Textiles (A-C)

Applique

A pattern that is cut out and sewed or pasted on the surface of another material

Armure

A kind of cloth with a rep background. The pattern usually consists of small, isolated, conventional motifs arranged to form an all-over design.

Artificial Leather

A substitute for leather which is made by coating a cotton fabric with a nitrocellulose preparation. This surface is then stamped to simulate the surface of real leather.

Batik

Javanese process of resist dyeing on cotton, using wax in a design, then dyeing cloth, after which was is removed. Method is practiced by modern designers on silk and is imitated in machine printing.

Block Print

Fabric printed by hand, using carved wooden blocks. Can be distinguished from modern printing with metal rollers or screens by the mark of the joining of the pattern printed by different blocks.

Bobbinet

A type of net. Open weave fabric. Machine-made net with hexagonal meshes.

Boucle

Plain or twill weave in wool, rayon, cotton, silk or linen. Distinctive by its small regularly spaced loops and flat irregular surfaces produced by the use of specially twisted yarn. A yarn with a looped or curly ply.

Braid

A strip composed of intertwining several strands of silk, cotton, or other materials. Used as binding or trimming.

Broadcloth

Twill, plain or rib weave, of wool and spun rayon, and cotton and rayon or silk. The cotton or spun rayon fabric has fine crosswise ribs.

Brocade

A kind of weave;also, a finished silk cloth which, although made on a loom, resembles embroidery. The background may be of one color or may have warp stripe, and its weave may be taffeta, twill, satin, or damasks. Rich fabric woven with a raised pattern, typically with gold or silver thread.

Brocatelle

A heavy silk fabric resembling a damask, except the pattern appears to be embossed. The pattern (usually large and definite) is a satin weave against a twill background. Made with two sets of warps and two sets of fillers, it is not reversible, as the linen backing produces by one set of filler threads shows plainly. Its uses are similar to those of brocade

Broché

A silk fabric similar to brocade. The small floral designs, which are quite separate from the background pattern, are made with swivel shuttles to resemble embroidery. The filler threads not in use are carried only accross the width of the small design and not accross the entire back as brocade.

Buckram

A strong jute cloth of plain weave, finished with glue sizing. It is used as stiffening for valances, for interlining draperies, etc.

Burlap

Plain weave of cotton, jute or hemp. Heavy, coarse, and loosely woven, in a variety of weights, and used for sacks, the backs of floor coverings, inside upholstery, etc.

Calico

A term formerly used for a plain woven printed cotton cloth, similar to percale. Was first made in Calicut, India

Cambric

Plain weave linen or cotton. One of the finest and densest kind of cloth, is a lightweight plain weave cloth, originally from French commune of Cambrai. Woven in greige, then bleached, piece dyed and often glazed or calendered. Used for linens, shorts, handkerchiefs, ruffs, lace and needlework.

Canvas

A heavy cotton cloth in plain weave. It may be bleached or unbleached, starched, dyed or printed. Used for awnings, couch covers, and whenever a coarse, heavy material is required.

Casement Cloth

A lightweight cloth originally made of woool and silk in plain weave. Now made of cotton, linen, mohair, silk, wool, rayon or combination of any two. Although usually in neutral in tone, this material may be had in colors and is popular for draw curtains

Cashmere

A soft wool textile made from Indian goat hair.

Chenille

A type of woven yarn which has a pile protruding all around at right angles to the body thread. The yarn may be of silk, wool, mercerized cotton, or rayon and is used for various types of fabrics.

Chiffon

A discriptive term which is used to indicate the light weight and soft finish of a fabric; also a sheer, gauzelike silk fabric.

China Silk

Sheer plain weave fabric which is nearly transparent and is dyed in various colors.

Chintz

A fine cotton cloth usually having printed design. Originated in India. Modern types of this cloth is usually calendered or glazed which makes it more resistant to dirt. Widely used for draperies, slipcovers, lamp shades, and upholstery.

Corduroy

A cotton or rayon cut pile fabric with ridges or cords in the pile which run lengthwise . Extensively used for upholstery, especially in modern treatments.

Crash

This is a term that includes a group of cotton, jute and linen fabrics having coarse, uneven yarns and rough texture. Used for draperies and upholstery, often handblocked or printed.

Cretonne

A heavy cotton cloth with printed pattern similar to chintz, though the designs are usually larger and less detailed. The background may be plain or rep weave. Usually unglazed

Crewel Embroidery

A kind of embroidery with a pattern of varicolored wools worked on unbleached cotton or linen. The spreading design covers only a part of the background, and usually includes a winding stem with various floral forms. Extensively used during English Jacobean period for upholstery and draperies. The designs were mostly inspired by "tree-of-life" motif.

Crepe

A discriptive term applied to a large group of materials that have a crinkled or puckered surface, which may be produced by highly twisting the yarn in weaving or by a chemical process. The materials are mad of cotton, wool, silk, or combination of fibers, woven in any basic weave.

Cable Net

Coarse mesh

Chantilly

Elaborate bobbin-made patterns in which the ornament and fabric are indentical.

Antique Satin

Type of Satin, Dull, uneven texture, heavy, and rich looking.

Charmeuse

Type of satin, organzine warp and spun silk weft

Brocaded

Type of velvet, Pattern made by removing part of the pile by heat and chemicals.