Materials of Design & Decoration Interior Design Notes

Fabric Types

Bamboo Fabric

• Made from bamboo grass pulp.

• More sustainable than most textile fibers.

• Light and strong with excellent wicking properties.

• Has some anti-bacterial properties.

Birdseye

• Small geometric pattern with a center dot resembling a bird's eye.

Bonded

• Two or more fabric layers held together with adhesive or a fusible layer.

Bark Cloth

• Fabric that simulates the bark of trees.

• Printed with large vines, leaves, and florals.

Berber Fleece

• Made when fabric is brushed with wire brushes to pull the material together and fluff it up.

• The end fabric has a looped, soft pile with large air pockets that serve as insulating properties.

• Wicks moisture away from the surface.

• Can be compared to fur because of its softness.

Boucle'

• French word for "buckled."

• Fabric has a ring appearance formed by drawn-out loop yarns on the face of the goods.

• Has a kinky appearance.

Bedford Cord

• A cord cotton-like fabric with raised edges in the lengthwise direction.

• Has high strength and durability; used for upholstery and work clothes.

Bengaline

• Sturdy warp-faced fabric with pronounced cross-wise ribs formed by bulky and coarse pile yarns.

• Originated in Bengal, India.

Batiste

• Mercerized; made of cotton or cotton blends.

• Named for Jean Baptiste.

Bandana

• Cotton fabric with a printed design of white and a contrasting color.

Barathea

• A rib weave done in a minute brick fashion giving a pebbly appearance.

• Originally made as a mourning cloth.

Beaded Fabric

• Fabric that has beads embroidered into the design.

Bourette

• Twill weave that originates in France.

• Yarns are interspersed with nubs giving the material a dull, nubbed surface effect.

Broadcloth

• Tightly woven plain weave with a cross weave.

• A dressy fabric that must be handled with care.

• Form-fitting and drapes well.

Brocade

• A rich Jacquard woven fabric of an all-over interwoven design of raised figures of flowers with the pattern emphasized by contrasting surfaces or colors done in low relief.

• Derived from the French word meaning to ornament.

Calico

• One of the oldest cotton staples from Calcutta, India.

• Plain, closely woven, inexpensive cloth with an all-over print.

• Usually has small floral patterns which are resist printed onto a white or contrasting background.

Buckram

• A ply yarn scrim fabric with a stiff finish.

• Used for interlinings in garments.

Bull Denim

• Twill weave cotton denim fabric that is soft but as tough as nails.

• More durable and heavier than regular denim.

Burlap

• Or gunny.

• A plain weave coarse fabric made from jute or hemp.

• Used as carpet backing.

Brocatelle

• Tightly woven jacquard fabric with a warp effect in the figure giving a puffed appearance.

• Heavy fabric with high relief.

Cambric

• Soft and white cotton that is calendared to produce a slight gloss.

• Originated in Cambrai, France.

Canton Flannel

• Twill that is brushed to produce a soft nap at the back.

• Heavy, warm, strong, and absorbent.

• Named after Canton, China.

Canvas

• A rugged, heavy material made from plied yarns.

• Has an even weave that is heavy and firm for heavy-duty purposes.

Challis

• Softest fabrics made.

• Very lightweight with a printed delicate floral pattern.

• Named from Anglo-Indian term, shalee, meaning soft.

Chambray

• Made from cotton fibers with blue warp and white filling that gives a mottled colored surface.

Cretonne

• Unglazed chintz.

Chevron

• Broken twill creating a design of wide V's across the width of the fabric.

Chiffon

• Strong fabric despite its gauzelike, soft, flimsy appearance.

Chintz

• Resin-glazed, can withstand washing, cotton fabric printed with bright figures and large flower designs.

• Named from the Hindu word meaning spotted.

Chenille

• Woven from chenille yarns and has a fuzzy pile that looks hairy.

• Named from the French word meaning caterpillar.

Coated Fabrics

• Fabrics that have been coated with a lacquer or other substance to make them longer-lasting or impervious to liquids.

