worksheet and assessment card masters - National STEM Centre

FIBRES i\.ND ,ABRICS 

WORKSHEET AND ASSESSMENT 

CARD MASTERS 

Notes 

These worksheets and assessment 

cards support the Fibres and fabrics 

area of study of the second phase 

of the Nuffield Home Economics 

materials. The worksheets provide 

supplementary activities and 

information related to the text. 

The assessment cards offer the 

teacher a variety of tests and 

projects for each chapter and will 

help towards effective assessment 

of pupils' performance. They are 

aimed to "giveflexibility in use. 

They could be used on an OHP or 

duplicated either in part or in their 

entirety for an end of term test or 

when a topic has been completed. 

In most cases, the pupils will 

require paper on which to answer 

the questions. The questions are 

varied and include objective 

questions, structured questions, and 

questions using mathematics. Each 

card includes suggestions for project 

or course work investigations. Many 

of the questions have no one right 

answer. Pupils should be encouraged 

to consider a range of possibilities. 

For this reason no answers are 

provided for questions on the 

assessment cards. 

These sheets may be photocopied 

or used to make stencils or overhead 

projection transparencies. Copyright 

: is waived only for teachers to make 

copies for distribution within their 

own schools. 

General Editor, 

Nuffield Home Economics 

Marie Edwards 

Authors of Fibres and fabrics 

Barbara Booth 

John Pomeroy 

Authors of these worksheets and 

assessment cards 

Margaret Boughton 

Nina Konrad 

Organizers, 

Nuffield Home Economics 1977-81 

Harry Faulkner 

Sharon M. Mansell 

Design and art direction 

by Ivan and Robin Dodd 

Illustrations and diagrams by 

Martin Lubikoroski, Christopher Marshall, 

Christine Roche, Gary Simmons, and 

Ian Smith. 

Printed and bound in Great Britain by 

Anchor Brendon Ltd of Tiptree, Essex 

Published for the Nuffield-Chelsea 

Curriculum Trust byHutchinsonEducation 

Hutchinson & Co. (Publishers) Ltd 

An imprint of the 

Hutchinson Publishing Group 

17-21 Conway Street, London W1P 6JD 

Hutchinson Group (Australia) Pty Ltd 

30-32 Cremorne Street, 

Richmond South, Victoria 3121. 

PO Box 151, Broadway, 

New South Wales 2007 

Hutchinson Group (NZ) Ltd 

32-34 View Road, 

PO Box 40-086, Glenfield, Auckland 10 

Hutchinson Group (SA) (Pty) Ltd 

PO Box 337, Bergvlei 2012, South Africa 

First published 1984 

© Nuffield-Chelsea Curriculum Trust 1984 

British Library Cataloguing 

in Publication Data . 

Nuffield-Chelsea Curriculum Trust 

Fibres and fabrics.- (Nuffield home 

economics) 

Worksheets and Assessment cards 

1. Textile fabrics 

I. Title II. Series 

677 TS1445 

ISBN 0 09 152871 2

FIBRES AND FABRICS 

WORKSHEET ANDI ASSESSMENT 

CARD MASTERS· 

WORKSHEETS 

FM1 

Presenting data 

FM2a and b 

Why do we have curtains and carpets? 

FM3 

Looking at fibres with a microscope 

FM4 

How do fibres react to burning? 

FM5aand b 

Effect of wetting on thermal insulation 

FM6 

Thermal insulation for warmth 

FM7a, b, and c 

Spinning, knitting, and weaving 

FM8 

Fabric strength 

FM9 

Light and colour 

FM10 

Colour and fabric - mixing colours 

FM11 

Colour fastness of household dyes 

FM12 

Comparing household dyes 

FM13 

Colour fastness of curtain fabric 

FM14 

Minimum-iron finish 

FM15 

Superwash wool 

FM16 

Water repellency 

FM17a and b 

Fabric cling and anti-stat 

FM18 

Surface tension and detergents 

ASSESSMENT CARDS 

FM19 

Chapter 1 Going shopping 

FM20 

Chapter 2 The clothes line 

FM21 

Chapter 3 Why textiles - why not plastics? 

FM22 

Chapter 4 Fibres: the first step in the line 

FM23 

Chapter 5 Producing the natural fibres 

FM24 

Chapter 6 Man imitates nature 

FM25 

Chapter 7 Comparing the fibres 

FM26 

Chapter 8 Building up to a yarn 

FM27 

Chapter 9 Building up to a fabric 

FM28 

Chapter 10 Colour 

FM29 

Chapter 11 Putting colour into practice 

FM30 

Chapter 12 It's all in the finish 

FM31 

Chapter 13 The garment takes shape 

FM32 

Chapter 14 Getting dirty 

FM33 

Chapter 15 Keep it clean 

© 1984 Nuffield-Chelsea Curriculum Trust

Suppose you have collected some data and want to 

present it in a way that is easy to understand. For 

example, you have carried out a survey on how much 

people spend, on average, every year on clothes and 

textile items. Below are some results for a family with 

two children. 

Textile items Average annual expenditure 

per household 

Men's clothes £90 

Women's clothes £180 

Children's clothes £180 

Household textiles £90 

You could show this by any of the three ways shown 

on this worksheet. 

Pie chart 

100 

a 

women 

children 

In the pie chart, the total is represented by a complete 

circle (the pie) and each item by a sector (or slice of 

the pie). The angle of the sector is in proportion to theamount 

spent. 

For example, in the pie chart below, the spending by 

men is represented by 60° of the circle. This is worked 

out as follows: men spend one-sixth of the total 

(90 -;.540), one-sixth of the complete circle (360°) 

is 60°. 

Now consider the household textiles used in your own 

home. Carry out a survey to find what proportion of 

the total is spent on: 

a carpets 

b curtains and furnishing fabrics 

c bedding 

d towels and cleaning cloths. 

Choose one or more of the methods shown below to 

represent your data. (You may find it useful to look in 

local shops or catalogues for the current prices of 

these items.) 

