What You Need To Know About Fabrics

Are you looking for fabrics? There are two main types of fabrics that you can go with: knitted and woven. Knitted fabrics are created when you intertwine loops of fibers around each other. Knitted fabrics are usually soft and stretchy. Excellent examples of outfits made from knitted fabrics are: jumpers, t-shirts and leggings.

Woven fabrics on the other hand are created in the same way as carpets and tapestries and they are woven on a loom. A basic weave consists of two thread sets: warp and weft. The warp thread runs vertically while the weft thread runs horizontally. A major characteristic of woven fabrics is that they are crisp, rigid and only stretch diagonally.

Fibers Used In Making Fabrics

Fabrics are made from different types of fibers. The most common ones are:

Natural fibers: natural fibers are either plant based or animal products. Plant based fibers include: cotton and linen. Animal products include: wool and silk.

Synthetic: synthetic fibers include: nylon, acrylic and polyester. In most cases, synthetic fibers are blended with natural fibers in order to add strength and durability. There are some people who add natural fibers in order to make the fibers wrinkle resistant.

Hybrid fibers: these are fibers that can’t be said to be natural or synthetic. A good example is viscose that is derived from plant cellulose. Since cellulose is processed, it can’t be said to be natural-it also can’t be said to be synthetic. Viscose is an excellent substitute for silk. You can also use it instead of wool, cotton or linen.

Weight Of The Fabric

Weight is very important in fabrics as it determines how suitable they will be for a given outfit. Weight also determines how easy you will be able to work with the fabric in order to make your desired clothing.

Fabrics can be classified as light, medium or heavy in weight. Lightweight fabrics are those made with fine, light fibers. These fabrics usually weigh 1-3 ounces per yard. Great examples include: chiffon, voile and organza.

Medium weight fabrics weigh 4-7 ounces per yard and include: silk, cotton, linen and wool.

Heavyweight fabrics weigh over 7 ounces per yard and their thick nature makes them difficult to penetrate with a needle. Great examples are denim and corduroy.

Conclusion

This is what you need to know about fabrics. When buying the fabrics always ensure that you buy them from a reputable store.