Charmeuse (French: [ʃaʁmøːz])
is a lightweight fabric woven with a satin weave, where the warp
threads cross over three or more of the backing (weft) threads. The
front side of the fabric has a satin finish – lustrous and reflective –
whereas the back has a dull finish. It can be made of silk or a
synthetic lookalike such as polyester. Silk charmeuse is more expensive
and delicate but is softer and a better insulator. Polyester charmeuse
is cheaper and can often withstand machine washing, but it does not
breathe as well as silk. Charmeuse differs from plain satin in that
charmeuse is softer and lighter in weight.
The luster and delicate hand make charmeuse suited to lingerie,
flowing evening gowns, and drapey blouses. Bridal gowns sometime use
charmeuse, however, the fabric does not hold a shape well, so it is not
used for full, flared skirts; the charmeuse tends to cling and hang
against the body. It is best suited to a more fluid, slinky bias cut,
and is too fragile and flimsy for more tailored clothing. It is not used
in menswear, with the exception of underwear such as charmeuse boxer
shorts.
It is one of the more challenging fabrics to sew, and not recommended
for beginners. The fabric is extremely slippery and difficult to
control through the presser foot of a sewing machine. Seams have a
tendency to pucker and pull; a smaller stitch length and finer thread
can minimize this, though the experience of the sewer will impact the
finished result as well. Charmeuse also tends to leave holes and marks
where the fabric was pinned, making the manipulation of pattern pieces
more challenging. For greater ease of sewing, a sizing product such as
Sullivan’s Spray Fabric Stabilizer can be sprayed on before cutting and
washed out after the garment is completed.
Charmeuse tears easily, especially when wet, so dry-cleaning is recommended.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Chenille, what is it? what are its many uses?
It is used for curtains, pillows, upholstery, table cloths, chair covers, table runners etc.
Chenille, the French word for caterpillar, is typically used to describe a type of fabric. Many fabrics, such as mohair and wool, get their names from the fibers with which they are made. Chenille, however, is named from the unique process by which it is made.
The chenille yarn is manufactured by placing short lengths of yarn, called the “pile”, between two “core yarns” and then twisting the yarn together. The edges of these piles then stand at right angles from the yarn’s core, giving chenille both its softness and its characteristic look. Chenille will look different in one direction compared to another, as the fibres catch the light differently. Chenille can appear iridescent without actually using iridescent fibers. The yarn is commonly manufactured from cotton, but can also be made using acrylic, rayon and olefin.
Since the late 1990s, chenille appeared in quilting in a number of yarns, yards or finishes. As a yarn, it is a soft, feathery synthetic that when stitched onto a backing fabric, gives a velvety appearance, also known as imitation or “faux chenille”. Real chenille quilts are made using patches of chenille fabric in various patterns and colours, with or without “ragging” the seams.
The chenille effect by ragging the seams, has been adapted by quilters for a casual country look. A quilt with a so-called “chenille finish” is known as a “rag quilt” or, a “slash quilt” due to the frayed exposed seams of the patches and the method of achieving this. Layers of soft cotton are batted together in patches or blocks and sewn with wide, raw edges to the front. These edges are then cut, or slashed, to create a worn, soft, “chenille” effect.
Many chenille fabrics should be dry cleaned. If hand or machine-washed, it should be machine-dried using low heat, or as a heavy textile, dried flat to avoid stretching, never hung.
Chenille, the French word for caterpillar, is typically used to describe a type of fabric. Many fabrics, such as mohair and wool, get their names from the fibers with which they are made. Chenille, however, is named from the unique process by which it is made.
The chenille yarn is manufactured by placing short lengths of yarn, called the “pile”, between two “core yarns” and then twisting the yarn together. The edges of these piles then stand at right angles from the yarn’s core, giving chenille both its softness and its characteristic look. Chenille will look different in one direction compared to another, as the fibres catch the light differently. Chenille can appear iridescent without actually using iridescent fibers. The yarn is commonly manufactured from cotton, but can also be made using acrylic, rayon and olefin.
