middy twill a durable twill-weave fabric.
mohair the long, shiny hair of the Angora goat.
monk's cloth a heavy, coarse fabric that is loosely woven, used in draperies and in some clothing.
motif a design that is usually repeated in a pattern on a fabric.
muslin a plain weave fabric made of cotton and human-made fibers in various weights; used in sheets and in making prototypes of garments to save cutting expensive material.
naked wool sheer, lightweight woolen fabric.
nap a hairy, fuzzy, or soft surface, produced by brushing with wire bristles.
napping the brushing process that produces nap on a fabric.
needlepoint decorative needlework or embroidery on open fabric.
nun's veiling a plain-weave, light-weight, sheer fabric used by nuns for veils.
oilskin waterproof raincoat fabric.
organdy a sheer, lightweight fabric used in curtains, blouses, and evening wear.
Orlon trademark name for DuPont acrylic fiber.
ottoman wool, silk, or human-made fabric having wide, horizontal ribs, used in evening wear.
Oxford gray a very dark gray used in men's suits and slacks.
paisley swirling, conelike design woven or printed on fabric. A soft wool fabric having this design.
Panama a lightweight wool worsted used in summer suits.
patchwork combining bits or patches of different materials to create a large piece, as a quilt.
pebble refers to fabric having a bumpy or grainy surface.
percale a blend of combed and carded cotton and human-made fibers, used in sheets; softer and smoother than muslin.
picot an edging consisting of a series of small, decorative loops.
pile a nappy fabric surface composed of cut or uncut loops of yarn.
pique a fabric having woven, raised geometrical patterns.
plaid, argyle a plaid pattern of diamonds.
pleat a permanently set fold of fabric.
pleats, accordion very narrow, straight pleats.
pleats, box a double pleat made by two facing folds.
pleats, knife narrow, straight pleats running in one direction.
pleats, sunburst pleats that radiate out to the edge of a skirt.
plisse a fabric that has been permanently puckered by a chemical or heat process.
plush thick deep pile.
pointillism printing dots on a fabric to give the illusion of a solid color from a distance.
polyester a strong, wrinkle-resistant, human-made fiber.
poodle cloth looped fabric used in coats.
poplin shiny, durable imitation silk with a fine, horizontal rib, used for dresses.
printing the application of a colored pattern or design onto a fabric.
rayon the first human-made fiber, originally known as artificial silk, used in some women's apparel.
rib a cord or ridge running vertically or horizontally.
sailcloth see canvas.
sateen a strong, shiny satin weave fabric made of cotton.
satin a glossy-faced fabric made of silk, cotton, rayon, or nylon.
satin, crepe-backed fabric having a satin face and a crepe back, used in jacket or coat linings.
satin, duchesse a rich, heavy satin used in formal wear.
scallops decorative edging composed of semicircular curves.
seersucker a lightweight, puckered fabric that is often striped but may also be plain, plaid, or printed.
sequin a decorative, metallic spangle.
serge a smooth, twill-weave fabric used in suits.
sheer transparent or nearly transparent.
Shetland yarn very soft, fluffy, two-ply yarn, spun from the wool of sheep on the Shetland Islands off the coast of Scotland.
shirring gathers of fabric used to create fullness, used in women's apparel.
silk material produced by the silk worm, now largely replaced by human-made fibers.
smocking rows of shirring given to a fabric to provide stretch and decoration.
spandex a synthetic elastic fiber used in stretch pants and other elastic clothing.
stripes, awning stripes at least 1% inches wide.
stripes, chalk narrow white stripes on a dark fabric.
stripes, pin very narrow stripes of any color.
stripes, Roman narrow, colored stripes that cover the entire surface of a fabric.
studs small, decorative, rivetlike ornaments attached to fabrics (especially denim jackets) when in style.
suede leather having a soft, napped surface.
taffeta a crisp, plain-weave fabric with a shiny surface, used in women's apparel and noted for its "rustling" noise.
taffeta, antique a stiff taffeta reminiscent of that made in the 18th century.
taffeta paper a very light, crisp taffeta for evening wear.
tartan a pattern of intersecting, colored stripes, associated with a specific Scottish family or clan. A plaid.
tartan, Barclay a yellow background crossed with wide black stripes and narrower white stripes.
tartan, Black Watch a light blue background crossed with green stripes, worn by the 42nd Royal Highland Regiment.
tartan, Campbell a blue background crossed with green stripes and dark blue stripes.
tartan, Cumming dark and light green stripes combined with red and blue stripes.
tartan, Ogilvie a complex pattern of red, yellow, greenish blue, and dark blue stripes.
tartan, Rob Roy red and black check pattern, as that used on hunting jackets.
tartan, Stewart a red or white background spaced widely with narrow stripes of blue, white, and yellow.
terry cloth soft, absorbent cotton or cotton-blend fabric having uncut loops on one or both sides, used in robes and towels.
textured yarn yarn that has been crimped, coiled, or curled.
tweed a rough, strong, nubby wool or human-made fabric, used primarily in suits and coats.
twill a fabric woven with diagonal ribs.
velour a soft fabric having a thick, short pile.
velvet rich, soft-textured warp (made from warp threads) pile fabric.
velveteen a soft, cotton fabric with a cut pile thicker than corduroy. Pile is made of filling threads, as distinguished from the warp threads used in velvet.
vicuna expensive wool from the vicuna, a wild relative of the South American llama.
virgin fibers fibers that have never been processed (as remnant fibers) in a fabric before.
virgin wool see virgin fibers of wool.
voile a crisp, lightweight, sheer fabric used in blouses and curtains.
wale the lengthwise ribs on corduroy or other fabric.
wale, pin narrow ribbing. wale, wide wide ribbing.
warp the yarns woven first on a loom when a fabric is made; it forms the length of a fabric, as distinguished from the filling threads that are woven under and over the warp in a crosswise fashion.