Introduction Twill weaves are the weaves that find a wide range of application.

They can be constructed in a variety of ways. The main feature of these weaves that distinguishes from other types is the presence of pronounced diagonal lines that run along the width of the fabric. The basic characteristics of twill weaves are:

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

Classification of Twill Weaves The twill weaves are produced in a wide variety of forms. They are however classified broadly into important categories, namely:

Ordinary or continuous twills Zig zag , pointed or wavy twills Rearranged twills such as satin/sateen weaves and corkscrew weaves Combination twills Broken twills Figured and other related twill weaves

The above types of twills are further subclassified as:

Warp face twills

Weft face twills Warp and weft face twills

Continuous Twills Warp Faced Twills 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. Examples of warp faced twills are 2/1, 3/1, 4/1, 5/1 etc.

Weft Faced Twills These twills are the reverse of the previous ones. In these weaves the weft thread floats over the warp on all picks in a repeat except one. Examples of weft faced twills are 1/2, 1/3, 1/4, 1/5 etc. In figure, B, C and D show a right handed or Z twill and Fig. A shows left handed or S twill.

Balanced and Unbalanced Twills In these types of twills the warp and weft floats may be equal or unequal. In other words the twills may be of the reversible or irreversible types. Accordingly they may be known as balanced and unbalanced twills. Examples of balanced twills are 2/2, 3/3, 4/4, 5/5 etc. Examples of unbalanced twills are 2/3, 4/2, 5/3 etc. The 2/2 twill is popularly known as Gaberdene weave. Fig. 4.3 A and B show designs for balanced and unbalanced twills and C and D show the interlacement diagrams of a 4/1 twill and 1/4 twill (warp faced) (weft faced).

Warp and Weft Faced Twills

In these twills the warp and weft floats may be equal or unequal with either the warp floats

predominating the weft floats and vice versa. Some examples of these twills are shown in Fig. 4.4 A, B and C respectively.

The Angle of Twills 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).

Factors Determining the Prominence of Twill Weaves The following factors determine the relative prominence of twill weaves

Nature of the yarn Nature of the weave The warp and weft threads/inch, and The relative direction of twill and yarn twist

Nature of the Yarn The fineness of yarn and the amount of twist given to it influence the prominece of the twill. A coarse yarn of lower twist produces a greater effect on the twill as compared to a fine yarn of higher twist. On the other hand doubled or ply yarns have a stronger effect on the twill as compared to single yarns. Nature of the Weave

Twills with longer floats will give more prominence as compared to those with shorter floats. For example, a 3/1 twill will be more prominent as compared to a 2/2 twill. It is to be noted that an increase in float length has to be balanced by proportionately increasing the corresponding threads/inch. Warp and Weft/inch The twill prominence increases proportionately with the increase in warp and weft threads/inch.

Relative Direction of Twill and Yarn Twist (Twist Twill Interaction) Another important factor that influences the prominence of twill is the direction of twist in the yarn. When the direction of yarn twist is same as the twill direction, the prominence is reduced and when the direction of the the yarn twist is opposite to the twill direction, the prominence of the twill is increased. In other words a Z twill with Z twist yarn or an S twill with S twist yarn shows less prominence. On the other hand a Z twill with S twist yarn or S twill with Z twist yarn gives more prominence.

1.(b) What are the factors which affect the prominence of the twill line in the cloth? The factors which affect the prominence of the twill line in the cloth are (1) The twill line will be more pronounced if the weave has longer floats. (2) Fine yarns or yarns with more twist will give more distinct twill line than coarse or soft yarns.

(3) Fabric with a high construction will show a more distinct twill line. (4) Warp twills in combination with S twist yarn and filling twills in combination with Z twist will produce more pronounced twill lines.

Twill Talk Blackwork moving fast (relatively!) Ss and Zs of Linen Twill Mar 2nd, 2011 by Kathy Today Ill be talking about the twist of the thread and the weave in linen twill. Although more often than not the twist of the thread or the weave isnt information that the manufacturer or seller provides, its interesting and knowledge is always a good thing. Ill be explaining S twist and Z twist both in the fiber and the weave of the twill and showing you some examples of the 3 twill fabrics Im considering using for my screen project. Most natural fibers are spun in either an S twist or a Z twist. The difference between the two is the direction in which the fibers are twisted as the thread is spun: S twist is to the right and Z twist is to the left. For a great article about this see Mary Corbets site here.

Twill fabric is also woven in two different directions: a left handed or S twill (Figure A below) and a right handed or Z twill (Figure B below).

Left hand twill, also known as S twill, is a weave in which the grain line runs from the top-left hand corner of the fabric to the bottom right which is the opposite of right hand twill. Right hand twill, also known as Z twill, can be recognized by the upward direction of the diagonal twill on the face of the fabric as it runs from lower left toward upper right. Right hand twill is known to have a flatter and smoother surface compared to other twill fabrics.

Another important factor that influences the prominence of twill is the direction of twist in the yarn. When the direction of yarn twist is same as the twill direction, the prominence of the twill is reduced and when the direction of the the yarn twist is opposite to the twill direction, the prominence of the twill is increased. In other words a Z twill with Z twist yarn or an S twill with S twist yarn shows less prominence. On the other hand a Z twill with S twist yarn or S twill with Z twist yarn gives more prominence. (From the website www.textileschool.com) On the photos below you can see clearly that all three twill fabrics Im considering are Z twill. What I dont know it (and havent been able to find out!) is which spin of the yarn is used to make the twill, S or Z? Fortunately, thats of academic but not artistic interest. What all this comes down to is which twill will I be using for the screen project? That decision is based on a lot more than S and Z twists and

twill! All three linen twill fabrics Im considering are Z twill. I need to consider texture, color, weight, and cost.

Crewel Work Company Twill front - Z twill The Crewel Work twill has the most pronounced (and evenly woven) diagonal line or twill. The color is a beautiful oatmeal and the weight is quite heavy the heaviest of the three. The cost per 40 x 60 inch piece is 90.

Legacy Linen Twill front - Z twill Legacy Linen twill has the least pronounced twill and is the softest of the three fabrics. The color is a beautiful lovely white. This twill is the lightest in weight and I would need to back it with muslin before stitching. The cost for a 62 x 32 inch piece is 60.

Burford Needlecraft Twill front - Z twill This is the same twill I used on the Phoenix project. The twill is a bit less pronounced than the Crewel Work Company twill. Its not quite as heavy as the Crewel Work Company twill but heavier than the Legacy Linen twill. The color is the same pretty oatmeal color. The cost for a 1 meter x 155 cm piece is 50. One other consideration is the weight of the yarn Ill be using. The Heathway wool Ive chosen is a finer weight wool. Its similar in weight to the Renaissance wool I used for the Phoenix project. That combination of medium weight Burford Needlecraft twill and finer weight wool worked very well on the Phoenix project so Im sure it will work well with the Heathway wool. That said, I love the color of the Legacy Linen twill. The combination of the Heathway wool and the fabric can be seen in the photo on the home page on the Tristan Brooks website. Its just beautiful and I love how the white of the fabric brings out the color in the wool. So Im leaning in that direction for artistic reasons.

The Crewel Work Company twill is used for all of their gorgeous kits and I have one still to finish and another one waiting to be worked. It is perfect for the Appleton wool that is provided but Im not sure how well it would work with the finer weight wool. I also have to consider shipping and possible import duty to Germany from the USA for the Legacy Linen twill. The other two come from the UK so import duty isnt an issue and shipping will be reasonable. Choices, choices, choices! Any thoughts? Advice? Leave a comment and let me know!