Corduroy

• A cut pile cloth with narrow to wide wales that run in the warp direction of the goods.

• Warmest cotton fabric because of the wales that serve as an insulated cushion of air.

Damask

• A firm, glossy Jacquard patterned fabric similar to brocade but flatter and reversible.

• First brought to the Western by Marco Polo from Damascus.

Crewel

• Chain stitch embroidery made with fine, loosely-twisted two-ply worsted yarn on a plain weave cotton fabric.

• Worsted refers to the finest quality of wool.

• Imperfections, dirt spots, and natural black specks identify genuine crewel.

Denim

• A rugged, serviceable, staple cotton cloth recognized by left-hand twill on the surface.

• Originally used for work clothes.

• Jeans refer to the end material of processed denim.

Crinoline

• Lightweight, plain weave, stiffened fabric with a low yarn count.

• From the French crinol meaning horsehair and lin for linen, stiff.

Crushed

• Any fabric that has been treated to have a permanently crinkled, crushed, or rumpled appearance.

Crushed Velvet

• Any velvet with an irregular pattern of nap going in different directions.

Crepe

• A lightweight fabric characterized by a crinkly surface produced by hard twist yarns.

Crinkle

• Fabric with an uneven surface created by the use of caustic soda that causes it to shrink unevenly.

Dimity

• Thin, sheer cloth in which cords or stripes may be woven into the fabric.

• Has a crisp texture and is used for bedspreads.

Dotted Swiss

• Sheer fabric embellished with small dot motifs that may vary in color.

• From Saint Galen, Switzerland.

Duck

• Closely woven, heavy material and the most durable fabric made.

• Made of cotton.

• Heavier weights are called canvas.

Faille

• A ribbed soft cloth with a crosswise rib effect.

• Belongs to the grosgrain family.

Felt

• Compact, matted woolen material.

• Named from the Anglo-Saxon word meaning to filter.

Flame Stitch

• Printed or woven fabric featuring a jagged, undulating, flame-like multi-colored pattern.

Flannel

• Medium-weight fabric that has a very soft hand, brushed on both sides to lift the fiber ends out of the base fabric and create a soft fuzzy surface.

Flocked

• A type of raised decoration applied to the surface of the fabric which an adhesive is printed on the fabric in a specific pattern.

Foil

• High gloss mylar usually in metallic colors.

Foulard

• Lightweight cloth noted for its soft finish and feel.

• Printed with small figures.

Frieze

• Made with uncut loops with varying heights.

Gauze

• Thin sheer fabric used for curtains next to glass windows to diffuse light.

Gabardine

• Firm, durable, compactly woven cloth which has a diagonal line on the face.

• Named for a cloak popular during the Middle Ages.

Gingham

• Dyed yarns introduced at given intervals in both warp and filling to achieve a block or check effect.

• Named from Italian ging-gang meaning striped.

Grenadine

• Fine loosely woven fabric in leno weave.

Grosgrain

• Strong, closely-woven corded fabric usually of silk or rayon or cotton.

• Has a heavy prominent ribbed fabric.

Habotai

• From the Japanese meaning soft as down.

• Lightweight plain weave silk fabric.

• Even lighter than the shantung.

Jaspe

• A fabric which has a series of faint stripes formed by light, medium, or dark yarns.

Heather

• Woven, multi-colored effect created by blending fibers of different colors.

Haircloth

• Very stiff wiry cloth made with a single horsehair filling.

• 26' (66.04 cm) maximum width determined by the length of the horsehair.

Herringbone

• Broken twill weave composed of vertical sections that are alternately right angle in direction.

• Also called Arrowhead weave.

Houndstooth

• Broken twill weave forming four-pointed star.

Ikat

• Style of weaving that uses a resist dyeing process on either the warp or weft before threads are woven to create a pattern.

Double Ikat

• Dyed warp and weft yarns.

Iridescent

• Fabric that seems to change color as the light strikes it.

