Decorative weaves: dobby, jacquard, leno, swivel, pile and double weave
Decorative weaves add pattern or texture through special loom attachments or extra yarns: dobby and jacquard make figures, leno makes mesh, swivel makes spots, pile makes loops or tufts.
Dobby, jacquard, leno and swivel
| Weave | How it is made | Look and use |
|---|---|---|
| Dobby | A dobby head controls many harnesses (up to about 24-32) through a pattern chain or computer | Small repeated geometric figures: dots, diamonds, bird's-eye, honeycomb, huckaback towels, dobby shirting |
| Jacquard | A jacquard head lifts each warp yarn on its own, once through punched cards and now by computer; invented by J. M. Jacquard in France in the early 1800s | Large, detailed figures: brocade, damask table linen, tapestry; motifs and borders of many silk saris |
| Leno (gauze) | A doup attachment makes pairs of warp yarns cross over each other between picks, locking the weft | Open yet firm mesh that does not slip: marquisette curtains, mosquito netting, cellular blankets, vegetable sacks |
| Swivel | Extra weft yarns are woven into small spots by tiny shuttles (swivels) above the cloth; each spot is tied in by the weave | Raised dots or small motifs, as in dotted swiss; firmer than clip-spot dots, which can be pulled out |
Pile weave: warp pile and weft pile
Velvet (warp pile, often silk or rayon) and velveteen (weft pile, cotton) are a favourite exam pair. Pile is woven in; a nap is brushed up later as a finish.
Double weaves
| Type | Sets of yarns | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Double-faced cloth | Three: two warps and one weft, or one warp and two wefts; each face looks different | Reversible blankets, double-faced satin ribbon |
| Double weave | Four: two warps and two wefts; the layers interchange to join, forming pockets | Pocket cloth, matelassé |
| Double cloth | Five: two complete cloths joined by a fifth binder yarn; can be cut apart | Heavy coatings, reversible shawls; velvet woven face to face |
Decorative weaving in Indian textiles
- Banarasi brocade: jacquard figures in silk and zari, woven in Varanasi.
- Kanchipuram silk: heavy mulberry silk with contrast zari borders; the border and body are often woven separately and interlocked (korvai).
- Terry towels: Solapur in Maharashtra is a well-known centre.
- Ikat (Pochampally, Patola, Sambalpuri): the pattern comes from yarns resist-dyed before weaving, not from the loom.
- Leno sacks and mosquito nets are common in markets and hospitals.
Terry (warp pile) towels absorb best for kitchen and hospital use because each loop soaks up water. Leno-woven sacks let onions and potatoes breathe in store rooms, and damask (jacquard) is the classic table linen for hotels and banquets.
2 marks: “What is leno weave?” A decorative weave in which pairs of warp yarns cross over each other between picks, locking the weft into an open but firm mesh; e.g. mosquito netting.
5 marks: “Write short notes on dobby and jacquard weaves.” Dobby: many harnesses, small geometric figures, examples. Jacquard: each warp controlled, punched cards or computer, large figures, brocade and damask.
10 marks: “Explain the decorative weaves with suitable examples.” Dobby, jacquard, leno, swivel, pile (warp and weft, velvet, terry, corduroy) and double weaves (double-faced, double weave, double cloth), each with a sketch and examples.
'Do Join Little Sister's Pink Dance': Dobby, Jacquard, Leno, Swivel, Pile, Double.