Common Terms:
Corded - Striped or ribbed with or as if with cord: Twilled. Figured - Adorned
with, formed into, or marked with a figure. Linen - Name given to any of many varieties of fabrics woven
from yarn or threads made from the flax plant. Some of its traits are that it is strong and can be bleaches pure white. Ribbed
- One of the ridges in a knitted or woven fabric. Selvage or selvedge - The edge on either side of a woven
or flat knitted fabric, so finished as to prevent raveling: Specifically: a narrow border often of different or heavier threads
often of different or heavier thread that the fabric and sometime in a different weave. Silk - A material
woven from the fibers of the cocoons of the silk worm. Twill - A textile weave in which the filing threads
pass over one and under two or more warp threads to give an appearance of diagonal lines. Twilled - Made
with a twill weave. Warp - A series of yarns extended lengthwise in a loom and crossed by the woof. Welt
- See woof. Woof - A idling thread or yarn in weaving. Worsted - A smooth compact yarn
from long wool fibers used especially for firm nap-less fabrics, carpeting, or knitting. Or, a smooth hard surfaced cloth
made from worsted spun wool fiber.
Types of Fabric:
Alpaca - A shiny fabric typically with cotton for warp and wool made from the fur of the Alpaca on the weft.
Barege -A semi-transparent gauzy material of silk and wool, cotton and wool, or wool that was sometimes
printed with floral designs. Not only used for dresses but veils. Batiste - Name of a thin woven fabric
of fine linen or cotton muslin, originally from France. Blonde - A type of lace made from un-dyed silk threads.
Bobbin Lace - A type of lace made by interweaving threads by hand into a pattern through a series of bobbins
placed on a pillow like pad. Bombazine - A silk fabric with threads of wool running from selvedge to selvedge,
often black and used for mourning. Broadcloth - A soft and silky fabric made from wool. It is also in reference
to the width of the fabric. Brocade - A woven silk fabric of solid color with raised patterns and designs
that are woven in by the use of extra weft threads of gold, silver or silk. Broche - A velvet fabric with
raised designs. Buckram - A coarse stiff fabric of linen used as a stiffener in the construction of clothing,
hats or bonnets. Calico - A cotton fabric that has printing on it, originating from the city of Calicut
in the country of India. The English version is plain with no color or print. Cambric - A thin white woven
fabric made from fine cotton or linen. Camlet - A fabric made from silk and Angora wool. Canvas
- A coarse open mesh woven fabric made from cotton or linen. Cashmere - A fabric of soft, fine wool from
the Tibetan goat. Challis - A soft fabric of cotton, wool, or silk. Originally woven with silk on the warp
and wool running from selvedge to selvedge. Chenille - A furry tufted thread made of silk and wool. Chiffon
- A semi-transparent light-weight silk. Chintz - A fabric also known as Chint, that is shiny on a solid
background with designs of flowers and other patterns, made of cotton. Corduroy - A durable cotton fabric,
that has a raised rib surface and a velvet like feel. Crepe - A fabric also known as Crape, that is wrinkled
and puckered, made of silk, cotton or wool. Wearing dull black crape was a sign of mourning. Crepe de chine
- A material of soft Silk. Damask - A lustrous woven fabric made from silk, linen, that has raised designs
of geometrical or floral patterns visible on both sides. Dimity - A firm fabric of cotton that has raised
stripes and patterns on it caused by the fact that the weft threads were twice the thickness of the warp threads. Drill,
Drilling - Strong linen material. Duck - Cotton or linen fabric similar to canvas only lighter and
of a finer quality. Faille - A light, soft fabric made from silk with a ribbed surface. Felt
- A material made from woolen fibers which are matted and pressed to form a fabric-like material or a formed shape. Flannel
- A soft material with an open weave. Made from either cotton or wool, and with a brushed or “teaseled” surface
which raises a downy surface on the fabric. Flannelette - A fabric of cotton which is a lighter weight flannel
imitation. Foulard - A soft light-weight material with small designs. It is made from cotton or silk with
lines or ribs running through it. Frieze - A heavy wool material with an uncut, somewhat shaggy nap. Fustian
- A material of coarse cotton or cotton and linen. Gauze - A thin transparent material of cotton, silk or
linen used for dresses and veils. Georgette - Also known as Georgette crepe. Gingham -
A material of woven cotton using dyed threads to form the look of stripes or checks. Grenadine - A loosely
woven fabric of silk or silk and wool. Grosgrain - A sturdy material of silk closely woven and having a
ribbed appearance running the direction of selvedge to selvedge. Holland - A plain linen material, named
after its place of origin. Homespun - A name given to fabric made from yarn that was spun at home. Usually
a plain, coarse, loosely woven cloth. Any fiber may be homespun – but typically cotton or sheep’s wool. Jean
- Also known as Janua, a strong cotton material woven with lines in the material that run from selvedge to selvedge. Lame
- A silk fabric with a glittery appearance achieved by flat metal threads of gold or silver being interwoven into the material. Lawn
- A fine light linen material originating from Loan, France. Lutestring - Also known as Lustring, a material
of silk and having a glossy appearance with fine ribs running through it. Merino - A wool fabric which gets
its name from the Merino Sheep. The fleece is woven into a fine quality material which is soft and thin and has small lines
or ribs running from selvedge to selvedge. Mohair - A woven material made from the fleece of the Angora goat. Muslin
- The name given to the plain weave varieties of cotton, such as Cambric, Lawn and Mull. Nankee - A strong
cotton material with a natural yellow tint; also known as Nankin, originally from China. Organdie - A stiff,
lightweight, sheer cotton material also known as Organdy. Ottoman - A silk fabric with thick ribs or cords
running through the fabric. Petersham - A heavy wool with a rough surface. Pique - A stiff
cotton material with a raised rib. Poplin - A strong plain woven material with fine cross ribbings. Sarcenett
- A thin, soft silk used for ribbons, also known as Sasnet, Scarcenet, Sarsenet, Sarcenent and Saracen. Sateen
- A strong cotton material which is shiny and smooth. Satin - A silk fabric with a smooth glossy surface
and dull backside. Saxony - A fine wool material, originally from Saxony, Germany. Seersucker
- A light-weight material with a puckered appearance and striped lines. It is often linen, sometimes cotton. Serge
- A woven silk with raised lines of wool running from selvedge to selvedge. Shantung - A material made from
wild silk. Shoddy - A material made from old shredded wool cloth which is rewoven – a recycling method
of dubious value. Surah Silk - A soft silk originating from Surat, India with lines running in the material
from selvedge to selvedge. Swiss - A fine sheer material with dots woven into the fabric, sometimes having
a raised texture, also known as Dotted Swiss. Tabby, Tabi - A silk taffeta striped or with a watery stain
look. Originates from Bagdad. Tabby is also name for the simple “one over, one under” woven material. Taffeta
- A fine stiff silk material with a plain weave having a natural shine. Tiffany - A thin, light-weight silk
fabric. Tulle - A fine net fabric made from silk yarns or threads, often used for veils. Tweed
- A fabric that originates from Scotland near the river Tweed. It is woven of wool and usually has a distinctive pattern of
two or more colors or shades. (This definition is debated by some historians.) Velvet - A tightly woven
silk material with a short, thick and smooth feeling pile or nap. Velveteen - A woven cotton fabric which
looks like velvet. Vicuna - A material made from the wool of the vicuna, an animal related to the Llama.
Voile - A plain thin, light-weight material, which is sheer and has an open weave and is made from cotton
or wool. Watered Silk - A silk fabric containing a wave like pattern similar to a water stain, also known
as moiré.
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