Glossary of textile terms
Fabulous red and blue 1940's floral produced by Wifitex Applique- A cloth ornamentation that is laid upon and applied, usually via small stitches, to another textile medium
Bark Cloth- A medium weight fabric with a rough surface which resembles the bark of a tree. Used extensively for draperies in the 1940’s and 1950’s
Aniline Dyes- Chemical dyes (as opposed to vegetable ones) derived from coal tar. These were developed for use in the late 1850s.
Crash- A linen cotton or cotton mix suitable for kitchen towels. Better grades with softer feel and higher thread counts are used for tablecloths.
Damask- A fabric of silk, rayon, and cotton or other combinations of fibers woven in jacquard weave with reversible flat designs.
Dyestuff- Dyes used for printing color on textiles.
Embroidery- Ornamental needlework done on the fabric itself.
Fugitive- An unstable dye that tends to run, fade, or change colors.
Ghost Fabric- A textile that contained a fugitive dye, leaving no color or only a little color. This condition is most often seen in some red and green dyes as well as pinks and blues from the 1850 to the 1930s
Homespun- A very coarse, rough linen, wool, or cotton or man\endash made fiber or blend in varied colors, generally in a plain weave.
Linen- This is the strongest of the vegetable fibers and has 2 to 3 times the strength of cotton. It is made from flax, a bast fiber taken from the stalk of the plant. The l uster is from the natural wax content. Creamy white to light tan, this fiber can be easily dyed and the color does not fade when washed. Linen does wrinkle easily.
Madder- A shrubby herb grown for the dyeing properties of its root. Madder is the basic colorant for Turkey red and the coppery brows of the late 1800s.
Mercerization- Originally developed by John Mercer about 1850, the process was forgotten until 1890 when the idea was patented. It is a process that gives an increase in flexibility, strength, and luster to cotton tablecloths. Advertised on tablecloths produced between 1920- 1940.
Mordant- A chemical agent that fixes a dyestuff to a fiber.
Over dyed/Over printed- A tablecloth that was vat dyed in two different baths, or stamped first with one color then stamped or overprinted with another to create a third color.
Plush- A heavy-pile fabric with a deeper pile than velvet or velour.
Rayon -Made from cellulose, has many of the qualities of cotton, a n natural cellulose fiber. Rayon is strong, extremely absorbent, comes in a variety of qualities and weights, and can be made to resemble natural fabrics. Rayon does not melt but burns at high temperatures. The word "Rayon" is a man-made word. Kenneth Lord, Sr., coined the phrase in 1924 during and industry sponsored contest to find a name for what was known as artificial silk.
Sailcloth- A generic name for fabrics used for sails. It is usually made of cotton, linen, jute, or nylon and is a heavy, almost canvas-feeling fabric. Favorite fabric of both Wilendur and Startex.
Sanforized-Trade name of a process for shrinkage control. Residual shrinkage of not over 1 percent guaranteed. Developed in the 1950s and advertised on some tablecloth tags during that time.
Tapestry- A jacquard woven fabric in cotton, wool, or man-made fibers. The design is woven in by means of colored filling yarns. On the back, shaded stripes identify this fabric.
Turkey Red- A specific shade of red produced from the madder plant. The technique involved placing fabric in an oil bath. A colorfast dye, it was first developed in Turkey. Turkey red can fade to pink with use.
Velour- A smooth, closely woven pile fabric usually of cotton, wool, or man-made fibers, it is heavier than velvet
Velvet- Silk, rayon, nylon or acrylic cut pile fabric.
