sharoncsheperd's blog: "The Peterson Group"

When you go to a fabric store, there are rolls of fabric displayed, as far as the eye can see. The back of your pattern envelope has a list of suggested fabrics. Many fabrics can look alike but have very different properties, which makes a huge impact on the finished project.

As we all know, fabrics have different patterns and styles, types and contents. No two fabrics are the same. It may be similar to look at but when reviewed closely, each pattern is unique from others. Manufactures have grouped the fabrics by the common style it follows.

While fabrics can be grouped based on the material used for its creation – natural or synthetic -, each type has an even more intricate pattern. For example, each product of the most famous dyed or waxed fabric in Indonesia called Batik is patterned differently but may still be grouped according to the end imprint on it. The most famous in the streets of Jakarta are the flowery patterns used in traditional clothes.

The Peterson Group, famous for their unique home furnishings in New York listed some of the most common groups of upholstery fabrics depending on their patterns.

1.Chintz

Originally from India, Chintz is mostly floral in design. It is a highly polished, rather thin fabric hailed by the British raja Chintz. It is brightly colored and is mostly cotton. Chintz is also popularly used for upholstery and slipcovers.

2. Damask

Graphic artists would call this type of patterns as vector art, a combination of curves and patterned dots which show repeatedly indefinite designs. Mostly in silk, linen or rayon, it is mostly used for draperies and upholstery and is soft and silky.

3.Gingham

Ginghams uses checkered patterns and are often confused with plaid ones. The difference is that gingham patterns follow only one checkered width. Plaid patterns have different lines. This is a relatively inexpensive fabric and is used mostly as table cloth.

4.Grosgrains

Grosgrain is mostly silk with ribbed pattern. It comes in different colors and can be used for accessories and clothes.

5.Herringbone

This pattern follows a geometrical outline consisting of two slanted lines that forms rows of V shapes on the fabric. This is mostly used in menswear and women necklaces.

6.Moiré

This fabric is mostly used in upholstery and seat covers and is mostly expensive. Moiré is a "water-marked" fabric (an effect now produced by cylindrical presses) with vertical "cathedrals" (lines that look like the peak of a cathedral).