Take-up and shrinkage
Understand weaving take-up and shrinkage before finishing
Take-up happens while weaving. Shrinkage happens in finishing. Draw-in changes width. Keep these assumptions visible so the calculator does not pretend to be more precise than it is.
| Allowance | What it means | Where it affects the math |
|---|---|---|
| Draw-in | Width narrows on the loom as weft interlaces. | Width in reed and weft estimate. |
| Width shrinkage | Width changes during wet finishing. | Width in reed. |
| Warp take-up | Warp path bends over and under weft. | Warp length. |
| Length shrinkage | Length changes during finishing. | Warp length. |
| Weft take-up | Weft path bends through the warp and selvedges. | Weft yardage. |
Recommended workflow
Use 10% as a starting assumption for simple balanced cloth when you do not know better. After finishing, record actual measurements and update your future defaults. For fitted, expensive, or unusual projects, sample first.