Decorative formation of tissue

Paper sheets, such as tissue sheets useful for facial tissue, bath tissue and the like, are formed with a decorative pattern imparted to the tissue sheet by the forming fabric. The decorative pattern is incorporated into the forming fabric by a variety of means, such as stitching, silk screening, printing, weaving, or overlaying a fabric with a decorative pattern onto a conventional forming fabric. The presence of decoratively-shaped areas in the forming fabric, which are areas of relatively slow water drainage, cause corresponding areas in the resulting sheet to have a translucent appearance attributable to a relatively lower basis weight and/or different fiber composition. The decorative patterns are preferably formed in the outer or surface layer(s) of the paper sheet.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
 Tissue products such as facial tissue, bath tissue, kitchen towels, dinner
 napkins and the like are often aesthetically enhanced by printing or
 embossing the surface of the tissue with decorative designs. Both printing
 and embossing are basesheet post treatments which increase operational
 costs and require additional capital equipment. An economical method of
 enhancing the aesthetic appeal of tissues which does not require
 additional equipment and additional web handling would be advantageous.
 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
 It has now been discovered that tissue sheets can be provided with
 decorative patterns by forming the tissue sheet on a forming fabric having
 a decorative pattern superposed thereon or incorporated therein. As a
 result of the different drainage characteristics of the portions of the
 forming fabric having the decorative pattern, the resulting tissue sheet
 exhibits a subtle, yet distinctive, translucent decorative pattern
 corresponding to the decorative pattern of the forming fabric. More
 particularly, areas of the forming fabric having a more restrictive flow
 (or no flow) will not retain the same quantity and type of fibers as the
 areas of the forming fabric having a less restrictive flow. As a
 consequence, by using a papermaking furnish containing relatively long
 fibers and relatively short fibers, a decorative pattern can be imparted
 into the newly-formed sheet in which the decorative pattern in the tissue
 is delineated by areas of different fiber composition (different fiber
 length) corresponding to areas of differing forming fabric drainage.
 Hence, in one aspect, the invention resides in a tissue sheet having a
 distinct decorative pattern cast into the sheet during the initial
 formation of the sheet on a forming fabric, said tissue sheet comprising
 long papermaking fibers and short papermaking fibers, wherein the
 decorative pattern is defined by areas having a greater average fiber
 length and/or a lower basis weight than the surrounding adjacent area of
 the tissue sheet. For purposes herein, "long" fibers are fibers having an
 average fiber length greater than 0.7 millimeters, a weighted average
 fiber length of greater than 2.0 millimeters, and less than 8 million
 fibers per gram as measured using a Kajaani FS200 Fiber Analyzer. Virgin
 softwood fibers are typically long fibers. "Short" fibers are fibers and
 fines having an average fiber length of less than 0.7 millimeters, a
 weighted average fiber length of less than 1.2 millimeters, and greater
 than 15 million fibers per gram as measured using a Kajaani FS200 Fiber
 Analyzer. With some exceptions, virgin hardwood fibers are typically short
 fibers. However, secondary softwood fibers and refined softwood fibers can
 include a population of short fibers if the fiber length distribution of
 that population falls within the foregoing definition. In such instances,
 the decorative effect can be achieved with solely softwood fibers. All
 Kajaani measurements include the presence of fines.
 In another aspect, the invention resides in a method of forming a tissue
 sheet comprising depositing an aqueous suspension of short fibers and long
 fibers onto a decorative forming fabric which contains areas of relatively
 slow drainage, the shapes of which areas define distinct decorative
 designs, wherein the forming fabric retains the fibers of the aqueous
 suspension of fibers as the water passes through the forming fabric, and
 wherein the long fibers are preferentially retained on the surface of the
 forming fabric in the decorative areas of relatively slow drainage. The
 newly-formed paper sheet is then further dewatered and dried.
 More specifically, the invention resides in a method of making a tissue
 sheet comprising: (a) depositing a first aqueous suspension of papermaking
 fibers having a consistency of less than 5 weight percent onto a
 decorative forming fabric to form a first embryonic web, said first
 suspension of papermaking fibers containing at least about 50 dry weight
 percent short fibers; (b) depositing a second aqueous suspension of
 papermaking fibers onto a forming fabric of uniform appearance to form a
 second embryonic web, said second suspension of papermaking fibers
 containing at least about 50 dry weight percent long fibers; (c)
 dewatering and combining the first and second embryonic webs at a
 consistency of from about 20 to about 50 percent; and (d) drying the
 combined web to form a unitary, layered, decorative tissue sheet.
