Textiles (K-O)

Khaki

A heavy cotton twill fabric of an earthy color

Lace

An openwork textile produced by needle, pin, or bobbin by the process of sewing, knitting, knotting, or crochetting. Real lace is a handmade product but in the late 18th century, machines were inveted to imitate the hand productions. Probably first made in Greece. The manufacturing of this textile received a great impetus in Renaissance Italy, and particulary in Venice.

Lampas

A patterned textile compound weave having two warps and two or more fillers. The distinguishing feature is that the pattern is always a twill or plain weave, or both or maybe in two or more colors. Philippe de la Salle made it famous, and it was much woven in the 18th and 19th centuries, so that the pattern is usually classical in inspiration. It is similar to a two-colored damask.

Marquisette

A sheer cloth having the appearance of gauze and woven in leno weave. The cotton, silk, rayon, nylon, glass or wool thread is usually hard-twisted to give it greater serviceability. An excellent glass curtain material.

Matelasse

Fabric with two sets of warps and wefts. It's embossed pattern gives the effect of quilting. Imitations are stitched or embossed.

Mercerized materials

Materials that have a lustrous surface by subjecting the material to a chemical process. The cloth is treated in a cold caustic alkali bath while held in a state of tension. By this treatment the yarn is changed from a flat, ribbonlike shape to a rounded form, making the cloth more lustrous, more durable, and more susceptible to dye. Called after its originator, John Mercer, an english calico printer

Metal Cloth

A fabric the surface of which has a metallic appearance. It is made by weaving cotton warp threads with tinsel filling yarns. The latter are made by winding strips for metallic substance around a cotton yarn. Creases cannot be removed from this material. Useful for trimmings

Mohair

A yarn and cloth made from the fleece of the Angora goat. The fiber is wiry and strong, making the most durable of all textiles. It is now woven in combination with cotton and linen into many types of plain, twill, and pile fabrics. Widely used for upholstery.

Moire

A finish on silk or cotton cloth which gives watermarked appearance. Woven as a rep, the marks are produced by engraved rollers, heat, and pressure applied to the cloth after it has beem folded between selvages. The crushing of the ribs produces a symmetrical pattern along the fold. The pattern is not permanent, as cleaning and pressing tend to remove it. When made of synthetic fibers it hollds the marks better than when made of silk.

Monk's cloth

A heavy cotton fabric of coarse weave . Groups of warp and weft threads are interlaced in a plain of basket weave. Used for hangings and upholstery in informal rooms. Also called as "friar's cloth"

Moquette

An uncut pile fabric similar to frise. It is woven on jacquard loom and has small, set patterns of different colors. When use for upholstery , it is made of mohair, wool, or heavy cotton. A coarse type is used for floor coverings.

Muslin

A plain-woven, white cotton fabric, bleached or unbleached. Used for sheeting and other household purposes. Originally woven in the city of Mosul

Needlepoint

An old fashiones cross-stitch done on net, heavy canvas, or coarse linen. The threads are wool. The effect achieved is that of coarse tapestry.

Net

Open weave fabric

Maline

Type of net with a diamond mesh

Mosquito net

A type of net that's coarses than others, of cotton.

Novelty Net

A net made in a variety of effects.

Ninon

Often called triple voile. Sheer rayon used for glass curtains, made in various weaves.

Nottingham

A machine-made lace curtain material.

Novelty weave

General name for a variety of modern fabrics, having unusual textural effects produced by using warp and filler of different size, color, or fibers, nubby yarns, or the introduction of tinsel, metallic threads, or even cellophane. Rayon and cotton are especially adaptable

Nylon

Generic term for a proteinlike chemical which may be formed into bristles, fibers, sheets, etc. Has extreme toughness, elasticity, and strength. Its fibers are used in almost all types of textiles where silk and rayon have been used in the past.

Oilcloth

A fabric having cotton base that has been coated with a preparation of linseed oil and pigments. Its finish may be smooth, shiny, dull or pebbled. Used for table and shelf coverings and other household purposes.

Oiled silk

A think silk that is waterproofed by a process of soaking the silk in boiled linseed oil and drying it. It was formerly used only for surgical purposes, but is now used as a drapery fabric, particularly for kitchen and bathroom curtains.

Organdy

A lightweight, crisp fabric of muslin construction woven of very fine cotton threads. It may be white, piece-dyed, or printed, and is used for trimmings and glass curtains.

Moquette

Uncut velvet with large Jacquard pattern