Since the late 1990s, chenille appeared in quilting in a number of yarns, yards or finishes. As a yarn, it is a soft, feathery synthetic that when stitched onto a backing fabric, gives a velvety appearance, also known as imitation or “faux chenille”. Real chenille quilts are made using patches of chenille fabric in various patterns and colours, with or without “ragging” the seams.
The chenille effect by ragging the seams, has been adapted by quilters for a casual country look. A quilt with a so-called “chenille finish” is known as a “rag quilt” or, a “slash quilt” due to the frayed exposed seams of the patches and the method of achieving this. Layers of soft cotton are batted together in patches or blocks and sewn with wide, raw edges to the front. These edges are then cut, or slashed, to create a worn, soft, “chenille” effect.
Many chenille fabrics should be dry cleaned. If hand or machine-washed, it should be machine-dried using low heat, or as a heavy textile, dried flat to avoid stretching, never hung.
What is Canvas and what is it used for?
It is used for upholstery, table cloth, waxing, hair removal, painting etc.
Canvas is an extremely heavy-duty plain-woven fabric used for making sails, tents, marquees, backpacks, and other items for which sturdiness is required. It is also popularly used by artists as a painting surface, typically stretched across a wooden frame. It is also used in such fashion objects as handbags and shoes.
Modern canvas is usually made of cotton or linen, although historically it was made from hemp. It differs from other heavy cotton fabrics, such as denim, in being plain weave rather than twill weave. Canvas comes in two basic types: plain and duck. The threads in duck canvas are more tightly woven. The term duck comes from the Dutch word for cloth, doek. In the United States, canvas is classified in two ways: by weight (ounces per square yard) and by a graded number system. The numbers run in reverse of the weight so a number 10 canvas is lighter than number 4.
Canvas has become the most common support medium for oil painting, replacing wooden panels. One of the earliest surviving oils on canvas is a French Madonna with angels from around 1410 in the Gemäldegalerie, Berlin. However, panel painting remained more common until the 16th century in Italy and the 17th century in Northern Europe. Mantegna and Venetian artists were among those leading the change; Venetian sail canvas was readily available and regarded as the best quality.
It has become popular to use the myriad of stretched canvasses sizes and shapes for unconventional creative expression. Artists can create miniature works on business card sized stretched canvas and use them as trading cards to make connections with other artists. Many artists use canvas for altered art pieces as well as for scrapbook pages—because stretched canvas is available in many sizes, from miniatures to wall size, it is used for decoupage and needlework projects, made into lamps, or painted simply for home decor.
Canvas is an extremely heavy-duty plain-woven fabric used for making sails, tents, marquees, backpacks, and other items for which sturdiness is required. It is also popularly used by artists as a painting surface, typically stretched across a wooden frame. It is also used in such fashion objects as handbags and shoes.
Modern canvas is usually made of cotton or linen, although historically it was made from hemp. It differs from other heavy cotton fabrics, such as denim, in being plain weave rather than twill weave. Canvas comes in two basic types: plain and duck. The threads in duck canvas are more tightly woven. The term duck comes from the Dutch word for cloth, doek. In the United States, canvas is classified in two ways: by weight (ounces per square yard) and by a graded number system. The numbers run in reverse of the weight so a number 10 canvas is lighter than number 4.
Canvas has become the most common support medium for oil painting, replacing wooden panels. One of the earliest surviving oils on canvas is a French Madonna with angels from around 1410 in the Gemäldegalerie, Berlin. However, panel painting remained more common until the 16th century in Italy and the 17th century in Northern Europe. Mantegna and Venetian artists were among those leading the change; Venetian sail canvas was readily available and regarded as the best quality.