Lame'

• Fabric in which metallic threads are interspersed throughout the base construction.

• From the French meaning worked with gold and silver wire.

Laminated

• A term used to describe fabrics which have been joined together through the use of a high-strength reinforcing scrim.

Lawn

• Light, thin cloth of plain weave with a crisp and crease-resistant finish.

Lisserie

• A jacquard strip fabric simulating silk and embroidery.

Madras

• Fine firm cotton cloth with a plain weave background.

• True madras bleeds when washed.

Marquisette

• Lightweight open-mesh cloth of leno or doupe weave used for mosquito nets.

Monk's Cloth

• Very coarse yarn that is rough, substantial, bulky and has a tendency to sag.

Melton

• Heavily felted, hard, plain, face-finished cloth.

• Napped and very closely sheared.

• Originally meant as a hunting cloth in Leicestershire England.

Mesh

• Net-like open appearance.

• Typically seen in office chairs.

• Herman Miller was the 1st to release office chairs with mesh.

Matelasse'

• Soft, double cloth which has a quilted surface effect woven on Jacquard looms.

• Named from the French word meaning cushioned or padded.

Muslin

• Generic term for a variety of cotton fabrics.

• From the French term mousseline meaning smooth delicately woven cotton fabric.

Nainsook

• Fine, soft fabric with a plain weave usually mercerized to produce luster.

Ninon

• Smooth, transparent high textured fabric made in plain or novelty weaves.

Organdine

• Fiber from cotton, very light, thin, stiff, transparent and wiry cloth.

Organza

• Fiber from silk.

Osnaburg

• Tough medium to heavyweight coarsely woven plain weave fabric.

• Medium weight is used for bags, sacks and pipe coverings while heavy weight is used for mattress, slipcovers.

Ottoman

• Tightly woven plain weave ribbed fabric with a hard slightly lustered surface.

Oxford

• Soft, porous stout fabric with a silk-like luster finish that soils easily.

Panne'

• Named from the French word for plush.

• Satin-faced material made with a high luster by a roller-pressure treatment during finishing.

• Resembles velvet but has a longer pile.

Percale

• Low to medium count, 180-250 threads per square inch.

• Common for bed sheets.

Pique'

• A medium weight fabric with raised cords that run in the warp direction.

Plisse'

• Fabric treated with a caustic soda solution that creates crinkles or pleated effect.

Point D' Esprit

• Dull surfaced net with various sized holes.

• Has white or colored dots.

Plush

• A warp pile cloth covered with a surface of cut-pile yarns.

• From the term peluche by way of the Latin pilus meaning hair.

• Pile is more than 1/8".

Polished Cotton

• Combed and carded fabric that has been calendared to produce a high-luster finish.

Pongee

• Thin, natural, tan-colored silk fabric made of wild Chinese silk with knotty rough weave.

• Named from Chinese punk-ki meaning woven at home on one's own loom.

Poplin

• Fine rib effect in the filling direction from selvage to selvage.

• Named from the obsolete French term papeline.

Rep

• Similar to poplin but has a more distinctive crossrib cord.

Sail Cloth

• Plain weave fabric where the majority of the face is composed of warp threads.

Seconds

• Woven cloth with errors or flaws.

Satin

• Fabric made from silk yarns.

• Very smooth lustrous effect while the back of the material is dull.

Saxony

• High-grade coating fabric made from Merino sheep wool.

• From Saxony, Germany.

• Name for a soft woolen cloth with elaborate yarn effects.

Scrim

• An open mesh, plain-weave cloth in several construction and weights.

Seersucker

• Base warp lies flat and second warp is shrinked which makes fabric crinkled.

Sateen

• Fabric made from cotton yarns.

• Produced by floating fill yarns over warp yarns.

Serge

• Implies any smooth-faced cloth made with a 2 up and 2 down twill weave.

Shantung

• Silk fabric made of several fibers but designated by an elongated filling yarn.

• Named from the city of Shantung, China.

