Plate No. 018 · weave

Twill

Twill is a weave in which each thread passes over two or more threads, stepping one thread sideways on each row, so the interlacings line up into a diagonal rib called a wale. The floats make twill denser, heavier, and more drapable than a plain weave of the same yarn, and better at hiding soil, which is why workwear lives here. Denim, gabardine, tweed, serge, and chino are all twills, and herringbone and houndstooth are built on its diagonal.