Pictogram 

men 10~~~§JIio 

women 

~Ci8~~§J 

t §~ fell§J e2J 

~~~[8§J§J 

children It 

Bar chart ~eJI§JB 

CIl 

200 

E:0 women children 

c: 

CIl 

~ xw~ 

household P=9[g ~:l§~]~ f§

NUFFIELD 

'·· • HOME ECONOMICS 

Why d0we-have curtains FIBRES AND FABRICS: 

_' . 'WORKSHEET· 

and carpets? . FM2a 

The colour, texture, and pattern of furnishing fabrics 

create atmosphere and express the personality and 

status of the owners. Textiles also help to keep the 

home warm and comfortable. The table below shows 

that carpets reduce heat loss and noise. Complete the 

table for the other furnishing fabrics using.the scale.on 

the right. 

* very little effect 

* * some effect 

* * * moderate effect 

*.* * * big effect 

Fabric Heat loss Privacy Noise 

furnishings 

conduction convection radiation draughts day night traffic footsteps echoes 

Carpets 

Rugs 

Curtains, net 

Curtains, thin 

Curtains, thick 

Curtains, lined 

Curtains, with 

aluminized lining 

Curtains, lined 

and interlined 

Upholstered 

furniture 

* * * * * * * * * * * * 

Below is a list of the properties you should consider 

when choosing a carpet. Make your own list of desirable 

qualities for curtains and upholstery and other 

household fabric uses. 

acoustic comfort 

(reduces noise) 

walking safety 

(does not ruck up) 

durability 

(wears well) 

appearance retention 

(tex ture and colour) 

dimensional stability 

(keeps its shape) 

electrostatic 

(no build-up of static) 

walking comfort 

(depth of pile) 

thermal comfort 

(reduces heat loss) 

tuft bind 

(tufts will not pull out) 

soiling 

(resists dirt and stains) 

flammability 

(resists fire) 

hygiene 

(ease of cleaning) 

Now rewrite each list of properties in sour order of 

importance. 

I 

- - - 

~ 

* * * * * * 

The variety of textile fabrics commonly used to make 

bedclothes includes linen, cotton, polyester, nylon, 

and wool. In addition, padding materials for beds, 

pillows, and duvets are made from feathers and some 

synthetic materials. The weight and warmth of 

bedclothes depends on the materials used. 

People vary a lot in their preferences for lightweight 

or heavyweight bed coverings. Some bedclothes, 

particularly duvets, are sold with a label giving the tog 

rating of the item - the higher the tog rating the lower 

the heat loss and the greater the insulation. 

Make a survey of the bedclothes available in a large 

specialist department or from a mail-order catalogue. 

Draw up a table to describe what you find. Include the 

sizes available, whether sheets are plain or fitted, and 

the fabrics used for each item.

Why do we have curtains 

and carpets? 

Furnishing fabrics are expensive largely because of the 

area to be covered in even a small home. However, 

price is related more to aesthetic than to performance 

factors. 

Estimate the area of furnishing fabrics that would be 

used in a room. 

1 Measure the floor and windows. 

2 List the furniture in the room. 

NUFFIELD 

HOME ECONOMICS 

FIBRES AND FABRICS: 

WORKSHEET 

FM2b 

·3 Estimate the fabric used for the carpets, curtains, 

and upholstery. 

Note. Curtains must be at least one and a half times the 

width of the windows. 

Window: Floor: 

Furniture: 

Room area fabric required area fabric required fabric required 


Looking at fibres with a 

• 

microscope 

Examining the fibres in a fabric with a microscope 

helps to identify what the fabric is made of. Try this 

for yourself. 

YOU WI LL NEED: 

Sample of fabric of unknown fibre composition 

Sample set of fibre slides - natural fibres, regenerated fibres, 

synthetic fibres 

Microscope 

Microscope slides 1', 

Dissecting pins f 

1 Examine each slide in your sample set under the 

microscope. Draw carefully what you see and label 

your sketch. Switch to polarized light and look at 

the fibre again. 

2 Using pins tease out a few fine fibres from a warp 

thread of your unknown sample. 

dissecting 

pin 

3 Put these fibres between two microscope slides. 

~thread 

microscope 

slide 

/ -.~ microscope 

t====== slide 

NUFFIELD 


FIBRES AND FABRICS: . 

WORKSHEET 

FM3 

completed 

slide 

4 Make a slide with the fibres taken from a weft 

thread. 

5 Examinethese-slides under the microscope and draw 

what you see in each case. 

6 Compare these drawings with those of your sample 

slide set or with pages 44 and 45 in your textbook. 

Have another look at the relevant sample slides. 

What are the fibres in the weft thread? 

What are the fibres in the warp thread? 

Perhaps there is more than one type of fibre in your 

warp or weft. Try to identify all the different fibres in 

your fabric sample. Mount the sample and record your. 

findings using a chart like the one below. Say whether 

each fibre is natural, synthetic, or regenerated, and give 

its generic name. 

Warp thread 

Weft thread 

First fibre Name Second fibre Name 

type type 


Note. It is essential to examine fibres first under a 

microscope to determine whether the fabric sample 

is one type of fibre only or a blend of two or more 

fibres. 

Burning tests are not always a reliable means of 

identification because some fibres have modifications 

and finishes which will alter your results. Synthetic 

fibres cause the most difficulty. 

In the burning tests, a thermoplastic fibre will shrink 

back as it approaches the flame and will melt to form a 

hard bead. Natural and regenerated cellulose fibres do 

not shrink from the flame. 

YOU WILL NEED: 

Small sample of fabric 

Flameproof mat or tray of sand 

Bunsen burner 

Pair of crucible tongs or tweezers 

1 Prepare your equipment to avoid risk of burning 

yourself or your surroundings. Wear goggles. 1:\ 

Put the Bunsen burner in the centre of a large ill 

metal tray or flameproof mat. Adjust the flame to a 

small blue cone (not roaring). 

2 Hold one or two threads from the sample fabric in 

the tongs and advance them slowly up to the flame. 

Observe their behaviour approaching the flame, in the 

flame, and on removal from the flame. 

3 Answer the questions below and then use the table 

to try to identify your sample. 

Does the sample shrink from the flame? 

Does it ignite? 

Does the flame go out if the sample is removed from 

the flame? 

Does it burn? 

Does it give off smoke? 

What does it smell like when burning? 

Does the flame go out by itself before the fabric is 

cOlnpletely burned? 

What remains when the flame goes out? 

Fibre When approaching the flame When held in the flame When removed from the flame 

Cotton and viscose does not shrink away; ignites burns quickly continues burning; light grey 

on contact ash; smells like burnt paper 

Wool and silk furls away from flame burns slowly usually stops burning; brittle 

black residue; smells like 

burning hair 

Acetate and triacetate melts and shrivels; may ignite burns quickly continues burning; hard black 

bead formed; acrid smell 

Nylon and polyester melts and shrivels away from burns slowly with smoky usually stops burning; hard 

flame flame bead; polyester dark in colour, 

nylon lighter; acrid smell

·Effect of wetting 

on thermal insulation· 

NUFFIELD 


FIBRES AND FABRICS: . 

WORKSHEET 

F,M5a 

WHY SHOULD YOU KEEP YOUR FEET DRY? 2 Fit the covers over two of the boiling-tubes. 


6 fabric pieces, 10 cm X 10 cm - woven or knitted fabric, 

e.g. wool or acrylic jersey 

Detergent 

Water 

Clock or watch with seconds hand 

4 boiling-tubes in stand 

3 thermometers, -10 °c to 110 °c, fitted through corks 

Boiling-tube holder 

Kettle 

Tray to catch spills 

Glass rod 

Needle and thread 

Labels 

3 different coloured pens 

1 Make identical covers for two boiling-tubes using 

three layers of fabric as shown below. 

three pieces of 

woven or knitted 

fabric 

Fold the three layers 

of fabric in half and 

.. stitch to make a close 

fitting cover for the 

boiling-tubes 

3 Label the holes in the boiling-tube stand A, B, C, 

and D. Put the two covered boiling-tubes into holes B 

and C and the two that remain into holes A and D. 

thermometer 

cork 

boiling-tube 

A 

'- 

B 

fabric 

cover 

'-- 

c 

4 Carefully fill the four boiling-tubes to within 3 cm 

of the top with boiling water. Fit the corks and 

thermometers to A, B, and C. 

5 Use a clock or watch and record your readings every 

two minutes in a tabl~ like the one below. 

Time (minutes) 

Temperature, boiling tube A 

Temperature, boiling-tube B 

Temperature, boiling-tube C 

6 After six readings have been taken, use the glass rod 

to add one drop of detergent to boiling-tube D. 

7 Hold boiling-tube C over a tray with the holder and 

pour the contents of D onto the fabric. Put C back into 

its hole in the stand. Continue to take a further five 

readings and record your results. 

What did you notice about the immediate effect on the 

temperature of wetting the fabric? 

8 Plot your results on the graph on worksheet FM5b. 

Use a different colour to represent each boiling-tube - 

red forA, 'blue 'for B; and 'green forC. " 

o 

© 1984 Nuffield-Chelsea Curriculum Trust 

2 

D 

4

Effect of wetting 

on thermal insulation 

100 

(.) 

0 

c 

ai 

~ 

E 

III 95 c. 

E 

III 

I- 

90- 

85- 

80- 

75- 

70- 

65 

60 

55- 

50 I 

I I I - 

NUFFIELD 



WORKSHEET 

FM5b 

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 

What do you notice when you compare the three 

curves you have drawn? 

Why should you keep your feet dry? 

You could repeat this experiment with an electric fan 

blowing on the boiling-tubes and compare the results 

with those you have just recorded. 

Time, in minutes 


Thermal insulation for 

warmth 

HOW ARE WE PROTECTED FROM COLD? 

Protection from cold is provided by textiles which, as 

well as being good insulators, are strong, light, and 

flexible enough to make acceptable garments. 

HOW IS HEAT LOST FROM THE BODY? 

Heat can get through clothing by convection, 

conduction, and radiation. Convection is the most 

important, especially in moving air, but conduction and 

radiation can also be significant. Clothing reduces 

convection and conduction but not radiation, unless it 

is lined with split film foil, as some modern fabrics are. 

WHAT MAKES A FABRIC A GOOD INSULATOR? 

The main factor which determines how well a material 

insulates is the proportion of air which is trapped 

between the fibres. Air is a very poor conductor of 

heat, so a fabric which contains 80 to 90 per cent air 

will reduce conduction very effectively. If the air 

cannot move out of the fabric easily, it will also be 

very effective in reducing convection. For this purpose 

several thin layerswiUusually be more effective than 

. one"thick layer ~·A'goodexample'is"quilted' material, 

NUFFIELD 



WORKSHEET' ' 

FM6 .. 

which has a loose filling (down, kapok, or a synthetic 

fibre) which holds a lot of air while the thin outer 

layers reduce the movement of this air. 