 In a further aspect, the invention resides in a woven papermaking forming
 fabric having multiple spaced-apart areas of relatively slow drainage, the
 shapes of which areas define visually distinct decorative patterns.
 The aqueous suspension of papermaking fibers can be introduced to the
 decorative forming fabric in several different ways. In all cases the
 consistency of the aqueous fiber suspension is 5 weight percent or less,
 more specifically from about 0.05 to about 2 weight percent, and still
 more specifically about 0.2 weight percent. For example, if using a single
 headbox, the aqueous fiber suspension can be layered or blended
 (non-layered). If blended, the papermaking fibers preferably comprise at
 least about 50 dry weight percent short fibers and at least about 20 dry
 weight percent long fibers. This combination of fibers provides a large
 number of short fibers which flow around the decorative design areas of
 the fabric having impeded drainage flow rates, thereby concentrating the
 short fibers in the high flow rate areas of the forming fabric to form
 corresponding areas in the resulting paper sheet of relatively higher
 basis weight and opacity. At the same time, there are a sufficient number
 of long fibers to bridge the decorative areas of slow drainage in the
 forming fabric and provide sufficient continuity and strength to the
 resulting web, even though the basis weight in the decorative areas of the
 sheet is relatively low.
 If a layered headbox is used to deposit a layered aqueous suspension of
 fibers onto the forming fabric, a short fiber layer, or a layer containing
 predominantly short fibers, is advantageously deposited directly onto the
 decorative forming fabric to enable the relatively short fibers to follow
 the relatively fast drainage flows without the drainage of the fabric
 being altered by the collection of long fibers. The remaining layer(s)
 have greater amounts of long fibers, or can contain predominantly long
 fibers or consist entirely of long fibers. Some of the longer fibers end
 up bridging the slower-draining decorative areas of the forming fabric,
 while other long fibers cover the areas occupied by the short fiber layer.
 If more than one headbox is used, such as when couch forming by combining
 two independently-formed wet webs, a predominantly short fiber-containing
 web can be formed on a decorative forming fabric while the other web
 containing a greater percentage of long fibers can be formed on a
 conventional forming fabric to provide a strength layer for the resulting
 layered paper sheet.
 As used herein, a "decorative" forming fabric is a forming fabric having
 spaced-apart decorative (aesthetically pleasing) areas which are visually
 recognizable and distinct relative to the balance or continuum of the
 forming fabric. Each decorative area of the forming fabric is constructed
 to adorn and embellish the tissue or paper sheet formed thereon with a
 corresponding distinct, visually-discernable, aesthetically pleasing
 decorative indicia. These decorative indicia comprise straight and/or
 curvilinear lines on the surface of the fabric which are of relatively low
 or no drainage and which collectively form representations of things such
 as flowers, butterflies, leaves, animals, toys, monograms, words, fleur de
 lis, and the like. Alternatively, the decorative areas can be of other
 shapes such a lace, geometries, and the like. The decorative areas can be
 incorporated into the forming fabric by a variety of means which impart
 relatively slow removal of water within the decorative areas of the
 forming fabric. Such means include, but are not limited to, silk
 screening, stitching, applying a sealant, printing, overlaying a
 decorative fabric on top of a typical forming fabric to create a composite
 fabric, or by weaving a decorative pattern into the fabric, as can be done
 with a Jacquard loom.
