A papermaking fabric and method therefor is disclosed which may be used as a support fabric or a carrier fabric for paper material on a papermaking machine. The fabric, designated generally as (A) includes a first layer (B) of warp yarns (32, 34, 36, and 38) extending in a machine direction. A second layer (C) of warp yarns (42, 44, 46 and 48) is included in the fabric vertically spaced from the first layer. The warp yarns of the first and second layer form stacked pairs (52, 54, 56, and 58) which reinforce the fabric in a machine direction to enhance its stability. At the same time, the stacked pairs may be spaced apart in a cross-machine direction sufficiently to provide a desired degree of openness and fabric permeability. Fabric openness in the range of thirty percent or more of the total fabric area can be had in accordance with the fabric of the present invention without sacrificing the structural stability. A single weft system (40) is interwoven with the first and second warp layers (B and C) in a balanced weave pattern that maintains the warp yarns of the respective layers stacked. The balanced weave pattern of the weft resists lateral shifting of the stacked warp yarns to prevent them from becoming side-by-side. In a preferred embodiment, the fabric is utilized as a base fabric for a resinous layer 62 which supports the paper and has an embossed surface 64 which makes a corresponding pattern in the paper, such as in towel grade paper.