We often see togs mentioned when continental quilts 

are advertised. The higher the tog value the lower the 

heat loss and the greater the insulation. 

WHY ARE COATS AND JACKETS LINED? 

A tog of 1.0 is the thermal resistance of a fabric for a 

conventional man's suit or a blanket of about medium 

quality. The thermal resistance of several layers of 

clothing or bedding in calm ~ir can be obtained by 

adding the values for each layer. A new blanket will be 

warmer than a much washed and worn one. Typical 

tog values for a range of fabrics are: blanket 1; 

carpet 1 to 3; continental quilt 7 to 14; curtain 0.2; 

PVC 'mac' 6; sheet 0.2; shirting 0.1; suiting 1; 

sweater 1. 

Compile a chart like the one below to show the benefits 

which can be gained from combining more than one 

fabric.in one garment or combination of garments. 

Add your own suggestions of 'garment combinations., 

Garment combination Fabrics Purpose Tog value Advantages Disadvantages 

Suit jacket, wool worsted propriety 1.0 smart constricting 

tricellining warmth 0.1 easy off and on must be cleaned 

shirt, and polyester /cotton propriety 0.1 easy care not very 

warmth absorbent 

vest poplin warmth 0.2 absorbent and 

vincel jersey easy to launder 

Pullover and 

T-shirt 

PVC 'mac' and 

sweatshirt 

PVC 'mac' and 

synthetic blouse 

Polyester/cotton 'mac' 

and. crimplene dress 

Shoes and 

nylon socks 

Wellington boots 

and thick wool socks 


Spinning, knitting:, and 

• 

weaving 

A spinning machine has three 

functions. 

1 To draw on the roving 

(continuous strand of fibres) fed 

to it. 

2 To insert the necessary amount 

of twist or turns. 

3 To wind the twisted thread or 

yarn onto a cylindrical bobbin. 

TWIST FACTORS 

The longer or finer the fibres used, 

the less twist is required to give the 

'strength needed. This is called the 

twist factor. A higher twist than 

normal results in a hard, wiry yarn 

which will snarl easily. A lower 

twist than normal gives a soft, 

full yarn. Warp yarns are more 

highly twisted than weft yarns. 

If fibres are twisted they li,eat an 

angle. The direction they take 

depends on whether the spindle 

rotates clockwise or anticlockwise 

when viewed from above. If 

clockwise, they will have a 'z' twist. 

If anticlockwise, they will have 

an'S'twist. 

'Z'twist 

'S'twist 

clockwise 

anticlockwise 

In a sewing or knitting yarn, the 

yarn has the opposite twist to its 

plies. This helps to balance the yarn, 

making it less liable to snarl or 

untwist. Fabrics made from spun 

yarn usually have a Z twist in the 

warp and may have a S twist in the 

weft. Light is reflected in opposite 

directions from the two types of 

thread. Lustrous stripes can be 

achieved by having alternate groups 

of Z and S twist yarns in the warp. 

HOW CAN YOU MAKE A 

BALANCED YARN? 


2 cones of fine yarn supported on pencils 

in a card base (yarn wound onto toilet 

roll cores would do) 

Wool fleece 

Spindle 

1 Thread up the spindle as shown 

below using the two yarns twisted 

together. 

spindle 

whorl (weighted 

cotton reel) 

NUFFIELD 



WORKSHEET 

FM7a 

2 Try to ply the two yarns together 

to form a single thicker yarn. 

Which kind of twist have you got 

in your folded yarn? 

Which kind of twist is in the single 

yarns? 

3 When you can achieve an even 

folded yarn you should attempt 

to spin from fleece. Start by 

twisting some fleece in your finger& 

and then join it onto the length of 

yarn already on the spindle. 

(_,~~r~ 

"(rc ~r~1 

(G~/~ wool fleece 

'--C~ ~ ,I! 

v"l"'- 

nI •..or-. 

-, 


I!.' 

I

Spinning, knitting, and 

• 

weaving- 

KNITTING TENSION 

The 'tension' of a piece of knitted fabric refers to the 

number of stitches and rows in a given measurement. 

When you are following a knitting pattern, it is very 

important that your tension is the same as that stated 

in the pattern. Why do you think this is? And jf your - 

tension isn't the same, how can you make it match? 


1 ball of double knitting yarn 

1 pair of 5-mm (size 6) knitting needles 

1 pair of 4lh-mm (size 7) knitting needles 

1 pair of 4-mm (size 8) knitting needles 

1 pair of 3%-mm (size 9) knitting needles 

1 pair of 31J4-mm(size 10) knitting needles 

Pencil and paper 

Ruler 

Dress-making pins 

1 Using 4-mm (size 8) needles, cast on 30 stitches. 

Knit 40 rows of stockingmstitch (knit one row, purl 

one row). 

2 Measure the tension of your sample. Lay the sample 

on a firm, dlat surface. Do not stretch it. 

NUFFIELD 

- HOME ECONOMICS 


WORKSHEET 

FM7b 

3 Put a ruler over the sample. Mark 10 cm with pins 

and then count how many stitches you have between 

the pins. Count the number of rows in 10 cm in the 

same way. 

You should have 23 stitches when you measure across 

10 cm, and 32 rows when you measure down 10 cm. 

If you have more stitches in 10 cm, then your tension 

is too tight. How do you think you could correct this? 

Try out your idea. 

If you have too few stitches in 10 cm, then your 

tension is too loose. Think how to correct this and try 

out your idea. 

What do you think you should do if you have the 

wrong number of rows in 10 cm? 

How do you think what you have discovered might be 

used to help you in the adaptation of knitting patterns? 

24 stitches in 10 cm: 

too many stitches. 

What do you do? 

19 stitches in 10 cm: 

too few stitches. 

What do you do? 


Spinning, knitting, and 

• 

weaving 

MAKING A LOOM 

A weaving loom can be made out 

of a few simple materials. Use the 

loom described on this worksheet 

to learn the basic steps involved in 

weaving. You can then go on to use 

more complicated looms and 

methods. 

Once you have made this loom, you 

can tryout the effects produced 

by all sorts of weaving materials 

and types of weave. For instance, 

you could try weaving with yarn 

that you have spun yourself 

(worksheet FM7a). 


1 piece of wood, 50 cm X 7 cm X 2 cm 

2 pieces of wood, 40 cm X 7 cm x 2 cm 

4 screws (1lh-inch) 

60 panel pins (%-inch) 

Heavy card for making shuttle 

Bradawl 

Screwdriver 

Hammer 

Scissors 

Ruler and pencil 

1 Make up the wooden frame as 

shown on the right. (Put two 

screws at each end as shown. This 

will make sure that the two 

cross-pieces will not move when you 

thread up the warp.) 

2 Hammer in the panel pins in the 

pattern shown at 1.5-cm intervals. 

WEAVING 


Weaving yarns 

Loom 

.shuttle 

1 Thread up the warp with the 

yarn you want to use. 

2 Cut out a shuttle (17 cm long) 

from heavy card in the pattern 

shown. 

3 Choose your weft yarn and wrap 

about 10 m of it onto the shuttle. 

4 Tie one end of the weft yarn to 

one end of the first warp thread. 

5 Start with a simple weave. Pass 

the shuttle across the warp threads, 

going under the first warp, then 

over the next, and so on. 

\\\\\~I\\~~\\ 

I 

/vVJ J 1/ ~'f / / I 

011 V 7 1I Ij 

" • II 

'II " 

6 At the end of the row, bring the 

shuttle back across the warp 

threads, going under where you 

went over in the first row. 

7 After each row push the weft 

threads towards the cross-piece 

at the end you started from. A 

comb is useful for doing this . 

8 -Stop weaving when you have 

a sample of about 30 cm in length. 

Cut the warp threads by the pins 

at each end and tie them into 

bunches of 6 threads. 

NUFFIELD 



WORKSHEET 

FM7c 

-- 

/ 

panel pins 

cross-piece 

warp yarn 

two screws 

cross-piece 

Cut shuttle from 

heavy card in 

this shape. 

Now look at worksheet M28. 

Copy some of the plain and 

twill weaves shown. 

You could also invent some weave 

patterns of your own and note 

them down in the same way as 

they are shown on worksheet 

M28. 

After you have done some weaving, 

decide which thread has to take 

most strain - the warp or the weft. 


WHAT AFFECTS FABRIC STRENGTH? 

In the following investigation you will learn about 

some of the things which affect fabric strength. 

YOU WILL NEED: \ 

Samples of woven fabric labelled with suggested end use 

Hand lens 

Dissecting pins 

Pencil 

Ruler 

In these tests give your results a ranking. For example, 

in the first test, you would rank the fabric with the 

highest fibre density first and the fabric with the 

lowest density last. 

1 Using the hand lens, examine the fabric samples and 

identify each weave. Name each of your samples. 

2 Measure a square,l.cm,x 1cmon each fabric -sample. 

Mark it out with a sharp pencil and ruler. 

Using the hand lens and a pin, carefully count the 

number of warp threads and the number of weft 

threads inside the square. Write down your results in 

ranked order. 

3 Using the lens, examine one warp thread from the 

edge of each sample. List the fabrics in order of 

thickness of warp thread. Now do the same for the 

weft threads. 

4 Untwist a warp thread from each sample between 

your fingers. Was it highly twisted? Examine one weft 

thread in the same way. Write down your findings in 

ranked order. 

5 Using pins, tease out a few fibres from a warp thread. 

Measure their length. Measure the weft fibres from 

your sample. Record your results. 

Make a list of the factors that you have tested which 

affect the strength of a fabric. Can you think of any 

other factors which you have not tested? 

6 Mount your samples carefully. Label them with 

their names, suggested end use, and a description based 

on your results. 

2 sheets of card 

heading 

sample 

name of 

fabric 

description of 

weave,.yarns, 

and fibres 

Compare your results with the results from the fabric 

strength investigations in Chapters 7 and 12. 


WHAT MAKES UP WHITE LIGHT? 

If you shine a light through a glass prism it will break 

the light into small bands of rays which we can see as 

the seven colours of the spectrum: red, orange, yellow, 

green, blue, indigo, and violet. You can do this using 

some card, a prism, a lamp, and a lens. 

white 

card 


Large sheet of white card 

Sheet of black card with a 

narrow slit cut in it 

Lamp or candle 

Clear glass bottle 

Glass prism 

1 Set the apparatus up as shown above. 

2 Adjust the positions of the card and lens until you 

can see the whole spectrum. Describe what you see. 

A rainbow is made by sunlight shining onto raindrops. 

These act like prisms and split the light into the colours 

of the spectrum. 

sunlight 

spectrum 

Red, green, and indigo are the 'primary' colours of 

light and can be mixed to make any other colour. 

Now try combining the different colours to make white. 


Circle of cardboard 

Pencil 

Coloured pencils or paints 

Paint a cardboard circle with all the colours of the 

rainbow as shown below. Put a pencil through the 

middle of the circle and spin it on a table. 

Wbat colour does the circle appear when spinning? 

R = red 

0= orange 

Y = yellow 

G = green 

B = blue 

I = indigo 

V = v"iolet 

Try to find out why you were asked to colour uneven 

