Analysis of Fabric Weaves

Eglė Kumpikaitė, Inga Nėnienė Lithuanian Folk Skirts. Part II: Analysis of Fabric Weaves Kaunas University of Technology, Abstract Faculty of Design and Technologies, In the second part of the article, Lithuanian folk skirt fabrics are researched according Department of Textile Technology to weave. 7 fabric groups, from which the group of plain weave is the most widespread, Studentu Str. 56, LT-3031 Kaunas, Lithuania were selected. The second most common are twill weaves. In this article twill weaves E-mail: [email protected] are discussed wider by presenting their classification and plans of weave. Moreover, the prevalence of weaves were researched chronologically. The results show the predomination of plain and twill weaves in skirts of the XIX century, and various derived, combined weaves became more popular from the middle of the XIX century. These weaves started to be used gradually for geometrical patterns and fabric decoration. Comparison of the weaving tradition of skirts with respect to territory shows some similarities between the pattern and weave of Lithuanian fabric and those of neighboring countries. Key words: folk skirt, fabric weave, plan of weave, twill weaves. ture. The authors of this article focused n Experimental results on the technique of weaving skirts from and discussions beginning of the XIX century to the first n Introduction half of the XX century. They reviewed The objects of the investigation were Characteristics of the fabric are deter- a collection from one museum and ana- Lithuanian folk skirts from all regions mined not only by such parameters as the lysed variants of diamond twill, prepared of the country from the textile collec- raw material of threads, thread settings, plans of weave [5], and analysed com- tion of the department of Folk Art at the linear density and others, but also by fab- pound weaves, which are widespread in M. K. Čiurlionis National Art Museum. ric weave [1]. These fabric parameters skirts [6]. The skirts originate from the beginning are especially important today as the of the XIX century to the beginning of fashion world is coming back to authen- Milašius, Neverauskienė, Katunskis, the XX century. The weaves of the wo- tic fabrics, which are designed with dif- Kazlauskienė [7] presented an adaptation ven fabrics were determined by analys- ferent checks, stripes, and other patterns, of Woods-Hann classification and system ing the fabric with a textile magnifying and ornaments of various complexity, ob- of ornament creation for patterned woven glass. The weaves of 258 skirts were ex- tained using various thread colours and fabrics. They established that 12 out of amined. Fabric plans of weave were ob- weave of woven fabric. 17 possible symmetry groups are used in tained by APS software ”Audimas” (by Lithuanian woven fabrics. Zdanavičiūtė, authors V. Milašius, J. Katunskis), which In the first part of article “Lithuanian Milašius, Katunskis [8] created software was implemented in the Department of Folk Skirts Part I: Analysis of Fabric to preserve and analyse pick-up sashes and Textile Technology at Kaunas University Pattern”, the authors reviewed trends in overshot fabric ornaments, which enabled of Technology for educational purposes. Lithuanian folk textile designs. However, to analyze peculiarities of ornament sym- the prevalence and adaptation of weaves metry as well as to look for a relation- The skirt fabrics are divided into groups in folk textile have not been extensively ship between the culture’s mentality and according to their weave: 1) plain weave, researched. In 1961 Balčikonis wrote that technologies. 2) various twill weaves, 3) sateen, it is expedient to group patterns of fabrics 4) rib weave, 5) combined with differ- according to weave because they decide Ethnologist Alsupe [9] widely researched ent weaves, 6) combined, 7) compound the character of the pattern. We gener- weaving techniques and patterns com- weaves. Figure 1 (see page 80) shows the ally reviewed the main weaves (plain, monly found in Latvian folk textile. She distribution of skirts according to weave. twill, sateen, damask, overshot, pick-up, disclosed the interrelation between the It can be seen from Figure 1 that plain overlaid) used in Lithuanian folk tex- weaving techniques of craftsmen and weave fabrics comprise the biggest part tile, picked out characteristic weaves for peasants, and gave details of the weav- (56%), whereas twill weave fabrics make some goods and discussed methods of ing character and patterns of skirts. She up 22%. More extensive analysis of this pattern composition [2]. Nėnienė [3] ex- noted that skirts of fancy pattern were group will be presented later. Combined amined shawl weaves of folk Lithuanian mostly woven by craftsmen in Vidžemė. weaves with different weave