Fabric Glossary

Appliqu:
A technique of applying cutout patterns of fabric onto a ground cloth using either plain or
embroidery stitches.
Black stitch:
An embroidery worked in black threads on a white or ivory-colored background fabric.
Brocade:
A 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:
A 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:
A monochrome reversible fabric displaying patterns (usually floral) created by the contrast
between a shiny, satin-weave ground and matte, satin weave figuring.
Embroidery:
A 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:
A 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:
A Collective term for a group of coarse, usually patterned fabrics woven from wool or
cotton/wool.
Gaufrage:
A 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:
A Coarse fabric woven from fibers of plants.
Herringbone:
A geometric pattern consisting of alternating diagonal lines similar in appearance to the spine
and ribs of a herring fish.
Holland:
A generic term for fine-woven linen cloth, available bleached or unbleached.
Ikat:
An 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:
A Fiber derived from Asian plants.
Latticework:
A grid like design made up of open diamond shapes.
Linen:
A 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:
A 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:
A 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:
A 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:
A 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:
A 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:
A smooth, strong woolen fabric made from carded and combed wool yarn.