sections of the circle. 


Colour and fabricmixing 

colours 

The primary colours of paint or dye are not the same 

as those of light. The primary colours of paint are 

yeliow, blue, and pink. The three colours together 

make black paint or dye. 

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU MIX DYES? 


Dylon cold-water dyes: primrose (A10), camellia (A16), and 

turquoise saga (A30) 

Dylon cold dye fix or washing soda 

Kitchen salt 

White cotton fabric 

3 measuring jugs 

3 large bowls 

3 wooden spoons 

1 Prepare the three dye-baths following the 

instructions carefully. 

2 Cut strips of fabric, wet them thoroughly, and place 

one in each bath. Stir for ten minutes, rinse, and dry. 

3 Using the absorption spectra on the right, try to 

predict what colours you could obtain by mixing one 

or more or" these dyes. (Try tracing two of the 

spectra, one on top of the other.) 

4 Cut the strips of coloured fabric into several small 

pieces. Keep one of each colour as control samples and 

use the others to test your theories by overdyeing each 

to obtain a range of colours. Remember to rinse 

between colours. 

Are the colours as you expected? 

In what way do they differ? 

Can you explain why. this, may be? 

5 Measure a square or length of fabric sufficient for a 

scarf. Use the experience you have gained to produce 

an attactive original coloured design. 

You may use dip and dye techniques to obtain stripes, 

or tie dye, or batik. 

100 % 

% colour 

absorbed 

0% V 

0% 'V 

100% 

part 

absorbed 

Camellia (A 16) 

100 % 

% colour 

absorbed 

% colour 

absorbed 

Primrose (A 10) 

NUFFIELD 



WORKSHEET _ 

FMIO 

8 

part 

absorbed 

8 

Turquoise saga (A30) 

G 

G 

part 

absorbed 

part 

reflected 

y 

y 

o 

part 

reflected 

0% V 8 G y o R 


o 

R 

R

Colour fastness of 

household dyes 

WILL IT FADE? 


Hot-water dye 

Salt 

Samples for dyeing (10 cm x 10 cm) of 

wool, nylon, and cotton 

Samples not dyed (5 cm x 5 cm) of 

nylon (7), cotton (5), and wool (3) 

Dry cleaning fluid (perchloroethylene) 

Detergent r 

Large saucepan 

Wooden spoon 

Measuring jug 

Kettle 

Grey scales 

3 Petri dishes or similar small dishes 

with lids 

3 glass mixing bowls 

3 wooden spoons 

White card 

Adhesive tape 

Needle and thread 

Access to cooker 

1 Prepare dye baths as 

recommended and dye the 

10 cm x 10 cm samples. 

2 Divide each dyed sample into 

four equal sections. Keep one of 

each as a control for comparison 

later. Also keep one undyed square 

of each fabric for comparison. 

3 Mount one of each fabric sample 

on a piece of card. Mask half of 

each sample with a second piece of 

card as shown below. Expose the 

card to the light of a sunny window. 

fabric 

samples 

4 Check' the fabrics on the card 

after a few days. 

r-- --~titiChing 

white nylon 

1 coloured cotton 

white cotton 

NUFFIELD 



WORKSHEET 

FMll 

p 1 coloured wool 

white wool 

---white 

nylon 

1 coloured nylon 

white cotton 

0 --white 

nylon 

Petri dish 

Petri dish 

with dry cleaning 


fluid 

fluid 

0 wool 

_--- 

Petri dish 


fluid 

Q white nylon 

1 coloured nylon 

white cotton 

---white 

nylon 

1 coloured cotton 

white cotton 

8glass 

bowl with 

hot water and 

detergent 

8 

glassbowl with 


detergent 

5 Layout six pieces of white 

nylon as above. Put dyed squares 

on top of each nylon square as 

shown above. 

6 Lay white wool squares on the 

coloured wool, and white cotton 

on the nylon and cotton squares. 

7 Sew each set of three layers 

together along one edge. 

8 Put one sample of each type of 

fabric sandwich in a small dish and 

cover them with dry cleaning fluid. 

Label each dish carefully with the 

fabrics it contains. Replace the lids 

and keep the dishes warm. 

9 Put the remaining three fabric 

sandwiches into glass bowls with 

some hot water and detergent. Label 

each bowl with the fabrics it 

contains. Keep the samples moving 

with a spoon. 

Q ---white 

nylon 

1 coloured wool 

white 

8glassbowl 

with 


detergent 

10 When the water is hand hot, 

rub each sample, and then rinse, 

dry, and iron them. Keep the 

washing water in the labelled 

bowls. 

Did the colour bleed into the 

washing water? Did the colour mark 

the white sample? 

11 Remove the fabrics from the dry 

cleaning fluid. Dry and press them. 

Did the colour bleed into the dry 

cleaning fluid? Did the colour mark 

the white fabric? 

12 Use grey scales to find a 

numerical value for the loss of 

colour of the dyed sample, the 

added colour to the white sample, 

and the loss of colour due to 

sunlight. 

13 Mount and label all your 

samples on card. Record your 

results below each sample.

DOES IT MATTER WHICH DYE YOU CHOOSE? 


10 cm x 10 cm squares of similar weights of white fabric in 

each of the following fibres: wool, cotton, viscose, acetate, 

tricel, nylon, polyester, acrylic 

3 packets of household dye, all in same colour if possible: coldwater 

Dylon, hot-water Dylon, Dylon wash and dye (dispersal 

type) 

Washing soda 

Detergent 

White card 

Salt 

Large saucepan 

Measuring jug 

Kettle for boiling water 

Wooden spoon 

Iron and ironing board 

Access to gas or electric ring 

1 Divide each square of fabric into four equal pieces. 

Keep one piece of each fabric as a control. 

2 Using each of the three dyes in turn, dye one piece 

of each fabric in each dye following the instructions on 

"the packet carefully . (Take care not tomix'·up the" ~ 

.,samples -from.one dye'with;those of another.) ~ 

0 wool 

0 cotton 

0 viscose 

0 acetate 

0 tricel 

0 nylon 

0 polyester 

0 acrylic 

3 When the samples are dry, iron them carefuily. 

Mount each set of samples on card, taking care to label 

them and keep the fabrics in the same order. 

4 Put the mounted samples side by side as below and 

compare them. 

Which fabrics were dyed most successfully using coldwater 

dye? 

Which dye had the best overall results? 

How did the wash and dye samples compare with the 

other two? 

Which fabric was least successful overall? 

Were any of the fibres damaged by the hot methods of 

dyeing? 

Were you surprised by any of the results? 

undyed cold water hot water wash and 

(control) dye dye dye 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

wool 

cotton 

viscose 

acetate 

tricel 

nylon 

polyester 

acrylic 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

wool 

cotton 

viscose 

acetate 

tricel 

nylon 

polyester 

acrylic 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

wool 

cotton 

viscose 

acetate 

tricel 

nylon 

polyester 

acrylic

Colour fastness of 

curtain fabric 

WHY DO CURTAINS FADE? 


Curtain fabric sample (from discarded sample range at sale time) 

Cardboard 

Washing and ironing facilities 

Grey scales (British standards) 

1 Divide your fabric sample into four equal sections 

and number them. 

2 Put one section between the pages of a "book in a 

drawer. (Remember where!) This is the control. 

3 Mount the second piece on a piece of card. Cover 

half the sample with a second piece of card fastened 

firmly to it. Expose the sample to sunlight in a sunny 

window. 

4 W'ashthe third section gently by hand in warm 

water (40 0 C) and mild detergent. Rinse, dry, and iron 

the sample. 

NUFFIELD 



WORKSHEET 

FM13 

5 Take the fourth section home and add it to the family 

wash on four different occasions. Iron the sample. 

o c::=:J 00 

© 

machine wash (x 4) 

6 After six weeks, collect together the four sections 

and compare them with the control piece. Examine 

them for colour loss, loss of lustre, disturbance of 

surface texture, and shrinkage or loss of shape. 

Which section has suffered the greatest damage? 

7 Now use grey scales according to the instructions to 

assess the colour loss of each section. Record your 

results under the mounted samples. 

How could you use the findings from these experiments 

to help someone choose a curtain fabric? 

© 1984 Nnffield-Chelsea Curriculum Trust

Fabric can be treated with a resin finish. Find out its 

effects for yourself. 

The treatment used to give minimum-iron, drip-dry 

performance to cotton -involves the production ofa 

cross·:linkedpolymer (resin).withinthe fabric structure. 

The simplest system involves urea and formaldehyde. 

--A-B-A-B-A-B- 

I I I 

B 

I --A--B--A- 

B 

I 

B 

I B--A -B- 

This resin finish ,givento cotton fabrics improves the 

easy-care properties of the fabric, but this is not the 

only effect on the fabric. 

YOU WI LL NEED: 

Samples of untreated and drip-dry cotton 

Ironing facilities 

Select white cotton fabrics of comparable quality - one 

untreated and the other treated with a drip-dry finish. 

Carry out the following tests: tear resistance, creasing, 

and pleat retention (see sections 7.5 and 12.5 or ask 

your teacher for help). Record your results. Does it come out? 

Will it 

tear easily? 

Will it 

crease? 

Will it 

hold a pleat? 

Untreated cotton Drip-dry cotton 

CAN YOU BLEACH WHITE COTTON WHEN IT HAS 

A RESIN FINISH? 

YOU WI LL NEED: . 

White drip-dry cotton (old shirt fabric will do), 2 pieces, 

10 cm X 10 cm 

White calico (untreated), 2 pieces, 10 cm x 10 cm 

Ribena or fresh blackcurrant or blackberry juice 

Chlorine bleach (e.g. Parazone, Domestos) 

Access to washing and ironing facilities 

1 Stain one piece of each type of fabric with fruit juice. 

Let it dry in. Keep the other piece of each fabric as a 

control. 

heavy stain 

2 W'asheach stained fabric to try to remove the stain. 

3 Bleach out the stain. 

shadow stain 

Follow the instruction on the bottle of bleach 

carefully. 

no stain 

4 Thoroughly rinse the fabrics and dry them. 

5 Iron each fabric with a hot iron (cotton setting). 

c 

hot setting 

Describe the appearance of each piece of fabric. 


All wool fibres have a protective covering of small 

scales which give the fibre a saw-tooth appearance 

when looked at through a microscope. 

Vvhenwool fibres are dragged across each other in 

water they slip over each other. However, the saw-tooth 

profile tends to make the fibres more and more 

entangled until they are jammed together and a wool 

felt is formed. 

Vvoolfabrics are sometimes deliberately felted during 

manufacture by 'milling'. This closes up the holes in 

the fabric structure so that it becomes. less porous and 

more weather resistant (e.g. for woollen overcoats). 

Various methods have been tried to shrink-proof wool. 

The most common method involves the use of chlorine 

gas in water. This reacts with the surface of the wool 

fibre so that it will accept a thin layer of nylon 

polymer which will make the fibre surface smooth. 

This treatment is normally carried out before the yarn 

is spun. Lambswool and Shetland sweaters are lightly 

milled to make them softer and are given the shrinkresist 

treatment after 'milling'. 

