Textiles - EdexcelStock forms

Stock forms

Textiles are sold as different stock forms, depending on the standard sizes and thicknesses:

• rolls and bolts - fabric is sold by the metre in the roll (circular) or bolt (flat roll) and standard sizes are 90 cm, 137 cm and 154 cm
• denier - the unit of weight that measures fineness, used to describe the thickness of tights, where 30 denier is thin and 100 is thick, increasing commonly in increments of 10
• ply - yarn (wool) is sold in coils, reels or balls, and ply is the number of threads spun together to create a yarn

Fastenings

• buttons - available in a range of sizes, colours and materials, such as plastic, wood and metal
• zips - fabric sides with plastic or metal teeth, sold in a variety of lengths with open (for coats) or closed (for trousers) ends
• eyelets - usually made of metal and used as a strengthening edge to small holes like lace holes in shoes
• buckles - an adjustable fastening made of plastic or metal for straps
• hook and eye - a two-piece fastening usually made of metal for either side of a join, such as at the top of a zip
• Velcro - hook and loop fastening that is usually made from nylon and can be repeatedly ripped open and closed
• press studs - A two-piece fastening made from plastic or metal

Calculating area

Calculating the amount of material needed can be done by using simple measurements to work out the area of shapes. When calculating the amount of fabric needed for a project, a seam allowance of 1.5 cm should always be taken into account.

Example

A double-sized duvet cover must measure 200 cm × 79 cm when sewn. How much fabric is needed to make it?

With a seam allowance of 1.5 cm either side:

200 + (1.5 × 2) = 203

79 + (1.5 × 2) = 82

Area = 203 × 82

= 16,646 cm²

For both sides of the cover:

16,646 × 2 = 33,292 cm²