Fabric Structure and Design:

Twill weave

By

Md Vaseem Chavhan
Assistant Professor
VIGNAN University
wasim.chavhan@yahoo.com

Introduction to twill
1) Concept:
The most characteristic of twill is that they have diagonal lines on the cloth.

The basic characteristics of twill weaves are :

(i) They form diagonal lines from one selvedge to
another.
(ii) More ends per unit area and picks per unit area
than plain cloth.
(iii) Less binding points than plain cloth
(iv) Better cover than plain weave
(v) More cloth thickness and mass per unit area.

Factors determining the twill

The following factors determine the relative
prominence of twill weaves
(i) Nature of the yarn
(ii) Nature of the weave
(iii) The warp and weft threads/inch, and
(iv) The relative direction of twill and yarn twist

Influence of the twist of the yarn

The twill fabric clearness and prominence of
the twill lines are accentuated if their
direction is opposite to the direction of twist
If, however, the lines of a twill are require to
show indistinct, the twill should run the same
as the direction of twist.

Twill weaves fabrics

Generally 2/1 twill in Jeans, warp or weft face
boot linings, corset i.e fit garment.
Generally 2/2 twill in blanket, sheeting
Generally 3/1 twill in a drill fabric
Generally 2/2 twill, warp face Gabaridin,
rainproof overcoating
Generally 3/1 twill in Denim, close fitting
trousers,skirts etc
etc

Designation of twill
2up, 2down;

2- and 2-,
more convineaintly

2/2

Relative firmness
The intersecting of threads gives the cloth firmness, and the
more frequent the intersections are the firmer the cloth is

Classification of twill weave

The above types of twills are further subclassified as:

(a) Warp face twills
(b) Weft face twills
(c) Warp and weft face twills
The twill weaves are produced in a wide variety of forms. They are however
classified broadly into important categories, namely :
(i) Ordinary or continuous twills
(ii) Zig zag , pointed or wavy twills
(iii) Rearranged twills such as satin/sateen weaves and corkscrew weaves
(iv) Combination twills
(v) Broken twills
(vi) Figured and other related twill weaves

Continuous Twill

Continuous twill
Warp faced twill

Weft faced twill

In these types of twills

the warp thread floats
over all the picks in a
repeat except one pick.
The minimum repeat
size required is 3.

In these weaves the

weft thread floats over
the warp on all picks in a
repeat except one.

2/1, 3/1, 4/1, 5/1

1/2, 1/3, 1/4, 1/5

Balanced & unbalanced twill

In these types of twills

the warp and weft
floats may be equal or
unequal.

2/2, 3/3, 4/4, 5/5

Zig zag , pointed

or
wavy twills

 One of the simplest forms of modified twill is the

waved twill achieved by reversing the direction
of the twill at suitable intervals.

The reversal can occur either upon a warp

end(horizontal wave), or upon a weft pick
(vertical wave).
Horizontal effect economically produced in point
draft using few heals on tappets.

Vertical effect required dobby due to large

number of picks in lifting plan.

How to construct vertical angled twill:

First, the size (repeat) of the angle needs to
be determined.
RO= 2 K O 2
Where KO is the number of warp threads
after which the sign of shift changes.

2. Weave drawn:
(1) Calculating the repeat:
Ro=2Ko-2
Ry=Ryb
(2) Drawing the ends from 1 to Ko
based on the basic twill
(3) Drawing the others based on
the changing sign of shift.

Example: construct the angled twill on

the base twill

31
2 2

3. Weaving plan
Pointed draft is used for the angle twill.

Notes:
Short warp or weft floats should be used so as to
avoid overlong floats when the weave is reversed.
Vertical angled twill weaves are achieved with
point draft.
Horizontal angled twills are achieved with straight
draft.

Herringbone twills

The twill line of herringbone weaves is broken at

predetermined intervals to continue in the opposite
direction (reversal of direction).

Cuts or breaks occur in the fabric where warp floats

are exchanged for weft floats and vice versa.

Clean cuts avoid long floats that can occur in

angled weaves.

Weave drawn

Herringbone weave construction is similar to

angled twill except the repeat calculation.

Example: construct a herringbone weave based

on weave 2 twill , KO = 6.
2

 Owning to principle of opposing, at point of

reversal
A warp lift with weft lift (and vice-versa)
Warp face with weft face in reverse direction

 Herringbone weave sample:

Broken Twill

Broken twill is
formed by a break in
the continuation of
the twill line at
predetermined
intervals.

(lifts) indicates the sequence of the

rearranged ends or picks.

1. Braking and reversing of sequence

C
C1
C2
E2

continuous twill
Half broken
frequent breaking
brak size (3) and actual weave size (8)
Total ends= 24

2. Enter and Skip (or filling and skip)

Most suitable number to skip is one less than half
number of threads in repeat
For 2/2 twill,skip1(4/2 - 1), Fig A,B and C
For 3/3 twill,skip2(6/2 - 1), Fig D and E

 The number of threads in the repeat of

design ascertained by noting position of
weave distant from each other
Fig F Repeat size of final design is as follows
8(repeat of original twill)/1(downward) x
4(outward) = 32

3. Cut and Join

Small mat or cord effects can be made either to cut
with the twill, or to join it in continuation.

Elongated Twill

The angle of twill

The angle of twill is the angle between the diagonal twill line
and an imaginary horizontal line or axis parallel to the weft.
This angle is dependent on the ratio between the ends/inch and picks/inch in
the cloth.
When the warp ends/inch is equal to the weft picks/inch, the twill angle
will be 45.

When the warp ends/inch exceeds the weft picks/inch the twill angle
will be an obtuse angle i.e., >45 (high angle or steep twill).
When the weft picks/inch exceeds the warp ends/inch, the twill angle

will be an acute angle i.e., <45 (low angle or flat twill).

1) The density ratio changes the

fabric appearance. (See Fig.3.14)

See Fig.3.14
1
py

Tan = / p1 = Po/Py
The inclination angle depends on the
density ratio:
Po = Py; tan = 1; =450
PoPy; tan 1; < 450
PoPy; tan 1; > 450
o

2) The shift changes the fabric appearance.

(1) Calculate the repeats,

Where, ROB is basic twill repeats.

(2) Draw the first end according to the formula of the basic twill
(3) Draw the other ends according to the same formula, but with the
changed shift

3.Selecting or Rearranging

4. Adding to base mark

In Forgoing methods may result in loose fabric it is preferred
to construct starting with bas line

In Steep twill, the warp should be as a rule, show more

prominently on the surface than a weft and vice versa in flat
twill.
Considering reverse convention in figure U and W

Combination of twill waves

Placing the warp threads of one weaves

among the threads of the other weave.
C

Fig. 4.8

Here we can see in Fig.4.8, the ends at B in red are

placed among that of A in black, so crepe weave at C is
produced.

Notes: More often the ratios of the basic weave repeats are 1:1, otherwise, the
repeats of the crepe weave are the LCM of PyA & PyB and POA &POB

Different possible weave by changing Position

A=B, c.f 6 (6,6),c.m 6
6 possible weave
with(12 X 6)
J=2I, c.f 4 (8,4), c. m. 8
4 possible weave
with (8 X 16)
,pick wise
O=O, c.f 8, (8,8), c.m 8
But only 4 possible
weave can
Form with (16 X 8)

Combination of flat and Step twills

Large fancy twill from small twills

Q(5),R(4),
c.m 20 (5,4)
Possible weave
with(40 X 40).
Bothway

Thank You!!!