Source : www.suessen.com |
Textile Notes related to fiber, yarn, fabric knowledge, spinning, weaving, processing, projects, knitting, Indian Traditional Textiles and denim manufacturing
Saturday, 25 December 2010
What is Eli Twist Yarn
Thursday, 14 October 2010
Queries from the Readers
I am normally asked questions from readers, the exact answer to which I am unable to provide.
I have decided to post these questions so that you can help, by giving answer in the comments.
Here are two of the questions:
1. Using Fiber Reactive Dyes on Silk:
I am a Silk Artist and work with pure silk (silk habotai). I've used silk paints all this time and now have decided to use dyes instead. However 'Silk Dyes' are not available where I live and therefore I use Fibre Reactive Dyes. Firstly I used Reactive Dyes with Soda Ash according to the cold water method and found out that it takes off the sheen of the silk and also that it is not very practical for the 'painting' (direct application' method). So I followed the instructions given in Paula Brich's website and used reactive dyes as an acid dye by heating with vinegar. The effect is really wonderful and the colours are so vibrant. but the problem is with the wash fastness: colour washes off even after 10 washes. I would very much appreciate if you could shed some light on how I could use fibre reactive dyes as acid dyes on silk effectively. 2. Getting the Exact Blend in Polyester and Cotton I am government supplier so i have to give excat specification fabric as per tender.I have to give Blend 65% Polyester & 35% Cotton or PV Fabric & width 47" Weight 90gram+ per meter. But the problem i am facing is in India mostly 70:30 P/C Yarn is available so i cant supply. So please suggest what i should use in warp & weft(eg:100%cotton warp & weft 80:20 PC)to maintain average blend excat 65:35 P/C or P/V whichever is cost effective at both grey & processing stage. So i just want blend 65:35 P/C or P/V weight 90gram+ as per width 47". Count& rid/pick doesnt matter. So please suggest as soon as possible which is cheapest way. Incidentally it is the 400th Post. I thank you all for the support and encouragement you have provided |
Now that you've finished reading this post, what are you going do? You should go join the Forum.
Wednesday, 29 September 2010
Common Parameters measured in Silk Yarn
Common Parameters measured in a Silk Yarn: An Example
Direction of Twist: S
Average Twists Per Metre: 691.4 Turns
C.V.Twist: 3.09 %
Percentage of Twist Deviation: 1.23 %
C.V.Size: 4.18%
Cleanness: 98.2 Percentage
Neatness: 96.15Percentage
Tenacity: 3.89 Grans/Denier
Elongation: 19.2%
Average Moisture Regain: 10.99%
Grade:***
Circumference of the Swift:*** Inches
Skein Weight: about 500 grams
To know more about these tests you can click here.
General Denier Qualities in Mulberry Silk
14/16,16/18,18/20,20/22
General Norms for Organzine Twist
z800- Z direction Twist, No. of twists per meter-800
s850- s direction twist, No of twists per meter- 850
Now that you've finished reading this post, what are you going do? You should go join the Forum.
Monday, 13 September 2010
Difference between Tabby Silk and Habutai
Both are plain weave Mulberry silk. Tabby silk is lighter weight of 20 grams. whereas Habutai starts from 40 grams silk and become heavier.
Sunday, 12 September 2010
Puff Printing
Watch these Videos on Puff Printing
Here is the industrial version of it:
Now that you've finished reading this post, what are you going do? You should go join the Forum.
Heat Transfer Printing
Watch this amazing video on Heat Transfer Printing
Now that you've finished reading this post, what are you going do? You should go join the Forum.
Water Based Vs. Plastisol Pigment Printing Inks
Saturday, 11 September 2010
What is High Density Printing
What is Glitter Printing
Glitter Printing
Glitter printing enables the fabric to show glittering granules on the fabric. For this Glitter powder is used.
Glitter Powder is generally PET with size of 1/8" to 1/256". It is cut into square and hexagon shape. It is available in metallic, rainbow, laser and iridescent colors. Generally it comes in 25 kg bag. A typical glitter power substance is heat resistant to 170 degree celcius and is acid and alkaline proof. The picture of the glitter powder is as given below:
To Print, first glitter paste is prepared. Glitter powder is added in the Glitter ink, under stirring slowly to avoid lumb formation. Glitter ink is made of acrylic co-polymer. Then it is screen printed using Bull nose squeegee (You can read an excellent manual on squeegee here.) The mesh size should not be more than 20 T (An excellent premier on mesh size can be read here).