Length 

Width 

Appearance 

Texture 

Colour 

WASHING SUPERWASH WOOL 

How does it compare with ordinary wool? 

wool fibre 

wool fibre 


2 identical pieces of machine washable woollen fabric 

2 identical. pieces of untreated woollen fabric 

Bowl 

Detergent 

Hot water 

Untreated Superwash 

1 Compare the aesthetic properties of the two types 

of woollen cloth. Do they look the same? Do they 

drape equally well? Is the colour affected? Are they 

equally soft to the touch and warm to feel? 

2 Put one piece of each fabric on one side as control 

samples. 

3 Wash both samples gently in warm water with 

detergent. Rinse and dry. Compare the samples with 

the control samples for size, appearance, texture, and 

colour. Record your results. 

control gentle wash harsh wash control gentle wash harsh wash 

4 Now wash both samples in hot water, rubbing hard. 

Rinse and dry. Compare with the control samples again. 

Record your results. 

Do you think that you can safely machine wash 

Superwash wool?

IS IT REALLY WATERPROOF? 

YOU WILL NEED: _ 

Sewing machine oil 

Zepel or Scotchgard fabric protector 

Detergent 

3 squares, 5 cm X 5 cm, of each of the following fabrics: 

cotton lawn, cotton canvas, thin nylon weave, industrial nylon, 

and wool gaberdine 

Watch or clock with seconds hand 

Wire cooling tray 

Pipette or eye dropper 

1 Following the instructions on the container, spray 

two squares of each type of fabric with Zepel or 

Scotchgard. 

CAUTION Use by an open window. Avoid h... 

breathing vapour. Avoid contact with eyes. ili 

2 Rub one drop of sewing machine oil into one 

treated sample of each type of fabric. 

3 Set the fabric samples out on a wire cooling tray as 

shown below. 

4 Using the dropper, place one drop of water in the 

centre of each of the three squares of wool. 

5 Note how long it takes for the water to soak into 

each. Draw up a table and record your results on it. 

treated 

and 

soiled 

treated 

6 Repeat for each fabric in turn. 

7 Very carefully, without disturbing any remaining 

droplets, touch the underside of each fabric just under 

the droplet. 

What do you observe? Where have you seen this effect 

before? How can it be avoided? 

8 Wash each clean treated square in warm water and 

detergent. Rinse them carefully and set them out as 

before on the wire tray to dry. 

9 .Now wash the oily fabric squares. Rinse and set 

them out to dry. 

10 Repeat the water droplet test on these squares. 

Record your results. Wash the cooling tray. 

Has washing affected the water resistance of the 

treated fabric? Can you explain why? Does the oily 

fabric behave differently?" 

You could try the droplet test using coffee or Coca Cola 

instead of water. 

What are the active ingredients in Zepel and 

Scotchgard?

fabric cling and 

anti-stat 

Garments that cling feel uncomfortable, particularly 

when they ride up the body. They look unsightly and 

may spoil the drape of other clothing worn over them. 

They also attract dust from the air and become quickly 

soiled. 

The clinging of charged garments to the body arises 

with certain types of fibres (especially nylon), 

particularly when worn next to each other in warm, 

dry conditions. This clinging effect is due mainly to 

the electro-static forces between the charge on the 

clothing and the opposite charge built up on the 

body. The charge on the body may be caused by 

layers of clothing next to each other (such as a dress 

and a petticoat) rubbing together when the wearer is 

walking about, causing the petticoat to be drawn to 

the legs and cling to them as shown on the right. 

Outer clothing may become charged when you get up 

from a plastic covered chair or seat or when top 

clothing is removed. As before, the electric field from 

the charge can induce an opposite charge on the 

adjacent skin, causing the garment to be attracted to 

the body and taking with it the undergarments. 

Static electricity is produced by rubbing. If the 

materials are poor conductors the charge builds up. 

Different materials generate different amounts of 

electricity. They can be arranged in a series (the 

triboelectric series). The further apart two materials 

are in the series the more electricity they will generate 

when rub bed together. 

Positive 

Negative 

wool 

nylon 

viscose 

cotton 

human skin 

triacetate 

polyester 

acrylic 

PVC 'C 

Anti-static substances added to nylon at the melt stage 

of production provide a permanent conducting layer 

on the fibre surface. Some brand names of this type of 

fibre are: Counterstat, Ultron, Antistatic Celon, and 

Perlon Antistatic. Untreated fabrics can be improved 

by adding a small amount of detergent to the rinsing 

water. 

Domestic fabric softeners (such as Comfort, Lenor, 

Soft Rinse, and Softlan) also reduce the build-up of 

static and are particularly useful when a tumble drier is 

used. 

+ = positive charge 

- = negative charge 

+ = positively charged 

- = negatively charged 

+ 

+ 

NUFFIELD 



WORKSHEET 

FM17a 

"'" '-..... skin 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

underslip 

positively charged nylon 

underslip has induced 

a negative charge on leg 

causing underslip to 

cling to the leg 

wool and nylon dress becomes 

positively charged when the 

wearer gets up from a 

PVC-covered chair - this 

induces an opposite charge on 

the skin causing the garment 

to cling taking the underslip 

with it 


Fabric cling and· 

anti-stat· 

WHAT MAKES CLOTHES CLING? 

YOU WILL NEED: . 

Selection of fabrics 

Poli~ed plate of stainless steel bent at an angle of 70° one-third 

from the end 

Rubber or cork. mat 

Bulldog clip 

Small block of wood 

Length of wire 

Plastic or wooden tweezers or spatula 

Fabric softener (e.g. Comfort) 

Watch or clock with seconds hand 

Access to tap 

fabric 

sample 

1 Clamp a strip of fabric to the steel test plate. With a 

piece of brushed nylon wrapped round a block of 

wood, rub the fabric a number of times. Count the 

number of rubs you give the fabric. 

2 Tip the test plate onto its shorter side and earth it 

with a length of wire to a cold water tap. Does the 

fabric cling to the plate? 

3 Every thirty seconds, pull the fabric away from the 

plate with the tweezers. Do this until the fabric has 

lost its cling. Note the time this took. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

bulldog 

clip 

fabric 

+ sample 

+ 

wire to 

cold water 

tap (earth) 

NUFFIELD 



WORKSHEET 

FM17b 

4 Repeat these tests using a different type of fabric. 

Remember t6 rub the 'same number of times for each 

fabric. 

5 Record your results and compare them with the 

triboelectric series on worksheet FMl 7a. 

What do you find? 

6 Rinse the fabric specimens in Comfort or some 

other fabric softener. Dry them and repeat the test. 

Record your results. 

What do you find? 

steel plate 

fapric " 

s~mple 

bulldog clip 

wire to 

cold water 

tap (earth) 


Surface tension and 

detergents 

A drop of water is made of millions of tiny particles 

called molecules. These are attracted to each other; so 

each molecule tries to get as close to the other molecules 

(and therefore the centre of the drop) as possible. 

Around the edges of a drop of water the molecules are 

only attracted into the drop and not outwards, so the 

drop stays round and whole. If you break the surface, 

the drop will collapse because you have broken its 

surface tension, that is, you have attracted the molecules 

away from the centre. 

HOW CAN SURF ACE TENSION BE REDUCED? 


Small pieces of water-repellent cloth, e.g. old mackintosh, or 

tightly woven wool worsted 

Washing-up liquid 

Dropper 

Thin glass rod 

Needle and tweezers 

Bowl of water 

1 Pick up a needle with the tweezers and carefully lay 

it onto the surface of the bowl of water. 

2 Dip the glass rod into some washing-up liquid. 

3 Touch the surface of the water with washing-up 

liquid. Take care not to disturb the needle. 

needle on surface of 

water 

~ter 

with washing-up 

liquid 

What happened to the needle? Explain what you saw. 

How could you test your idea? 

NUFFIELD 



WORKSHEET 

FM18 

4 Lay the piece of water-repellent cloth flat on a table. 

Use your dropper to spot it with four separate drops of 

water. 

5 Pick up a little degergent on the end of the glass rod 

and use it to touch two of the water drops. Leave the 

other two alone. 

water-repellent 

cloth 

touch two water 

drops with quid ~ 

washing-up li~ 

Did the detergent make the water droplets collapse? . 

What happened to the cloth just below the droplets? 

How could you test your idea? 


1 Put the three factors of choice in order of importance 

for each of the items in the table. 

Garment Aesthetics Performance Price 

Boy's school 

socks 

Glitter socks 

Fisherman's 

socks 

Baby's socks 

2 Your mother is taking you shopping for new curtains, 

a duvet cover, and pillowcases for your bedroom. Give 

each item a rating from 1 to 10 for aesthetics, 

performance, and price. 

3 Put your answers to question 2 into the form of a 

pie chart. 

.'4 'The final price of an item is affected by many' 

factors. These include: 

a the name on the label e the quality of the fabric 

b television advertising f colour and style 

c country of manufacture g how fashionable it is 

d size of the shop h how well made it is. 

Explain how each of these can affect the final price. 

5 Suggest two different fibres suitable for each of the 

garments in the following list: child's tights, school '. 

skirt, boy's shirt, T-shirt, cardigan, blazer, and P.E. 

shorts. 

Give reasons for your choice. 

6 Tick the important qualities for each garment below. 

Warmth 

Comfort 

Colour 

Texture 

Washability 

Fit 

Durability 

Style 

Absorbency 

Shape 

retention 

7 Which is the odd one out in each of the following 

lists? 

a colour, texture, warmth, style 

b durable, fashionable, washable, dry cleanable 

c manufacture, package, advertise, display 

d street market, boutique, chain store, mail order. 

Explain your choices. 

8 Winceyette was a favourite fabric for children's 

nightwear because it is cheap and has a warm feel. It 

is also highly flammable and so a safety risk. 

a Suggest an alternative fabric for childrens' nightwear. 

b How does your suggestion compare with Winceyette 

for price, performance, and aesthetics? 

9 

a What advice would you give to the mother in the 

picture below? 

. b What advice. would you give to the shopkeeper? 

·Ct'\tL. ()R;E •./~~H~~"'~ 

·ls~ ··FI.€>4:J-R,~ 

N~ P~AM~ CR. PlJ~HCt-f"i~~ 

PROJECT 

Describe the shops in your area which sell household 

textiles such as carpets, curtains, bedding, and towels. 

Nappies Soccer Jeans Business Swimsuit Ski pants Judo suit 

shorts suit 


1 Which is the odd one out in each of the following 

lists? 

a twill, gabardine, drill, basket 

