| Types of
Material and FabricsThere
are many different types of material that you may come across when
venturing inside a fabric shop. I'm like a child in a candy store when
my eyes feast on all the colours, weaves, prints and patterns inside a
store.
This is a short but sweet list and
description of some of the fabrics that I love to use when designing
and sewing.
cotton - fabric spun
from the white 'fluffy' covering of the seeds of the cotton plant.
polyester
- a man-made fibre or synthetic resin, made from polymers
poly/cotton
- a blend of both cotton fibres and man-made polyster fibres, usually
expressed in a percentage eg: 40% cotton/ 60% polyester
calico
- a natural cotton cloth, generally unbleached.
linen
- a gorgeous natural fabric made from flax.
gingham
- a checked cotton fabric, sometimes made in poly/cotton.
chenille
- we can all remember bedspreads from our young days made from
this - a velvety silk, wool or cotton fabric with the
protruding pile
that is sometimes arranged in gorgeous patterns.
paisley
- generally a soft wool fabric with a repeated ornamental
pattern, although a paisley print may be on other
types of fabric.
matelassé
- a fabric with a raised pattern as if quilted, a sweet
richness of quilted decoration splashes across the fabric.
damask
- most often used for tablecloths & linens. Damask is a very
fine satin-weaved fabric with flat patterns.
velvet
- a silk fabric with a dense smooth pile. Can also be made from cotton
or synthetic fibres.
velveteen - a cotton
fabric closely resembling velvet.
cambric -
fine thin white cotton or linen fabric.
brocade
- reminiscent of times past with all it's lushness, a rich silk fabric
with intricate raised patterns.
ticking
- a strong linen or cotton fabric mostly known for its' use for
mattresses and pillow cases. The stripes of this fabric make a sweet
statement in many craft projects.
silk - a
soft, strong and lustrous fabric with that sheen we love to touch and
feel. Made from the fibres produced by the silk worm.
organdie
- a very fine translucent cotton.
organza
- a transparent thin silk or nylon.
chiffon
- a gorgeous sheer silk fabric.
voile - a
thin semi-transparent dress material.
satin
- a silk fabric with a glossy surface on one side.
sateen
- a glossy cotton fabric that is woven like satin. Sometimes also made
from wool.
nylon - a strong lightweight
man-made fabric. Often used for swimwear because of its moisture
resitant properties.
viscose rayon - a soft
to the touch man-made fibre fabric, sometimes refered to as artificial
silk.
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