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Biology Topics encompass the study of both prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms.
Describe the Different Ways of Making Fabric From the Fibre
The fabrics are made from fibres in the following two steps :
- Fibres are first converted to yarn by the process of spinning.
- Fabric is made from yarn by the process of weaving or knitting.
We will now describe the process of spinning of yarn and the conversion of yarn into fabric by the process of weaving or knitting in somewhat detail.
1. Making of Yarn From Fibres
Yarn is a kind of long, twisted thread. Yarn is made from fibres by the process of spinning. In the process of spinning, fibres from a mass of cotton (wool or silk, etc.) are drawn out and twisted. This brings the tiny fibres together to form long and twisted thread
called ‘yarn’. Thus, spinning converts fibres into yarn. We can demonstrate the principle of making cotton yarn from cotton fibres as follows : Hold a lump of cotton fibres (rui) in the left hand [see Figure 9(a)]. Now, start pulling out cotton fibres gently with the thumb and forefinger of right hand while twisting the cotton fibres continuously [see Figure (b)], We will get a cotton yarn (though it will not be a fine yarn).
Yarn can be made from fibres by using three devices :
- Hand spindle (Takli),
Spinning wheel (Charkha), and - Spinning machines.
A simple device used for spinning cotton and making yarn is hand spindle (see Figure). The hand spindle is called ‘takli’ in Hindi.
Another hand operated device which is used for spinning cotton and making yam is spinning wheel (see Figure). The spinning wheel is called ‘charkha’ in.Hindi. The use of spinning wheel (charkha) was popularised by the father of our Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, as part of the independence movement of our country. Mahatma Gandhi encouraged people to wear clothes made of home-spun yarn (made on charkha). He discouraged people from using imported cloth made in the mills of Britain. Spinning of yarn (or making of yarn) on a large scale is done by using spinning machines in mills (or factories). The yarn produced by spinning is then used for making fabric (or cloth).
2. Making Fabrics From Yarn
Fabrics are made from ‘yam’ (long threads) by two main processes :
- Weaving, and
- Knitting.
We will now describe both these processes of making fabrics in detail, one by one. Let us start with weaving.
Weaving
The process of making a fabric (or cloth) by arranging yarns (long threads) passing in one direction with other yarns at right angles to them, is called weaving. Thus, weaving involves two sets of yarns (or two sets of threads) arranged at right angles to one another. In other words, two sets of yarn (or threads) are woven to make a fabric. The weaving of yarn to make fabrics is done by using Tooms’ (A device for making fabrics by weaving yarn or threads is called a loom). Loom is called ‘kargha’ in Hindi. There are two types of looms : handlooms and powerlooms. The loom which is worked by hand is called ‘handloom’ (hathkargha) (see Figure).
On the other hand, the loom which works with electric power is called ‘powerloom’ (bijlikargha).
Knitting
We have just learnt that in weaving, two sets of yarn (or threads) are used simultaneously to make a fabric. This is not so in knitting. In knitting, a single yarn (or single thread) is used to make a fabric. The process of making a fabric by interlocking loops of single yarn with knitting needles or machines, is called knitting. Knitting is done by hand (by using knitting needles), and also on machines. The simplest example of making fabrics by knitting is the making of sweaters. A sweater is made by the process of knitting by using a single ‘woollen yarn’ with the help of knitting needles (in our homes) (see Figure) or on machines (in factories).
Many items of our clothing like socks, vests (baniyan), and underwear, etc., are made of machine knitted fabrics. If we pull a yarn (or thread) from a pair of our torn socks, we will find that a single yarn comes out continuously as the fabric of socks unwinds. This shows that knitted fabrics are made of a single yarn running throughout the fabric.
Weaving and knitting are used for making different kinds of fabrics. These fabrics are then used for making various types of clothes, sweaters, shawls, socks, and vests, etc.
History of Clothing Material
These days we wear clothes made of various types of fabrics to cover our bodies. No fabrics (or clothing materials) were available in ancient times. So, in ancient times, people used the bark of trees, big leaves of trees, animal skins and furs, to cover themselves.
When people began to practice agriculture and settled at places near the sources of water (like rivers), they learnt to weave twigs (thin shoots of trees) and grass to make mats and baskets, etc. After that ‘vines’ (very thin stems of climbing plants) and animal fleece (animal hair) such as sheep’s wool, were twisted together to form long strands. These strands were then woven into fabrics.
Ultimately people started growing cotton and flax plants to obtain fibres for making fabrics. These crops were grown near the sources of water like rivers so as to get sufficient water for irrigation. For example, the early Indians grew cotton crop in the regions near river Ganga to obtain cotton fibres for making fabrics. And in ancient Egypt, cotton as well as flax crops were cultivated near the river Nile and their fibres used for making fabrics.
In those days, stitching of fabric or cloth to make clothes (like shirts, pants, etc.) was not known. People just draped the fabrics around different body parts to cover themselves. After the invention of ‘sewing needle’, people started stitching fabrics to make different types of clothes. In the beginning, the clothes used to be hand-stitched but these days sewing machines are used for the quick stitching of clothes. Our shirt, pant (trouser), shorts, kurta, pyjama, and blouse, etc., are all examples of stitched clothes. Though stitching is available everywhere these days but in our country saree, dhoti, lungi and turban are used as unstitched pieces of fabrics even today.