b tricot, satin, jersey, stockinette 

c corduroy, needlecord, seersucker, velvet. 

Explain your choices. 

2 

a Draw the front and back views of a pair of trousers 

that you might wear. 

b Draw the outline of the separate parts which go to 

make up the garment and label them. 

3 

a How much fabric do you estimate would be needed 

to make the trousers in question 2? 

b List the trimmings you would choose to complete 

the garment. 

4 Textiles have many properties which make them 

particularly suitable for clothing. List them under 

these two headings: 'comfort' and 'wear'. 

Comfort Wear 

5 Activities such as acrobatics, skiing, P.E., and disco 

dancing involve a good deal of bending and stretching. 

a Which particular textile structures are most suitable 

for these activities? Explain why. 

b Narne the fibre which has made the most recent 

contribution to ease of movement and shape retention 

in garments for such activities. 

6 

a Draw a wool fibre and a nylon fibre as seen under a 

microscope. 

b What can you tell from your drawings about the 

heat insulation propertie~ of these fibres? 

7 

a What can be built into a garment to prevent the 

normal body movements involved in travelling and 

working from permanently distorting the shape of'the 

garments? 

b List these trimmings. Fill in the table below with 

where each trimming is used in a garment and its 

purpose. 

Trimming Where used Purpose 

8 Describe the part played by Lancashire, Hong Kong, 

America, and Egypt in the history of cotton textile 

production. 

PROJECT 

Survey' the uses of textiles in your school. Identify the 

critical aesthetic, performance, and price factors for 

each use. 

Devise a table to show the common and specific 

properties for each use.

1 Rewrite the following two lists, putting the fibre 

source opposite the garment in which it would most 

appropriately be used. 

,Garment. . ..Fibre source. 

a leather bomber jacket 1 sheep 

b Dr Marten's boots 2 lamb 

c cashmere jumper 3 goat 

d Shetland cardigan 4 cow 

e Angora mittens 5 calf 

f sheepskin jacket 6 camel 

g overcoat 7 rabbit 

h suede shoes B moth 

kid gloves 9 mink 

j silk blouse 10 fox 

k mohair scarf 

I fur coat 

m fur hat 

2 List the special properties of each fibre mentioned 

in question 1 which makes it particularly suitable for 

the garment in which it is used. 

3 Explain why animal fibres are not more widely used 

to pro'l"ide clothing. 

4 Some of the following properties are common to 

both paper and plastic. Some are not. List them under 

the appropriate headings: tears easily; absorbs 

moisture; impermeable to moisture; disintegrates in 

the wash; can be wiped clean; disposable; can be 

easily disposed of; biodegradable; stiff; drapes well; 

suffocates; cheap; keeps sweat in; keeps out wind; 

keeps out rain. 

5 Decide which of the following statements are true 

and which are false. 

a Paper is made from wood pulp 

b Wood pulp is made from trees 

c Trees are a renewable resource 

d Paper is cheap and plentiful 

e Paper is easily disposed of 

f Paper is not a litter problem 

g. Burning paper does not cause pollution. 

6 Decide which of the following statements are true 

and which are false. 

a Plastic is made from oil 

b Oil is a fossil fuel 

c Oil is easily _extracted from the ground 

d Oil is cheap to buy 

e Oil causes no harm to the environment 

f Plastic is' easily disposed'of;' 

g Plastic is a litter problem 

h Some plastics burn and give off toxic 

fumes. 

7 Compare the advantages and disadvantages of using 

paper with those of using plastics for a variety of 

purposes. 

BPaper is che~panq..e~ily disposable ..¥List some of its· 

. uses under the following headings: catering, hygiene, 

hospital use, school use. 

9 Plastic is impermeable to water, oil, and other liquids. 

List some of its uses under the following headings: in 

a garage, in the fishing industry, hospital use, and 

catering. 

10 What do you understand by a 'technology'? Make 

some suggestions for the technology of making 

jewellery and hats. 

PROJECTS 

List examples of the uses of paper and plastic in the 

home. Discuss aesthetic, performance, and price factors 

for each of these uses. 

Consider possible future uses of plastics and paper. 

Make one article from paper and one from plastic that 

could be used in the home.

1 Rewrite the following two lists putting the fibre 

opposite the appropriate description of its appearance 

under the microscope. 

a wool 

b silk 

c linen 

d cotton 

1 like glass rods, some 

stuck in pairs 

2 looks like bamboo 

3 has scales on surface 

4 like a pile of twisted 

ribbons 

2 When looked at under the microscope man-made 

fibres are recognized initially by their: 

A similarity 

B furry surface 

c different colours 

D silky appearance. 

Choose the correct answer. 

3 You have forgotten to make a note of the fibre 

content from the label on the roll of fabric in the shop. 

Suggest four simple tests you could make in the 

classroom to find out what your fabric is made of. 

4 Copy the table below and list the following fibres 

under the appropriate heading in the table: linen, 

polyester, wool, tricel, cotton, viscose, silk, acrylic, 

nylon, acetate, jute. 

Natural fibres 

5. The graph below shows the amount of cotton used 

in the World from 1950 to 1972. Copy the graph and 

then using a coloured pencil plot a curve to represent 

the amount of synthetic fibre used during this period. 

Explain why the curves vary . 

~ 150001 

c: 

c: 

B u 

·S 12 500 

Q) 

E 

o o 

9 10000 

Regenerated fibres 

Synthetic fibres 

o 1950 1955 1960" 1965 1970 1975 1980 

6 Synthetic fibres are produced by many different 

manufacturers in different countries. Give two brand 

names for each of the following generic fibres: 

polyamide, polyester, and acrylic. 

7 Flammability is an important factor to consider when 

choosing fabric for clothing and furnishings. With this 

in mind, name fabrics suitable for the following uses: 

child's nightdress, stage or cinema curtains, cook's 

overall, old person's dressing gown, and fireman's 

uniform. 

8 List the names of fibres which may be obtained from 

each of the sources shown in the pictures below. 

9 Write down six items of clothing to be packed for a 

cycling holiday. Suggest a suitable fabric for each and 

say why you chose it. 

PROJECT 

Find out what you can about denim material and 

research the history of jeans. Illustrate your results 

with suitable photographs, diagrams, and examples.

In questions 1 and 2, which one of the statements is 

correct? 

1 A filament yarn 

A is a light fibre yarn 

B is a short fibre yarn 

c can be very long 

D can only be synthetic. 

2 Staple fibres are 

A very basic fibres 

B very short fibres 

c more plentiful than any other kind of fibre 

1) very long fibres. 

3 Underline the odd one out. 

a Cotton, liuen, wool, silk. 

b Cotton, linen, viscose, nylon. 

c Sarille, Dicel, Celon, Trice!. 

Explain each of your three choices. 


a Lambswool, cottonwoQI, shetland, merino. 

b American, Egyptian, African, Indian. 

c Merino, crossbred, blackface, paleface. 

Explain each of your three choices. 

5 Proteins are the building blocks of wool and silk. 

They are also a vital part of something else you use 

every day. 

a What textile fibres do these animals produce? 

b What other protein substance do they produce that 

is useful to us? 

6 A sample of wool fibres was found to contain the 

following fibre lengths (in cm): 4, 6, 6, 8, 10, 10, 12, 

15, 16, and 18. 

a How would you find the average length of these 

fibres? 

b lliustrate these results on a graph or histogram. 

7 Compare wool and cotton fibres. Make a diagram to 

show some of the differences between them. 

8 Many fabrics are made on automatic machines. 

Explain how automation affects the price and quality 

of man-made fibres. 

9 The fibres in the table below are all made of 

cellulose taken from different parts of the plants they 

come from. Tick the appropriate column for each and 

say what each fibre is used for. 

Fibre Seed Stem Leaf Fruit Main use 

Cotton 

Linen 

Kapok 

Hemp 

Sisal 

Coir 

Jute 

Esparto 

Ramie 

10 Name and describe as many different stages as you 

can in the manufacture of a woollen coat. 

PROJECT 

Look at the following two lists of fabrics. 

Worsted, wolsey, donegal, harris, guernsey, kersey, 

jersey, fair-isle, cashmere, angora, shetland. 

Denim, poplin, muslin, calico, gingham, cambric, 

lawn, damask, bedford, nainsook, tulle. 

These fabrics have taken their names from places. Find 

out where the places are and mark them on a map. See 

if you can find any more examples and put them on 

your map.


The quality of vegetable fibres is affected by 

a sun, wind, rain, thunder 

b famine, drought, flood, pests 

c labour, price, transport, storage. 

2 

a Cellulose is a naturally occurring polymer suitable 

for textile fibres. Name two textile fibres made from 

cellulose. 

b Regenerated cellulose is a man-made polymer. What 

shape must the polymer have to be suitable as a textile 

fibre? 

c What property of the fibre is affected by the shape 

of the polymer? 

d Silk is a naturally occurring protein polymer. Name 

another protein polymer used as a textile fibre. 

3 Scientists have imitated the way nature produces 

silk in order to produce synthetic polymers in the 

correct shape for textile fibres. Explain how this has 

been achieved. 

4 List the main man-made textile fibres under the 

appropriate production method in the table below. 

Wet spinning 

Dry spinning 

Melt spinning 

5 The diagrams below represent the arrangement of 

molecules in a man-made fibre before and after a 

certain process has taken place. 

-- ----- ----...-..- 

---- 

-...-,-- ...- 

a Describe the molecules in each case. 

b What is the name of the process responsible for the 

change? 

c What does it do the fibres? 

d What effect does it have on the properties of the fibre? 

e What effect does it have on the dimensions of the 

fibre? 

6 If the original length of a fibre is 10 cm and the final 

length 12 cm, what is the percentage increase in the 

length of the fibre? Explain how you used a formula to 

arrive at your answer. 

7 Match the list of fibres below to the smells they give 

off when burned. 

Fibres cotton, viscose, wool, silk, acetate, triacetate, 

nylon, polyester, acrylic. 

Smells burning hair, burnt fingernail, burnt paper, 

burnt string, celery, beans, vinegar, sweet, acrid. 

8 List under the headings below the important 

qualities of synthetic fibres. 

Aesthetics 

Performance 

Price 

9 In each of the following, which two chemicals are 

synthesized to produce the fibre? 

a nylon 

b polyester 

c acrylic fibre. 

10 Man-made fibres can be produced in many forms. 

Name the two forms which are used for clothing. 

