Jacquard Goods.
Regular cloths vary from small patterns on 20 ends and 20 picks to others with 2000 ends and picks in a round, while for exceptional cases these limits are far exceeded. A feature of many jacquard cloths is a figure more or less fanciful on a ground which may be plain, twill, satin or oatmeal weave. Spots and brilliants are examples of this style.
Damasks are extensively made. The true damask weave consists of a design of large extent, woven, we will suppose, with weft predominating in the figure, which may be bound by satin or twill weave. The ground is also in similar weave, but with warp predominating. Thus the cloth is firmly bound at all parts of its surface and is reversible.
The damasks woven in cotton do not always fulfil these conditions, but are in sufficiently similar style to warrant their being classified together. Frequently they are made in light goods of about 60 ends and picks per inch for export to China and other countries, or heavier both in yarn and pick with a finer reed for the home trade. These goods are of great variety of pattern and are generally finished before use, or, as in the case of furniture and curtain damasks, dyed.
Dimity is a cloth of smaller pretensions with regard to figure, which is arranged in stripe form. The cloth is firmly bound, and the figure somewhat raised, which gives it an embossed effect.
Brocades are jacquard cloths of fine yarns, the pattern arranged in weft spot on plain ground, or narrow stripes of spotted figures, which, when well finished, have a charming effect. The brocade is not limited to the longitudinal stripe or figure, but may be arranged as a brocade check, while the ground cloth in either case may be of plain weave. A good effect is also produced by arranging this style in diamond figures by introducing honeycomb diagonally.
Figured canvas gives a pleasing effect when dyed. The figure is woven in plain cloth, and the work between the figures shows the end cramped together alternately with open spaces, so as to give an open effect, on which the figures show to advantage.
Figured gauze cloths are woven by the jacquard. This industry is carried on to a large extent in the cotton districts of Scotland. The harness of the machine is arranged with doup leashes passing under the plain ends to the crossing thread, which is drawn through a mail corresponding to the back stave in heald gauze working. The gauze figures are shown on a plain ground and present the pattern in open work, caused by the peculiar intertwining of the warp ends indicated in a previous chapter.