Fabrics & materials

Metal or plastic fittings such as D-rings, swivel clips, rivets, and sliders used to attach straps, close flaps, and reinforce stress points on bags.

A sewing machine needle with a rounded tip designed to slide between the loops of knit fabric rather than piercing and breaking the yarns.

Fine, lightweight, closely woven fabric, softer and slightly more opaque than voile, traditionally cotton or linen, used for blouses, baby clothes, and heirloom sewing.

Layer of loose fibre wadding, made from cotton, wool, polyester, or blends, used as the insulating middle layer of a quilt sandwich or a padded garment.

A narrow strip of fabric cut on the bias and folded to encase a raw edge, allowing it to curve smoothly around necklines, armholes and hems.

A tightly woven, plain-weave cotton or cotton-blend fabric similar to poplin but slightly heavier, with a subtle sheen from a calendering finish.

A disc or shaped fastener sewn to one side of an opening and passed through a buttonhole or loop on the other side to close a garment.

A reinforced slit or bound opening in fabric sized to admit a button, finished by machine zigzag stitching, a bound technique, or hand stitching.

A heavy, plain-weave cotton or cotton-blend fabric prized for durability and stiffness, used for bags, workwear and structural garment interfacing.

A lightweight plain-weave cotton fabric with a coloured warp and white weft yarn, giving a denim-like appearance without the weight; used for shirts.

A natural cellulose fibre harvested from the cotton plant's seed pods, valued for softness, breathability and absorbency; used in wovens and knits from quilting cotton to denim.

A natural-fibre sewing thread with a matte finish and low stretch, well suited to natural woven fabrics such as quilting cotton and linen.

A sturdy cotton twill fabric, traditionally indigo-dyed on the warp with an undyed weft, used for jeans and workwear; presses and topstitches well.

A garment-cleaning process using chemical solvents instead of water, required for fabrics that distort, shrink or bleed dye when laundered, such as wool suiting and structured silks.

A stretchable band, braided, knitted or woven with rubber or spandex core yarns, used in waistbands, casings and cuffs for gathered, adjustable fit.

Fine elastic-cored thread wound onto the bobbin and used with regular thread on top to create shirring, gathering fabric into stretchy rows as it is stitched.

Standardised symbols printed on fabric bolts or garment labels indicating washing, bleaching, drying, ironing and dry-cleaning instructions for a textile.

Process of applying colour to fibre, yarn, or finished fabric using dye baths, which may be immersion, hand-painted, or resist-based, altering or refreshing a textile's colour.

The reduction in a fabric's dimensions after washing or steaming, caused by relaxation of finishing tension or fibre swelling, addressed by pre-washing before cutting.

A fabric's mass per unit area, commonly measured in grams per square metre, used to judge suitability for a garment and to match pattern recommendations.

A brushed, napped knit fabric, typically polyester, engineered for warmth and softness with a plush pile on one or both sides.

Thick foam interfacing fused or sewn between fabric layers to give bags and structured accessories body, shape retention, and padding.

A soft knit fabric with looped, uncut loops on the reverse side and a smooth face, lighter than fleece and common in casual sweatshirts.

Interfacing coated with a heat-activated adhesive resin that bonds to fabric when pressed, offering a quick, even application without hand stitching.

A lightweight plain-weave cotton fabric woven from dyed and white yarns to form even checks, popular for shirts and summer dresses.

The direction of the warp and weft yarns in woven fabric, or the wales and courses in knit fabric, which pattern pieces are aligned to for correct hang and stretch.

A small metal fastener pair, a bent hook that catches on a loop or bar, used at waistbands, plackets and the top of zips for a flat, secure closure.

A two-sided fastening tape of a stiff hooked surface and a soft looped surface that grip when pressed together, used for adjustable or quick-release closures.

A supporting fabric layer applied to the wrong side of garment sections such as collars, cuffs and waistbands to add body, stability and shape retention.

A single-knit fabric made on a weft-knitting machine with plain stitch on one side and purl-like loops on the other, offering good stretch and recovery for T-shirts and dresses.

A strong, absorbent bast fibre spun from the stems of the flax plant, known for crisp hand, natural lustre and a tendency to wrinkle; sews well but frays readily.

A smooth, often lightweight fabric sewn inside a garment to conceal construction, reduce friction against the body, and help the outer fabric hold its shape.

Ultra-soft, plush polyester knit fabric with a short pile, popular for baby items, blankets, and stuffed toys for its softness and warmth.

A plain-weave, low-cost cotton fabric ranging from sheer to coarse, commonly used for garment toiles and testing patterns before cutting fashion fabric.

Interfacing made from bonded or pressed fibres with no grainline, cuttable in any direction, generally lower cost but with less natural drape than woven types.

The simplest weave structure, formed by alternating single warp and weft threads over-under, producing a strong, stable, balanced fabric such as poplin or muslin.

A synthetic petroleum-based fibre valued for durability, wrinkle resistance and low cost; woven or knitted alone or blended with natural fibres.

A durable, easy-care lining fabric made from polyester fibre, resistant to wrinkling and shrinking though less breathable than natural-fibre linings.

An all-purpose sewing thread with high strength, low shrinkage and good elasticity, suitable for most woven and knit fabrics including synthetics.

A tightly woven plain-weave cotton or cotton-blend fabric with a fine crosswise rib, crisp yet soft, popular for shirts and dresses.