 The width of the lines which comprise the decorative areas depends upon the
 nature of the fiber furnish being used to form the tissue sheet and the
 type of layering of the furnish, if any. If a blended (nonlayered) furnish
 is being used to form the tissue sheet, then about 50 percent or greater
 of the fibers in the furnish must have a fiber length greater than the
 line width. If a layered furnish is being used to form the tissue sheet,
 in which a short fiber layer is being deposited onto the decorative
 forming fabric underneath a long fiber layer, then only about 25 percent
 or greater of the fibers in the furnish must have a fiber length greater
 than the line width. If the tissue is being formed by couching together
 separately-formed webs or by plying together separately formed plies, then
 there is no restriction on the length of the fibers relative to the line
 width. In all cases, the common purpose is to produce a
 decoratively-formed tissue sheet which has sufficient strength. In the
 case of a blended sheet, there must be sufficient long fibers in the
 furnish to bridge the line width to prevent holes from being formed in the
 sheet. At the other extreme, namely couch forming, the decoratively-formed
 web can afford to have holes or weak areas because it will be combined
 (couched) with a conventionally-formed web that imparts the necessary
 strength to the combined sheet. The furnish requirements for sheets formed
 using a single layered headbox fall in between the two extremes. In
 general, suitable line widths can be from about 0.02 to about 2
 millimeters, more specifically from about 0.05 to about 1.5 millimeters.
 In addition, it is advantageous for the orientation of the majority of the
 lines of the decorative pattern to be substantially oriented parallel to
 the cross-machine direction of the sheet. Elongated decorative indicia
 should be aligned more toward the cross-machine direction than the machine
 direction. This orientation tends to retain more of the cross-machine
 direction tensile strength of the sheet, which is ordinarily much weaker
 than the machine direction tensile strength and therefore cannot afford
 significant strength loss.
 The products of this invention are preferably layered in a manner in which
 the decorative portion of the web is formed into the outer or surface
 layer or layers. Because of the relatively lower basis weight created in
 the decorative areas, such decorative layers are relatively weak compared
 to a layer having a uniform, higher basis weight. Hence it is advantageous
 to provide a subsurface layer which serves to provide more strength to the
 tissue sheet. To this end at least one subsurface layer preferably
 contains at least about 50 dry weight percent long fibers, more
 specifically at least about 75 dry weight percent long fibers, and still
 more specifically about 100 dry weight percent long fibers. As is well
 known in the papermaking art, softwood fibers are longer than hardwood
 fibers and tend to impart greater strength to the tissue sheet. Depending
 on the strength requirements of the particular product, however, a
 decorative pattern can also be imparted to one or more of the subsurface
 or inner layers of the layered sheet.
 On the other hand, the outer decorative layer or layers preferably contain
 at least about 50 dry weight percent short fibers, more specifically at
 least about 75 dry weight percent short fibers, and still more
 specifically about 100 dry weight percent short fibers. A high short fiber
 content is desireable because they are more likely than long fibers to
 follow the path of least resistance during formation and drainage. This
 results in areas of relatively low (or even zero) basis weight where the
 drainage is impeded, which occurs in the decorative areas of the forming
 fabric, and relatively higher basis weight elsewhere. Long fibers, by
 comparison, are less sensitive to the different drainage characteristics
 of the decorative forming fabric and are less prone to form the areas of
 differing basis weights that are necessary to create distinct decorative
 patterns in the sheet.
 The decorative areas of the resulting sheet are relatively translucent
 compared to the balance or continuum of the sheet. As a result, a unique
 decorative effect can be obtained if one or both surface layers of the
 sheet are decoratively formed as described above and one or more
 subsurface layers are colored, as by dying the fibers. The color of the
 subsurface layer is more readily apparent in the decorative areas of the
 outer layer(s) and gives the appearance of a colored decorative pattern.
 Also, the decorative layer and the underlying layers can both be colored,
 but colored differently with different shades or intensities to also
 provide a unique decorative effect. Typically the underlying layer will be
 darker than the decorative outer layer.
 The decoratively formed sheets of this invention can be dried by any
 suitable methods, including throughdrying or wet-pressing processes. The
 decoratively formed sheet can be creped or uncreped. Somewhat
 surprisingly, the decorative pattern survives the creping process and
 maintains a pleasing appearance in the creped sheet.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
 Referring to FIG. 1, shown is a schematic sectional view of a blended paper
 sheet as it is formed on a decorative forming fabric in accordance with
 this invention, illustrating the difference in fiber composition and basis
 weight in the decorative areas of the sheet and the fabric. Shown is the
 wet sheet 1 supported by the decorative forming fabric 2. A cross-section
 of a decorative line which forms part of the decorative indicia on the
 forming fabric is represented by fabric protrusion 3, which schematically
 represents the cross-sectional area or zone through which drainage of the
 water is impeded relative to the remaining area of the forming fabric
 shown. The width of the line is indicated by the dimension "LW". As
 described earlier, means for impeding or retarding the drainage rate can
 be in the form of additional filaments on top of or within the forming
 fabric weave pattern, or it can be in the form of a film or a coating
 which blocks or fills void space within the fabric through which water
 could otherwise drain. It is not necessary that the decorative line
 actually protrude from the surface of the fabric as shown. For a blended
 fiber furnish containing long fibers 4 and short fibers 5, the fiber
 composition and basis weight will be generally uniform from the fabric
 side to the air side of the sheet, except for within the decorative area
 "LW", where the fiber composition is predominantly long fibers and where
 the basis weight is lighter (lower sheet caliper).
