From tube to bolt
One of the great mysteries in my life has been how fabric gets wrapped onto the bolts. I know, it’s a goofy thing to wonder about, but it’s only 7 am and I’ve already be accused (twice) of thinking too much.
While in Chicago at the Troy Fabric warehouse event my mystery was solved. In fact, I was very nearly late for one of my lectures because I was watching these guys wrapping the bolts. I just love learning how stuff works.
The fabric arrives on the warehouse rolled on a tube. Sometimes a shop will order an entire tube, about a hundred yards or so, for special kits they may be doing. While most of us quilters love the idea of a hundred yards of fabric, few of us want a hundred yards on ONE fabric.
The tube is unwrapped and loaded into the machine. Notice the stack of bolt forms?
It only takes this fellow a few minutes to thread the fabric through all the guides. It was a challenge to get these pictures because these guys moved so fast.
Isn’t it cool how the machine puts a fold into the fabric? He’s placing the bolt board (what are those things called, anyway?), getting ready to spin fabric into a bolt. It’s not unlike how we wind thread onto a bobbin.
You can really see the fold here, turning the fabric from flat to wrong sides together. He’s working really hard to keep those selvege edges perfectly aligned. If you ever get a messy bolt then you’ll know this is the step where they slacked off. It won’t come from Troy, though, these guys were very careful.
There’s a little meter on the machine that tells them when to stop, usually ten or fifteen yards. Here he’s taping the bolt to keep it tidy.
From here the bolts are wrapped in plastic and stored in the warehouse until a shop owner places an order. I’d like a fat quarter of each please.
Quilt Market is this weekend. The planes landing in Houston will be loaded with quilters from around the world. Market is the wholesale show. I’ll be there to introduce my new book. Shop owners will be placing orders for fabric, some of which isn’t even printed yet. We’ll be on the look out for fantastic new gadgets, new trends and the next big thing. My camera is packed. See you there?
October 8th, 2009 at 7:09 am
I’ve wondered too, and I really appreciate you sharing it Isn’t it amazing how simple and clever things as when you find out how they are done.
October 8th, 2009 at 10:18 am
What a great post! It is fascinating how all that fabric gets onto a bolt. Thanks for sharing!
October 9th, 2009 at 8:07 am
I am always fascinated by the equipment it takes to get a job done. Great photos! Thank you!
October 9th, 2009 at 8:50 am
My god look at all that eye candy. wow don’t you just wish you had the tardis as a hand bag. so you can smuggle the fabric out so the you can sit in a room and pat it …or is that just me that does that?
October 9th, 2009 at 11:06 am
They are called bolt cores
October 10th, 2009 at 2:57 pm
I will feel even more guilty buying only a fat quarter now LOL
October 10th, 2009 at 3:38 pm
Ihave always wondered about that too. So jealous about Market! Lucky Ducky
October 13th, 2009 at 10:35 am
That is a wonderment! And soooo much fabric. Excuse me while I drool.
October 26th, 2009 at 11:01 am
you are so lucky to have a tour of that place and see step by step what all is involved!!! and lucky for us that you had your camera and took photos to share with us. that must have been SO COOL!!!
Love from Texas! ~bonnie
November 13th, 2009 at 9:14 pm
Beth,
Thanks for sharing this and solving the mystery for us!
November 14th, 2009 at 12:28 pm
wow thanks for sharing very interesting love to see and know that kinda thing also
January 3rd, 2010 at 8:33 am
That’s amazing. I love finding out how they do stuff like that. Wouldn’t it be cool if someone was able to follow the whole manufacturing process for fabric? How the cotton is processed and woven, then printed or dyed, wound onto tubes and then into bolts. That would be fascinating.
Thanks for sharing!