One can get an idea of the prices of the chemicals used for glitter printing here.
Source of Picture: http://www.ampmerch.com
Now that you've finished reading this post, what are you going do? You should go join the Forum.
What is Foil Printing
Jala(Jaala) and Adai
Jala and Adai Mechanisms are used in Indian Traditional Saris. They are a close substitute for jacquard machine for weaving intricate designs. Both extra warp and extra weft figuring is possible with these mechanisms.
However there is a basic difference between the two. The following points highlight those. They also talk about some of the distinctive features of Kanchipuram Saris
• In Varanasi Sari, Extra warp and extra weft patterning is done by means of a Jaala, in Kaanchipuram it is done with the help of an adai.
• Separate adai have to be prepared for extra warp border designs, crossborder designs and for body butas. Crossborder is used to refer to the extra weft ornamentation done across the width of the sari to mark the end of its length.
•Solid coloured borders with extra warp patterning and solid colored pallu with extra weft pattern form the distinctive feature of the saris from Kanchipuram. The meaning given to the term solid is that both warp and weft are of the same color. The warp is made of 2 ply 20-2 denier filature silk, weft of 2 ply twisted 2-=2 denier charkha silk, while 3 ply pure gold/metallic yarn/zari is used for extra warp patterning.
•Jaala mechanism leads to more ornamentation that adai mechanism.
Now that you've finished reading this post, what are you going do? You should go join the Forum.
Count and Denier Made Simple
Sunday, 5 September 2010
How to Identify Fekwa ( Fekva), Katrawan and Kardhwan Techniques and Designs
Saturday, 4 September 2010
Chikankari Stitches- Murri, Ghas Patti, Pechni
There is an amazing report on the process of Chikankari done by Ms. Neha Sharma of NIFT Mumbai. I am reproducing the various stitches representing Chikankari. The source is given below.
1. In Chikankari untwisted thread of cotton or tussar is used
2. The process of Embroidery is as follows
a. Cutting
b. Stitching
c. Stitching
d. Printing
e. Embroidering
f. washing
Printing is done with Synthetic Indigo and emulsion of synthetic gum.
There are three types of embroideries
1. Flat Stitches
a. Tepchi
This is a running Stitch
b. Janjira
Chain stitch is used as the outline
c. Khatao
White on White Applique work, gives different opacity
d. Rahet
It is a stem stitch worked with six threads on wrong side of the fabric. Forms a solid line of back stitch on the right side of fabric.
e. Gitti
Mainly blanket stitch with buttonhole stitch is done to create circular pattern in the form of wheel like motif.
f. Turpai and Darzdari
2. Embossed Effect
g. Murri
Oval Shaped French knot
h. Phanda
i. Ghas Patti
3. JAALI
j. Jaali
k. Hool
Fine detached eyelet stitch.
Source: Please click here or get it from here.
Thursday, 2 September 2010
What is Tapestry Weave
Tapestry is the name given to a weave in which two basic principles are found at play:
1. The hiding of the warp with a closely packed weft to secure solid planes of color.
2. Weaving of independent weft each confined to its own area within any given pick.
The places where the two colors junction intermingle, any one of the following methods may be employed:
If the two weft picks interlock each other, it is called interlock.
If the interlocking is on alternate rows it is called single interlock.
If it is practiced on each row it is called double interlock.
If the two weft picks interlock around a common warp without simultaneously interlocking with each other, it falls within the category of dovetail tapestry.
If there is no interlocking at color junction this is called slit tapestry or Kilim.
Now that you've finished reading this post, what are you going do? You should go join the Forum.
More about Silkworms and Silk fiber- Mulberry, Muga, Tasar and Eri
Difference between Throw Shuttle and Fly Shuttle Looms
The throw shuttle is a loom in which the shuttle is thrown across the shed by hand. In a fly shuttle loom, the shuttle is sent across the shed by means of a mechanical picker. This is an improved type of loom, which increased three to four times the production of the weavers. It has all the advantages of the throw shuttle, except for, weaving intricate extra weft patterns.
http://mytextilenotes.blogspot.com
Wednesday, 1 September 2010
Quest for the sparkling white cotton - Home - livemint.com
India’s finest variety, the low-yielding Suvin, has all the right properties, but its production has dropped sharply—from 10,000 bales in 2006-07 to 2,000 bales last year—because of high production costs,
Quest for the sparkling white cotton - Home - livemint.com
On the CIE Index, an international standard for whiteness, Indian cotton fabric achieves a rating of 145; American and Egyptian fabric, by comparison, achieve ratings of 155 and 160, respectively. The gap may not sound massive, experts say, but visually the difference is huge, leading to the lower-rated cloth being rejected as inferior.
