Pile (textile)

“ But if a knife is longer than the breadth of a fabric it receives only a slight lateral movement, and must be periodically removed for sharpening. In plain and printed goods healds control all the warps; but in figured goods, other than those made from printed warps, a Jacquard is needed to lift, and a creel to hold, the pile threads.
Single Pile Looms.—The chief feature which renders most single pile looms dissimilar from others is the mechanism by which wires are woven upon, and withdrawn automatically from, a ground texture. Wires are of two kinds, namely, without and with knives ”

“ The fast pile cannot be so withdrawn, as one of the warp threads passes in each of the two surface depressions as well as under the centre bend of the W, thus firmly binding it to the cloth. All other conditions being equal, a fast-pile material would be the better and more expensive of the two, and for upholstery or where there is much wear the "fast" pile is essential. Pile-weave materials are shipped on iron frames of about 60 yards, the material being hooked on to the frame by the selvedge so as to prevent the crushing of the pile. ”

“ Weft.—When the word "weft" is used in connexion with weaving or woven fabrics, it always signifies the filling threads, each of which is also called a "pick." Weft threads run across the width of the fabric.
Weft Pile.—Weft pile can be recognised by withdrawing from the fabric under examination a few "picks," or weft threads. If the material is a weft-pile weave, then it will be seen that the loose bits of "cut pile" are not entangled or looped round or adhering to the weft thread that has been drawn out, but that they remain entangled among the warp threads. ”

“ The fibres or points of the thread of weft project through the warp, and a pile fabric is produced which should entirely conceal the warp on both sides of the cloth. For carpets the pile is, as a rule, only allowed to project on one side, though some rugs are made with a twisted chenille weft, and the colours on it are shown partly through the backing as the fibres of the thread get mixed up with the ground or backing in weaving, but usually all the pile projects through to the face. ”

“ In all materials with a nap or pile the material takes the light one way with the pile running down, and another way with the pile running up, so that if all parts of the garment were not cut with the pile running the same way the garment would look as though it were made from two shades of the same material.
In kimono sleeve garments that are cut without a seam on the shoulder or in one piece it is impossible to have the nap or pile run the same way at the front and back. Get the best effect possible at the front, the back is less noticeable. ”

“ A thick end can be crossed round a pair of ends weaving leno, as in Fig. 355. It is necessary to bring the end from the back stave round the doup B before crossing under the pair of leno ends, as this would make the crossing easier.
Weft Pile Fabrics, Velvets, and Corduroys.—Practically all cotton velvets are woven on the weft pile principle. The intricate nature of the loom required for weaving warp cut-pile prevents its adoption for cotton pile fabrics. There is no doubt that a warp pile woven over wires is superior to any weft pile fabric, all the pile being perfectly even. ”

“ The Caucasians and Kurds, as a rule, leave a long pile, while the Turkomans and Persians clip theirs quite short. Close trimming brings out more minutely the color variations. The number of knots to the square inch is determined by the closeness of the warp threads and the number of weft threads thrown across after each row, also by the thickness of these threads. The tighter and closer the knots are tied the more perpendicular the pile and more durable the fabric. ”

“ After leaving the loom all threads A are cut by pushing a knife lengthwise between the plain cloth and the pile. As each pick is severed both pieces rise vertically and the fibres open out as at B. Since the pile threads are from two to six times as numerous as those of the ground, and rise from an immense number of places, a uniform brush-like surface is formed. Raised figures are produced by carrying the threads A beneath the ground cloth, where no figure is required, so that the knife shall only cut those portions of the pile weft that remain on the surface. ”

“ Weft, generally wool, but often cotton. In some pieces a thread of weft of medium diameter crosses twice between every two rows of knots; not infrequently it crosses both twice and three times in the same piece; rarely a thread of coarse diameter crosses only once. Pile, wool of medium length. Border, three stripes. Sides, a double selvage of two or three cords, or occasionally a double overcasting. Both ends have a web, frequently a knotted selvage, and a warp fringe. Texture, moderately loose. Weave at back is of medium grain. ”

