the shinier the fabric •snag easily•1-way layout required

SEW what is the difference between SATIN and SATEEN?

sateen = crosswise filling floats over warp yarns

satin = lengthwise warp floats over weft yarns

PILE WEAVE3-D fabrics: extra warp or filling threads to make loops or cut ends on the fabric's surface

FILLING PILE = VELVETEEN_ • * has more body and less drape than velvet * pile is no more than 1/8" high

WARP PILE = VELVET * more lustrous, luxurious than velveteen

fold fabric lengthwise or crosswise to see how the pile ‘breaks’

CHENILLE: cutting a specialty woven ladder-like fabric into warp-wise strips CORDUROY: floats (that are cut) arranged in lengthwise rows

fine wale - more than 21 wales/inch pin wale - 16-21wales/inch mid wale - 15 wales/inch

Jumbo wale 3-10 wales/inch

VelvetTrue velvet is made with a warp pile. Until WW 2 usually made from silk until source of raw silk cut off - then true cotton velvet. Today silk velvet is silk pile woven onto rayon backing.

VelveteenVelveteen is made with a weft (filling)

Sew…..What is the difference between Velvet and Velveteen?

Panne Velvet - High, wet-look shine and flat pile, usually a knit.

Flatness achieved with a very heavy roller pressure as a finish.

Devore’Pile fabric with portions burnt out using a chemical.

Polar Fleece a soft napped insulating fabric made from a type of polyester called polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or other synthetic fibers…. a KNIT

For a great 5’ video on how polar fleece is made, click on the black box in the next frame (page) go to this url: https://youtu.be/YHHqFwDhGTM

How Polar Fleece is Made

•expensive form of weaving that uses the three basic weaves: plain, twill and satin, to form floral patterns on a simple background.

•from Joseph-Marie Jaquard in France during 1800’s •computerized today utilizing up to 1200 yarns with independent weave action.

JACQUARD WEAVE

Sew…..What is the difference between BROCADE and DAMASK?

and, what about TAPESTRY?

Heavier than Brocade. From the Orient where originally an intricate hand-woven picture. A complicated structure consisting of 2 or more sets of warp and 2 or more sets of filling yarns interlaced so the face warp is never woven into the back and back filling doesn't show on the face.

FINISHES = anything done at any time to change appearance, hand, or

performance of a fabric

Dye Method 1. Yarn dyed - yarns dyed before construction of fabric

2. Piece dyed - most common way to add color. A continuous length of fabric is passed through a hot dyebath, squeezed between padded rollers to even the color and remove excess liquid. Usually solid in color.

RESIST PRINTING which prevents dye from penetrating parts of the fabric.

DISCHARGE PRINTING which removes color from part of fabric after it is dyed.

DIRECT PRINTING where each color requires a separate plate, or roller that is etched with part of the design. Also called roller or cylinder printing.

SCREEN PRINTING where pattern is blocked out on a screen of silk or nylon that is stretched taut over a wooden frame. Dye squeezed through screen onto fabric. A different screen for each color. Expensive. Most common quilt fabric process.

WARP PRINTING -Warp yarns printed before the filling yarns are woven in = hazy, soft pattern. Ikat of yarns tied and dyed before weaving.

PRINTED PATTERNS produced by:

Batik Discharge

Ikat - yarns dyed in spots then woven

Screen Print

How ‘Quilting Cottons’ are printed…

3-D Printing….a glimpse into future printing

designs!

Crocking = color loss from rubbing or abrasion while wearing Bleeding = color loss in water Migration = shifting of color in printed fabric

RETAYNE - when to use • BEFORE cuttting • Color Fixativve for cotton, linen, rayon fabric that bleeds • In washing machine* or by hand with hot water • Test • Only 1 application necessary

Synthrapol - when to use • to remove excess dye from hand dyed fabrics • will remove sizing from fabric before dyeing • use in dye bath for even color • is a concentrated wetting agent, known as a surfactant • use when garment is already created and has bled into

adjacent fabric

Mercerization: to cotton and linen makes stronger, more lustrous, easier to dye, more resistant to mildew. Tension applied; then saturated with cold caustic soda solution that is later neutralized. Sanforized: processed to less than 1% shrinkage in either direction.

