Weft
Encyclopedia
In weaving
, weft or woof is the yarn
which is drawn through the warp
yarns to create cloth
. In North America
, it is sometimes referred to as the "fill" or the "filling yarn".
Because the weft does not have to be stretched on a loom
in the way that the warp is, it can generally be less strong.
word wefan, to weave.
for the underlying structure on which something is built.
, the weft is referred to as "baana", which is derived from another Hindi word "bun na" or "bunai" which means making with threads or strings, as is done in cane weaving and other forms of primitive weaving techniques.
Weaving
Weaving is a method of fabric production in which two distinct sets of yarns or threads are interlaced at right angles to form a fabric or cloth. The other methods are knitting, lace making and felting. The longitudinal threads are called the warp and the lateral threads are the weft or filling...
, weft or woof is the yarn
Yarn
Yarn is a long continuous length of interlocked fibres, suitable for use in the production of textiles, sewing, crocheting, knitting, weaving, embroidery and ropemaking. Thread is a type of yarn intended for sewing by hand or machine. Modern manufactured sewing threads may be finished with wax or...
which is drawn through the warp
Warp (weaving)
In weaving cloth, the warp is the set of lengthwise yarns that are held in tension on a frame or loom. The yarn that is inserted over-and-under the warp threads is called the weft, woof, or filler. Each individual warp thread in a fabric is called a warp end or end. Warp means "that which is thrown...
yarns to create cloth
Textile
A textile or cloth is a flexible woven material consisting of a network of natural or artificial fibres often referred to as thread or yarn. Yarn is produced by spinning raw fibres of wool, flax, cotton, or other material to produce long strands...
. In North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, it is sometimes referred to as the "fill" or the "filling yarn".
Because the weft does not have to be stretched on a loom
Loom
A loom is a device used to weave cloth. The basic purpose of any loom is to hold the warp threads under tension to facilitate the interweaving of the weft threads...
in the way that the warp is, it can generally be less strong.
Etymology
The words woof and weft derive ultimately from the Old EnglishOld English language
Old English or Anglo-Saxon is an early form of the English language that was spoken and written by the Anglo-Saxons and their descendants in parts of what are now England and southeastern Scotland between at least the mid-5th century and the mid-12th century...
word wefan, to weave.
Metaphorical use
The expression "woof and warp" (also "warp and woof", "warp and weft") is sometimes used metaphorically as one might similarly use "fabric"; e.g., "the warp and woof of a student's life" means "the fabric of a student's life." The expression is used as a metaphorMetaphor
A metaphor is a literary figure of speech that uses an image, story or tangible thing to represent a less tangible thing or some intangible quality or idea; e.g., "Her eyes were glistening jewels." Metaphor may also be used for any rhetorical figures of speech that achieve their effects via...
for the underlying structure on which something is built.
Other cultures
In IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, the weft is referred to as "baana", which is derived from another Hindi word "bun na" or "bunai" which means making with threads or strings, as is done in cane weaving and other forms of primitive weaving techniques.