“ The ground picks (plain) are put on in circles. A large number of picks per inch are required; in a common make about 260 picks per inch of 60’s weft are used, and about 74 warp threads per inch, the counts of warp being usually 2-70’s.
FIG. 358.
If there are 260 picks per inch, and one pick out of every four belongs to the plain ground fabric or “back,” as it is sometimes called, there will be sixty-five picks per inch in the plain, and the pile weft is “extra” material forming grooves for the cutter’s knife on the face of the cloth. ”

“ This style of [262] working is very suitable for quiltings, toilet covers, &c. Fig. 172 is a portion of a pattern for weaving in this way. The black squares represent the pile-warp raised to form loops, and the round dots are also pile-warp raised, but only for binding when the loops are being formed at the other side of the cloth. The shaded squares show the ground warp raised to form the body texture. This cloth has about 60 threads of warp per inch, and the same or a little more weft. ”

“ After calendering, the paper is cut to sizes required, this being done in the same manner all rolled paper is cut into sheets, except that if three or four rolls are run through the cutter at once—as is frequently the case to facilitate rapid cutting—a device is used that causes the sheets from each roll to fall in separate piles, so that all of the sheets in each pile will be from one roll, insuring uniformity. ”

“ Velvet is very troublesome to work upon, the pile preventing any delicate embroidery being done directly upon it, hence the prevalence of gold cords and appliqué work on canvas or linen, on which of course the embroidery may be executed as delicately as may be desired. ”

“ A pile may be tested for squareness by jogging it in the cutter table against both the back gage and the side gage, if the machine gages are themselves in perfect adjustment. If it is difficult to see whether the sides of the pile are close against the gages at all points, narrow strips of paper put between the pile and gages will show whether the pile touches the gages uniformly. ”

“ When the pile is high enough it is lifted to the pressing rolls by a man who feeds it between the rollers, where great pressure is given, and the pile automatically returns to the front of the machine, and it is turned and placed for pressing the other way of the sheet. From two to a dozen pressings will be given according to the degree of finish required, and also to the hardness of the material. ”

“ The success of the finish of every garment depends upon the pressing, whether the material be heavy or light, cotton or wool. Garments are always pressed on the wrong side, when being made. The iron used should neither be too hot nor too heavy and the work should be done on a perfectly smooth, well-covered board. For pressing black or dark cloth, the cover of the board should be dark and free from lint, while a perfectly clean light cover should be substituted when white or light goods are to be pressed. ”

“ Plate rolling necessitates building a pile of paper, alternated with zinc plates a little larger than the paper, unbuilding and building of piles proceeding simultaneously as in the case of taking out set-off sheets and interleaving newly printed work. ”

“ The loose threads existing between the figures when the goods leave the loom are usually cut away, leaving a somewhat imperfect figure or spot with a bit of the figuring thread protruding at either extreme edge of the figure or spot. Lappet-figured fabrics are not Brocades.
Lastings.—A plain twill or kindred weave fabric firmly woven from hard-twisted wool or cotton yarns. Smooth in appearance but having a somewhat hard handle, Lasting is a fine, durable, generally piece-dyed, material, of which there are several varieties, such as the Printed and the Figured. ”

“ When a book is to be bound, the pile of sheets which form it is made even at the back, and a saw, working by steam, cuts shallow grooves across the back, for the twine over which the sewing is done. Two girls are pictured sewing at their frames,—passing the needle through the fold of the sheet and round the upright twine, adding one sheet at a time to the pile, until the entire book is sewed. ”

“ In taping the warps on the beams, it is customary in some mills to run the threads over a small steel flanged pulley about one and one-half inches wide, which will keep each thread in its proper position and make the tape absolutely straight and flat as it leads to the beam. A perfect fabric is largely dependent upon how well the warps have been made, but it must not be forgotten that a good warp may be spoiled by a poor beam. ”

