Acetate: is a manufactured fiber which resists shrinkage. Its yarns
are pliable and supple and will always spring back to their original shape. Care
should be taken when working with this fiber since its resistance to abrasion
Beading: A lace or embroidery which has slits through which ribbon
may be drawn.
Braid: is a woven or braided flat narrow trim.
Braided fabric trim is often used to edge draperies, valances, pillows and
Bias tape or bias binding: is a narrow strip of fabric, cut on
the bias or cross-grain. It is stretchier and has a greater drape compared to a
fabric strip that is cut on the grain. It is often used to the finish raw edges
of quilts, placemats, etc. Single-fold bias tape is bias tape with each raw
edge folded in toward the center, wrong sides together, and pressed.
Double-fold bias tape is single-fold bias tape which has been folded in half
and pressed, with the single folds to the inside.
Brush Fringe: A brush fringe is a cut fringe with a flat skirt
made of yarns.
Bullion Fringe: is made of cords, rather than yarns. Primarily used on
the bottom of upholstered furniture, window treatments and the edges of accent
Borders: are flat woven trims which are similar to gimp and braid but
Binding: is a strip of fabric that
encases the edge of another piece of fabric.
Cord: is made by twisting together plies of yarn into a rope. Twisted cord can be composed of 2, 3
or 4 plys. Cording with an edge (a
thin strip of plain tape attached) can be sewn into the seams of upholstery or
pillows. Cords with out edges may be used as embellishments on pelmets; chair
ties or can even be affixed to the top of craft projects with glue.
Cotton a natural material made from the soft
fibers that grow around the seeds of the cotton plant. Theses fibers are then spun
into yarns to create breathable, machine washable fabrics.
Faux Fur is a knitted fabric which is manufactured to
look like real fur.
Fold Over Band is a braided or knitted band folded
slightly off center which is used to provide a finished edge. It is commonly
applied as a binding over raw fabric edges.
Fringe has a decorative heading, with hanging cut threads
(brush or flat fringe), looped threads (loop fringe) cords (bullion fringe), or
tassels (tassel fringe).
Grain The lengthwise and crosswise grain of fabric refer to the directions parallel to
the warp and weft,
Gimp, is a narrow ornamental fabric trim used in sewing or
embroidery. One or both edges of a gimp can be plain, cut, or have scalloped
loops. It can be used to embellish pillows, foot stools and draperies. Traditionally
gimp fabric trim is used to cover upholstery tacks.
Jacquard: a woven fabric constructed by using a special jacquard
attachment on a loom. This attachment provides flexibility in designs and enables
the individual control of each of the warp yarns. Brocade and damask are
examples of jacquard woven fabrics.
Jute: Jute is a fiber obtained from the round or long pod jutes
of the family Tiliaceae. It is grown extensively in Pakistan
Lace: Lace is an openwork fabric produced by a
network of threads that are twisted together and sometimes knotted to form
Loop Fringe: is similar to a brush fringe except the
yarns at the base of the skirt are looped, not cut. The bottom edge of a loop
fringe trim can be straight or scalloped.
Nap is a fuzzy texture created when fiber ends extend
from the basic fabric structure to the fabric surface. A fabric may be napped
on one or both sides.
Nylon is a manufactured fiber that
is very strong and resistant to abrasion. It is easy to wash, elastic and has a
Passementerie is the term
used to describe an immense variety of trimmings and decorative edgings.
Gimps, bullions and fringes are all examples of passementerie.
Piping: is a decorative cord that is covered with fabric which has
been cut on the bias. Piping is often sewn directly into the seams of apparel
and upholstery items.
Ply: refers to the number of yarns twisted together to make a
Quilt Binding a ruffled or box pleated fabric (or lace)
with a bias-cut header of fabric that is commonly used to finish the raw edges
of quilts, apparel or pillows.
Rayon: is a generic term for a manufactured fiber derived from
Rickrack is a flat narrow braid woven in zigzag form, used as a
trimming for clothing crafts or home deco items.
Sequins: Small plastic or metallic discs that are sewn or
otherwise attached to a fabric to add drama, texture and decoration.
Trim is Sequins have been knitted into bands with elastic for Stretch
Sequin banding or with metallic yarns for decorative Sequin trimmings.
Shrinkage is the contraction of a fiber, yarn, or fabric after
washing and drying. Most natural fibers have a tendency to shrink 4-6%.
Tassel is a hanging ornament consisting of a head and body of cut
yarn, looped yarn decorative beading or bullion fringe.
Tassel Fringe Trim is a
tassel trim is a plain or decorative gimp with attached tassels.
Tiebacks: Tiebacks are decorative pieces of hardware, fabric, or
tassels designed to hold curtains back from windows to allow light passage, or
to add a decorative touch to the window treatment.
Twill tape is a
flat “twill-woven” ribbon of cotton, linen, polyester, or other fabric.
Lace is a heavily embroidered flat trim which is made
using a needlepoint rather than an embroidery technique.
It is heavier weight than standard lace and typically features floral or
geometric patterns, which are attached to each other by thin bars of thread.
Viscose A synthetic man made fiber, which is commonly
referred to as rayon.
Yard is a
unit of measure that is the equivalent of 3 feet, or 36 inches or 0.9144
metre. (common abbreviations: yd or yrds)