of dyed yarns of different fibers is open to
the objection that when the fabric comes to be finished there is a
wide difference in the color, no matter how closely they may have
matched in the beginning.

=Ribbons.= Ribbons are woven several pieces in one loom, with a
separate shuttle for each piece. The shuttle is carried through the
shed or warp by a rack and pinion, instead of being thrown through as
in broad goods; otherwise the weaving is the same.

=Velvets.= Velvets and other pile fabrics are woven in two pieces,
one over the other, with the pile threads woven back and forth between
them. A knife travels between the two pieces cutting the pile threads
so as to leave the ends standing up straight. Velvets used to be woven
over wires and cut by hand, but this method is practically obsolete.

=Piece Dyeing.= If the goods are woven with the gum still in the silk,
it must be taken out afterward, and the goods either dyed in the piece
or prepared for printing.

=Printing.= The most primitive method of printing is by the use of
stencils. It is the method employed by the Japanese and Chinese. Next
came block printing, which is still extensively used in Europe. The
pattern is raised in felt on wooden blocks, the color taken up from
pads, one block for each color. The results are good, but the work is
very slow. Most silk goods are to-day machine printed. The design is
engraved or etched on copper cylinders, one cylinder for each color;
the color thickened with gum is supplied by rolls running against the
cylinders, and the surplus is scraped off by a knife blade, leaving
only that in the engraving which is taken up by the cloth. After
printing, the cloth is steamed to set the colors, and then washed in
order to remove the gum used to thicken the colors for printing.

[Illustration: JACQUARD SILK LOOM]

=Finishing.= All silk goods, whether yarn dyed or piece dyed or
printed, are given some kind of finish; sometimes it is no more than
is necessary to smooth out the wrinkles. There are many finishing
processes by which goods may be treated. They are run through gas
flames to singe off loose fiber, and over steam cylinders to dry and
straighten them, over a great variety of sizing machines to stiffen
them with starch or glue. There are calenders or heavy rolls to smooth
and iron them, steam presses of great power to press them out,
breaking and rubbing machines to soften them, and tentering machines
to stretch them to