Warp and weft

This article is about weaving. For other uses, see warp and weft (disambiguation).
"Weft" redirects here. For other uses, see Weft (disambiguation).
Warp and weft in plain weaving. See weaving for other weave pattens, such as twill.
Ghiordes knot
Senneh knot
The yellow yarn is the pile, the vertical the warp, and the horizontal the weft

In the manufacture of cloth, warp and weft are the two basic components in weaving to transform thread and yarn into textile fabrics. The vertical warp yarns are held stationary in tension on a loom (frame) while the horizontal weft (also called the woof) is drawn through (inserted over and under) the warp thread.[1] In the terminology of weaving, each warp thread is called a warp end (synonymous terms are fill yarn and filling yarn); a pick is a single weft thread that crosses the warp thread.[2][3]

In the 18th century, the Industrial Revolution facilitated the industrialisation of the production of textile fabrics with the "picking stick"[4] and the "flying shuttle", which was invented by John Kay, in 1733. The mechanised power loom was patented by Edmund Cartwright in 1785, which allowed sixty picks per minute.[4]

  1. ^ "Weft". The George Washington University Museum and The Textile Museum. Washington, DC: George Washington University. Archived from the original on 2017-08-10. Retrieved 2017-08-10.
  2. ^ Burnham (1980), pp. 170, 179
  3. ^ Barber (1991), p. 79.
  4. ^ a b Aspin, Chris (1981). The Cotton Industry. Shire Library. p. 20. ISBN 978-0-85263-545-2.