The choice in Fabric ranges from filmy nets, transparent gauzes, scrim, and muslin through soft silk and cotton fabrics, linens and coarse canvas weaves, brocades, damask, and tapes-try, velvets and velours; in color and design from one unbroken neutral tone to the most complex variation of hues and patterns; in price from a few hundred of rupees per metre.
These includes decorative drapery fabrics in variety of prints, plaids, stripes, jacquards, silks, damasks, multi purpose solid and wovens, embroidery, embellishment with precious stones and sequences, appliqué, patchwork.
Brocade: Brocade is traditionally woven using silk, cotton, wool or mixed fibres, on a jacquard loom, in a multi- or shelf- coloured floral design. Traditional motifs such as a cherub, vases, ribbons, bunches of flowers and so on are mixed together.
Calico: Named after Calicut in India where it was introduced, this is a coarse, plain weave cotton in cream or white with ‘natural’ flecks.
Chintz: Traditionally a cotton fabric with Eastern design using flowers and birds, often with a resin finish which gave a characteristic sheen (glaze) which repels dirt. The term is now used to describe any patterned or plain glazed fabric.
Damask: A jacquard first woven in Damascus in silk, wool or cotton with satin floats on a warp satin background, most damasks are self-coloured and can be made up reversed for a matte finish.
Denim: This fabric is inexpensive and available in many weights, from light chambray to heavy jeans’ denim.
Gingham: A plain-weave fabric with equal width strips of white plus one other colour in both warp and weft threads to produce blocks of checks or stripes, gingham is either100 percent or a cotton mix.
Lace: Open-work fabrics in designs ranging from simple spots to elaborate panels, lace is generally available in cotton or a cotton and polyester mixture.
Moire: The characteristic ‘watermarked’ markings are produced as plain woven silk or acetate fabric progresses through hot, engraved cylinders crushing threads into different directions to form the pattern.
Muslin: A white or off-white, open –weave cloth which can be dyed, muslin is inexpensive but should be used with at least triple fullness for floaty bed drapes and as under-curtains to diffuse light.
Organdie:The very finest cotton fabric usually form Switzerland, an acid finish gives organdie a unique crispness.
Organza: Similar to organdie and made of silk, polyester or viscose, organza is very springy and used for stiffened headings of fine fabrics. Its crisp texture allows it to be made up into Roman blinds used to filter light and insects and to provide the main curtains.
Silk noile: Light- to medium-weight silk in a natural colour, silk noile features small pieces of the cocoon woven in as flecks.
Taffeta: Ordinarily woven from silk, taffeta is now available in acetate and blends. A plain- weave fabric with a light- catching sheen resulting from weaving fibres which have a sheen; use for elaborate drapes for its light-reflecting qualities.
Velvet: Originally 100 percent silk, now made from cotton and viscose, care needs to be taken when sewing with velvet or the fabrics will ‘walk’. Always buy a good velvet with a dense pile which will not pull out easily, and always press on a pin board.
Voile: Fine, light plain-weave cotton or polyester fabric dyed in many plain colours, silk and wool voiles can be used for the drapery.
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