 FIG. 2 is similar to FIG. 1, but illustrating the fiber distribution and
 basis weight difference when forming a layered sheet from a single,
 layered headbox in which the fabric side layer is 100 percent short fibers
 and the air side layer is 100 percent long fibers. As with the blended
 furnish, the short fibers avoid the decorative area and migrate to either
 side where drainage is easier. The long fibers are less sensitive to the
 difference in drainage and some long fibers still are deposited in the
 decorative area.
 FIG. 3 is similar to FIG. 2, but illustrating the situation where a 100
 percent long fiber web is conventionally-formed and superimposed (couched)
 while wet onto a decoratively-formed web of 100 percent short fibers. The
 result is as shown in FIG. 2, except the layer purity is 100 percent since
 the layers are separately formed and offer no opportunity for fiber
 mixing.
 Referring to FIG. 4, a method of making decorative tissues in accordance
 with this invention is illustrated in which two wet webs are couched
 together and thereafter dried and creped in a wet-pressing process. Many
 of the rolls used to define the various fabric runs are shown for the sake
 of completeness but are not individually described since they are not
 essential for practicing this invention and their function is readily
 apparent from the drawing. Shown is a first headbox 11 from which a first
 aqueous suspension of papermaking fibers having a consistency of about 0.2
 weight percent is deposited on an endless forming fabric 13 to form a
 first wet embryonic web. Specific suitable forming fabrics include,
 without limitation: single layer fabrics, such as the Appleton Wire 94M
 available from Albany International Corporation, Appleton Wire Division,
 Menasha, Wis.; double layer fabrics, such as the Asten 866 available from
 Asten Group, Appleton, Wis.; and triple layer fabrics, such as the Lindsay
 3080, available from Lindsay Wire, Florence, Miss.
 A second headbox 20 deposits a second aqueous suspension of papermaking
 fibers having a consistency of about 0.2 weight percent onto an endless
 forming fabric 21 to form a second wet embryonic web. Suitable forming
 fabrics for forming fabric 21 include single layer fabrics such as
 Appleton Wire 84M, double layer fabrics such as the Asten 856, and triple
 layer fabrics such as the Lindsay 3070. Either the first or second forming
 fabric can be the decorative forming fabric.
 After initial formation of the first and second wet webs, the two webs are
 brought together in contacting relationship (couched) while at a
 consistency of from about 10 to about 30 percent. Whatever consistency is
 selected, it is preferable that the consistencies of the two wet webs be
 substantially the same. Couching is achieved by bringing the first wet web
 into contact with the second wet web at vacuum suction box 30, after which
 time the first forming fabric 13 is peeled away at turning roll 31.
 After the two webs have been couched together to form a consolidated web
 32, the consolidated or couched web is transferred to a papermaking felt
 24 with the aid of vacuum box 18. Dewatering, drying and creping of the
 consolidated web is achieved in the conventional manner. More
 specifically, the couched web is further dewatered and transferred to a
 Yankee dryer 40 using a pressure roll 41, which serves to express water
 from the web, which is absorbed by the felt, and causes the web to adhere
 to the surface of the Yankee. The web is then dried, creped and wound into
 a roll 42 for subsequent converting into the final creped product.
 FIG. 5 illustrates another embodiment of this invention in which a
 wet-pressed tissue sheet is formed with a single, layered headbox in a
 forming configuration known as a crescent former. Shown is a headbox 11
 from which an aqueous suspension of papermaking fibers at a consistency of
 about 0.2 weight percent is deposited between an endless papermaking felt
 12 and an endless decorative forming fabric 13 to form a wet embryonic
 web. Both fabrics partially wrap a forming roll 15 such that the wet
 embryonic web is partially dewatered by flinging water through the forming
 fabric 13 due to centrifugal force and by the water absorbing properties
 of the felt. The wet web stays with the felt and is subsequently
 dewatered, dried and creped in a conventional manner as shown.
