| Alençon |
 |
| The most often seen lace on bridal apparel. A
net lace with swags and flowers which are re-embroidered on their edges with a very thin cord. It is available with or without sequins or beads. The edges
are often left with small threads sticking out. |
| Battenburg |
 |
| Lace made by forming loops of linen and connecting
them with threads. Patterns may be floral or geometric circles and ovals. It is also used on tablecloths, linens, towels, and doilies. It is usually only
available in white or ivory. |
| Bengaline |
|
| This fabric has a ribbed look. It may be woven
from silk, cotton, polyester or rayon. Also called Faille. |
| Bias Cut |
|
| If you look closely at most fabrics, you can see
they are woven on a grid pattern (the warp and weft). Fabric is usually cut straight across these vertical or horizontal lines. A cut is made on the bias
when it is made at a diagonal to the warp and weft. Typically, fabric cut on the bias moves and drapes very well. |
| Brocade or Damask or Jacquard |
 |
Brocade
A heavy fabric woven to achieve a tone on tone pattern. Often the pattern is a floral or ribbon design. A lighter weight alternative to
brocade is damask. This is sometimes referred to as Jacquard.
Damask A fabric woven to achieve a tone on tone effect. Patterns are often floral.
It is lighter weight than brocade. Sometimes referred to as Jacquard.
Jacquard A loom which makes it possible to control each warp thread so that each and
every warp end can be raised or lowered at will to form an intricate design. Originally controlled by a punched card system sometimes called the first
computer, today the loom is fed by computer generated information that eliminates the cards, making design changes faster and more efficient. Sometimes
referred to as Brocade or Damask
|
| Caviar Beading |
 |
| A method of adding small beads to fabric. Remember
when you were little and would make a design in glue then sprinkle glitter on it? That's pretty similar. |
| Chantilly Lace |
 |
| Lace made of fine net with embroidery of flowers,
ribbons, scallops often edged in a very thin cord. |
| Charmeuse |
|
| Essentially lightweight satin. It is often a blend
of silk or rayon. It is very soft against your skin. |
| Chiffon |
|
| A sheer fabric, chiffon is very light weight and
fluid. It is often used in a color layered over a heavier fabric. It also used as a background for embroidery, appliqué or beading. |
| Crepe |
|
| Very thin, light weight fabric with a slightly
uneven surface. The surface is a little like the surface of an orange only finer. Crepe is typically made in silk or polyester. |
| Crepe de Chine |
|
| French for "Crepe from China." Unlike standard
crepe, this is made of silk and tiny bumps or irregularities. |
| Crushed Velvet |
|
| A velvet which actual looks like the nap has been
crushed in varying degrees. It gives a shimmering effect which can be quite elegant and modern. |
| Dart |
|
| A dart creates a curve in the fabric and allows
the fabric to conform to the shape of the body. The darts in a garment are what make the garment fit. The adjustment of darts for varied shapes is crucial
to proper garment construction. The most common places for darts are in the bust and buttock areas. |
| Dotted Swiss |
|
| A lace created on a chiffon or fine net with very
small circles (dots) of flocking. It is typically layered over another, heavier fabric or may be used in veils. |
| Duchesse Satin or Silk Faced Satin |
|
| Also known as Silk Faced Satin. This satin has
a soft luster. It may be 100% silk or a polyester blend. |
| Dupioni |
|
| Typically 100% silk, this fabric is woven will
fibers of varying thickness. It has a slubbed or rough finish with a slight sheen. It does have a tendency to wrinkle. Technically, it is a silk yarn reeled
from double cocoons or two adjacent cocoons in which silk is intertwined. Shantung is a similar, lighter weight fabric. |
| English Net |
|
| A fine soft netting with one or two way stretch
commonly used in bodices, sleeves and train insets. Should not be confused with tulle. |
| Eyelet |
 |
| Either a fabric or lace of light weight cotton
with holes "poked" in it. The holes are finished at the edges with thread. Other small floral patterns may be embroidered in the same thread across the
fabric. |
| Faille |
|
| This fabric has a ribbed look. It may be woven
from silk, cotton, polyester or rayon. Also called Bengaline. |
| Gazar |
|
| Similar to organza, gazar is a sheer, stiff
fabric. |
| Georgette |
|
| Similar to Crepe, but without the sheen. |
| Guipure |
 |
| A lace with large repeating designs, usually circular,
with geometric or floral centers, connected by threads. Essentially, a very heavy Venise lace. |
| Illusion or Net |
 |
| 1.)A semi-sheer net-type fabric, Illusion is often
used for skirts and in some veils. It may also be called Net or Tulle. 2.) Any style neckline which is covered with chiffon or netting. |
| Lyon Lace |
 |
| Similar to Alençon, but lighter weight
with a thinner cord, giving a more delicate appearance. |
| Matelassé |
|
| A pattern is woven into the fabric, giving it
something of a quilted appearance. |
| Moiré or Taffeta |
|
Moiré
A taffeta fabric with a watermark (wood grain) pattern woven into it.