Discover what other forms these fibres are currently 

available in and suggest a use for each of them. 

11 Describe the advantages and disadvantages of nylon 

for stockings and tights over the materials that it 

replaced. 

PROJECT 

Make a collection of fine fabric samples both natural 

and man-made and identify them. You will find old 

samples in markets and jumble sales, and perhaps your 

grandmother may still have some old garments. Mount 

them or make a collage to display them. Try and find 

out something about the garments which can be made 

from some of your samples. lliustrate your findings 

with drawings or photographs. 


In questions 1to 3, which one of the statements is 

correct. 

1 The wear you get from a finished garment depends on 

A how much you have paid for it 

B whether it is in fashion 

c whetherthe eolour is 'fast' 

D the properties of the fibres from which it is made. 

2 Some garments should never be ironed because 

A the finish would be spoiled 

B they are meant to look creased 

c the fibres would melt 

D they dry too quickly. 

3 Which of the following mixtures would be the most 

suitable for a summer shirt? 

A wool and nylon 

B cotton and polyester 

c viscose and silk 

D cotton and nylon. 


a Handle, drape, colour, shape. 

b Price, performance, colour, aesthetics. 

c Cotton, linen, wool, silk, nylon. 

5 What m~ght you have done to produce the effects 

shown below? 

6 What precautions should you take when wearing a 

garment made of a flammable material? 

7 List four places in a garment where shape retention 

is important. 

8 Match the garment to the appropriate blend of fibre. 

1 sock A wool and nylon 

2 scarf B polyester and wool 

3 coat C polyester and cotton 

4 baby's nightdress D silk and cotton 

5' tights . E"woo1:and"'Cotton 

9 Devise a way of testing how a fabric used to cover 

an armchair could be expected to behave in everyday 

wear. 

Using statistical methods, how might you find out 

similar information? 

10 This graph shows what you might expect as the 

temperature of water drops inside a test-tube which 

has been insulated with an open weave fabric. Draw 

two other curves to show what might happen if 

a No insulation is used. , 

b A heavy-weight fabric is used. 

60 

C3 40 

~ 

o 10 20 30 

Time (minutes) 

40 50 

11 Blended fibres have advantages over a fibre on its 

own. The table below gives an example of the reasons 

for blending fibres. Fill in the missing information. 

Blend Reason for blend 

Polyester/cotton performance and aesthetics 

Wool/nylon 

Wool/viscose 

Cotton/nylon 

PROJECT 

Survey the dry-cleaning shops in an area close to your 

home. Try to find out what their charges are and how 

long they take to clean garments. What chemicals do 

they use and how and where do they store them? Do 

they have any special offers? Are there some fibres or 

fabrics they cannot deal with? 

Try to compare a home dry -cleaning task using a 

solution of cloudy ammonia in water with professional 

dry -cleaning. Select a garment which has not got very 

dirty and see how successful you can be. 

..Spot'isolventsare also available (e.g~·;'Dab-it.;offand. '. 

Beaucaire.) Try one of these and compare all your 

results. You might find a table the best way to do this. 

You should include time, cost, and effectiveness and 

then write down your conclusions.

1 Select the odd one out in each of the following. 

a sorting, combing, carding, cutting. 

b filament, sliver, roving, tow. 

c' winding, shearing, twisting, spinning. 

d drawing, reeling, spinning, throwing. 


a extruding, scouring, netting, ginning. 

b worsted, woollen, chlorinated, mercerized. 

c bulking, crimping, delustring, texturizing. 

d blend, loop, filament, staple. 

3 The diagrams below refer to fibres. Explain each of 

them in a few words: 

- --=' 

--=====- ------ -= .... 

:~- - 

-~ 

- 

---=: 

------ ----- 

4 The natural crimp in sheeps' wool gives special 

properties to woollen cloth. 

a Explain what these properties are. 

b Describe the process which must take place if a wool 

yarn of greater strength is required. 

c What is the name given both to the yarn produced 

in b and the cloth made from it? 

5 Scientists have introduced a wool-like crimp to 

synthetic fibres in order to give a fuller handle to the 

fabric. 

a What is this process called? 

b What method was previously used? 

c What was the main disadvantage of the old method? 

6 

a Copy the list of methods of producing fibres given 

in the lefthand column below. Opposite each method 

write the trade name of the yarn produced by the 

method. 

Method 

1 edge crimping 

2 fabric twist 

3 air-texturing 

4 knit-de-knit 

5 stuffer box 

Trade name 

a Taslan 

b Crimplene 

c Banlon 

d Agilon 

e Buclon. 

b Suggest a use for each of the yarns. 

c Which one of the yarns will stretch the most? 

7 Stretch yarns are frequently used to give comfort in 

wear to socks which will fit a wide range of sizes of 

feet. If a 500 g load is applied to a 10 em length of 

stretch fabric for one hour, it will stretch to 12.8 em in 

length. One hour after removing the load, the length 

will be reduced to 10.7 em long. 

Copy and complete the following table showing the 

percentage extension and recovery of the fabric. 

Extended Recovered Extension Recovery 

length length (%) (%) 

12.8 em 10.7 em 

8 Stretch fabrics are used for three main purposes: 

freedom of movement, close fit, and shape retention. 

For each of these purposes, suggest two garments which 

illustrate the use, and complete the following table. 

Freedom of movement Close fit Shape retention 

9 Name the type of yarn shown here and label its 

component parts. 

PROJECTS 

l\1ake a survey of the range of fancy yarns available in 

your district"fo); hand;knittirtg. Investigate their price, 

qualities, and fibre content. Which ones are the best 

value? 

Collect samples when you can and mount them. 

Describe and sketch a garment which could be made in 

either a fancy or exotic yarn. 



a warp, shed, selvedge, weft. 

b friction, slippage, cohesion, weave. 

c privacy, comfort, attraction, protection. 

d needle, heddle, shuttle, reed. 


a knitting, crochet, tatting, lace. 

b French knitting, macrame, plaiting, braiding. 

c damask, Jacquard, satin, brocade. 

d course, filling, wale, loop. 

3 Name the weave patterns shown in each of the 

diagrams below. 

a 

c d 

4 Copy the list of articles in the lefthand column 

below. Opposite each article write the name of the 

fabric from which it could be made. (Use each fabric 

once only.) 

Article 

1 tights 

2 socks 

3 vests 

4 pants 

5 jumpers 

6 T-shirts 

7 nightdresses 

8 slips 

9 trousers 

10 sheets 

b 

Fabric 

a Celanese locknit 

b wo 01jersey 

c nylon tricot 

d brushed nylon 

e stockinette 

f double jersey 

g Crimplene jersey 

h Vincel jersey 

cotton jersey 

interlock 

5 Some fabrics are made without using yarn. 

a Name three ways in which the web of fibres may be 

held together to make a fabric. 

b Copy the table below and complete it to show the 

properties of each of the fabrics you have named in a. 

6' Copy the list of tools given in the lefthand column 

below. Opposite each method write the name of the 

fabric which it produces. 

Tools 

1 shuttle 

2 hook 

3 shuttle 

4 bobbin 

5 needles 

6 latch needle 

Fabrics 

a machine knitting 

b knitting 

c lace 

d crochet 

e tatting 

f weaving. 

7 Look at the following diagram of the way threads 

can be interlocked in a fabric. 

a What does it show? 

b How many separate threads are involved in its 

making? 

c Name two different ways in which this process may 

be carried out. 

8 Look at the following diagram of the way threads 

can be interlocked in a fabric. 

a What does it show? 

b How many separate threads are involved in its 

making? 

c What advantage does this fabric have over that 

shown in question 7? 

d Name four items that are frequently made from this 

fabric. 

PROJECT 

Woven, knitted, and nonwoven fabrics are used for 

many garments and textiles in the home. Conduct a 

survey to discover the proportion of woven, knitted, 

and nonwoven textiles in regular use. Present your 

findings diagrammatically. 

Fibres used Web secured by End use Price Performance Aesthetics 


In questions 1, 2, and 3, select the wrong statement. 

1 The colour you see when you look at a flower 

depends on: 

A the number of cells in a petal 

B the pigments in the petals 

C the colours absorbed by the pigment 

D a source of light such as the Sun. 

2 White light is: 

A a mixture of all the visible spectrum 

B the light reflected from a white surface 

C a narrow band of the electromagnetic spectrum 

D all the colours of the rainbow mixed. 

3 A fast dyestuff: 

A is a pigment which can bond to a fibre 

B will remain bonded to the fabric and not wash out. 

C is a chemical with an affinity for certain fibres 

D quickly loses its colour when washed. 

4 

a Draw a rainbow and label the colours in the correct 

order. 

b- A fainter bow is sometimes seen beneath the main 

rainbow. Draw a fainter bow beneath the first and 

label its colours. 

c Explain the relationship of the colours in the inner 

bow to those in the outer bow. 

5 The graph below shows an absorption spectrogram 

for visible light falling on a dye. 

a From the spectrogram, say approximately what 

percentage of each indicated colour is absorbed. 

b What colour would the dyestuff be? 

c How are black dyestuffs usually obtained? 

% colour 

absorbed 

100 % 

0% V 

part 

absorbed 

part 

reflected 

B G y o R 

6 Pick the odd one out. Loose dye may: 

A bleed 

B mark off 

C 'migrate 

D run 

E stain. 

F leak or even escape. 

7 Explain what each of the correct terms in question 6 

means in relation to the laundering of fabrics. 

8 What are your conclusions about the nature of dyes 

and their relationships to fabrics? 

9 People tend to believe that certain colours suit them 

and that others do not. Why do you think this is? 

Which colours do you think suit you best? 

PROJECT 

Find out what colours of dye can be obtained from 

natural animal and vegetable sources, e.g. onion skin, 

blackberries. Experiment with different mordants and 

fibres to extend the range of shades available. 


Putting colour into practice 

CHAPTER 11 

1 Three synthetic dyestuffs built up from simple 

chemicals derived from oil are: 

a vat dyes; b direct dyes; c disperse dyes. 

Under these three headings list the fibres for which 

each is particularly suitable. 

2 

a List four technical factors which a dyer must 

consider. 

b Describe three of the economic factors involved in 

dyeing for the commercial market. 

3 Under the headings: a aesthetics, b performance, 

c price, assess the following printing methods: block 

printing, roller printing, screen printing, transfer 

printing. 