 In all aspects of this invention, the web can be further processed by
 wet-pressing or throughdrying. If throughdried, it can be creped or
 uncreped.
 EXAMPLES
 Example 1
 A thin lacy membrane was secured on top of a supporting fabric in a hand
 sheet mold. A slurry of 100 percent eucalyptus fiber was dispersed in the
 mold and the water slurry mixture was drained to form a hand sheet on the
 lacy membrane. The formed sheet was removed from the lace, pressed between
 plotter paper, and dried. The lacy membrane altered the drainage of the
 slurry, collecting a different basis weight of fiber representing the
 transposed image of the lace in the hand sheet. FIG. 6 is a photograph of
 the resulting hand sheet.
 Example 2
 A second hand sheet sample was produced by sealing the hand sheet forming
 fabric with a latex resin in the design of discrete butterflies. A slurry
 of 100 percent eucalyptus fiber was dispersed in the hand sheet mold and
 the water slurry mixture was drained to form a hand sheet on the patterned
 forming fabric. The formed sheet was couched off the fabric with a
 plotter, pressed between plotter paper, and dried. The sealed lines on the
 fabric depicting the butterfly eliminated the drainage in that area of the
 fabric and collected no fiber in those design areas, resulting in totally
 open holes in the hand sheet depicting the butterfly design. FIG. 7 is a
 photograph of the resulting hand sheet.
 In order to produce a product with improved strength, the hand sheet
 produced in this example was couched to a second sheet of long fiber
 having no pattern. This was accomplished by placing the decorative hand
 sheet onto a second sheet formed on a continuous pilot tissue machine. The
 hand sheet was placed on the second sheet immediately after the forming
 process of the second sheet. The hand sheet was carried by the second
 sheet through the remaining pressing, drying and creping operations. FIG.
 8 is a photograph of the hand sheet couched to the second sheet. The end
 result was a tissue web consisting of two layers, one having a decorative
 pattern and the second layer made up of a continuous network of long
 fibers for strength. The decorative pattern of the butterfly in the
 finished web was the result of a basis weight and fiber composition
 difference in the area of the butterfly design versus the remaining area
 of the web. The butterfly design consisted of a low basis weight and
 contained only long fibers from the strength layer. The remaining areas of
 the sheet were of higher basis weight and contained long fibers from the
 strength layer and short fibers from the decorative layer.
 Example 3
 A couch-formed decorative tissue product was produced as illustrated in
 FIG. 4. Specifically, 100 percent eucalyptus pulp was hydropulped at 4
 percent consistency. The fiber was pumped to the stock chest and diluted
 to 1 percent consistency and 2 pounds per ton Berocel 596 debonder was
 added. This stock chest provided the fiber for the decorative sheet on the
 top former. The fiber from the stock chest was pumped to the forming flow
 spreader and formed on the fabric at approximately 0.1 percent
 consistency. The forming fabric for the top former was an Appleton Wire
 94M silk screened with a latex resin with the butterfly pattern shown in
 FIG. 9. The line width sealing the fabric to produce the butterfly design
 was approximately 1 mm. wide. The butterfly design was silk screened onto
 the fabric with the same process that designs are silk screened to
 clothing. A stencil of the pattern was produced, placed on top of the
 fabric and latex resin was forced through the stencil and embedded into
 the fabric to seal and restrict the drainage of the fabric in the area of
 the pattern. The viscosity of the resin must be fluid enough to enter the
 fabric but not so viscous as to migrate freely through the fabric and not
 retain the crisp pattern image.
 The bottom former also had an Appleton Wire 94M forming fabric with no
 pattern. 100 percent northern softwood kraft pulp was hydropulped at 4
 percent consistency. The fiber was refined in a single disk refiner
 between 3 percent and 4 percent consistency at a gap of 0.003 inch. The
 fiber was then pumped to a second stock chest and diluted to 1 percent
 consistency. The fiber from the second stock chest provided fiber for the
 bottom former and again the fiber was pumped to the forming flow spreader
 and formed on the fabric at approximately 0.1 percent consistency.
