Weaving Basics 04

Sateen Weave

A Sateen Weave is a 4 x 1(four by one) sateen. The sateen weave has longer floats and the interlaces are put in a pattern such that they do not touch and thus do not form twill lines.

If you have a set of numbers that you want to put in an order such that no two numbers will be consecutive, even in an on-going repeat of the numbers, the number five is the smallest number this can be accomplished with.

The pattern would be something like 1-3-5-2-4 and then it would repeat 1-3-5-2-4-1-3-5-2-4. As you see, none of the numbers in order and in repeat are consecutive numbers. This concept is important in a sateen weave because breaking up the places where the interlaces are located in a weaving pattern prevents twill lines from being formed.

The sateen weave can be woven as a warp sateen, meaning the warp yarns are the floats on the face of the fabric or as a weft sateen, meaning the weft yarns are the floats on the face of the fabric 

At the sateen weave, there are no interlaces touching in the weave. You can also observe the long floats that exist in a sateen weave. In the same way that the floats in a twill weave allow for more yarns of the same size to be inserted in relation to a plain weave, the longer floats of the sateen weave allow for more of the same size yarns to be inserted in relation to a plain weave or a simple (2 x 1) twill weave.

Advantages of a sateen weave: - Softer hand - Better drape 

 Disadvantages of a sateen weave: - Will not hold a down proof finish as long other weaves - Heavier in weight than a plain weave or a twill weave woven from the same yarn size.

Thread count versus weave versus fabric weight – Some Considerations
If having the highest thread count possible in a fabric is the goal, then a sateen weave would allow the most threads per square unit and would be the weave of choice.
If having the tightest weave to make the fabric down proof is the goal, then a plain weave would be the weave of choice.
If having the lightest weight fabric for a given yarn size is the goal, then a plain weave would be the weave of choice.
If having the strongest fabric is the goal, then a twill weave would be the weave of choice.
If having the softest hand in the finished fabric is the goal, then a sateen weave would be the weave of choice.
As you can see, there is not an ultimate fabric for down proof cloth. You must be able to prioritize your goals and understand that when you gain one attribute you may well be giving up another.

With regards to thread count let’s look at an example.
A common down proof fabric used in the industry is a plain weave using sixty singles (60s) yarns. The construction of this fabric is as follows:
140 x 140

60s x 60s

1 x 1

Weaving in a plain weave we have 280 threads per square inch.
If we take the same 60s yarns and weave a sateen weave, we are able to insert many more yarns. A common down proof construction for a sateen weave using 60s yarns is as follows:
173 x 150

60s x 60s

4 x 1

Weaving in a sateen weave we have 323 threads per square inch. That is a difference of 43 additional yarns per square inch, a 15.4% increase in thread count just by changing the weave.