Weave structure

Plain weave

Each yarn alternates over and under its neighbors in the smallest woven repeat.

Also searched as: Tabby, 1/1 weave

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Illustrative face of a repeating weave. Warp runs vertically; weft runs horizontally. Colors, yarn thickness and spacing are examples, not a production specification.

How it is made

Every warp passes over one weft and under the next. Adjacent warps reverse that sequence, giving a repeat of two ends and two picks.

How to recognize it

Look closely for a regular one-over, one-under grid with no long floats.

Common uses

  • Shirting
  • Sheeting
  • Canvas

What to distinguish

Plain describes the interlacing, not a plain color: the same structure can carry checks, stripes or printed flowers.

Sources & further reading

Research checked 2026-09-27. Descriptions are original summaries; references support terminology and construction, not every product sold under a name.

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