 A 15.9 gram per square meter dryer basis weight sheet of 100 percent
 eucalyptus was formed on the top former and vacuum dewatered to
 approximately 10 percent consistency. A 6.8 gram per square meter dryer
 basis weight sheet of 100 percent northern softwood kraft was formed on
 the bottom former and vacuum dewatered to approximately 10 percent
 consistency. The sheet from the top former was then transferred to the
 sheet and fabric of the bottom former to produce a single web of 22.7
 grams per square meter total dryer basis weight. The web was vacuum
 transferred to an Albany Duramesh felt and carried to the Yankee dryer.
 The web was wet pressed and transferred by a pressure roll to the Yankee
 dryer. The web was dried to approximately 90 to 95 percent consistency and
 creped. The machine configuration resulted in the sheet from the top
 former (decorative sheet) located against the felt and on the air side of
 the dryer during creping. Like Example 2, the decorative pattern in the
 web was a result of basis weight and fiber composition difference between
 the line components of the butterfly pattern and the remaining sheet. A
 photograph of the resulting tissue is illustrated in FIG. 10.
 Example 4
 To show that the process of decorative forming is not limited to the couch
 forming process, a sample was produced with a single-layer, blended
 furnish. The same decorative forming fabric with the butterfly design
 shown in FIG. 9 and used in Example 3 was used for this example. A furnish
 of 50 percent eucalyptus having 2 pounds per ton Berocel 596 debonder and
 50 percent refined northern softwood kraft was blended in the stock chest
 and diluted to 1.0 percent consistency. A 22.7 grams per square meter
 basis weight blended sheet was formed on the decorative fabric at 0.1
 percent consistency. The sheet was vacuum dewatered to approximately 10
 percent consistency and transferred to an Albany Duramesh felt. The web
 was wet pressed and transferred to the Yankee dryer, dried and creped. The
 resulting web is shown in the photograph of FIG. 11.
 As seen earlier, the decorative pattern in the sheet was due to basis
 weight and fiber composition differences between the line components of
 the pattern and the rest of the base sheet controlled by the drainage of
 the fabric. The line width of the sealed components of the butterfly
 pattern was approximately 1 millimeter.
 The fiber length distribution of the northern softwood kraft furnish, as
 tested by the Kajaani Fiber Analyzer, showed that 50 percent of the fibers
 are longer than 1 millimeter. The Kajaani Fiber Analyzer showed that 94
 percent of the eucalyptus furnish was shorter than 1 millimeter. The base
 sheet in this example was 50 percent northern softwood kraft, indicating
 that approximately 25 percent of the total number of fibers in the base
 sheet were longer than 1 millimeter and were capable of spanning the
 sealed line component of the pattern during the drainage process and
 retaining a continuum of fiber network to carry the strength of the sheet.
 Almost the entire eucalyptus furnish is shorter than the 1 millimeter line
 width and cannot span the sealed line of the pattern in the fabric. Also
 the drainage rate and flow through the fabric carried the shorter
 eucalyptus fiber away from the sealed line of the pattern and the fiber
 collected in the open drainage areas of the fabric. This resulted in a
 basis weight and fiber composition difference between the sealed line
 components of the pattern and the remaining areas of the sheet.
 Example 5
 When using the couch forming process, the decorative pattern can be
 enhanced by placing cationic dyes in the different layers of the sheet.
 Three combinations of dye were tried using the process described in
 Example 3: (1) the decorative eucalyptus layer was colored blue and the
 strength layer was not dyed; (2) the decorative eucalyptus layer was not
 dyed and the strength layer was colored blue; and (3) both layers were
 colored blue but the strength layer had twice the concentration of dye of
 the decorative layer. All three combinations enhanced the visual
 perception of the pattern, with the last combination of both layers
 colored at different concentrations having the greatest pattern
 perception. FIG. 12 is a photograph of a tissue having no dye. FIG. 13 is
 a photograph of a tissue having dye in both layers with a greater
 concentration of dye in the strength layer.
