an open ended papermaking fabric comprised of interwoven longitudinal and transverse thread systems which define a paper side , a machine side and a plurality of seaming loops at each open end of the fabric . the seaming loops are formed by the longitudinal thread system and the transverse threads define a seaming zone at each end . the fabric is characterized by at least one additional transverse thread interwoven with the longitudinal threads in the seam zone in a repeat pattern that includes a mid - plane float of at least two threads in the longitudinal yarn system .