The Fabric Characteristic Scale

For Pattern Cutting

The term ‘characteristic’ is used because it is a descriptive term. In many textile books the words ‘characteristic’ and ‘property’ are used as if they can be interchanged. The latter should be used to relate to fundamental chemical or biological property and in the context of broad design and garment shape decisions, the term characteristic is far more useful.

The pattern cutting method or block chosen for the development of a style should start with an analysis of the fabric. When the selection of fabrics was limited and style conventions influenced design, methods of cut were predictable. The increased availability of wide and different fabric ranges during the last decade requires a new approach. The five principal fabric characteristics, which should be assessed before deciding the method or choice of pattern block for pattern construction, are weight, thickness, shear, drape and stretch. They are assessed across a five point scale, 1 2 3 5.

WEIGHT LIGHT-WEIGHT 1… 5 HEAVY-WEIGHT

THICKNESS (visual) THIN 1… 5 THICK

SHEAR HIGH-SHEAR 1.... 5 LOW-SHEAR

DRAPE (visual) HIGH-DRAPE 1… 5 LOW-DRAPE

STRETCH HIGH-STRETCH 1… 5 LOW-STRETCH

Note that two are judge as a visual characteristic and therefore could be termed a ‘visual measurement’. These terms are explained in the next section.

It is not argued that this method should replace or compete with other forms of technological measurement; instead, it is a different way of approaching the problems of translating 3D forms from 2D pattern templates.

Whilst it is recognized that other characteristics will play some part and would give subtle variations to the stark divisions offered, strength, smoothness (friction) and compression are secondary considerations. The weave structure (open or closed) should be examined. Open weave fabrics are often associated with shear, but some of them buckle, and many of the very closely woven micro-fiber fabrics can have shear characteristics.

The Five – Point Fabric Scale

The analysis in this book is made using only the fabric swatch piece (most fabric swatch pieces are on cards about A4 in size). This means that a square of 20cm can be cut from the swatch. The sample swatch may be all that is available to a designer before purchasing a sample length.

Each fabric illustrated in the book will have a reference number attached for each characteristic. High numbers represent heavy, thick, low-shear, low-drape and low-stretch fabrics. Low numbers represent light, thin, high-shear, high-drape and high-stretch. Fabrics are quite likely to have a mix of characteristics; for example, voile 1-1-1-3-4 is light-weight, thin, medium-shear, medium-drape and medium-low –stretch. If one begins to assess fabrics in this manner, in quite a short time one can quickly and intuitively code a fabric for comparison. This helps the process of visualizing its capability to create certain shapes and to make comparison with other fabrics.

Because the fabrics were so diverse, (the scale would have been distorted if any statistical procedure had been imposed) the divisions between the categories 1-5 have had to be taken across an even spread across the majority of the fabrics. Extremely thick fabrics were not allowed to distort the group. It is possible for others to disagree with my divisions and devise their own. This is not a mathematical scheme to be imposed but a method that could be used across the whole range of fabrics or adapted for a particular fabric group. Within narrow fabric groupings the use of a statistical method (centiles) could be practical, and agreement of the category divisions could then be made

Throughout the book, there are no rules which dictate which fabrics should be used for particular blocks or pattern shapes, but visual examples are given which demonstrate what is likely to happen when they are realized in fabrics with different characteristics.

Special Note 1. The scale is a comparison across all fabrics and is not a comparison within a particular fabric group (e.g. shirting’s).

Special Note 2. The order of the fabric characteristics is set for appreciation for pattern cutting. However, if only one 20 cm square fabric sample is available, the least distortion to the fabric will occur if the tests are made in the following order: drape, thickness, weight, shear, stretch.

Weight

Weight of fabric is important: large amounts of heavy fabric can be uncomfortable to wear, but weight in a fabric will help to make graceful vertical folds and will ‘swing’ dramatically. There has been a general movement to lighter weight cloths, but some manufacturers are finding resistance where customers attach weight to fabric quality, especially in wool fabrics. Often it is the reverse: lighter wool fabrics are often made from higher grade fibers or yarns and can be more difficult to weave. Light fabrics with low-drape and low-shear (example cotton organdy) often give sharp crisp outlines but often crumple in use. This feature has been enhanced by many of the crinkle finishes available. Light fabrics with high levels of drape and stretch (example single jersey) give wonderful body fitting and drape lines. Compact closely woven medium weight fabrics with high-drape and medium-high-shear are excellent for crossway (bias) cutting (for example crepes or some micro-fibre fabrics).

Weight information is usually recorded by the square metre and to nearest gram. Some fabric ranges give 5 gram intervals. Very accurate scales are available for more rigorous tests (for example BSI, EN and ISO Standards) but an accurate scale that registers to 0.1 gm is adequate when calculating from a 20 cm square for this broad categorization. In most cases the weight will be listed on the fabric swatch or is available from the manufacturer.

Many European manufacturers list the weight per running meter. To convert grams per metre length to grams per meter square, divide the weight by the fabric width and multiply by 100. Some UK manufacturers show the weight in ounces. To convert oz weight to grams, multiply the oz weight by 33.91. If the weight is not listed weight a 20 cm square piece of fabric-then multiply the weight by 25.