All About Cotton: A Fabric Dictionary & Swatchbook (Fabric Reference Series) - Softcover

Parker, Julie

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0963761234 ISBN 13: 9780963761231

Publisher: Rain City Pub, 1998

Synopsis

The second volume in Julie Parker's Fabric Reference Series explains the different fabrics made from cotton, using plain English instead of confusing technical jargon. A detailed description of each fabric is illustrated with a real cloth sample, right there on the same page, which clarifies in the simplest way what a broadcloth, poplin, seersucker or voile actually looks and feels like. A comprehensive introduction covers fiber characteristics, history of cotton, the main sources of cotton and the cotton textile industry, followed by two-page descriptions of the main fabric types, each illustrated with a 2-1/2 x 4 cloth sample and simple black-and-white drawings. In the back of the book, space is provided for the reader to collect additional fabric samples and record personal notes, followed by a list of mail-order sources, glossary, bibliography and index.

The 40 cotton fabric samples are packaged separately, layered in the same order as they appear in the book. It takes only a few minutes to mount the samples to the book's pages, using double-stick tape or a small spot of glue. Instructions are included. Samples include: batik, batiste, broadcloth, calico, canvas, chambray, chenille, chino, chintz, corduroy, damask, denim, dotted Swiss, double knit, drill, duck, eyelet, flannel, gauze, gingham, interlock, jersey, lawn, Madras, monk's cloth, muslin, organdy, osnaburg, oxford cloth, piqu , pliss , poplin, sateen, seersucker, shirting, terry cloth, ticking, twill, velveteen, voile. All About Cotton is packed with information about the different weaves, yarns and finishes used to make cotton fabrics. Terms such as pima cotton, combed cotton, Egyptian cotton, Sea Island cotton and Peruvian cotton are clearly explained. A must for anyone who works with fabric! The Fabric Reference Series has been featured in Crafter's Choice, a division of Book-of-the-Month Club. Other books in the series include All About Silk, with 32 silk samples, and All About Wool, with 35 wool samples.

About this title

About the Author

Julie Parker is a former newspaper editor turned fabric junkie. She holds a bachelor of arts degree in communications from the University of Washington in Seattle and a second bachelor's degree in apparel design from Western Washington University in Bellingham. She was a newspaper editor for 10 years before returning to school to study clothing design. She is the author of three books and has worked with the Wool Bureau in New York to write a guide to wool fabrics that was distributed to members of the garment industry throughout North America. Her most recent book, All About Wool, was a finalist in the crafts category of the 1997 Small Press Book Awards. She and her husband live in Seattle.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Most stores carry a wide range of cotton fabrics and cotton/polyester blends, but the quality varies considerably. Here are some tips for judging a fabric's quality before you buy:

Count the number of yarns per inch in both directions of the weave. Better fabrics have more yarns per square inch.

Hold the fabric up to the light. The tighter the weave, the less light will shine through. Look for uniform spacing between yarns. Beware of fabrics that appear to be thinner in some areas than others.

Inspect the twist of an individual yarn, preferably a yarn pulled from the lengthwise direction of the weave. A tightly twisted yarn is stronger and the fabric will be more durable. The presence of short, wispy fibers may be a sign of low quality yarns.

Inspect the yarns for variations in thickness. They should be uniform in size and thickness, although they may not be the same size in both directions, depending on the weave. (Keep in mind that slubbed yarns and irregular weaves are part of the appeal of some fabrics, especially handwovens.)

Scratch a small section of the fabric with your thumbnail to see if the yarns are distorted easily. Such fabrics tend to pull apart at the seams of close-fitting garments.

Check the fabric to see if the lengthwise and crosswise yarns intersect at right angles. Beware of fabrics with bowed or skewed grain.

Inspect printed fabrics to make sure the print is straight, especially in the case of stripes, plaids, checks and other designs with obvious lines. The lines of the print should match the grain or torn edge of the fabric.

Inspect printed fabrics to make sure the colors are registered, with no overlapping colors, blurred prints or white outlines around the motifs.

Rub the fabric between your hands. A heavily sized fabric will feel chalky. It may appear to be coated with a filmy or powdery substance. Such fabrics are usually inferior.

Check the fabric for loose yarns to see if it unravels easily.

On twill fabrics, examine the angle of the diagonal twill line. A steep line is a sign of a tight, compact weave and a better quality fabric.

Scrunch a small piece of fabric in your hand and release it. If the fabric remains wrinkled, it will probably wrinkle easily.

Loosely gather up to a yard of the fabric in your hand to determine how it will work with a gathered or shirred style. Unroll a yard or more of the fabric and let it hang freely to determine how it drapes and flows.

Examine the fabric for one-way designs, luster, nap or other factors that may require special handling.

Sniff the fabric for unpleasant odors that may not wash out.

Compare the price with that of similar fabrics. Although price is one sign of quality or lack thereof, it is no substitute for a thorough look at the fabric. Some fabrics are true bargains and some are not.

Edition details

• Publisher: Rain City Pub
• Publication date: 1998
• ISBN 10: 0963761234
• ISBN 13: 9780963761231
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 120