It has become popular to use the myriad of stretched canvasses sizes and shapes for unconventional creative expression. Artists can create miniature works on business card sized stretched canvas and use them as trading cards to make connections with other artists. Many artists use canvas for altered art pieces as well as for scrapbook pages—because stretched canvas is available in many sizes, from miniatures to wall size, it is used for decoupage and needlework projects, made into lamps, or painted simply for home decor.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
What is Burlap used for?
Burlap is often used to make sacks and bags to ship goods like coffee beans; these can be described as gunny sacks. It is breathable and thus resists condensation and associated spoilage of the contents. Burlap is also durable enough to withstand rough handling in transit; these properties have also led to its use for temporary protection as wet covering to prevent rapid moisture loss in setting of cement and concrete by the construction industry. Burlap is also commonly used for making sandbags, empty burlap sacks that, when filled with sand, are used for flood mitigation when building temporary embankments against floodwaters or field fortifications.
Due to its coarse texture, burlap is not commonly used in modern apparel. However, this roughness gave it a use in a religious context for mortification of the flesh, where individuals may wear an abrasive shirt called a cilice or “hairshirt” and in the wearing of “sackcloth” on Ash Wednesday.
Owing to its durability, open weave, naturally non-shiny refraction, and fuzzy texture, Ghillie suits for 3D camouflage are often made of burlap. Burlap was also a popular material for camouflage scrim on combat helmets of World War II. Until the advent of the plastic “leafy” multi-color net system following the Vietnam War, burlap scrim was also woven onto shrimp and fish netting to create large-scale military camouflage netting.
Burlap is also used by fine artists as an alternative to canvas as a stretched painting surface.
Monday, October 24, 2011
What is Poly Cotton?
Poly cotton can be used to make a variety of everyday items, from upholstery and bedding to sports wear and denim. Poly cotton is particularly used for items expected to get a lot of wear. Sheets and sofa covers, as well as track suits, T-shirts and hoodies, are often made in poly cotton blends, as these items require both comfort and durability.
Poly cotton is known for its durability, as it can easily be thrown in the washing machine and retains its shape better than items made of pure cotton. Poly cotton blends are also known for their comfort. Poly cotton should have a higher percentage of cotton than polyester fabrics in the weave. The cotton allows the fabric to breathe and retain the softness of the natural fibers, while maintaining the structure enforced by the polyester.While cotton fabric has been used for hundreds of years and championed for its texture and breathability, there are some drawbacks to using pure cotton fabric that can be corrected in a poly cotton blend. Polyester on its own is not the most beloved fabric, due to its synthetic feel and tendency to look cheap, but a poly cotton blend can take the best of both fabrics to create a durable and wearable textile.
Poly Cotton fabric is a made combining strands of Cotton and Polyester. This blend is usually quite comfortable by combining the natural effects of Cotton for softness and moisture absorption with the no-iron crispness of polyester. Usually which ever fiber content is listed first will be the dominant fiber meaning in a Cotton poly mixture it would be 51% cotton and 49% polyester.
A standard everyday Poly cotton mix is 65% Polyester 35% Cotton, normally the contruction of standard bedsheets, bedlinenTuesday, October 18, 2011
Monday, October 10, 2011
One Steal A Month!
At The Fabric Exchange, we value our customers. We also value a good deal.
That's why each month we pre-select a custom fabric and mark it down up to 90% off of its retail value.
For the month of October we have chosen the Mirror Organza fabric to mark down. This fabric is sheer, light weight, and known for its versatility. It's perfect for creating stylish accessories, using as a decorative finish, and in light of the upcoming holiday, perfect for creating your Halloween Costume.
Act quickly, it's going fast.
That's why each month we pre-select a custom fabric and mark it down up to 90% off of its retail value.
For the month of October we have chosen the Mirror Organza fabric to mark down. This fabric is sheer, light weight, and known for its versatility. It's perfect for creating stylish accessories, using as a decorative finish, and in light of the upcoming holiday, perfect for creating your Halloween Costume.
Act quickly, it's going fast.
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