Sharkskin

• Made from a small twill weave and has a smooth compact surface resembling the skin of a shark.

Sheeting

• Plain-weave corded cloth which comes in light, medium, or heavy weights.

• Muslin, low thread count.

• Percale 180 thread count.

Shimmer

• Fabric that has an iridescent look and a crisp but not stiff hand.

• Made of rayon or polyester blend.

Stretch Woven Fabrics

• Developed to provide greater freedom of body movement for the athlete.

• Good surface texture, durable and moisture absorbent.

• Fabric will return to original shape.

Surah

• Soft, twill-woven silk or rayon fabric often made in plain effects.

Swiss

• Fine, sheer, crisp, stiff cloth which may be plain, dotted, or figured.

Taffeta

• Fine, plain weave fabric that is smooth on both sides and usually sheen on its surface.

• Colors seem changeable.

• Named from the Persian fabric taftan.

Tartan

• Cloth made in plain weave or 2 up and 2 down twill weave.

• Multi-colored fabric associated with Scottish clans.

• Originated from Spain and was called tiritana.

Sett

• Resulting blocks from tartans.

Terry Cloth

• Uncut loops on both sides of the fabrics which makes it very absorbent.

Ticking

• Term for extremely strong woven fabrics used for covering pillows, mattresses.

Tissue Faille

• Made from 100% micro fiber polyester.

• Lightweight fabric that is extremely strong.

Trigger

• Durable heavy poplin made of polyester and cotton blend.

• Considered a utility cloth used for table cloths, chair covers, uniforms and flags of banners.

Tweed

• Rough, irregular, soft, flexible, unfinished shaggy cloth.

• Named for the Tweed River which separates England from Scotland.

• One of the oldest and most popular outerwear fabrics.

Ultrasuede

• World's first ultra-microfiber.

• Feels like natural suede.

• It is resistant to stains and discoloration and ages better than real suede.

Velour

• Term applied to cut-pile cloths in general.

• Fabrics with fine raised finish.

• Named from the French term meaning velvet.

• Has a lower cut pile than velvet.

Velvet

• Warp-pile cloth in which a succession of rows of short cut pile stand so close together to give a uniform surface.

Velveteen

• Filling pile cloth that has a pile made by cutting an extra set of filling yarns.

Voile

• Crisp, lightweight, plain weave cotton-like fabric made with high twist yarns in a high yarn count construction.

• Cloth is made from gassed yarns.

• Derived from the French term meaning veil.

Waffle

• Fabric with a characteristic of a honeycomb weave.

Waffle Pique'

• When waffle is made in cotton.

Washed Fabrics

• Fabrics that have been laundered before shipping.

• Done to reduce shrinkage.

Zibeline

• Cloth made from cross-bred yarns.

• Fabric is strongly colored with a highly raised lustrous finish.

Terms to Remember, Fabric

Absorbency

• Ability of the fabric to take in moisture.

Applique

• A cutout fabric decoration attached to a larger piece of material.

Argyle

• Design featuring interlinking diamond shapes of varying colors in a diagonal checkerboard pattern.

Antimacassar

• Small cloth placed over the backs or arms of chairs or head cushions of a sofa to prevent soiling.

Batting

• Tin layers of natural or synthetic cloth used to line cushions, pillows, and quilts to conserve warmth.

Bedding

• Custom handmade or manufactured materials used on a bed for utilitarian or decorative purposes.

Bed Sheet

• Square panel of fabric used to encase the top mattress on a bed.

Bed Skirt

• Fabric bedding treatment which spans between the upper and lower mattress beginning beneath a comforter to the touch the floor.

Bedspread

• Fabric bedding treatment that covers a top mattress.

Bias-cut

• Cut from one corner of a fabric to the opposite diagonal corner.

Burling

• Removal of excess knots from a fabric by means of a burling iron.

Charm Quilt

• Quilt made of many small patches, 2", where each piece is a different fabric.

Chite

• Painted linens that originated in Chitta, India, 17th Century.

