352 The Yearbook of Agriculture 1965 knit, the number of loops lengthwise should be approximately i.i times the number widthwise. For example, plain knit that has 30 wales per inch should have about 33 courses per inch. Much of the knit piece goods in retail stores is not properly finished and hence will shrink and stretch in laundering. These materials may be relaxed in the home before they are made into garments. Knit fabrics of wool may be lightly steamed, pressed, and allowed to lie flat before cutting. Piece goods knit of cotton as well as other fibers may be relaxed by wetting out thoroughly, extracting or drying in a towel, and tumbler dried. If you do not tumble dry it, lay the fabric flat without distorting it for drying. (HAZEL M. FLETCHER)

T-shirts after 20 washes with tumble dry- ing. Inserts show closeup of knit fabric be- Stretch fore laundering; ink marks on shirts origi- nally marked a lo-inch square. Fabrics Because of distortion in finishing, many knit garments are unsatisfac- tory in size and in appearance after laundering. STRETCH FABRICS are the sort of thing For example, the plain knit cotton that leads one to ask, "Why didn't T-shirt in one of the drawings made somebody think of it before?" of the fabric with elongated loops They provide better fit for many shrank in length and stretched in items, from baby clothes to upholstery. width and has ruffled sleeve seams They come in many weights, fibers, and a stretched neckband. The T-shirt colors, and finishes. Some have little made of the fabric with round loops stretch; others, much. Some give ease held its shape in laundering and of movement or a smooth fit; others, maintained its attractive appearance. forceful control. We can classify their stretch in two How CAN ONE select knit garments ways. that will not shrink or stretch? One is the power stretch, of the Choose those with the round loops. kind built into foundation garments, This is not always easy, especially in a swimsuits, men's tummy-restraining finely knit fabric. A sure way is to shorts and briefs, and so on. count the number of loops in a i -inch The other is comfort, or action, distance both lengthwise and width- stretch. It is used in children's gar- wise of the fabric. In case of a plain ments, sport and casual clothes, men's Stretch Fabrics 353 shirts, and other items in which move- The type of fibers, the original ment is involved and a smooth fit is amount of stretch in the yarn, the desired. tensions of the yarn during fabric Many people know about power construction, the temperatures and stretch. Comfort stretch is a newer chemicals used in making, dyeing, and idea, and it is the one I discuss here. finishing, all affect the amount of You cannot tell by looking at cloth stretch in the finished fabric, the whether or not it is a stretch fabric. amount of shrinkage to be expected, It probably looks just like a similar and the care required. fabric—gabardine, batiste, taffeta, or Slack mercerization, the third print cloth—which has only a normal method, is a treatment applied to stretch. fabric. Cotton fabric is treated with The amount of stretch in the finished sodium hydroxide while there is no fabric depends somewhat on the fiber tension in the direction that is to and the method of producing the stretch. The fabric is then washed and stretch. finished to the chosen stretch, which may be 20 percent or less. Stretch may THREE BASIC METHODS are used in be lengthwise, widthwise, or both. making stretch materials. No industry standards for comfort Spandex—a fiber with rubberlike stretch had been set in early 1965. In elasticity—is made from polyurethane. fact, according to one manufacturer, Spandex lasts longer than rubber and there were as many definitions for requires no special care. stretch as persons defining it. Spandex is seldom used alone, but As a result, some fabrics labeled forms the core around which other "stretch" have little more stretch than fibers are spun. The amount of stretch a good-quality fabric of the same type is determined by the amount of elonga- that is not labeled "stretch." tion used during the spinning process. In general, however, the trade has The treatment of the fabric is deter- agreed that stretch in the widthwise mined by the other fibers used. direction (also called east-west, hori- Many of the power stretch fabrics zontal, or filling stretch) should be are made from spandex. It also is about 20 percent; in the lengthwise used for comfort stretch, sometimes direction (called north-south, vertical, alone and sometimes as the core for or warp stretch), 50 percent or more. spun yarn. Sometimes a jfabric stretches in both The second method is thermoplastic, directions (but usually only in one), or the heat setting of yarns. Any meth- and garments are cut lengthwise or od for producing texturized or crimped crosswise, depending on the type of yarns may be used. A common pro- garment. cedure for manmade fibers is to twist Pants and slacks usually are cut with the yarn to the desired amount; heat- the stretch lengthwise; other garments, set it; then twist it in the opposite with the stretch widthwise. direction. This process gives a tight curl that ALTHOUGH I have discussed stretch uncurls and returns to a less tense only, fully as impartant to you is position when forces are removed. whether or not the material returns to Cotton may be processed by this its original size and shape after the method, if resin is applied before the forces are removed. If not, the material heat treatment. Again, the amount of is said to "grow." stretch is predetermined by the manu- Growth is the percentage of increase facturer. in length after the fabric has been When stretch yarns are woven or stretched and released. If the fabric knitted into fabrics, some of the stretch grows, a garment made of it may may be lost in the manufacturing. become wrinkled and baggy. 