Glossary
BEAT
Depending on the context, beat can refer to:
(as a verb): to place the pick in the shed with the beater.
(as a noun): the force applied to the placement of the pick.
(as a noun): the overall density, or how close or far apart the picks are.
Note: “sett” is usually used to refer to the spacing of warp threads, but the spacing of weft threads (BEAT in def. 3) is an integral part in the quality of the cloth.
See sett and friends for a graphic illustration of the relationship between beat and sett.
Squaring the beat: beat such as the ppi matches the epi (same sett for warp and weft).
FLOAT
A float is a thread (in warp or weft) that goes over two or more threads. Plain weave is the only interlacement without any float.
GRIST
A measurement of yarn thickness, given as the ratio of yarn length to weight. A higher grist indicates a thinner yarn.
In imperial units, it is given as yards per pounds (ypp); in metric units, it is given as meters per kilogram (m/kg).
Note that 1 m/kg = 2 ypp (almost exactly).
The same information is sometimes given as the ratio of weight to length (instead of the ratio of length to weight).
INTERLACEMENT
Interlacement refers to the path of warp and weft threads that form the cloth.
PLAIN WEAVE
Plain weave is the interlacement where threads go over one, under one in both warp and weft.
SETT/EPI/PPI
In its narrow meaning (s.s.), sett applies to the spacing of warp threads (ends) and is given in ends per inch (epi) (or ends per centimeter (epc)).
In its broad meaning (s.l.), sett indicates the spacing of threads in weaving, both warp and weft threads. When sett applies to the spacing of weft threads (picks), it is then given in picks per inch (ppi) (or picks per centimeter (ppc)).
See epi vs ppi for a graphic illustration of the relationship between warp and weft spacing.
See sett and friends for a graphic illustration of the various elements that affect sett.
STRAIGHT DRAW
Straight draw refers to a commonly used short hand to indicate threading one thread per shaft in consecutive order.
For example, a straight draw on four is a threading on four shafts, in order 1,2,3,4.
SUPPLEMENTAL WEFT
Supplemental wefts are threads that are usually floating over a background tabby cloth, creating patterned areas of color and texture.
TABBY
Tabby refers to the ground cloth in a structure with supplemental weft (=compound structure), e.g., overshot, summer & winter, etc. It is a plain weave interlacement. Note that the ground cloth in a compound structure does not have to be plain weave.
TWILL
Twill is a family of interlacements characterized by a diagonal rib formed by a regular pattern of floats. It is the stepwise progression of the floats that creates the signature twill line.
WOOLEN/WORSTED
Woolen and worsted refer to the way the wool fibers are prepared for spinning and then spun, and by extension, to the corresponding yarns. In worsted fiber preparation, the fibers are combed before being spun, and are generally parallel and the yarn is denser than a woolen yarn. In woolen fiber preparation, the fibers are carded before spinning and less organized; the yarn is more plump and fluffy than worsted yarn.
In this context, it does not refer to a particular thickness of yarn.
WOVEN STRUCTURE
We distinguish woven structure from interlacement because we see woven structure as a broad term used to describe categories of cloth, while interlacement describes the cloth in more details.
For example, deflected double weave (ddw) is a woven structure made of a grid composed of alternating plain weave and warp and weft floats.