Antique Satin   A satin weave fabric made to resemble silk satin of an earlier century. It is used for home furnishing fabrics.

Batiste   A fabric named for Jean Baptiste, a French weaver.

Broadcloth   A term used to describe several dis-similar fabrics made with different fibers, weaves and finishes. (1) Originally a silk shirting fabric so named because it was woven in widths exceeding the usual 29 inches. (2) A tightly woven, high-count cotton cloth with a fine crosswise rib. Fine broad cloths are woven of combed yarns, usually mercerized, Sanforized and given a soft, lustrous finish.

Calendar   Glossy fabric finish achieved by pressing cloth between two rollers.

Calico   Lightweight inexpensive cotton or cotton blend printed in bright colors.

Challis   One of the softest fabrics made, named from the Anglo-Indian term shalee meaning soft. It is a fine, lightweight, plain weave fabric, usually made of worsted yarns. This fabric may also be referred to as challie.

Chambray   A plain woven fabric with an almost square count (80 x 76), a colored warp and a white filling which gives a mottled, colored surface.

Chintz   A highly lustrous, plain woven cotton with a bright, glazed surface, generally made by finishing a print cloth construction.

Cotton   Fabric made of yarn spun and woven from the seed pod of the cotton plant, frequently blended with other fibers. Popular for home textiles because of natural, environmentally safe properties.

Damask   A firm textured fabric with patterns similar to brocade but lighter and reversible. Table damasks are Jacquard woven in lustrous designs.

Denim   A twilled fabric made of hard twist yarns with the warp yarns dyed blue and the filling yarns undyed. Sports denim is softer and lighter in weight.

Dotted Swiss   A sheer fabric with embroidered dots.

Duck   A durable, plain weave, closely woven generally made of ply yarns in a variety of weights and thread counts.

Gauze   A plain weave fabric with widely spaced yarns. Some weights of gauze can be stiffened for curtains or other apparel purposes.

Gingham   A light to medium weight plain weave fabric. It is usually yarn dyed and woven to create stripes, checks or plaids. The fabric is mercerized to produce a soft, lustrous appearance. It is sized to a firm and lustrous finish. The thread count varies from about 48 x 44 to 106 x 94.

Homespun   A coarse, plain weave fabric loosely woven with irregular, tightly twisted and unevenly spun yarns. It has a hand woven appearance.

Jacquard   Fabric woven on looms using "cards" to determine layered textured patterns.

Linen   A fabric woven from fibers of the flax plant. Often blended with cotton, rayon or silk to produce a soft touch. Popular for window covering and apparel.

Lace   An openwork cloth with a design formed by a network of threads made by hand or on special lace machinery with bobbins, needles or hooks.

Lawn   A lightweight, sheer; fine fabric which can be given a soft or crisp finish; it is sized and calendered to produce a soft, lustrous appearance.

Matelasse   A soft double or compound fabric with a quilted appearance. The heavier type is used in draperies, bedding and upholstery, whereas crepe matelasse is popular in dresses and suits.

Mercerize   Chemical process used to increase color-absorbing qualities and create a silky gloss on yarn.

Moiré   A watered silk effect on fabrics.

Muslin   A large group of plain weave cotton fabrics ranging from light to heavy weight. The sizing may also be light or heavy. Muslin can be solid colored or printed.

Paisley   Intricate pattern often associated with Indian or southeast European textiles. Similar to popular Kashmir rugs.

Percale   A medium-weight, plain woven printed cotton, such as 80 x 80; a staple of dress goods. Most percales are made of combed yarns with a count of at least 180 threads per inch.

Seersucker   A lightweight cotton or cotton blend with crinkled stripes woven in by setting some of the warp yarns tight and others slack.

Tergal   A voile (sheer; transparent, soft, lightweight plain weave fabric made of highly twisted yarns) made in France by a manufacturer who is inspected and licensed to use the word "Tergal".

Ticking   A heavy twill made with a colored yarn stripe in the warp.

Toile   Scenic design printed on fabric. Usually depicts countryside or pastoral scene.

Twill   Fabric woven to produce a diagonal rib or line, ribbed or ridged.

Voile   A sheer; transparent, soft, lightweight plain weave fabric made of highly twisted yarns. It can be composed of wool, cotton, silk or a man-made fiber.

Yarn-dyed   Fabric woven with yarn dyed before weaving.

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