Glossary

Bedding

Percale

Sheeting with a minimum of 180 thread count.

Thread Count

Number of threads vertically and horizontally per square inch of cloth. The higher the thread count the smoother and stronger the sheet.

Sateen

Woven with multiple warp (lengthwise) thread over top of weft (widthwise) thread to produce a silky lustrous sheen with a beautiful hand.

Egyptian Cotton

Cotton grown in Egypt with long staples (fibers) to produce the silkiest and strongest cotton available.

Pima Cotton

Similar to Egyptian cotton, grown in the southern U.S.A. staples not quite as long as Egyptian Cotton.

Combed Cotton

Cotton that has short fibers and impurities removed.

Mercerized Cotton

A process that has been used to increase strength and colour saturation of cotton.

Matelasse

A cotton or cotton blend fabric woven to produce a slightly quilted or pique look.

Jacquard

An elaborate woven design done on a Jacquard loom. The use of punch cards to produce patterns allows for a great variety of patterns and colours to be woven.

Cashmere

This luxurious wool comes from the Cashmere Goat living high in the mountains of Tibet and China. The cold weather helps to creat a silky undercoat of wool which is spun into one of the softest silkiest fibers imaginable.

Merino

This wool comes from the Merino Sheep, originally European but now farmed mostly in Australia. The wool is delicate but very resilient making it ideal for warm long lasting blankets.

Linen

Literally, the strongest of all the natural fibers, it also has a deep luster making it a natural choice for table linens. A cool touch makes it a superb summer bed sheet. It is also a lint free fiber making it ideal for dish towels.

Fabrics, Drapery, Upholstery

Allowance/Give

Extra given to width of finished curtain to allow for “springback” that naturally occurs, especially in pleated drapes.

Austrian

A style of curtain, usually in sheer or lace where there is gathering up the length as well as across the width.

Balloon Shade

A shade with gathering in the width that can be pulled up or down.

Box Pleat

A flat, unpinched pleat in the heading of the drape.

Butterfly Pleat

A pleat that is tacked at the bottom end and flares out and is tacked down at the top.

Bracket

The piece of hardware, usually metal that holds the curtain rod in place.

Cascade/Jabot

Side pieces to swags that fall in zigzagging folds down the sides of the window.

Casement

Fabric that is more opaque that sheers but more open that solid fabrics, usually with a texture.

Cornice

A box-like structure, often decorative to hide the top heading of a drape or curtain.

Finished Length

The final length of drape after hems and headings are done.

Finished width

The final width of drape including give/ease and returns.

Fullness

The proportion of the amount of fabric used to the finished width. i.e.. sheers are usually triple full whereas lined drapes are often 2.5:1 fullness.

Gathered

A heading that is finished by pulling on strings in a heading tape to create a ruffled/gathered look.

Heading

The top end of the drape, usually containing a stiffener that is usually pleated or gathered.

Interlining

A fabric, usually soft, sewn between the regular lining and the face fabric to provide more bulk and insulation. Recommended for silk draperies to provide more protection from the sun.

Inside mount

Drapes that are installed above and over the sides of the window frame.

Outside mount

Curtains or blinds that are installed inside the frame of the window.

Pattern repeat

The distance between a given point in the pattern and the point where the pattern starts again.

Pinch pleats

Pleats that are divided into two or three smaller pleats and sewn together at the bottom.

Railroading

Most fabrics have the pattern running up and down with selvedges at the side. Railroaded fabrics are turned so that the pattern runs up and down with selvedges at the top and bottom. Often used in upholstery.

Repeat

Distance from the front of the drapery to the wall.

Rod pocket

Drapes with a hollow sleeve at the top and sometimes at the bottom to allow a rod to slide through for gathered treatments.

Roman shade

A fabric shade that goes up and down in a series of folds.

Traverse rod

A rod that uses a cord to open and close the drape.

Valance

A top treatment used by itself or over draperies to hide hardware and as a decorative feature.

Fabric Terms

Acetate

Used for artificial silks dry clean only.

Acrylic

Lightweight, soft synthetic polymer.

Antique satin

Reasonably priced fabric with a silk look, usually made with rayon and acetates. Very popular.

Batiste

A sheer fabric slightly more opaque than a voile.

Blackout lining

A heavier lining used to create a more opaque curtain.

Boucle

French for curled, indicates a fabric with a curled or loopy texture.

Brocade

Rich jacquard with all over interwoven design of raised figures or flowers. Usually silk or silk-like fabrics.

Chintz

Glazed cotton, often with bright floral prints.

Damask

Similar to brocade but flatter and reversible.

Dupion

Textured silk, real or synthetic.

Faille

Plain ribbed fabric.

Linen Union

A cotton-linen blend, very durable.

Madras cotton

Lightweight cotton from India woven often in check or plaid patterns.

Mohair

Wool from the Angora goat, used in fabrics and woven into blankets.

Moire

A pattern finish given to cottons or cotton blends to simulate a watermark.

Nylon

Remarkably strong fiber made from polymers of petroleum , natural gas and water.

Polyester

A synthetic with good draping qualities.

Rayon

Similar texture to silk, part synthetic, part natural.

Shantung

A randomly textured silk.

Taffeta

A fine, plain fabric, smooth on both sides with some sheen.

Tapestry

A heavy, upholstery weight fabric imitating hand-sewn tapestries.

Ticking

A striped cotton, often used for covering mattresses and pillows.

Velvet

Cloth with short cut piles that stand close together giving an even surface.

Voile

A fine, sheer fabric usually made of polyester.

Warp

The yarns which run vertically down the roll of fabric.

Weft

The yarns which run across the roll of fabric.

Worsted

Fabric made of twisted yarns, usually wool.