Glossary

Taffeta is a crisp, smooth, plain woven fabric made from silk, cuprammonium rayons, acetate, or polyester. Reference: Wikipedia. It has been used for centuries in dress making. It was a…

Suede leather is made from the underside of the skin, primarily from lamb, although goat, calf and deer are commonly used. Splits from thick hides of cow and deer are…

Lace is a delicate fabric made of yarn or thread in an openwork pattern, made by machine or by hand. Originally linen, silk, gold, or silver threads were used but…

Ruching or Rouching is a gathering technique used in needlework. It is often used on items of clothing and has been used for centuries. The technique involves a large number…

Seed beads or rocailles are uniformly shaped, spheroidal beads ranging in size from under a millimeter to several millimeters. Seed bead is also a generic term for any small bead.…

Bullion or Purl is structurally a very long spring, hollow at the core; it can be stretched apart slightly and couched between the wraps of wire, or cut into short…

Appliqué is ornamental needlework in which pieces of fabric in different shapes and patterns are sewn or stuck onto a larger piece to form a picture or pattern. It is…

Jersey Fabric. Jersey is a knit fabric used predominantly for clothing manufacture. It was originally made of wool, but is now made of wool, cotton, and synthetic fibers. Since medieval…

Rayon is a manufactured fiber made from natural sources such as wood and agricultural products that are regenerated as cellulose fiber. The many types and grades of rayon can imitate…