Fabrics & materials

Cotton fabric woven in a satin weave, giving a smooth, lustrous face similar to satin but with cotton's matte hand and durability, used for linings and bedding.

A weave with long floating warp or weft threads that pass over several opposing threads before interlacing, producing a smooth, lustrous surface prone to fraying and snagging.

Surface design method that pushes pigment through a fine mesh screen with a masked design onto fabric, producing crisp, repeatable printed motifs.

A thick, spongy double-knit fabric, typically polyester and spandex bonded in a neoprene-like structure, holding its shape well for fitted garments and appliqué.

A narrow woven or knitted tape stitched over a raw edge, especially a hem allowance, to prevent fraying without adding much bulk.

A lightweight cotton fabric woven with alternating slack and taut warp tension, creating a permanent puckered stripe that holds fabric away from the skin.

The tightly woven, self-finished edge running along both lengthwise sides of woven fabric that does not fray, often used as a grainline reference when cutting.

A zip in which the two sides detach completely at the bottom, used on jackets and cardigans that open fully rather than a fixed-bottom garment closure.

A base fabric, usually mesh or knit, with sequins stitched or glued on in rows, requiring seam allowances to be cleared of sequins before stitching.

Lightweight, fine-spun polyester thread wound on large cones for overlocker use, chosen for low bulk in seam finishing rather than seam strength.

Interfacing without adhesive, attached by stitching into the seam allowance, preferred for fabrics that cannot tolerate heat or that would be damaged by fusing.

Spun or filament fibre engineered specifically for stitching, selected by fibre content, weight and finish to suit the fabric and seam it will hold.

A fine, lustrous protein filament produced by silkworms, prized for drape, sheen and strength-to-weight ratio; woven into fabrics from chiffon to dupioni.

A fine, strong, slightly elastic natural filament thread with a subtle sheen, traditionally used for hand basting, tailoring and hand-finishing fine fabrics.

A separate lining, often a slippery fabric, cut and sewn to a garment's sleeve to allow the arm to slide in and out easily.

A two-part mechanical fastener with interlocking ball-and-socket discs that click together, used for quick, low-profile closures on garments and accessories.

Twill tape pre-fitted with evenly spaced snap fasteners, stitched to a garment opening in one pass, commonly used on baby clothing for quick closures.

A highly elastic synthetic fibre (polyurethane) that stretches many times its length and recovers, blended in small percentages into wovens and knits for stretch.

A temporary or permanent backing placed under fabric during machine embroidery or stitching to prevent puckering, stretching or distortion from the needle and thread tension.

A fabric's resistance to distortion or stretching out of shape during handling, cutting and sewing, often improved with interfacing or stay tape on loosely woven or stretch fabrics.

Applying moist heat to fabric to relax fibres, remove wrinkles, shrink fibres slightly, or set pleats and pressed seams without direct iron contact.

A sewing machine needle with a specially shaped eye and scarf designed to prevent skipped stitches in highly elastic fabrics such as spandex blends.

A measure of how far a knit or stretch-woven fabric extends compared to its resting length, used to check a fabric against a pattern's required stretch and recovery.

A general term for knit fabrics that mimic hand- or machine-knitted sweater texture, ranging from fine gauge to chunky, often loosely constructed and prone to runs.

A mid-weight cotton or cotton-blend knit with a brushed fleece back and smooth jersey face, the standard fabric for hoodies and sweatshirts.