Another type is that given in Fig. 14a. The dark grey, the grey, and the check lines of grey and white, all vary in size. There are, therefore, three types of effect; the centre stripe A has a dark line on each side adjoining the check stripe B; then follow stripes of grey and dark grey, gradually decreasing in size to line C, this being the order adopted on either side of the centre or leading stripe A. In one sense, this pattern is on the graduated principle of combining lines of different widths, and working in two colours at each change. Stripes in three shades may also be formed on the same base.

96. Irregular and Indefinite Stripes in Two Colours.—No. 1, Plate XVI., is, in one particular, constructed on a similar principle to the last illustration, for it contains a series of small stripes, nine in number, which in combination form one broad band; and then follows a small band of brown, each repetition of which determines the size of the pattern. It is a style adapted to lawn tennis trouserings, flannels, and cotton fabrics. Though there is a marked contrast in the shades, yet the design is somewhat mellow and subdued. The arrangement of the warp colours is⁠—

The occurrence of the three threads of brown after each forty-two threads causes the pattern to appear nearly an inch wide. If the centre end of these three threads were changed to white, the whole pattern would be like the part bracketed A; showing what a small item may modify the character of such styles. The white thread between the browns imparts the indefinite cast to the stripe. If this were removed the design would be pronounced and decided in arrangement. Indefinite stripes invariably result from distributing the colours in minute quantities in the fabric.

97. Irregular Stripes—Shades in Two Colours.—The principle of shading by colour yields a very useful range of woven patterns. These obtain in fancy dress fabrics, ulsterings, cottons, and, in small styles, in trouserings; just as shades are acquired in black and white in sketching, they may be produced in fabrics in any two colours by softly gradating one into the other. Generally an ordinary twilled weave is employed, and two colours of warp yarns, one of which must be dark and the other of a light shade. Thus, a shaded stripe of blue may be produced in the Venetian twill by grouping blue and white threads together, according to the plan given below:⁠—

This forms a lightened shade of blue. If black were used, a darkened shade of this colour would ensue. Any two colours of the same hue, but of different intensities, such as dark brown and medium brown, drab and light drab, when arranged on this principle, produce effective patterns.

98. Shaded Stripes in Two Colours.—Two excellent styles shaded on this system are supplied in Nos. 2 and 3, Plate XVI. The former consists of broad bands of fawn, and small bands of scarlet and white, and blue and white shades. The order of warping being⁠—

Next, consider No. 3, Plate XVI., a style containing a shaded stripe of more than an inch in width. While the principle of construction is the same as in the preceding example, it is more intricate in arrangement, and comprises a larger group of threads. It is as follows:⁠—

Blue and white stripe, Section B of No. 3, Plate XVI.

Shade of red, Section A of No. 3, Plate XVI.

Section B of No. 3, Plate XVI.

By this arrangement an elaborate shade is formed in two colours in Section A. It commences with a maximum degree of white, which gradually diminishes until a maximum quantity of red is acquired, when a similar decrease of red and an increase of white occurs, until the maximum white quantity is again reached. An analysis of the plan of colouring may explain how the softly-toned result has been produced. This commences with a 5 of white, then follows a 4 of white, and subsequently 3, 2, and 1 of white. Meantime the red has remained unaltered. At C a change takes place. Now the red begins to augment in quantity, while the white factor is invariable, consisting of one thread only. The red starts at this point C with 2, then 3, 4, and 5 in succession. Here the maximum intensity of this hue is reached. (See D in the order of colours.) From D to E the red factor of the shade decreases, and from E to the end of the pattern the white increases. While the gradation of tinting in this pattern is complete, both sides of the shade are exactly symmetrical.

This style of striping might be adopted in fine cotton, silk, and worsted fabrics; other colours than those appearing in the illustration being of course employed.

99. Irregular Stripes containing Several Colours.—In this class of stripe are included many of the neatest patterns woven. Such stripes are generally mellow in colouring, and ingeniously diversified in arrangement. A number of shades may be combined, but the patterns should always be characterized by softness of tone.

This scheme of textile colouring is so important that further illustrations will be considered, two styles in dark, and two in light colours. Patterns 1 and 2, Plate XVII., show subdued stripings applicable to tweeds and similar fabrics, and in which there is diversity of line and of colour. No. 1 has a broad stripe A, on which there are lines of red, with the bulk of the stripe consisting of one-and-one colouring, and a second stripe B, of light olive. The warping and wefting are⁠—

Warp.

Weft.

from which it will be seen that there are four colours with three types of stripes, the large stripe, the single-thread stripes in red, and the small stripe in light olive.

Pattern 2 is more diversified, and consists of the following warping and wefting:—

Warp.

Weft.

In the warp alone there are no less than seven colours, grouped to give harmony, as well as richness of style. Red, orange, and green twist are used, but no one colour has greater prominence than another; though the white silk threads form a feature of the pattern, the other colours blend and tone into each other. There is intermingling of colouring and of shades blending together, but the stripe characteristic is prevalent.

No. 2, Plate XVIII., is a style in silk in which five varieties of lines are combined, the ground being white, stripe A, with two widths of lines of heliotrope, B and C; lines in green, D, and in pink, E. The diversity of lines adds to the richness of the pattern. Had they been equal in size, there would have been stiffness of form and want of harmony of colour. The green and the pink would have been too pronounced in tone, but by adapting the width of the stripe to the brightness of colour, harmony and contrast are maintained.

No. 1, Plate XVIII., is still richer in colouring and in variety of stripe. There is, first, the simple striping of crimson and white in a series of lines, section A, with edging colour of gold of similar width. This is one pattern in itself, but in order to combine it with the second stripe B, without colour impinging upon colour, there is down either side dividing lines in white. Stripe B consists of four sizes of lines in addition to the white, in pale blue, pink, gold, and sage green. Again, there is variety of line with diversity of hue, the sizes of the stripes having been well worked out in proportion to the brightness of hue.

In such examples as Nos. 1 and 2, the style of striping has two applications: first, in other colours of the same depth and degree of contrast as those in the patterns, and second, in lesser or larger quantities of each colour, maintaining the same relative proportionate sizes of the lines.

100. Shaded Stripes in Several Colours.—Another system of shading, besides that already illustrated, consists in employing several shades of yarns of the same hue. For instance, to form a brown shade by this method, at least three or five tones—the larger the number the better, and the more complete the gradation—of this colour would be required, such as very dark, dark, medium, light, and very light brown. Each shade should be continued for a suitable number of threads, taking them in succession, and running from dark to light, and vice versâ. But to obtain diversity of colouring in shaded styles economically, other methods are adopted besides this. An illustration in which the two methods are combined is given in No. 3, Plate XVIII. This is a compound of colours which gives shading in two varieties: first, that formed in the broad band A, in which there is a gradation from fine pink and deep maroon lines at the edges to lines increasing in width to the centre; and, second, the shaded stripe in green with fawn edges. The style is similar in principle to Pattern 3, Plate XVI., with the shading in section B more graduated, the green warp running from a pale green at the edges to a deep green in the centre. In section A the shading is due to the change in the grouping of the colours, and in B to the use of several tints of colour. The colour contrasts are in tone in stripe A, and also in B, and in hue between A and B, the whole pattern possessing harmony of colouring.