Advantages of Twill weave fabrics

Because of its diagonal structure, twill is flexible, though it is heavy and generally drapes well. It is considered as a strong and durable weave.

Stains on twill weave fabrics are less noticeable. Also, they crease less than plain weave fabrics. Twill fabric is more durable and pliable than plain weave or satin weave fabrics.

Because of their versatility and durability, twill fabrics are used for a lot of purposes – for general and work clothing, upholstery, bed and bath linen.

Weave Sample: 2/1 Twill

Posted on April 15, 2014 by cate

In twill weaves, the weft is staggered to the right or the left, creating a diagonal effect. In 2/1 twill the weft goes under two warp threads, then over one, creating a warp-faced twill.

Weaving Draft

When and where can this textile be found?

• 1st – 4th century Western Roman Empire in wool [12].
• 1st – 4th century Eastern Mediterranean (Roman Empire) [13]
• Mid-late 3rd century (Roman Era) Spain [11].
• 1st century to mid-3rd century (Roman Era) Egypt (in wool?) [4]
• 2nd century (Roman Era) Czech Republic [7].
• British textiles of the 5th through 7th century (though rare)
• 10th – 12th century Ireland in wool [19].
• Mid-late 10th century England in a plant fibre (linen?) [1].
• Late 10th century England in wool [20].
• 11th century Lithuania [6].
• 11th-13th century Ireland in wool [18].
• 11th – 14th century England in wool [2].
• 11th – 14th century Norway [5].
• Late 11th – 12th century in England in goat hair [20].
• Mid-12th century in Pomerania in wool [21].
• 12th century Norway in wool [17].
• 12th – 13th century England in wool [1].
• 12th – mid-14th century Sweden [10].
• Late 13th century Finland in wool [3].
• 14th century Norway in wool [8].
• 14th century Denmark in wool [9].
• Mid-14th century Scotland in wool [16].
• First half of the 16 century Netherlands in wool [14].
• Late 16th century Netherlands in silk warp/wool weft (weft-faced 1/2 twill) [14].
• Occasionally in 16th century England
• Late 16th century Ireland (Dublin) in half-silk (silk/wool or silk/linen) [15].

[1] Textiles, Cordage and Raw Fibre from 16–22 Coppergate by Penelope Walton Rogers
[2] Dress, dress accessories and personal ornament Textile and yarn by Penelope Walton Rogers (in Craft, Industry and Everyday Life: Finds from Medieval York)
[3] Finnish shipwreck textiles from the 13th–18th centuries AD by Krista Vajanto
[4] Team Work on Roman Textiles: The Mons Claudianus Textile Project by Lise Bender Jørgensen (in Purpureae Vestes)
[5] Medieval Textiles from Trondheim: An Analysis of Function by Ruth Iren Oien (in NESAT X)
[6] Textiles from the 3rd- 12th century AD Cremation Graves Found in Lithuania by Elvyra Peceliunaite-Bažiene (in NESAT X)
[7] Textile Remains on a Roman Bronze Vessel from Repov (Czech Republic) by Kristyna Urbanova and Helena Brezinova (in NESAT X)
[8] Medieval Clothing in Uvdal, Norway by Marianne Vedeler (in NESAT IX)
[9] A heap of forgotten textiles from the 14th century Danish fortress, Boringholm by Maj Ringgaard and Else Østergård (in NESAT IX)
[10] Textile appearance and visual impression – Craft knowledge applied to archaeological textiles by Lena Hammarlund, Kathrine Vestergaard Pedersen (in NESAT IX)
[11] Late Roman Textiles in the North of Spain (“Las Ermitas”, Vitoria) by Carmen Alfaro Giner (in NESAT VIII)
[12] The Romans in the West, 600 BC – AD 400 by John Peter Wild (in The Cambridge History of Western Textiles)
[13] The Eastern Mediterranean, 323 BC – AD 350 by John Peter Wild (in The Cambridge History of Western Textiles)
[14] Sixteenth-Century Textiles from Two Sites in Groningen, The Netherlands by Hanna Zimmerman (in NESAT VII)
[15] ‘The Apparel oft Proclaims the Man’: Late Sixteenth- and Early Seventeenth-Century Textiles from Bridge Street Upper, Dublin by Elizabeth Wincott Beckett (in NESAT VII)
[16] Early Textiles Found In Scotland by Audrey S. Henshall
[17] 12th Century Twills from Bergen, Norway by Ellen Schjølberg (in NESAT VI)
[18] Medieval Textiles from Waterford City by Elizabeth Wincott Heckett (in NESAT V)
[19] Aspects of the wool textiles from Viking Age Dublin by Frances Pritchard (in NESAT IV)
[20] Late Saxon Textiles from the City of London by Frances Pritchard
[21] Fabrics in Medieval Dress in Pomerania by Ann Rybarczyk

The 3 Basic Weave Structures

So I am not going to go over EVERY weave structure, but I am going to go over the basic three that every weaver should know!

These structures can actually play a big part in creating the basis for other weave structures that you will come across.

The basic three weave structures are plain weave, twill, and satin.

First, though, what do I mean by weaving structure?

The weaving structure is determined by how the warp and weft interact with each other. These different structures determine a lot of different aspects of the fabric including: how well it drapes, it’s strength, and the way it reflects light.

Beyond these main three patterns are many others that are built off of them. Think overshot, double weave, woven pile, manipulated laces and more.

Posts Tagged With: weave structure sample book

Usually referred to as samite (or sometimes samitum).

In this sample I tested several styles of samite. From the bottom up, we have:

• Plain (unfigured) samite
• Duochrome figured samite (1-2-2-1 weft order)
• Duochrome figured samite (1-2-1-2 weft order)
• Monochrome figured samite (1-2-2-1 weft order)
• Monochrome figured samite (1-2-1-2 weft order)

Weft-Faced Compound Twill

When and where can this textile be found?

• Roman-Era Egypt (1st century to mid-3rd century) in wool [1].
• 9th – early 10th century Pomerania in silk [3].
• Late 9th – 10th century England in silk [2].

[1] Taqueté and Damask from Mons Claudianus: A Discussion of Roman Looms for Patterned Textiles by Martin Ciszuk (in Purpureae Vestes)
[2] Late Saxon Textiles from the City of London by Frances Pritchard
[3] Fabrics in Medieval Dress in Pomerania by Ann Rybarczyk