4 Textiles may be a polymer dyed; b fibre dyed; 

c yarn dyed; d piece dyed; or e cross-dyed. 

Construct a table to show at which stage each of the 

items shown below would be dyed. Give at least one 

reason in each case. 

1 plain sheets; 2 patterned socks; 3 Jacquardjumper; 

4 check shirt; 5 brocade curtains; 6 tweed skirt; 

7 printed T-shirt; 8 silk scarf. 

NUFFIELD 



,ASSESSMENT CARD 

FM29 

5 Piece dyeing and fibre dyeing are two dyeing 

processes used by manufacturers. Suggest two 

advantages of each process for the manufacturer. 

6 How can cross-dyeing be used to produce a a striped 

effect, b a checked pattern, c a Jacquard design, d a 

'shot' effect? Use labelled diagrams to illustrate your 

answers. 

7 Explain the meaning of each of the following terms 

in relation to printed fabrics: block, resist, over-print, 

engrave, screen, transfer, roller, flock. 

8 Quote a line from a popular song and describe the 

colours and designs that you would associate with it. 

PROJECTS 

Investigate the techniques of paper printing and 

compare them with those used for fabric printing. 

Experiment with transfer printing on polyester fabric 

and cotton fabric. Discuss the methods and materials 

used in each case. 

Make a decorative/useful item for your room using one 

of your experimental transfer prints. 


In questions 1, 2, and 3, select the correct answer. 

1 Grey fabric is so called because it is: 

A always that colour 

B not yet finished off 

C probably dirty after manufacture and before finishing 

D ready to be dyed. 

2 Calendered fabric: 

A is wear-dated fabric 

B is polished fabric 

C is pressed between heated rollers 

D is made at a particular time of the year . 

• 

3 Tentering: 

A is special tent material 

B smooths, stabilizes, and heat-sets material 

C is a row of pin marks along the selvedge of material 

D is lightly coloured. 

4 Copy the lists of fabric finishes below. Write down 

the trade name opposite the fabric finish which it 

describes. 

...Trade names 

1 Lintrak 

2 Anti-stat 

3 Mitin 

4 Hercosett 

5 Easy care 

6 Scotchgard 

7 Proban 

,Fabric finishes 

a non-shrink 

b crease-resistant 

c water-repellent 

d flame-retardant 

e moth-proof 

f permanent pleats 

g resistant to build-up 

of static electricity. 

5 The fabric finishes in question 4 are chemical 

finishes. . 

a In what fundamental way do they differ from 

physical finishes? 

b Copy and complete the table below to show the 

.disadvantages these finishes can cause when applied to 

cotton and wool. 

Fibre Finish Price Performance Aesthetics 

Cotton crease-resistant 

Wool shrink-resistant 

6 Wool is naturally flame resistant because of its 

chemical structure and its high natural moisture content. 

a Suggest two instances when it would be advisable to 

apply a flame retardant finish to woollen fabric. 

b Name three highly flammable fibres which are often 

given an anti-flame finish. 

c In what circumstances would you consider the 

expense of this special finish worthwhile? 

d Suggest two laundry practice~ which should be 

avoided in these cases. 

7 Calendering and tentering are physical (mechanical) 

finishes applied to new fabric. 

a Name two more phYSIcal finishes. 

b Copy out and complete the following table, giving a 

rating out of 10 for the effect on price, performance, 

and aesthetics. 

Physical finishes Price Performance Aesthetics 

Calendering 

Tentering 

8 Fabrics are sometimes given special finishes. But the 

trouble and expense of applying a special finish can be 

wasted through carelessness and ignorance when the 

garments are made up. 

a Describe how this can happen. 

b Home laundering can also spoil a special finish. Give 

,examples of what might happen and explain how they . 

could have been avoided. 

9 Below are two examples of care instructions given 

with acrylic garments. The one on the left was stuck 

with adhesive to a fluffy scarf. The one on the right 

was stitched into a seam of a jumper. 

a How would you wash the fluffy scarf? 

b Which label is more useful? Give reasons for your 

choice. 

1DD% ACRYlIC/ACRVUQUE 

\i:Ja® 

WARM - 

COLD RINSE 

RESHAPE WHilE DAMP 

DRY flAT AWAY 

FROM DIRECT HEAT 

COOL IRON WHEN DRY 

100% ACRYLIC 

MADE IN JAPAN 

'

In questions 1, 2, and 3, select the statement which is 

wrong. 

1 Creating stimulating new designs is the job of the: 

A artist 

B stylist 

c fashion model 

D designer. 

2 Engineering the fit of the garment is the jo b of the: 

A pattern cutter 

B dressmaker 

c tailor 

D fitter. 

3 Amongst British fashion designers are: 

A Zandra Rhodes 

B Mary Quant 

c Calvin Klein 

D Hardy Amies. 

4 Moulding is a method of shaping fabric by the 

application of heat and pressure. 

a Name four types of garment or accessory where this 

method is regularly used. 

b Give an example of the fabric which would be 

moulded in each instance. 

c Give two examples of when moulding would spoil 

the appearance of a fabric. 

5 Sticking is not normally used as a method of joining 

clothing. 

a Explain why this is so. 

b Give two examples of fabrics used for clothing 

which are regularly put together using adhesive. 

6 Seams must stretch as much as the fabric or they 

will be unsightly and uncomfortable. 

a Name three machine stitches which give a flexible 

seam. 

b Which of these stitches stretches the least? 

c Has it any advantage over the other two? 

d What other component must stretch in order to give 

a successful seam on stretchy fabric? 

e Explain how to calculate the percentage stretch of a 

given seam. 

7 

a List the performance properties of a good sewing 

thread. 

b Classify these properties as they apply to 

1 polyester thread 

2 cotton thread 

3 core-spun polyester/cotton thread. 

c Give one trade name for each of the above threads. 

8 What might be the effects on fashion of 

unemployment and an economic recession? 

PROJECT 

The success of a garment can be affected by design, 

cut, fashion, colour, pattern, workmanship, fabric, 

trimmings, display, and advertising. 

Discuss this statement from the points of view of the 

shop-manager and the purchaser of a garment. What 

would they each have to say about their priorities? 


1 We all have constant contact with dust. 

a Name four occupations which are likely to cause 

dust-like or dusty-type soiling. 

b Advise what types of fabric should be chosen to 

prevent dust adhering to them. 

e Advise on suitable methods of removing dust from 

the clothing. 

2 Greasy soiling attracts and holds dust, and is much 

more difficult to remove than dusty soiling. 

a Suggest possible sources of greasy soiling. 

b Which garments or parts of garments are prone to 

greasy soiling? 

e Describe two different methods of dealing with 

greasy soiling, and specify appropriate fibres, fabrics, 

and instances for each method. (Give your answer in 

the form of a table.) 

3 Arrange the following processes under the 

appropriate headings in the table below: brush, shake, 

rinse through, scrub, pre-wash,dry clean, hand wash, 

machine wash, bio pre-wash. 

Heavy soiling Light soiling 

Questions 4 and 5 are lists of fabric characteristics 

which affect how much dirt a fabric shows. Identify 

the odd one out in each case. 

4 

a glossy, glazed, nap, calendered 

b stain resistant, absorbent, water-repellent, shiny 

e slippery, silky, rough, soft. 

5 

a smooth, raised, texturized, brushed 

b light, neutral, bright, dark 

e checked, sprigged, printed, plain. 

6 Rewrite the following lists putting the dust controller 

opposite how it works. - 

a vacuum cleaner 1 traps rather than disturbs dust 

b humidifier 2 sucks up and removes dust 

c ionizer 3 circulates air and filters dust 

d damp duster 4 prevents attraction of dust to 

e air conditioning fabrics 

f curtain nets 5 negative ions attract floating 

g anti-static fabric pollen and dust 

finish 6 prevents dry atmosphere and 

damps down dust 

7 traps airborne dust from 

windows 

7 How might a garment be cleaned in ancient Rome, 

in the Middle Ages, and in 1900? 

PROJECT 

Some people and things get dirtier than others. Some 

fabrics give the impression of being dirtier than others 

when this is not the case. Study these problems and 

suggest actions which could be taken to minimize these 

effects. 


1 Select the odd one out in each of the following lists. 

In each case explain your choice. 

a Lenor, Comfort, Bounce, Softlan. 

b Persil, Dreft, Daz, Surf. 

c Bold, Ariel, Fairy, Biotex. 

d Radox, Calgon, Washing Soda, Permutit. 

2 Select the odd one out in each of the following lists. 

In each case, explain your choice. 

a automatic, twin tub, wash boiler, machine and 

wringer. 

[Q) B om El 

b 

c laundry, laundrette, dry cleaner, laundress. 

d chlorine, perborate, fluorescer, peroxide. 

3 

a Explain the significance of the following symbols. 

® ® 

b What may happen to clothes if they are washed 

when they should only be dry cleaned? 

c Suggest why some people try to avoid taking articles 

to be dry cleaned. 

d What alternative action could they take? 

4 

a List the actions you must take before handing over 

your garment to the dry cleaner. 

b List the things you must do if you are using a coinoperated 

machine to dry clean garments yourself. 

c Underline the points which are common to both a 

and b. 

d What special care must you take if doing your own 

dry cleaning? 

5 Many people do laundry work at home. 

a List the factors essential for effective cleaning. 

b Why is rinsing particularly important? What steps 

should you take to ensure that it is carried out 

effectively? 

6 Explain the following with reference to the water 

supply: 

a soap scum 

b temporary hardness 

c permanent hardness 

d fur or scale. 

7 Explain the following with reference to modern 

detergent powders: 

a wetting agent 

b emulsification 

c suspension 

d bio prewash 

e lather improver 

f fluorescer. 

8 

a What do the letters HLCC stand for? 

b Fill in the missing information on these labels and 

suggest one article on which each one might be found. 

MACHINE HAND WASH 

Spin or wring 

MACHINE HAND WASH 

Warm 

9 Discuss the washing of the following articles, 

explaining how any problems can be prevented: 

a acrylic knitwear 

b polyester/cotton sheets 

c woollen jumpers. 

10 List six different cleaning situations. State the 

cleaning product you would use for each. 

PROJECTS 

List equipment which can be used for doing the 

laundry at home and find out the current price of 

these items in your district. 

Find out the different methods available for borrowing 

the money to buy large equipment for laundry in the 

home. 

What would be your priorities in buying the equipment 

you think necessary?

worksheet and assessment card masters - National STEM Centre

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