Weavers, Knitters and Other Fabric Making Workers

Nature of work

Weavers, knitters and other workers in fabric making workers use machines to process yarn or thread into woven, non-woven and knitted products like cloth, lace, carpets, rope, industrial fabric, hosiery and knitted clothes or to quilt and embroider fabric. This group also includes workers who carry out activities like reproducing patterns, drawing-in and tying warps and setting up looms. They work for textile companies and clothing and mattress manufacturing companies.

Job duties

Weavers, knitters and other fabric making workers:

• Set up looms or other processing machines.
• Read loom patterns and prepare loom pattern mechanisms for processing.
• Use looms to weave yarn or thread into textile fabrics or products.
• Use machines that produce twine, ropes or nets.
• Use batteries of knitting machines to make knitted fabric, hosiery, garments or other products.
• Use carpet tufting machines, felt making needle-punch machines, and other machines to make textile products.
• Use large automatic multi-needle machines to embroider material or to sew lengths of several layers of material to make yard goods, quilts or mattress coverings.
• Patrol machines and check fabrics or products for defects and to verify efficient operation.
• Investigate machine stoppages.
• Repair minor mechanical problems like broken or defective needles.
• Notify supervisor or repairers of mechanical malfunctions.

Sample job titles

• carpet weaver
• drawing-in machine operator
• embroidery machine operator
• hosiery knitter
• knitting machine operator
• loom operator
• mattress sewing machine operator
• pinning machine operator
• quilting machine operator
• tufting operator
• warp knitting machine tender
• warp tier-in
• weaver

Skills

You should be responsible, alert, and in good physical health. Coordination, agility, and mechanical skills are important. You must also be able to take direction and carry out instructions given by a supervisor.

Job requirements

• High school is usually required.
• On-the-job training is provided for up to several months, depending on the complexity of the product, whether equipment set-up and maintenance is done by the operator, and the number of machines used.
• Experience as a labourer in the same company may be necessary for some operators in this group.

Other considerations

Shift work may be typical for many of these jobs. Movement among employers may be limited by differences in machines and products. Movement to textile machinery mechanics and repairers or to supervisor positions is possible with experience and training.

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Contacts

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