Fabric Glossary

Appliqué:  technique of applying cutout patterns of fabric onto a ground cloth using either plain or embroidery stitches.

Black stitch:  embroidery worked in black threads on a white or ivory-colored background fabric. 

Brocade:  heavy fabric with elaborate patterns that are raised against a ground cloth by the addition of supplementary wefts.

Brocatelle:  A variant of damask with raised areas of patterns.

Bullion fringe:  twisted length of hanging robe made from gold, silver or metallic fibers. Primarily used for skirt base of sofa and armchairs.

Buttonhole stitch:  a looped outline stitch used to finish the raw edges of fabric.

Canvas:  a coarse, hardwearing fabric woven from fibers of hemp or flax.

Chenille:  a velvet-like fabric woven from a soft, fuzzy-textured woven yarns of natural or synthetic fibers.

Checker:  a geometric pattern consisting of regularly spaced squares of alternating color.

Chinoiserie:  Western adaptations of Chinese artifacts and styles of ornaments.

Cord:  A form of rope of various thickness made from twisted threads of fiber.  Primarily used as trims or tie backs.

Corduroy:  A pile fabric with regularly spaced, parallel ridges.

Damask:  monochrome reversible fabric displaying patterns (usually floral) created by the contrast between a shiny, satin-weave ground and matte, satin weave figuring.

Embroidery:  decorative stitching applied to the surface of a fabric

Fleur-de-lis:  a stylized three of five petal lilly.  Originally a symbol of purity.

French knots:  decorative embroidery knots worked on the show side of a fabric to create textured dots of color.

Fringe: A trimming for upholstery or curtains.

Fustian:  Collective term for a group of coarse, usually patterned fabrics woven from wool or cotton/wool.

Gaufrage:  Method of embossing patterns onto the surface of fabrics with heated metal rollers (often used with velvets).

Gimp:  a type of braids made from strands of silk, wool or cotton, braided or twisted around a cord or wire.

Gingham:  a lightweight cotton fabric with geometric check pattern of two alternating colors on a white or off white background.

Hemp:  Coarse fabric woven from fibers of plants.

Herringbone:  Geometric pattern consisting of alternating diagonal lines similar in appearance to the spine and ribs of a herring fish.

Holland:  generic term for fine-woven linen cloth, available bleached or unbleached.

Ikat:  Indonesian fine cotton or silk fabric, decorated with clocks, circles or stripes, softened by a vegetable dying process that blends the edges of the colors into one another.

Jute:  Fiber derived from Asian plants.

Latticework:  A grid like design made up of open diamond shapes.

Linen: Strong fabric woven from fibers of flat plant stalks

Matelasse:  Derived from the French verb "matellaser", which means to quilt.  Metalasse is a term used to describe double-woven damasks and other fabrics that incorporate raised figures or motifs on their surface.

Monochrome:  One color or shades of one color.

Moquette:  A woolen velvet, either plain or patterned, used for upholstery and carpeting.

Muslin:  A lightweight, plain weave cotton gauze.

Noile:  Silk fabric with a shimmery surface created by the presence of tiny balls made from the waste products of spun silk mixed with cotton or wool.

Organza:  A fine, plain weave sheer cotton fabric.  Produced plain or patterned.

Passementerie:  Collective term for decorative trimmings applied to soft furnishings, includes ribbons, bows, braids, tassels and fringes.

Picot:  A decorative furnishing trim that is made of small loops of thread.

Plaid:  a plain or twill-weave cloth with a pattern of intersecting stripes.

Plush:  A velvet-like fabric but with a longer, denser pile.  Mostly used for upholstery.

Polyester:  Durable, crease-resistant synthetic fiber.

Poplin:  Lightweight fabric traditionally woven with fine silk to produce a ribbed effect.

Seersucker:  Originally and India striped fabric of mixed silk and cotton.  Characterized by a rippled or puckered textured formed by weaving the cotton warps at a looser tension.

Silk:  Luxury fabric woven from shiny, smooth filaments spun from the cocoons of the silk worm.

Slub silk:  raw silk fabric with a textured surface produced by incorporating small flecks of the silkworm cocoon in the weave.

Strie:  A mottled effect on the surface of the fabric produced by dyeing the yarns with two different colors before weaving.

Taffeta:  a firm, closely woven silk or linen fabric with an identical glossy surface on both sides.

Tieback:  A length of robe, cord or fabric used to secure a curtain to one side of a window.

Velour:  Heavy, velvet-like fabric with a thick pile that lies in one direction.

Voile:  A fine, sheer, crisp fabric woven from cotton, silk, wool or synthetic fibers.

Wool:  A yarn spun from the fibrous coat of an animal, such as a sheep or a goat.

Worsted:  Smooth, strong woolen fabric made from carded and combed wool yarn.