Sizing: starch, wax, gelatin, oil to increase smoothness, abrasion resistance, luster and stiffness. Washes out. Good fabrics have less.

FINISHES - cont.

Burnout JerseysAfter printing, a chemical is applied to the fabric that “burns” the cotton fibers off, leaving the synthetic fibers behind, and resulting in see-through patches that you can see more clearly when the fabric is held up to the light.

MOIREA finish often used on taffeta by passing fabric through engraved rollers and applying steam, pressure and/or chemicals. French for ‘watered’. Will wash out! Old as 15th century on gold, silver and silk.

Batiste = implies fine, soft, sheer Charmeuse = satin weave, lustrous front, dull back. Scuffs EZ Chambray = colored warp, white weft yarns giving a pastel, weathered look. Common in shirts. Dobby = attachment to loom weaving xtra set of yarns into background weave. Usually have small bird’s eye, dot type pattern. Pique’ is an example…

Double Cloth = woven fabric with 2 distinct layers laced together with xtra set of yarns. Often reversible. Can’t separate without damaging.

What About…..??

Oxford Cloth = cotton shirting made with semi-basket weave. 2 thinner warp yarns are grouped and woven as one against thicker, softly spun weft yarns.

Poplin = firm, durable, tightly woven fabric with fine crosswise ribs. Often of poly/cotton blend. Naturally water repellent because tight weave works together with fabric’s crosswise ribs that swell whe get wet, forming such a dense web that regular rainshower water will run off. Poly blend repels better. Broadcloth is lighter in weight and has finer ribs.

COTTON LAWN• Fine, almost sheer cotton fabric made with tight plain weave and

high thread count. Usually made of fine, combed single yarns.

• Known as delicate floral patterns.

• Mercerization adds strength and luster.

• Liberty of London Cotton Lawn - uses copper rollers to print exxuisite patterns with very fine lines. First prints were exact copies of old Indian prints. 1875

• Tana Lawn® - a registered trademark for lawn prints by Liberty of London, named for Lake Tana in Sudan were cotton is grown.

PlisseCotton or cotton/poly printed with a caustic soda solution in the form of random stripes or spots. The chemical solution shrinks parts of fabric, causing the untreated parts to pucker.

SeersuckerThe crinkled effect is achieved through a weaving method known as slack warp tension. On the loom, alternating sets of yarns have different tension. Some yarns are held tight and others are held loose. As the filling yarns are woven in, the tight yarns form the flat stripe and the loose tension yarns buckle to form the puckered or crinkled stripe. May be solid color, yet best known as a stripe.

Sheer Fabrics…..Which is Which? Chiffon = • loose, plain weave of tightly twisted single yarns in both warp

and weft • soft, lightweight, transparent fabric • French for ‘rag’

Georgette = • loose, plain weave of alternating S and Z twist crepe yarns in

both directions. • not as soft, and less lustre than chiffon • named after French Georgette del a Plante, a French milliner

Matelasse = French for ‘cushioned’ or ‘padded’. Created by joining 2 layers to produce a raised effect where the back has a fine, loosely woven web that is shrunk to form a blistered, quilted or padded efffect on the front. Most often seen in bed coverings.

Cloque = fabric embossed by passing through a series of heated, engraved rollers in pressure. Permanent on synthetics, but will wash out of silks and rayons.

Organdy = • usually cotton • treated with chemical finish to maintain crispness through

repeated launderings • stiffer than organza • Amish bonnets

Organza = • silk • great as underlining that adds crispness and stabilizes loose weaves

Surah =• soft, lightweight silk twill named from Surat, India. • fine, soft, supple hand with flat, smooth, slippery texture • often called ‘silk twill’ and ‘tie silk’ • often printed with foulard, paisley, stripes, plaids, etc.

Silk Foulard = • similar to Surah, but with 2 up 2 down twill weave • generally printed with small designs on plain backgrounds • French for ‘silk handkerchief’

How to Handwash Silk - many look better when washed by hand, and last longer. Soak garment in lukewarm water and a mild soap: Ivory Snow or gentle shampoo (baby). Rinse well in cold water. Add 1/4 cup white vinegar to a clean rinse and rinse again. Vinegar neutralizes any soap residue and restores luster. Rinse again to remove vinegar odor. Roll in towel but do not wring. Hang to dry on padded hanger. Iron while slightly damp.