7^8-092 °—65- -24 354 The Yearbook of Agriculture 1965 The ideal fabric would have zero- any more than the same type of fabric percent growth. Some fabrics have a not labeled stretch? Does it stretch large amount of growth—20 percent enough to give a smooth, comfortable or more. But the aim of reliable manu- feeling in the use you plan for it? facturers is 2 inches per yard (about 5 Does it stretch less than 20 percent? percent) or less for children's and Perhaps a good knit which may be less sports wear and less than i inch per expensive would serve as well for your yard (2 percent) for dressier wear. purpose. Of course, the farther you stretch the How much is 20 percent stretch? If fabric, the more it will grow. You you grasp the cloth at two points 5 therefore should select a fabric which inches apart, you should be able to has much more stretch than you stretch it i inch, or one-fifth of the actually need. original length. Since there are no labels to tell you If you are planning a garment to how much a fabric stretches or grows, stretch widthwise, 20 percent is enough. it will be necessary to check both to If it is lengthwise stretch you want, see if they are sufficient for your pur- better look for 50-percent elongation pose. A test at the store does not or more. guarantee that the material will wear Does the fabric spring back to its well or that growth will not increase original length after you have pulled it with wear. All that you are doing is out the desired amount? Is there a assuring yourself that adequate stretch bulge or a stripe of puckered threads? and minimum growth are in the fabric Only a slight ripple should appear. at the time you buy it. If the answers are satisfactory, the As you can see, there are many cloth should be suitable. places where mistakes can occur in Another thing to check in garments making or selecting the right fabric for is whether lining, interlining, and lace the purfKJse. It is more important than (if any) stretch, too. If not, why use usual, therefore, that you consider be- stretch for the part of the garment to fore buying what you want and what which they are attached? It will you expect it to do. neither wear nor clean satisfactorily. The manufacturer of garments On the other hand, are shoulder seams, makes them so that the same garment buttonholes, front opening, and other will fit more different shapes of the parts of the garment which should not same general size more comfortably stretch, properly reinforced? and more attractively than a non- Stretch will not prevent shrinkage. stretch fabric can. His judgment may Read the label. Unless the manufac- vary from yours. turer guarantees a shrinkage of less So, first consider carefully what the than 2 percent, you should probably advantages to you will be if you choose buy a larger size in order to assure a a stretch fabric. You may not need good fit after the garment is laundered. stretch at all. A sleeveless blouse or a Or, in the case of cloth, you should full skirt of stretch would be a waste shrink it before you make it up. Dry- of money. Why pay extra for stretch cleaning does not cause as much you will not use? shrinkage as washing, but there may be On the other hand, slacks or a some dimensional change, and you blouse with sleeves may be much more should plan accordingly. comfortable in a stretch material. Stretch may take care of some of the Certainly, a stretch slipcover would be fitting problems, but it will not be much easier to fit around the corners an advantage if you force something of a chair than would a nonstretch into a space that is too small, so that fabric. there will be no chance for expanding Having decided what you need, you and contracting. Just as well buy a next examine the cloth. Does it stretch nonstretch—it is cheaper. Stretch Fabrics 355 BEFORE YOU PURCHASE stretch fabric, time will come when it will be poorly be sure that you know how to handle shaped, no matter what the treatment. it. Stretch fabrics require special sew- The best method for drying stretch ing techniques. fabrics is tumbler drying, with the The fabric should be laid flat at dryer set at the correct temperature least overnight so that folds and bumps for the fiber. If you cannot use a dryer, can relax, and the material will be the garment should be laid flat and smooth before cutting. blocked, if necessary, to insure the No special patterns are needed, but correct size in the dry garment. each piece should be placed so that Under no circumstances should an the stretch will be in the chosen article with lengthwise stretch be direction. hung up for drying—it will stretch. Make test stitchings before sewing Whatever method you use, be sure on the garment. that the fabric is thoroughly dry before In general, fine needles and fine you use the article. Otherwise, it may stitches are required. Fine zigzagging lose its shape. may make the seam more elastic. Usually no ironing is required, but Seams may need machine overcasting if pressing is necessary, use a press to prevent fraying. cloth, a cool iron, and a light touch. As I mentioned in connection with Slack-mercerized fabrics are especially purchase of readymade items, linings, sensitive to a hot iron and pressure; interlinings, trimmings, laces, and overpressing may destroy the stretch such should be as elastic as the outer or make the garment too large. fabric to which they attach or the Stretch fabrics, wet or dry, should purpose of the stretch will be lost. not be hung for long periods of time. Tape stays, however, should be applied Store the cloth flat in a drawer or at shoulder, waist, and other places on a shelf. Hanging in the closet is where no stretch is desired. Button- especially undesirable for lengthwise holes need reinforcement. stretch, because the weight of the Press the seams lightly with a cool garment will cause it to lengthen an iron and a press cloth. inch or more. As styles or manufacturing methods change, fabrics may change too, and SINCE LABELS do not list stretch proper- the sewing instructions also may ties, you will probably always have to change. More detailed up-to-date check the amount of stretch and instructions for sewing with stretch growth in any fabric you buy to be fabrics may be obtained from the sure that it is suitable for the use you thread or pattern companies. plan. You will need to check garments and household articles to be sure that As FOR THE CARE of stretch materials : they stretch enough and that the man- As a rule, follow the same procedure ufacturer has not decided to use a less for washing or drycleaning that you elastic fabric in order to cut costs. A would use for any other fabric made cheaper product that does not perform from the same kind of fibers. properly is not an economic buy—why Read the labels, mark them for pay for stretch you do not get? identification, and save them, if there In short, a careful examination of are special instructions about care. each item you buy will be the best Most stretch fabrics can be washed, way to obtain the performance you but the kind of fiber, weave (or knit), expect. If the material does not live colors, and finishes may affect the up to its guarantee, it should be method and temperature of cleaning. returned for adjustment. Stretch is a Washing may bring back to shape a ''magic" word today, but be sure fabric that has stretched too much. If you receive the magic you pay for. the garment is too small, however, the (S. HELEN ROBERTS)