Tuesday, 31 August 2010
Some More Notes on Ajrakh
1. True Ajrak or Ajrakh is only worn by men
Image Via Indianetzone.com
2. Ajrak printing can be applied to one side of the cloth called Ekpuri. Bipuri is double sided printing.
3. As these designs conform to Islamic design principles, they must not depict human or animal figures.
4. Saudagiri is the most highly documented genre of block design.
5. Riyal are those designs in Ajrak which are built around circular motifs.
6. True Ajrakh blocks are square, must matchup on all four sides, and also reflect to allow the reverse of the cloth to be printed.
7. Simples form of Ajrak has only one shade of red and blue. To apply additional shades of red, blue, yellow and green is called Meenakari.
You can read a brief description of the Ajrakh process here.
Now that you've finished reading this post, what are you going do? You should go join the Forum.
Monday, 30 August 2010
Difference among Lycra, Spandex and Elastane
"LYCRA® is DuPont's brand of elastane, or spandex. The word "spandex" is used only in the United States while "elastane" is recognized worldwide, so we tend to use the more widely known term."
Difference among Chiffon, Crepe, Crepe-de-Chine, Georgette, Organza,
Crepe/Geogette Yarn
What is 8 kg Georgette
This represents the weight of 100 meters of Georgette. Thus technically it is an 80 gram georgette.
Sunday, 29 August 2010
Some Common Fabrics- Their Buying Specifications
FABRIC
COUNT/COUNSTRUCTIONSIZESCotton Voile78 x 6848"
80 x 7248"
92 x 8048"
92 x 10448"
Cambric
60 x 60 / 92 x 8848"
Canvas
20 x 20 / 100 x 5063"
20 x 16 / 104 x 5063"
30 x 30 / 124 x 6463"
2 / 40 x20 / 112 x 5263"
2 / 40 x 2 / 40 / 92 x 7263"
2 / 40 x 2 / 40 / 108 x 5663"
Corduroy
18 wales38"48"58"
21 wales38"48"58"
24 wales58"
26 wales58"
Cotton Velvet
2 / 40 x 14 Singles48"
2 / 60 x 2 / 6048"
2 / 30 x 1448"
Cotton Flex
2 x 40 x 12 / 56 x 3647"
2 x 40 x 12 / 56 x 4047"
2 x 40 x 12 / 56 x 4847"
2 x 40 x 12 / 56 x 5247"
2 x 40 x 20 / 56 x 3647"
2 x 40 x 20 / 56 x 4047"
2 x 40 x 20 / 56 x 4847"
2 x 40 x 20 / 56 x 5247"
Casement
7 x 7 / 37 x 3763"
2 x 20 / 2 x 2063"
Denim
6 oz
7 oz
8 oz
10 oz
12 oz
Ducks
16 x 8 / 84 x 2859"63"62"72"83"10 x 6 / 76 x 2863"
Drills
10 x 8 / 72 x 4263"
16 x 12 / 108 x 5663"
12 x 10 / 88 x 4664"
2 / 40 x 2 / 20 /112 x 5663"
Lycra Poplin
40 x 40 / 124 x 4861"
40 x 40 / 124 x 5661"
40 x 40 / 124 x 5861"
40 x 40 / 124 x 6461"
40 x 30 / 112 x 5257"
50 x 40 / 140 x 6061"
50 x 60 / 140 x 6061"
50 x 60 / 140 x 5261"
MossCrape
10 Kg50"
12 Kg50"
13 Kg50"
MossRayon
-47"
Moss Satin
50"
Nylon Tafta
50"
PC
45 x 45 / 104 x 7650"63"
45 x 45 / 120 x 7050"63"
45 x 45 / 124 x 6450"63"
45 x 45 / 132 x 7750"63"
24 x 24 / 92 x 506