“ Thus it may be taken as an axiom that, for the proper working of an embroidered book, except it be tapestry-stitch or tent-stitch, on canvas, which is flat and strong of itself, there should invariably be a liberal use of metal threads, these being not only very decorative in themselves, but also providing a valuable protection to the more delicate needlework at a lower level, and to the material of the ground itself. ”

“ I have already shown that embroidered designs, although not from necessity confined to geometric outlines, tend to take a purely geometric character from the fabric upon which they are executed, as well as from the mechanical processes of stitching. This is well shown in Fig. 348, a fine specimen given by Wiener in his work Pérou et Bolive.
Fig. 348. Embroidery upon a cotton net in which the textile combinations are followed step by step. Ancient Peruvian work.ToList
A life form worked upon a net does not differ essentially from the same subject woven in with the web and woof. ”

“ Then the whole of the outline is couched over the edges of the work covering the little border of linen left for this purpose on cutting it out of the frame. Two, three, or even four full thicknesses of filoselle, four or more of ‘Stout Floss,’ or of gold thread, make an excellent outline for gold and silk embroidery, according to the coarseness or fineness of the work; for appliqué different coloured cords are useful, and for most work gold thread or brown filoselle would be safe. The couching stitches should be placed fairly close together, and should be done with strong silken thread. ”

“ It is made in such a way that a noose is formed, which tightens as the yarn is pulled. Occasionally it is turned in the opposite direction, and executed from left to right. In this case two threads of yarn are employed, this of course making the pile twice as thick as in the other.
The Turkish or Ghiordes knot has the yarn twisted about the warp threads in such a manner that the two raised ends of the pile alternate with every two threads of the warp. ”

“ A strip of net footing pinned and sewn to paper, with reels of fine linen thread and threaded needle attached, is shown in the accompanying illustration just as it was left by the deft and industrious hands that have been folded for a century in the dust. The pattern and stitches in this design are simple; the design was first pricked in outline with a pin, [270] then worked in. Other stitches and patterns, none of them the most elaborate and difficult, are shown in the infant's cap and collars, and the strips of lace and "modesty-piece." ”

“ A useful present for a gentleman is a pipe rack. It is made of a piece of linen lined with some brightly colored silk, and suspended from the wall by three ribbon loops. At the top outline two interlaced pipes, and below, quite in the centre, fasten on a hand of some stiff material, divided into compartments hy rows of strong stitching.
To protect a handsome sofa pillow, a charming and serviceable cover can be made of a square of linen, edged with lace, and bordered below the bem with a drawn work design. Divide the centre into smaller squares by bands of drawn work. ”

“ Fig. 2 is a textile lining, which we propose usually to make (although there is nothing arbitrary about the form, as other forms may be used) in the form of a cylindrical bag or sack, the diameter of which, when filled, is to be such as will permit of its fitting snugly within the can. A is the metallic can; a, its lid or cover. B is the bag or sack, constructed of cotton, muslin, or any other suitable textile fabric. ”

“ When the pile of felts and paper is sufficiently high, it is transferred to a hydraulic press, and considerable pressure is applied in order to remove as much water as possible by squeezing, and, more important, to couch or press the fibres together and to close the sheets. The pile is removed, the felts taken out, the pile of paper given further pressing, and for some papers the paper is turned, rebuilt, and pressed again, to improve the closeness of the sheets. ”

“ The form of the stitch, occupying a square space, would enable the worker to make out patterns on squared paper; chair seats and cushions could be worked very satisfactorily in geometrical designs.
Baskets and bags, worked on canvas in wools, cottons and raffia, can be very useful; the canvas should always be worked with a thread which fills the mesh. For fine embroidery it is often better to work it in a frame, particularly for fine cross stitch or petit point, or when worked over two plies of cloth—the frame prevents the under cloth from puckering. ”