Taffeta A stiff, medium weight fabric usually made of polyester or a blend. It is widely
used in bridal gowns, bridesmaid dresses and prom gowns. It is easily recognized by the crisp, swishing sound it makes as you move. It has a medium
sheen. See also, Moiré.
|
| Organdy |
|
| A semi-sheer, stiff fabric made of cotton. |
| Organza |
|
| Very similar to chiffon, but heavier. |
| Peau de Soie |
|
| French for "skin of silk." As the name suggests,
this is a silk fabric. It is actually a heavy, dull satin with a slightly ribbed texture. |
| Rayon |
|
| When silk was in short supply during W.W.II, the
military developed rayon as a substitute for parachutes! Typically it is blended with other fibers, such as polyester. |
| Ribbon Lace or Soutache |
 |
| A lace formed by sewing ribbon in a pattern over
a fine net background. Also called Soutache. |
| Satin |
|
| The most popular fabric weave for wedding gowns.
It is typically woven from polyester or silk. It is noted for having a very dull side and a shiny side. There are also matte satins available. |
| Schiffli |
 |
| Very light weight lace on a net background with
an all over embroidered design, which may be floral, geometric or random. All over, intricate, intertwining, decorative pattern embroidered onto the surface
of English net or tulle giving a light, airy appearance, usually with a border. |
| Seam Allowance |
|
| The area of fabric that is between the seam stitching
and the cut edge. This would be relevant to the maximum amount a seam can be let out |
| Shantung |
|
| A fabric woven usually of silk, shantung has a
nubby, flawed looking texture, very similar to Dupioni, although it is a much lighter fabric. It is also available in polyester. |
| Silk |
|
| The most popular fabric for wedding gowns. It
has a beautiful hand (feel), is soft and has a beautiful luster. It is produced by silkworms, primarily in China. Weave types for silk include Dupioni,
Duchesse, Peau de Soie. |
| Tulle |
 |
| A semi-sheer net-type fabric, Tulle is often used
for skirts and in some veils. It may also be called Net or Illusion. A fine netting of tiny hexagonal mesh. Commonly used for wedding veils and skirts of
gowns. Should not be used in bodices and fitted sleeves as it tears easily and will not give with the body. Use instead English netting. |
| Twill |
|
| Similar to Faille. It is a fabric with
diagonal woven pattern. |
| Velvet |
|
| A widely used fabric in apparel and homes. It
has a short cut pile to it. Velvet has a thick, soft nap, hence the term "feels like velvet." It is available in silk and other fibers. See also, Crushed
Velvet |
| Venise or Venice Lace |
 |
| A lace with varying thickness of thread to create
floral, geometric and floral designs. An embroidery-style heavy lace not attached to net or any other background. Each motif is attached to the next by
thread. May be cut into motifs/appliqués or used all over. May be cotton or rayon (rayon gives a shiny appearance). |
