Weave techniques every designer should know
Plain, twill, satin, dobby, jacquard, leno and pile: how each weave looks, behaves and is used.
The way yarns interlace decides how a fabric looks, feels and wears. Eight weaves cover most of what designers use.
The three basics
- Plain: one over, one under. Strong, matte, crisp.
- Twill: diagonal lines. Durable and drapey.
- Satin: long floats. Smooth and lustrous.
Patterned weaves
- Dobby: small woven geometrics.
- Jacquard: large, complex motifs, including brocade.
- Leno: twisted warps for open mesh.
Surface weaves
- Pile: loops or cut tufts: velvet, corduroy, terry.
- Seersucker: tension differences create puckered stripes.
See all weaves illustrated in the Forecut fabric library.
