Ask Madelyn: Difference Between Turned Drafts and Turned Twill

Thanks, Madelyn, for answering my question "What is a turned draft?" But now I'm confused about the weave structure called turned twill. It has nothing to do with turning a draft, right?
Thanks,
Linda

Hi Linda!

We do have some really confusing terms in the weaving world. They come from hither and yon and are hard to change since we have become used to them. I'm sure the origin of the name "turned twill" does come from the concept of turning a draft, even though it is not itself a "turned" draft. Turned twill is a block weave in which the pattern/background interlacements are 1/3 twill vs 3/1 twill. (We really should be calling this weave structure "4-end twill block weave" or similar. As usual, calling a weave structure what it really should be called takes too many words.)

Examine the turned-twill draft shown here. Block A weaves 1/3 twill, Block B weaves 3/1 twill and then the reverse. Notice that if you rotate one of those two interlacements (1/3 or 3/1 twill) 90 degrees, essentially "turning" it, it becomes the other interlacement. Hence the name "turned twill."

—Madelyn

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