SB.9 Textiles Flashcards
Natural fibres from ANIMAL sources: silk
Silkworms spin their cocoon which produces a long single strand of silk, held tg w natural gum. Cocoons are cleaned & softened to remove gum & unravelled into long threads
Natural fibres from ANIMAL sources: wool
Sourced from sheeps, goats, rabbits & camelids. Sheep are shorn to remove their fleece. The wool is then washed. Carding to straighten the naturally curly wool fibres. Spun into suitable mat for weaving or knitting
Natural fibres from PLANT sources: cotton
Cotton plants grown in warm climates. Seedpods from the plant are called bolls. Bolls ripen & burst open to reveal fluffy ball of cotton. Balls are harvested, cleaned & readied for weaving
Natural fibres from PLANT sources: linen
Made from cellulose fibres that grow inside stalks of flax plant. Flax is pulled rather than cut. Left outside to rest & dry, before baling. Fibres are separated from stems to leave pure fibre
MAN-MADE fibres: elastane
Excellent tensile strength, elasticity & shape retention. Lightweight & fast drying
MAN-MADE fibres: polyamide or nylon
Fibres are elastic, tough, abrasion res yet smooth & soft. Easy to wash & dye
MAN-MADE fibres: polyester
Fibres are strong, elastic, good crease res. Polyester spun w other fibres to produce polycotton - lightweight & less likely to wrinkle
Textile: acrylic
Soft, warm, fade res. Can be blended w other finres
Uses: soft toys
Textile: linen
Strong, durable, creases easily
Uses: cloths
Modification of textile properties: flame retardants
Fabrics can be chemically treated to make them more res to fire. Fabrics tested strictly to ensure they are safe for use in home or public. Items sold w ‘fire resistant’ label indicates they meet British Standards
Modification of textile properties: laminated fabrics
Lamination fuses 2 or more layers of fabric tg w heat, adhesives & pressure. Uses: outdoor clothing, rainwear
Common cutting tools: tailor shears
Used to cut fabrics. The long blades help make cutting straight easier/faster
Common cutting tools: pinking shears
Used to cut mat prone to fraying. The zigzag edge can also be used as decorative finish
Common cutting tools: rotary cutting wheel
Cuts accurate lines & curves on multiple layers of fabric
Common cutting tools: embroidery scissors
Small bladed scissors for delicate work & cutting threads
Commercial cutting tools: textile band saw
Fast/efficient method to cut out multiple layers of cloth in one pass
Commercial cutting tools: electric rotary cutting wheel
Speeds up process of cutting textiles
Commercial cutting tools: laser cutter
CAM will drive a laser cutter to cut fabric. Very accurate & fast
See images for what cutting tools look like
Sewing: chain stitch
Chain & looped stitches used for decorative purposes
Sewing: blanket stitch
Used on edges of fabrics to give a durable edge. Helps prevent fluffy strands coming away
Sewing: overlock stitch
Created w a machine called overlocker. Used to create durable edge over two pieces of cloth.
See images for diff types of stitches
Pleating
Adds folds to a fabric to create volume & texture, increase ease of movement & add strength. See images for dresses
Gathering
Sewing technique to manage fullness of a fabric & create shape. Used at waistband or cuffs
Quilting
Process of sewing layers of fabric tg to form thick & warm structure. Made up if decorative top layer, wadding for thickness/warmth & simpler backing material.
Disadv of pleating
Requires additional material which adds weight & cost
Production time
Piping
Forms a trim to define edges of cushions, etc. Formed by folding strip of fabric over a length of piping cord & sewn along edge.
Stock forms of textiles
Rolls of fabric
Ball of yarn
Reels of yarn: usually used for machine production
Modern uses of textiles
Zips: 2 rows of interlocking teeth
Velcro: one side covered w tiny nylon hooks, other w tiny loops
Natural dyes for fabric
Produced from plants, minerals. Produce diverse range of rich & complementary colours. Coloure may vary w each batch, inconsistent
Synthetic dyes for fabric
Produce long lasting, consistent colours. Made from chemical resources, some are toxic
Commercial dyeing
Continuous dyeing: large quantities of fabric on long rolls are machine fed producing large batches of same colour. Cost effective
Batch dyeing: smaller quantity of fabric dyed a specific colour. Enables manufacturers to respond quickly to request for particular colour
Hand dyeing
Resists dyeing: prevents dye from reaching all of cloth. Wax used to resist dye. When fabric is washed to remove wax, undyed area reveals pattern
Tie-dye: twisting, folding fabric & holding in place w string. When cloth is dyed, folds act as barrier resisting dye from reaching all of fabric
Screen printing
Screen is wooden frame w fine mesh fabric across it
Chosen design is set into mesh w a layer of light reactive emulsion, which hardens under light, producing desired stencil
Ink is poured over screen & pressed throught mesh to create design on fabric below
Rotary sceen printing
Allows continuous production. Cylinder used instead of screen, each applying single layer of colour. Ink pumped through cyclinders, and as it rolls along fabric, a squeegee pushes ink out in controlled amounts
Sublimation printing
Inks printed onto sublimation paper
Paper laid on the fabric & heat pressed
Heat turns ink in paper from solid to gas which penetrates the fibres of the fabric
Block printing
Ink dipped blocks made of wood pressed onto fabric. Pattern can be cut into block leaving raised design
Digital printing
Rolls of fabric fed through printer & ink is applied in form of thousands of tiny droplets. Heat & steam used to cure fabric after
Weaving
Interlaces 2 sets of yarn at right angles to form fabric
Finishing process of fabrics
Stain protection: adding stain res is chemical process which prevents liquids from attaching to fabric
Water repellency: silicon based chemicals added to fabrics
Embossing: fabric passed through heated, decorative rollers that will press design into cloth
