Glossary of Silk Fabrics and Weaves
Charmeuse is a lightweight fabric woven with a satin weave, where the warp threads cross over three or more of the backing (weft) threads. The front side of the fabric has a satin finish lustrous and reflective - whereas the back has a dull finish. It can be made of silk, or a synthetic look alike such as polyester. Silk charmeuse is more expensive and delicate, but is softer and a better insulator. Polyester charmeuse is cheaper and can often withstand machine washing, but it doesn't breathe as well as silk. Charmeuse differs from plain satin in that charmeuse is softer and lighter in weight.
The luster and delicate hand make charmeuse suited to lingerie, flowing evening gowns, and drapey blouses. Bridal gowns sometime use charmeuse, however, the fabric does not hold a shape well, so it is not used for full, flared skirts; the charmeuse tends to cling and hang against the body. It is best suited to a more fluid, slinky bias cut, and is too fragile and flimsy for more tailored clothing. It is not used in menswear, with the exception of underwear such as charmeuse boxer
shorts.
It is one of the more challenging fabrics to sew, and not recommended for beginners. The fabric is extremely slippery and difficult to control through the presser foot of a sewing machine. Seams have a tendency to pucker and pull; a smaller stitch length and finer thread can minimize this,
though the experience of the sewer will impact the finished result as well. Charmeuse also tends to leave holes and marks where the fabric was pinned, making the manipulation of pattern pieces
more challenging. For greater ease of sewing, a sizing product such as Sullivan's Spray Fabric Stabilizer can be sprayed on before cutting and washed out after the garment is completed. Charmeuse tore easily, especially when wet, so dry-cleaning is recommended.
Silk Satin weave is one of the three important textile weaves. (The other two are plain and twill weave.) The satin weave is distinguished by its lustrous, or 'silky', appearance. Satin describes the way the threads are combined. The silk satin is characterized by four or more warp yarns
floating over a single weft yarn. This explains the even sheen, as unlike in other weaves, the light reflecting is not scattered as much by the fibres, which have fewer tucks.
Satin weave typically has a glossy surface and a dull back. It is a warp-dominated weaving technique that forms a minimum number of interlacings in a fabric. Some definitions insist that the fabric is made from silk. If a fabric is formed with a satin weave using filament fibres such as silk, nylon, or polyester, the corresponding fabric is termed a satin. If the yarns used are short-staple yarns such as cotton, the fabric formed is considered a sateen.
A satin-woven fabric tends to have a high lustre due to the high number of floats on the fabric. Floats are missed interlacings, where the warp yarn lies on top of the weft yarn, or vice versa. The floats tend to make the fabric look glossier as well as give it a smoother surface.
Many variations can be made of the basic satin weave including a granite weave and a check weave. Satin weaves,,twill weaves, and plain weaves are the three basic types of weaving by which the majority of woven products are formed.
Satin is commonly used in apparel: satin baseball jackets, athletic shorts, women's lingerie, nightgowns, blouses and evening gowns, but also in some men's boxer shorts, shirts and neckties. It is also used in the production of pointe shoes for use in ballet. Other uses include interior
furnishing fabrics, upholstery, and bed sheets.
Origins of silk satin
Satin originated in the Middle Ages as a term for the more lustrous types of the heavy and luxurious silk fabric samite.The name satin came from the Chinese port where Middle-Eastern traders obtained it, Zaitun (now Quanzhou) in Fujian province. betruetextile silk satin is lustrous, shiny and luxuriously drapy and richful in handfeel. Best for all types of garment, especially dress, lingerie, night gown, and other fashion
garments. Elastic satin, with Lycra or spandex in weft, wrapped by silk yarn, is the best of its type with extreme comfort and smoothness.
Crape (Crepe) is a silk, wool, or polyester fabric of a gauzy texture, having a peculiar crisp or crimpy appearance. (The word crape is also used as an Anglicized spelling of Crêpe (pancake) Silk crape is woven of hard spun silk yarn in the gum or natural condition. There are two distinct
varieties of the textile: soft, Canton, or Oriental crape, and hard or crisped crape. Thin crêpe is called crêpe de Chine ("Chinese crêpe") or CDC.
The wavy appearance of Canton crape results from the peculiar manner in which the weft is prepared, the yarn from two bobbins being twisted together in the reverse way. The fabric when woven is smooth and even, having no crape appearance, but when the gum is subsequently
extracted by boiling, it at once becomes soft, and the weft, losing its twist, gives the fabric the waved structure which constitutes its distinguishing feature. Canton crapes are used, either whit or colored, for scarves and shawls, bonnet trimmings, etc.The crisp and elastic structure of hard crape is not produced either in the spinning or in theweaving, but is due to processes through which the gauze passes after it is woven. In 1911, the details of these processes were known to only a few manufacturers, who so jealously guarded their secrets that, in some cases, the different stages in the manufacture were conducted in towns far removed from each other. Commercially they are distinguished as single, double,three-ply and four-ply crapes, according to the nature of the yarn used in their manufacture. They are almost exclusively dyed black and used in mourning dress.
In Great Britain, hard crapes are made at Braintree in Essex, Norwich, Yarmouth, Manchester and Glasgow. The crape formerly made at Norwich was made with a silk warp and worsted weft and is said to have afterwards degenerated into bombazine. A very successful imitation of real crape is
made in Manchester of cotton yarn and sold under the name of Victoria crape.
Betruetextile always use it in scarf production
crepe de chine in 44" and 54".
Habotai and China silk are interchangeable and denote a fine, lightweight silk used for scarves and lightweight, sheer garments. Habotai is a plain weave fabric with a soft sheen. Habotai and China silk make an excellent lining for many fabric types not just other silks. Silk breathes which makes a garment more comfortable and the smooth finish of these fabrics allow garments to slip on and off gracefully. These silks do not add bulk but will add a slight amount of body and weight while remaining soft and fluid.