 Example 6
 The decorative formed sheet having dyes of different concentration in the
 two layers described in Example 5 was microembossed with a set of
 laser-engraved male/female matched embossing rolls. As expected, the
 microembossing process generated bulk at the expense of lowering the
 tensile strength. The visual aesthetics of the decorative pattern did not
 change due to the embossing process. This example demonstrates that since
 the decorative pattern is casted into the sheet during the forming process
 and exists due to a basis weight and fiber composition difference in the
 sheet, any post treatment to the web such as embossing and calendering
 will not change the visual appearance of the pattern. FIG. 14 is a
 photograph of the resulting embossed tissue.
 Example 7
 A decoratively-formed tissue sheet was produced as illustrated in FIG. 4.
 More specifically, 100 percent northern softwood kraft pulp was
 hydropulped at 4 percent consistency. The fiber was refined in a single
 disk refiner between 3 and 4 percent consistency at a gap of 0.003 inch.
 The fiber was pumped to the stock chest and diluted to 1 percent
 consistency and 0.25 percent Kymene 557LX was added. This stock chest
 provided fiber for the top former. The fiber from the stock chest was
 pumped to the forming flow spreader and formed on the fabric at
 approximately 0.1 percent consistency. The forming fabric for the top
 former was an Appleton Wire 94M.
 100 percent eucalyptus pulp was hydropulped at 4 percent consistency for 15
 minutes. The fiber was pumped to the stock chest and diluted to 1 percent
 consistency. This stock provided fiber for the decorative sheet on the
 bottom former. The forming fabric for the bottom former was an Appleton
 Wire 94M with strips of lace border sewed on it. FIG. 15 is a photograph
 of the forming fabric with the lace border. FIG. 16 is the resulting
 tissue. Embroidery or stitching a pattern on a forming fabric was also
 trialed. FIG. 17 is a photograph of the forming fabric with the stitched
 border.
 FIG. 18 is the resulting tissue.
 Example 8
 A decoratively-formed tissue sheet was produced as illustrated in FIG. 4.
 More specifically, 100 percent northern softwood kraft pulp was
 hydropulped at 4 percent consistency for 60 minutes. The fiber was pumped
 to the stock chest and diluted to 1 percent consistency and 0.25 percent
 Kymene 557LX was added. This stock chest provided fiber for the top
 former. The fiber from the stock chest was pumped to the forming flow
 spreader and formed on the fabric at approximately 0.1 percent
 consistency. The forming fabric for the top former was an Appleton Wire
 94M.
 100 percent eucalyptus pulp was hydropulped at 4 percent consistency for 15
 minutes. The fiber was pumped to the stock chest and diluted to 1 percent
 consistency. The forming fabric for the bottom former was an Appleton Wire
 94M with five different decorative patterns. The patterns consisted of (1)
 A wild rose pattern that was stitched or embroidered on the forming
 fabric. The wild rose pattern is shown in FIG. 19; (2) An overall floral
 pattern that consisted of a large piece (approximately 15 inches.times.36
 inches) of lacy fabric that was sewn onto the forming fabric. The overall
 floral pattern is shown in FIG. 20; (3) A line floral pattern that
 consisted of a large piece (approximately 15 inches.times.36 inches) of
 lacy fabric that was sewn onto the forming fabric. The overall line floral
 pattern is shown in FIG. 21; (4) A small floral pattern that was stitched
 or embroidered on the forming fabric. The small floral pattern is shown in
 FIG. 22; (5) A dot pattern that consisted of a large piece (approximately
 15 inches.times.36 inches) of lacy fabric that was sewn onto the forming
 fabric. The dot pattern is shown in FIG. 23.
 A 3.8 grams per square meter dryer basis weight sheet of 100 percent
 northern softwood kraft was formed on the top former and vacuum dewatered
 to approximately 10 percent consistency. An 8.9 grams per square meter
 dryer basis weight sheet of 100 percent eucalyptus was formed on the
 bottom former and vacuum dewatered to approximately 10 percent
 consistency. The sheet from the top former was then transferred to the
 sheet and fabric of the bottom former to produce a single web of 12.7
 grams per square meter total dryer basis weight. The web was vacuum
 transferred to an Albany Duramesh felt and carried to the Yankee dryer.
