a virgin fabric 68 is shown in the position of fig5 and is gathered in the cradle from which it can be removed as the upper clamp is raised during processing of the fabric referring to fig1 the apparatus 41 is postured for forming a fabric 46 of the type shown in fig2 and 3 with hobbles 54 and guide loops 74 and for such a fabric when the upper clamp 66 is lowered to the position of fig5 the rear layer 48 of the fabric is threaded through the lower clamp 146 as shown in fig1 and the front layer 50 of the fabric is passed on the rear side of the movable bar 148 of the lower clamp so as to bypass the lower clamp as will be appreciated from the description herein the reference to the layers of the fabric as front 50 and rear 48 layers for illustrative purposes is the reverse of the reference to the parts of the apparatus since the fabric is mounted in the apparatus with its front layer facing the rear of the apparatus it will also be appreciated in the positioning of the fabric in fig1 both layers of the fabric pass freely past the tuck clamp 100 and the vacuum clamp 116 and will also slide through the lower clamp even though the lower clamp is in its soft clamping position with the rear layer of the fabric engaging the upper and lower brushes 158 and 160 of the lower clamp referring to fig1 when forming the fabric 46 of fig2 and 3 having both hobbles 54 and guide.