Fabric construction! …….What you need to know!

Plain weave fabric is strong and hardwearing, and is used for fashion and furnishing fabrics. Examples would include calico and drill cotton, linen, poly-cotton etc.

Twill weave has a diagonal pattern on the surface Twill weave has a diagonal pattern on the surface. Twill weave is strong and drapes well- and is used on jeans, curtains and jackets

Examples would include socks, tights, T-shirts and Jumpers Weft knitted fabrics are made by looping long lengths of yarn together – making it stretchy and comfortable If a stitch is dropped it will cause a ladder down the length of the fabric because the yarns run across the fabric in rows Examples would include socks, tights, T-shirts and Jumpers

Warp knitted fabrics are made by machines They interlock vertically along the length of the fabric – they are slightly stretchy and DO NOT LADDER! Examples would include swimwear, geotextiles and underwear

‘James Bond’-ed Textiles! LOL! Bonded-fibre fabrics are made from webs of synthetic fibres bonded together with heat or adhesives. They are cheap to produce, but not as strong as woven or knitted fabrics. Bonded-fibre fabrics are mainly used for interlining . They are easy to sew, crease-resistant, do not fray and are stable to washing and dry-cleaning. Wool felt is a non-woven fabric made from animal hair or wool fibres matted together using moisture, heat and pressure. Felt has no strength, drape or elasticity but is warm and does not fray. Wool felt is expensive. It is used for hats and slippers and in handcrafts.

Thinking about the fabrics and their properties…….. When making fabric choices, ask yourself the following questions: Fibre content - should you use natural or synthetic fibres? What would be the most suitable? Fabric construction - should you use woven, knitted or non-woven? Manufacturing processes - should you use dyeing, printing, mechanical finishing or Chemical finishing? End-use of the fabric. What are you making - jeans, jumper, sportswear or a seatbelt? Maintenance. What are the after care requirements of the product?

Revision task! You will need to log onto the following webpage to test yourselves on your fabric knowledge! Go to: www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/design/textiles Then select the Fabrics test. Test yourselves on these revision tests and see how well you do – this will be the best indicator of your subject knowledge!