Color Mag

• Series of clippings attached to a purchase sample to show the color line.

Color Line

• Refers to the complete color range of a given series.

Color Way

• An individual color of a particular style.

Crimp

• The curvature of a fiber.

Crocking

• Rubbing off of color from woven or printed fabrics.

Down Proof

• Tightly woven or coated fabrics used to prevent down feathers from penetrating the surface.

Eyelet

• Fabric with patterned cut-outs.

Elasticity

• Refers to the ability of a fiber to return to its original shape after the removal of stress.

Embossing

• Calendering process in which fabrics are engraved with the use of heated rollers under pressure.

Embroidery

• Embellishment of a fabric in which colored threads are sewn to the fabric to create a design.

Foil

• Thin piece of material that adds color or brilliance.

Interfacing

• Stiff fabrics used to support, reinforce and give shape to fashion fabrics in sewn products.

• Placed between the lining and outer fabric.

Interlining

• A layer of fabric inserted between the face and the lining of a drapery.

• Similar to batting.

Jacobean

• English embroidery with a strong oriental influence.

• First done during the Restoration Period.

• Motifs are branches, ornamented in color with fruits, flowers, and birds.

Lining

• Fabric made in the same shape as the outer fabric.

• Supports and protects the outer fabric and hides seams.

Microfibers

• Extremely fine synthetic fiber that can be woven into textiles to enhance washability, breathability, and water repellency.

Ombre

• Fabric construction created in weft yarns with graduated or shaded tones.

Ondelette

• Continuous filament rayon yarn with entangled slubs.

Outline Quilting

• Hand quilting technique where stitches follow printed motifs on fabric.

Padding

• Fabric used to provide additional cushioning.

Paisley

• Intricate interlocking curvilinear pattern originating in India.

• Tear-drop shaped fancy printed pattern.

Peau De Soie

• Fine silk fabric.

Petit Point

• Fine, hand-stitched needlepoint design on canvas created with only one foundation thread.

Pick Count

• The number of filling yarns per inch of fabric.

Pill

• To form undesirable clumps of loose fibers on fabric.

Pilling

• Fiber filaments that break in yarn due to friction leaving small undesirable clumps of loose fibers on the surface of the fabric.

Pillow Sham

• Fabric cover designed to protect pillow from soiling.

Polished Cotton

• Combed and carded fabric in a satin construction which has been calendared to produce a high-luster surface finish.

Quilt

• A fabric construction in which a layer of down is placed between two layers of fabric and then held in place by stitching.

Railroaded

• To turn fabric where selvages run horizontally rather than vertically.

• Used to avoid unwanted seams.

Reverse Printing

• Dye-resistant products are applied which results in only the background being dyed.

Sham

• Decorative covering for bed pillows.

Sheet

• Large panel of fabric used on top of the bed.

Strie'

• Cloth having a fine irregular streaked pattern.

Singeries

• French word for Monkey Trick.

• Decoration using monkeys in human costume, generally humorous situations popular in Rococo.

Toile

• Cotton or linen woven or printed documentary fabric typically printed in monotone color, brick red, blue, green, black, on a white or off-white background.

• Originally made in France.

Toile De Jouy

• Fabrics printed in one color with 18th-19th Century designs ONLY.

Table Runner

• Slender, decorative cloth typically used lengthwise down the center of a dining table for surface protection and embellishment.

Throw

• Small decorative spread or coverlet, often woven with fringe.

Union Cloth

• Blended yarns of twisted linen and cotton yarns in the filler creating a textured surface finish.

Upholstery

• Materials used to make soft seating including wood or metal frames, 8-way hand tied springs, foam, batting, fabrics, and cording.

Viscose

• Rayon fiber of superior quality used in many decorative fabrics often used to imitate silk.

Wall Hanging

• A tapestry, needlepoint or bound fabric panel hung on the wall, typically suspended from an iron drapery rod and adorned with cording and tassels.

Washed Goods

• Fabric procedure using commercial washing machines to mimic a worn effect.