Plain weave, twill or satin? The weaves explained

Plain weave, twill and satin are the three basic weaves. In plain weave the weft passes over one and under one warp thread, giving a smooth, strong cloth that is identical on both sides. In twill the threads pass over two or more and shift one step per row, so that diagonal lines are formed. In satin the threads float over many others, so that the surface becomes smooth and glossy.

Facts

Warp, weft and weave

All woven cloth consists of two systems of threads. The warp is the long threads, which are stretched on the loom, and the weft is the thread that runs across, row by row. The weave is the pattern that determines where the weft passes over and where under the warp. It decides the cloth’s surface, strength, drape and sheen, long before any colour or print has been added.

There are three basic weaves: plain weave, twill and satin. Almost all woven fabrics are one of them or a variant of them. The diagram further down lets you weave all three and watch the cloth grow, with the warp in blue and the weft in yellow. More weavings can be found under textiles.

Plain weave: over one, under one

Plain weave is the simplest weave. The weft passes over one warp thread and under the next, and the next row the reverse. The threads bind one another as tightly as possible, and the cloth becomes strong, smooth and identical on both sides. Linen cloth, calico and most printed cotton fabrics are plain weave, since the smooth surface takes the print well, as in the copperplate-printed Toile de Jouy.

Plain weave is recognised by the even grid of threads. Hold the cloth against the light: you see small, regular openings between the threads, and no direction dominates. It creases easily, since the threads are tightly locked, and it is common in sheets, shirts and homespun linen.

Twill: the diagonal lines

In twill the threads pass over two or more and shift one step for each row. The binding points then form diagonal lines, called twill lines, across the cloth. Fewer binding points than in plain weave make the cloth softer and denser, and it withstands wear. Denim, gabardine and tweed are twill, and in jeans the twill lines are clearly visible.

Twill is recognised by the slanting lines, which are most visible on the right side. The cloth often looks different on the right and wrong sides: in denim the warp is blue and the weft white, so that the right side is blue and the wrong side pale. Herringbone is a twill in which the direction of the lines changes at regular intervals.

Satin: the sheen and the floats

In satin a thread passes over several others, for example over four and under one, and the binding points are spread so that they do not form lines. The long, loose stretches of thread are called floats. They give a smooth and glossy surface, since the light is reflected by long threads instead of short ones, but they can also snag and wear.

Satin is recognised by the sheen and by the fact that the right and wrong sides look entirely different: glossy at the front and matt at the back. Silk satin, duchesse and lining fabrics are typical examples. The detail drawing further down shows the floats, which are also a sign of pattern-woven cloth.

From weave to pattern: damask and jacquard

When the weaves are combined in the same cloth, patterns arise. Damask, which is explained in the glossary, is a cloth in which the pattern appears because the surface alternates between glossier and matter areas in the same colour, satin against reverse satin. Linen damask has long been used for tablecloths and napkins, and the pattern shows only when the light falls on it.

Intricate patterns for a long time required an extra person at the loom to draw up the threads. The Jacquard loom of the early 19th century controlled the warp threads with punched cards and did so mechanically; the portrait of Jacquard was woven with 24,000 punched cards and looks like a copperplate engraving. The same technique made paisley shawls cheap, and on the back of such fabrics long floats are often visible.

What to look for: three tests on a fabric

First look at the direction. If you see an even grid it is probably plain weave, if you see diagonal lines it is twill, and if you see a smooth, glossy surface without clear structure it is satin. Then compare the right side with the wrong side: plain weave is identical on both sides, twill and satin seldom are. Finally take a magnifying glass and follow a single thread: count how many threads it passes over before it passes under.

Pictorial weaves work differently. In a tapestry and in flatweaves such as rölakan the weft covers the warp completely and forms the picture itself; the weave is basically plain weave, but the warp is not visible. Clothes and fabrics in use can be found under fashion.

How to recognise it

Exercise

A fabric has distinct diagonal lines on the right side and looks paler on the wrong side. Which weave is it probably?