Fabrics & materials

Fabric woven with pronounced horizontal ribs, heavier and stiffer than a plain rib knit, used for structured garments, coats, and accessories.

A folded strip of bias fabric enclosing a cord, inserted into a seam to create a raised decorative or defining edge along garment seams.

A medium-weight double-knit fabric, usually of polyester, viscose and spandex, with a firm hand and good stability, popular for structured knit garments.

A pre-made sandwich of face fabric, batting and backing stitched together in a pattern, used ready-made for outerwear without separate quilting.

A sewing machine needle with a tapered, sharp point designed to stitch through multiple layers of fabric and batting cleanly.

Lightweight synthetic fabric woven with reinforcing threads at intervals to stop tears from spreading, used for outerwear, bags, and outdoor gear.

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.

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.

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.

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 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 crisp, smooth plain-weave fabric with a fine ribbed texture and characteristic rustle, used in eveningwear and linings; frays and shows needle holes easily.

A branded regenerated cellulose fibre (lyocell) made from sustainably sourced wood pulp using a closed-loop process, noted for softness, drape and moisture management.

A heavier-weight decorative thread used for visible topstitching, such as on jeans, giving a bolder line than standard construction thread.

A flat, tightly woven twill-weave tape used to stabilise seams, reinforce waistbands, and bind edges without adding bulk.

A sewing machine needle with two shafts joined to a single shank, producing two parallel rows of stitching on top and a zigzag underneath, used for hems on knits.

A soft, thick knit or woven pile fabric with a plush, velvet-like nap and stretch, often used for loungewear and dancewear.

A cotton pile fabric woven with a short, dense cut pile similar to velvet but with a shorter nap and more matte finish, easier to sew than true velvet.

A non-woven or fabric-backed plastic sheet material with a glossy or matte coated surface, used for waterproof garments and accessories; sewn with a walking foot or Teflon presser foot.

A regenerated cellulose fibre made from wood pulp, offering silk-like drape and breathability but weak when wet and prone to shrinking.

Interfacing constructed with lengthwise and crosswise threads like conventional fabric, cut on grain to match the garment fabric and provide stable, non-stretch support.