Jacquard Weaving and Designing

by T. F. Bell

Fig. 192

The texture of Moquette carpets is shown in section in [Fig. 192], two varieties of texture being given, one at A, the other at B. In both these textures the pattern shows through on the back of the cloth.

Another variety is given in Fig. 193. A is the section through the weft, B the texture, C D E F shows the interlacing of each of the four warp threads in the pattern with the weft, and G shows the pile. Similar numbers in these figures represent the same threads in the cloth.

Fig. 193

Patent Axminster Carpets.—These were invented by Mr. Jas. Templeton, of Glasgow, about 1839, and are a description of chenille weaving. They do not require to be wrought by a jacquard any more than the other Axminster carpets, but as the figures formed on them are so similar to those produced by the jacquard, and as the method of designing the patterns is the same for both them and other classes of chenille as it is for jacquard work, it may not be considered out of place to give a full description of chenille here.

Chenille is made by a double process of weaving. First the weft or chenille thread is woven, if for a figured pattern in various colours, which corresponds to the printing of the warp in tapestry carpet weaving, which gives a warp figure, whereas chenille gives a weft figure. When the weft is woven in a piece it is cut up into strips and twisted, if for curtains or any fabric on which the chenille weft is to show on both sides; but for carpets, where all the pile is raised to one side, the weft is doubled up, bringing all the pile in one direction. Twisting machines are now in use for making the weft for plain chenille fabrics, but for figured ones it is still woven. If twisted for figured work it would afterwards have to be printed somewhat similar to tapestry carpet warps, but without elongating the pattern, and the uneven surface is a difficulty in the way.

The method of weaving chenille weft is as follows:—A loom fixed for working gauze is supplied with a thinly laid warp, which, according to the class of chenille required, is drawn through the heddles either as plain gauze, two threads working plain with one crossing them, or this doubled, as is shown in [Fig. 194]. The two, three, or six threads of the draft are drawn into one split of the reed, which is finer or coarser to suit the fabric required. For shawls or curtains there would be six to eight full splits of the reed per inch; say in a reed of thirty to forty splits per inch, four splits empty to one full. For carpets there would be two or three full splits per inch; say in a reed of ten to fifteen splits per inch, four empty and one full, coarser or finer to suit the length of pile required.

For plain work this is tied up and woven as gauze, the warp being cotton of a dark colour, and the weft woollen, noil silk, or other fibre if desired; but it should consist of several ends and be of such a nature as will divide easily to form a rich pile. If for figured work, the pattern must be woven in stripes across the piece, which will be explained after the designing.