When to Dryclean Silk - fabrics with loose weaves and long satin floats that could snag, embossed fabrics, and fabrics with special finishes, slubbed or heavily ribbed fabrics that unravel easily and fabrics that tend to shrink

• bright colors or prints that may bleed or fade

• linings, shoulder pads, inner construction or detail

• special embellishments

• unstable fabrics subject to yarn and seam slippage

Washing Silk

Noil = • dull, slightly nubby fabric with random dark or light flecks and slight crosswise ribs • made from silk noils which are very short waste fibers from the inner part of the coccoon that are spun into yan - usually with bits of the cocoon left in it. • looks more like cotton than silk

Peau de Soie = • looks like satin, but actually a compact plain weave • falls into wide cones • hard to gather • subject to scuffs and abrasions

Shantung = • plain weave fabric with slight crosswise ribs and slubs. from province of Shantung, China • generally has heavier filling yarns of dupioni silk yarns • heavier than pongee, lighter than dupioni

Boiled Wool = Very thick dense fabric made of pure merino wool that has been dyed, shrunk and fulled to completely obscure its knitted structure. Sometimes called ‘Geiger’ after the European manufacturer who is known for using in short cardigan jackets sporting a matching binding and metal buttons.

Boucle’ = French word for buckled, curled or ringed. Describes a woolen or worsted fabric chacterized by loops, knots or curls on one or both sides. As yarn… rough 3-ply yarn with small, tight loops that protrude at widely spaced intervals.

Challis = pronounced shaw-lee’Wool challis is a classic! It is made of tightly spun worsted yarns and a firmly woven plain weave, or sometimes a twill weave. Original was silk and wool, but today can be rayon, cotton, or blends. Will not hold a crease. Characteristically a printed fabric.

Paisley from Paisley, Scotland - found first in shawls

Cashmere = Luxurious, soft, silky wool from goats. Very fine, yet strong. Has the most insulating power of any fiber so it is warm, yet lightweight. Shows abrasions, especially along folds and creaselines. Scarce and expensive. Frequent drycleaning is hard on cashmere, so wash using mild soap and cold water by soaking and several rinses. Found frequently in sweaters - the ultimate Christmas gift through the years. ‘Cashmere’ is an adjective, not a breed.

Camel’s Hair = From 2-humped Bactrian camel in NW China, Mongolia and Afghanistan. Camels not sheared, but hair collected by ‘Camel Boys’ walking behind to pick up the fibers as the camels molt in late spring and early summer. Not very durable, tends to pill and mat. ALWAYS dryclean.

Shrinkage - occurs not in fibers usually, but in weave. Plain and twill weaves are especially prone to shrinkage. High twist yarns and loose weaves shrink more than low-twist yarns and tight weaves. Crepe is a good candidate for shrinkage.

Static Cling - determined by fiber, weave, yarn and finish. Charmeuse and jacquard cling more than other silk fabrics, but less than synthetics. Fibers dry out which cause clinging. Hang garment in steamy bathroom to absorb moisture.

Starch - stiffens, but damages, especially cotton. Invades porous fibers and wears away at it from the inside out. Small holes that appear for no good reason, frayed collars and cuffs, buttons pop off. Attract silverfish when stored. Shirts that are professionally laundered with starch will wear longer if washed at home occasionally to remove starch buildup.

Stash Care - fabric that remains folded for long periods of time eventually develops stress tears along the folds. A clean piece of cloth or acid free tissue scrunched between folds can help alleviate the problem.

Brown Spots - Wood (even cedar) contains acid that will, over time, make impossible-to-remove brownish stains on any textiles with which it comes in direct contact. Therefore, store linens and laces elsewhere than in cardboard or cedar chests unless wrapped in acid-free tissue.

Care Knowledge

New Yardage Pre-Shrinking Guidelines• unfold before putting into washing machine - no more than 6 yards • light colors in lukewarm water with phosphate free detergent • soak dark-colored fabrics individually in cold water for 30’ at least to set

dyes and then machine wash in cold water with phosphate free detergent * Add vinegar and salt to ‘set’ dyes, or use ReTayne • Tumble dry to almost dry, then remove and press.