 The web was wet pressed and transferred by a pressure roll to the Yankee
 dryer. The web was dried to approximately 90 to 95 percent consistency and
 creped. This machine configuration results in the sheet from the top
 former located against the felt and on the air side of the dryer during
 creping. The bottom former (decorative sheet) was located on the air side
 of the felt and was against the Yankee dryer during creping. FIGS. 24-28
 are photographs of the resulting sheets with the decorative patterns (1-5)
 described above, respectively.
 Example 9
 A decoratively-formed tissue sheet was formed as illustrated in FIG. 4.
 More specifically, 100 percent northern softwood kraft pulp was
 hydropulped at 4 percent consistency for 60 minutes. The fiber was pumped
 to the stock chest and diluted to 1 percent consistency and 0.25 percent
 Kymene 557LX was added. This stock chest provided fiber for the top
 former. The fiber from the stock chest was pumped to the forming flow
 spreader and formed on the fabric at approximately 0.1 percent
 consistency. The forming fabric for the top former was an Appleton Wire
 94M.
 100 percent eucalyptus pulp was dispersed with a hydro pulper at 4 percent
 consistency for 15 minutes. The fiber was pumped to the stock chest and
 diluted to 1 percent consistency. This stock provided fiber for the
 decorative sheet on the bottom former. The forming fabric for the bottom
 former was an Appleton Wire 94M silk screened with a lily floral pattern
 shown in FIG. 29. The line width sealing the fabric to produce the lily
 design was approximately 1 millimeter wide. The lily design was silk
 screened onto the fabric with the same process that designs are silk
 screened to clothing, etc. The sealing of the forming fabric restricted
 the drainage, thus altering the fiber distribution of the sheet to create
 the desired pattern.
 A 5.09 grams per square meter dryer basis weight sheet of 100 percent
 northern softwood kraft was formed on the top former and vacuum dewatered
 to approximately 10 percent consistency. A 6.78 grams per square meter
 dryer basis weight sheet of 100 percent eucalyptus was formed on the
 bottom former and vacuum dewatered to approximately 10 percent
 consistency. The sheet from the top former was then transferred to the
 sheet and fabric of the bottom former to produce a single web of 11.87
 grams per square meter total dryer basis weight. The web was vacuum
 transferred to an Albany Duramesh felt and carried to the Yankee dryer.
 The web was dried to approximately 90 to 95 percent consistency and
 creped. This machine configuration resulted in the sheet from the top
 former being located against the felt and on the air side of the Yankee
 dryer during creping. FIG. 30 is a photograph of the resulting sheet with
 the lily floral pattern. FIG. 31 is a photograph of the same tissue sheet
 at 10.times.magnification using transmitted light to illustrate the basis
 weight and fiber composition difference between the decorative areas of
 the lily and the adjacent background area of the tissue.
 Example 10
 A decoratively-formed tissue was formed as illustrated in FIG. 5. This
 forming configuration is commonly referred to as a crescent former. More
 specifically, 100 percent northern softwood kraft pulp was disintegrated
 with a hydropulper at 2 percent consistency for 25 minutes. The fiber was
 pumped to the stock chest and diluted to 1.14 percent consistency. This
 stock chest provided fiber for the upper layer of the layered headbox.
 100 percent eucalyptus pulp was disintegrated with a hydropulper at 4
 percent consistency for 25 minutes. The fiber was pumped to the stock
 chest and diluted to 2.4 percent consistency. This stock provided fiber
 for the bottom layer of the layered headbox. The forming fabric was an
 Appleton Wire 94M silk screened with a lily floral pattern shown in FIG.
 29.
 The bottom layer of the tissue consisted of 100 percent eucalyptus and had
 a 4.88 grams per square meter dryer basis weight. The top layer of the
 tissue consisted of 100 percent northern softwood kraft and had a 7.32
 grams per square meter dryer basis weight to produce a single web of 12.2
 grams per square meter total dryer basis weight. The web was vacuum
 transferred to an Albany Duramesh felt and carried to the Yankee dryer.
 The web was dried to approximately 90 to 95 percent consistency and
 creped. The resulting sheet had 1179 grams MD-Dry tensile with 30.6
 percent stretch and 608 grams CD-Dry tensile with 7.0 percent stretch.
 Machine speed for this example was 2500 feet per minute.
 It will be appreciated that the foregoing description and examples, given
 for purposes of illustration, are not to be construed as limiting the
 scope of this invention, which is defined by the following claims and all
 equivalents thereto.