986 



TEXTILE. FABRICS 



Fig. 1970 represents a section of another species of twisted cloth, which is known 

 by the name of 'catgut,' and which differs from the gauze only, by being subjected to 

 a greater degree of twino in weaving; for, in place of one revolution between each 

 intersection, a revolution and a half are always given ; and thus the warp is alternately 

 above and below, as in other kinds of weaving. 



Fig. 1971 is a superficial representation of the most simple kind of ornamental 

 network produced in the loom. It is called a whip-net by weavers, who use the term 

 whip ' for any substance interwoven in cloth for ornamental purposes, when it irs dis- 

 tinct from the ground of the 



1970 fabric. In this the difference 



is merely in the crossing of the 

 warp ; for it is very evident 

 that the crossings at 1, 2, 3, 4, 

 and 5, are of different threads 

 from those at 6, 7, 8, and 9. 



Fig, 1972 represents, super- 

 ficially, what is called the 

 'mail-net,' and is merely a com- 

 bination of common gauze and 

 the whip-net in the same 

 fabric. The gauze here being 

 in the same direction as the 

 dotted line in the former 

 figure, the whole fabric is evi- 

 dently a continued succession 

 of right-angle triangles, of 

 which the woof forms the basis, the gauze part the perpendiculars, and the whip 

 parts the hypothenuses. The contraction here being very different, it is necessary 

 that the gauze and whip parts should be stretched upon separate beams. 



In order to design ornamental figures upon cloths, the lines which are drawn from 

 the top to the bottom of the paper may be supposed to represent the warp ; and those 

 drawn across, the woof of the web ; any number of threads being supposed to be 

 included between every two lines. The paper thus forms a double scale, by which, in 

 the first instance, the size and form of the pattern may be determined with great pre- 

 cision; and the whole subsequent operations of the weaver regulated, both in mount- 

 ing and working his loom. To enable the projector of a new pattern to judge 

 properly of its effects, when transferred from the paper to the cloth, it will be essen- 

 tially necessary that he should bear constantly in his view the comparative scale of 

 magnitude which the design will bear in each, regulating his ideas always by square 

 or superficial measurement. Thus, in the large design, Jig. 1973, representing a bird 

 perched upon the branch of a tree, it will be proper, in the first place to count the 



1973 





number of spaces from the point of the bill to the extremity of the tail ; and to 

 render this the more easy, it is to be observed that every tenth line is drawn con- 

 siderably bolder than the others. This number in the design is 135 spaces. Counting 

 again, from the stem of the branch to the upper part of the bird's head, ho will find 

 76 spaces. Between these spaces, therefore, the whole superficial measure of the 

 pattern is contained. By the measure of the paper, this may bo easily tried witli a 

 pair of compasses, and will be found to bo nearly Q-j^ inches in length by 3^ inches 

 in breadth. Now, if this is to be woven in a reed containing 800 intervals in 37 

 inches, and if every interval contains five threads, supposed to be contained between 

 every two parallel lines, the length will be 6'24 inches, and the breadth 3'52 inches 