WHY DO Fabrics (especially Cotton) Shrink? Cotton fibers are wick-like strands that become slightly crimped when woven among weft filling threads to make a piece of fabric. When first washed, fibers swell up with water and crimp even more making piece narrower and shorter. Temp of water doesn’t significantly affect possibility of shrinking. Cold only prevents fading. When dried in a dryer, water is removed and fibers de-swell. Tumbling action causes fibers to crimp further.

“ I'm not the only one! Anyone who thinks stretch jeans are flattering is fooling themselves into believing what the manufacturer wants them to believe. Stretch jeans do NOT support a tummy, do NOT lift the butt, do NOT firm anything. In fact, wherever your flaws are, spandex will redflag those areas like a lit up Christmas tree in the desert. Cotton gives where you need them to give and "STAYS THERE", creating the perfect jeans for your body. Spandex gives everywhere, causing them to slide down your butt everytime you bend over, thus, making you feel like you are constantly having to ADJUST. I am not a plus size, in fact I wear a size 2 in AE jeans and haven't looked good in a pair of denim since they made it impossible to find non-stretch. I can't remember the last time I didn't need the assistance of a belt to keep from showing my butt crack. Unless you wear them so skin tight that you can't breath, your rear end is destined to look like a piece of flatbread. YOU'RE NOT FOOLING EVERYONE! "PREMIUM MY SAGGY REAR END", Spandex is cheaper than cotton and looks cheap! End of story…”

Spandex in Jeans - a HOT Topic!

Levi Strauss Complaints Board

MARRIAGE OF FABRIC & STYLE• WILL FABRIC WRINKLE? Hold a 5" square in hand for 5 seconds. Higher absorbency factor, the

more it will wrinkle. Wovens wrinkle more than knits. Satin wovens wrinkle more than regular wovens.

• WILL FABRIC HOLD ITS SHAPE? Thumb test 5 seconds. The tighter knit or weave, the heavier, the less absorbent … the better shape retention.

Double knits hold shape better than single knits.Wovens hold their shape better than knits.Synthetics hold their shape better than naturals.

• WILL IT PILL? Shorter the fibers, the more likely to pill. Less absorbent fabrics tend to pill more because drier, more static-prone. Shorter fibers cling together = pill. Stronger synthetic fabrics

‘hold on’ to the pill and don’t let go.

• EASE OF SEWING? Stretchy, slippery filament fibers are harder to sew. Non-absorbent fibers harder to press. Non-absorbent tight weaves pucker more readily.

• HOW DO YOU TELL THE RIGHT FROM THE WRONG SIDES OF THE FABRIC? Pinholes in selvage are smaller where pin goes in = right side. A smoother selvage = right side.

Burn Test Chart

SOURCES• Textiles - 3rd Edition by Norma Hollen and Jane Saddler

- my college textbook

• RAIN CITY PUBLISHING - 206-527-8778

All About Silk, All About Cotton, All About Wool

I LOVE each book - worth EVERY $ to purchase!!!!!

repeated efforts of contacting both by phone and email brought no response for me June, 2015

• Extensive Internet research - Google is my new friend!

Fabric Swatch Kit and DVD $72.95http://www.textilefabric.com/site/main/products.php?cid=1&pid=

Fox Fibre - organically grown colored cottonhttp://foxfibre.sites.musicwell.org/about/

More information - regarding Twill Weaves - EXCELLENThttp://www.textileschool.com/articles/125/twill-weaves

Making of Moda Batiks 16:54 longhttps://youtu.be/UDsD5sQOF_A

How Fleece is Made 5:01 longhttps://youtu.be/YHHqFwDhGTM

How Jeans Are Made - including denim - VERY interesting 10:03 longhttps://youtu.be/_KZWe0sYglc

Helpful and Informative Links

Joinme…..ononeoftheseexci0ngEVENTSfor2015…2016

October22-24,2015-Grandbury,TXPaI’sLastResort

$450includeslodging

Feb.20-25,2016Lessburg,FLLakeYaleBap0stRetreatCenter$495includeslodgingandmeals

April20-24,2016RETREAT-Danville,IL$395includeslodging+ataloca0onWITHafabricstore!

3or4dayop0ons

BringaLondaSewingRetreattoYOUR‘neckofthewoods’-callLondafordetails…217-369-4687