combina- peasants as well as the chronological and tions is the third category (11%). From territorial tendencies of their diffusion. Therefore, the aim of this part of the ar- all of these, combinations of plain and In the historical-ethnographical atlas of ticle is to highlight peculiarities of weav- overshot weave are the most common, Baltic countries [4], there was a descrip- ing from the beginning of the XIX cen- whereas combined plain with overlaid tion of weaves of skirts fabrics and ma- tury to the first half of the XX century, weave, pick-up with rib weave, sateen jor changes in the weaving techniques, establishing types of weaves and their with Bedford cord or twill weaves are the patterns and silhouette of village skirts prevalence, as well as describe tenden- least common. from the end of the XIX century to the cies of territorial and chronological dis- beginning of the XX century, when plain tribution. This work also has a practical Other weaves are less widespread. Com- texture fabrics with colour patterns were element – recommendations for setting a bined weaves – mock leno and Bedford replaced by fancy weave of uneven tex- weaving loom are given. cord – make up 3%. Compound weaves FIBRES & TEXTILES in Eastern Europe July / September 2008, Vol. 16, No. 3 (68) 79 rib 2 broken tw ill 2 sateen 2 check tw ill 2 2 combined 3 fancy tw ill ornamental diamond tw ill 5 compound 4 elemetary tw ill 12 combined with different weaves 11 diamond tw ill 16 twill 22 broken tw ill 19 plain 56 reinforced tw ill 2/2 42 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 0 10 20 30 40 50 PercentageProcentage PercentageProcentage Figure 1. Distribution of skirt fabrics according to weave. Figure 2. Distribution of twill weaves. – backed weaves with one warp system weaves. The Figure shows an image of Quite complex weaves make up a small and two weft systems, also known as the weave and weave plan. This weave part of twill weaves, similar to small re- ‘overshot’, backed sateen and backed sa- is also drawn-in in a fancy draft by look- peat crape weaves, made on a twill basis. teen with satin weaves – comprise a simi- ing for evenly interlaced threads. The One of these weaves is shown in Fig- lar percentage (4%). construction of these weaves was inves- ure 6. It is made using a straight draft. tigated more extensively by the authors Rib weave fabrics (4.5%) and combined of this article [5]. According to the plans of weave and plain with compound weave fabrics (4%) weave cards shown, similar fabrics can are least widespread. Fabrics woven in Checked patterns, also known as be woven using both industrial and hand other combined weaves make up 2%. ’servetiniai’, are woven with combined weaving looms. Compound weaves make up about 1.5%, twill weaves. One of them is shown in jacquard weaves about 0.5%, and sateen Figure 5. It presents a real view of the Analysis of the territorial spread of and rib weaves both comprise 2% . fabric and motif that was used in con- weaves (Figure 7) shows that plain Twill weave fabrics vary greatly; their structing this combined weave and a weave skirts are the most popular in all distribution is shown in Figure 2. Rein- simplified fabric weave plan, because a regions of Lithuania (35 - 65%), twill forced twill weave 2/2 fabrics (42%) are full weave plan would take up too much weaves dominate in Žemaitija more than encountered the most. Various broken space. 8 heald shafts are needed to weave in other regions, a small amount of twill twills make up a smaller part (19%) of this fabric completely; straight draft is weaves are found in Aukštaitija, but no twill weaves. Diamond twills of various according to fabric pattern. twill weaves are found in the Klaipėda complexities, ornamental diamond twill weaves and simpler diamond twills are the third most common (16%). Elemen- a) tary twills 3/1 and 2/1 make up 12%. Compound diamond twills, similar to small repeat crape weave, are in fifth place (5%). Combined positive and nega- tive twills (checked) make up 2%, fancy b) twills – 2% and broken twill – 2%. Therefore, the fabrics woven with 2/2 twill weave make up the largest part of Figure 3. The fabric of a herringbone twill weave broken in the warp direction NČDM E3414 all twill weaves. For this weave it is rec- (Dzūkija): a – picture of weave, b – plan of weave. ommended to draw-in warp into 4 heald shafts in a straight draft. a) b) Various broken twills make up a big part (19%) of twill weaves. A fragment of twill broken in the direction of warp is shown in Figure 3. An image of fabric weave and a fabric weave plan are also presented. It is recommended to draw-in warp in fancy draft by looking for evenly interlaced threads in the weave repeat. Diamond twills of various complexities make up about 16%.

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