BIAS is the diagonal direction of fabric. true bias is at a 45degree angle
to grainlines. a garment cut on the bias slips over the body smoothly. bias has a natural stretch so that zippers,
buttons and other types of closeures are not needed.
CELLULOSE is a carbohydrate, if you will, the chief component of a plant's cell walls.
it is the essential part of wood, cotton, hemp, paper, etc.
CHARMEUSE is a silk that boosts of a pearly satin finish
and slightly creped back. colours shine brillantly on this fabric and the drape is beautiful, falling close to the body.
CHEMISE is a term meaning slip dress, an undergarment or a nightie. it is styled along the lines of a BIAS cut slip.
CHIFFON is light and airy. this sheer silk is woven from tightly twisted yarns resulting in a crepe-like texture.
chiffon drapes well, falling in soft, languid ripples.
CHINA SILK is also known as habotai, which in japanese means, 'soft as down'.
china silk has a smooth, even weave and is a beautiful silk with which to dye.
CREPE DE CHINE
is the classic, draping silk. it presents itself with a subtle luster and finely pebbled texture which is achieved by
weaving the WEFT, or the cross-grain, with tightly twisted threads resulting in a sponge-like textured fabric
with a slight stretch or spring.
DOUPIONI is a silk with a tight weave and subtle irregular snubs. the moderately crisp drapes fall into wide
cones that shine with a quiet luster, lofty fullness and an elegant face.
GEORGETTE is
a sheer, strong silk with a flat , creped surface.
HAND refers to how a material feels when you touch it.
descriptions of hand can run from smooth to slightly textured to rough and so on.
HUES indicate
the variety of a colour. a tint or a colour range.
INSEAM refers to the seam
of a trouser leg that runs from the crotch down to the bottom of the leg. this measurement indicates to one the length
of the garment.
LUMIERE is a painting medium that is washable and dry cleanable. colour shades supply an assortment of metallic
or pearlescent hues.
LYCRA is a man made element added to a fabric to give it stretch and elasticity.
MM
is an abbrevation that stands for momme, (rhymes with tummy), and is a measure of a fabric's weight. the smaller
the number, the lighter the silk. the higher the number, the heavier the fabric feels.
NAP, also known as PILE, is the feel of a fabric's surface by stroking it with your
hand. fabrics such as velvets, terrycloth and the like are woven with nap. the smoother feel is the in the run
or the direction of the nap. the rougher feel is caused when you brush the PILE or nap in
the opposite direction. this affects the colour and texture of constructed pieces. when the nap runs upward, colour is
deeper, richer and the textured surface is more dimensonal.
NEOPAQUE is similar in consistency to LUMIERE.
this paint covers backgrounds with a true OPAQUE quality. it is washable and dry cleanable.
NOIL POPLIN runs along the same lines as SILK NOIL. noil poplin is woven in a natural colour
and is prized for its unique dark and irregular nubby spots. poplin has a looser more open weave than NOIL
with a combination of a matte, rough finish and quiet luster.
PILE, also known as NAP, is the
feel of a fabric's surface by stroking it with your hand. fabrics such as velvets, terrycloth and the like are woven
with NAP. the smoother feel is the run or the direction of the pile. the rougher feel
is caused when you brush the nap or pile in the opposite direction. this affects the coulour and texture of constructed
pieces. when the pile runs upward, colour is deeper, richer and the textured surface is more dimensonal.
OPAQUE is a
descriptive verb meaning, impenetrable by light. neither transparent nor translucent.
RAYON
is a fabric made with the CELLULOSE of plants. in another way, also referred to as VISCOSE.
RAW SILK is a general term referring to a variety
of different silks. the properties contacting these silks are weight and texture. RAW SILK has a rough HAND, good solid weight and travels between seasons with ease.
the perfect silk for all types of garments.
RISE is a term that tells
one where the waistband of a pair of pants or shorts will hit.... regular, high and low rise. find the center front
seam of the garment. measure from the top of the waistband down to the crotch - where the four seams intersect.
that number is the RISE of the garment.
SATIN has a smooth HAND
with an elegant feel. it is a shining star in the world of silk. it displays a tight weave and highly buffed surface.
depending on the type of satin, the underside can be creped or quite smooth.
SELVAGE is a word that refers to
the lengthwise finished edges of all woven fabrics. this edge helps prevent the fabric from unraveling.
SHIBORI is japanese
for an ancient technique which manipulates textiles. the word comes from the verb root shibori, 'to wring,
squeeze, press'. after the shibori process, the fabric's surface is given a three dimensonal look because
of the folding, crumpling, stitching, pleating and/or twisting it receives before the bound material is placed
in a vat of dye and heated to a a high temperature.
SILK KNIT is a stretchy, single knit jersey of medium
weight.
SILK NOIL is a fabric woven in a natural colour with irregular dark nubby spots. its soft texture is wrinkle
resistant , contemporary and quietly classic. easy care and long life add to its appeal.
SILK RAYON VELVET
is a fabric consisting of 82% rayon and 18% silk. luxurious RAYON PILE topside with strong
silk as the backing.
STRETCH GEORGETTE is woven from tightly twisted silk yarns resulting in a crepe-like texture. it drapes beautifully,
falling into long soft ripples. 93% silk with a soft stretch supplied by the 7% LYCRA.
SUEDED is
a term of HAND. the texture or soft feel of the silk. this effect can be gained through
the SHIBORI process.
TAFFETA is a closely woven, lightweight silk with a subtle sheen. one of the oldest of the luxzury fabrics.
it drapes with the crispness of fluid cones.
VISCOSE, also can be called RAYON, is a textile made from plant CELLULOSE.
WARP is the word for the lengthwise threads of a piece
of woven fabric.
WEFT refers to the threads woven into a textile width-wise or cross-wise. these threads are
horizontal to the SELVAGES.
