The most common patterns are plain weave, 2x2 twill and spread tow/checkerboard. Plain weave is where each tow is woven over and under one at a time, creating a small checkerboard pattern. A 2x2 twill weave is over two then under two. However, adjacent strands are staggered to create a diagonal affect. 2x2 twill weave is what most people think of when they picture carbon fiber. Spread tow patterns are typically a plain weave pattern but spread each tow extra wide to create a thinner layer with less crimping.