Glossary of soft furnishing and sewing terms by Alternative Windows

Window Dressing Glossary:

Acorn	A decorative brass or wooden "handle" which slips onto the cords of a blind to cover the knotted ends.
Arched Valance	A valance which is shaped at the lower edge, the sides being longer than the centre.
Austrian Blind	A gathered blind made longer than necessary. The extra fabric forms ruching at the bottom.
Banding	See Binding.
Batten	A length of wood to attach a blind, pelmet or valance to a window frame.
Bed Valance	A skirt covering the divan part of a bed.
Bias	A diagonal line across the fabric.
Bias Binding	Strips of fabric cut on the bias.
Binding	A way of neatening a raw edge with a separate length of fabric.
Bishop's Sleeve Curtains	Curtains that are made longer than necessary, tied tightly, pulled up and flounced over the tied section.
Blind	A single curtain with a fixed heading which pulls up from the bottom.
Bound Edge	A way of neatening a raw edge using bias binding.
Box Pleats	A row of folds in alternate directions. The extra fabric in the folds can be taken either to the front or the back for the desired effect.
Braid	A decorative trim.
Buckram	Cotton or jute fabric for stiffening, sometimes come impregnated with glue.
Bullion	A thick twisted fringe used for decoration.
Cafe Curtain	A curtain made to fit the bottom half of a window only, to give privacy but to let in light.
Cascades	See Tails.
Cased Heading	A channel at the top of the curtain to thread a curtain rod through.
Casing	A stitched channel between two pieces of fabric to hold either a length of dowelling or a curtain rod.
Chain Weights	A continuous chain of small heavy beads covered in a cotton casing used for lightweight fabrics.
Cleat	A two pronged hook which is fixed to one side of the window frame to secure the cords when a blind is pulled up.
Combination Rods	Two or three curtain tracks sharing one set of brackets. Used for a layered look of curtains and top treatments.
Contrast Lining	A coloured fabric used as a lining when parts of it will show from the front.
Cording	See Piping Cord.
Cornice U.S.A.	See Pelmet.
Cottage Blind	See Cafe Curtain
Curtains	Usually two rectangles of fabric hung from a track or pole to decorate a window and give privacy.
Cut Width	The width of fabric needed including seams or hems.
Double Fullness	When each of a pair of curtains are the measured width of the window enabling curtains to drape in folds.
Double Hem	Folding the fabric over twice in equal amounts i.e. a 2" double hem would need 4" of fabric.
Dowelling	A circular or oval length of wood or plastic attached to the back of a blind to keep the fabric flat.
Drapes	See Curtains.
Dust Skirt / Ruffles	See Bed Valance
Envelope Curtains	Casual curtains that do not pull back. The bottom inside corners are hooked back to let light in.
Face Fabric	The main fabric that is used for the front. Sometimes called decorator or self fabric.
Festoon Blind	Often confused with Austrian blinds the difference being that a Festoon blind is ruched from top to bottom.
Finial	Decorative ends of a pole.
Finished Width	The actual width after the treatment is finished and all allowances have been utilised.
Frill	A longer length of fabric gathered or pleated onto an edge for decoration.
Fullness	This is the ratio of fabric width to the width of the window. Curtains are usually at least twice the window width.
Hardware	Term used for tracks, poles, curtain holdbacks and valance creators.
Header	The extra fabric above a cased heading which forms a frill.
Heading Tape	A wide woven tape incorporating pockets for curtains hooks and gathering cords.
Hold Backs	Decorative brass hooks or mushrooms fixed onto the wall to hold curtains back.
Interlining	A soft fluffy fabric placed between the face fabric and lining to help insulation.
Inverted Pleat	A flat pleat with the extra fabric to the wrong side.
Jabot	The tail section of Swags & Tails.
Kick Pleats	Similar to box pleats but the folds do not butt together at the back, making the pleats further apart.
Knife Pleats	A row of folds all in the same direction.
Lambrequin	A pelmet which extends down the side of the window.
Lathes	See Dowelling.
Leading Edges	The central vertical edges of a pair of curtains.
London Blind	A cross between a Roman blind, because of its plain heading, and an Austrian blind for the bottom ruching. The ruching comes from inverted pleats.
Mitring	A way of folding the excess seam allowance to achieve a less bulky, sharp corner.
Nap	A one way direction of texture on a fabric such as velvet or corduroy. When using fabric with a nap all pieces must be cut with the nap in the same direction.
On The Cross	See Bias.
Pattern Repeat	The amount one pattern is duplicated down the length of the fabric. Pattern repeat is one full pattern.
Pelform	A double sided sticky card especially made for pelmets and tie backs, printed with various edge patterns.
Pelmet	A decorative way of concealing the top of curtains and curtain tracks. Usually a flat shaped panel which can be painted or covered with fabric.
Pelmet Board	A horizontal wooden shelf from which a pelmet or valance is hung.
Pillow Shams	A decorative pillow covering used during the daytime.
Piping Cord.	A fabric covered cord inserted to accentuate or decorate a seam.
Puddled Curtains	Curtains made longer than necessary to allow them to puddle onto the floor.
Railroading	Using fabric horizontally rather than vertically. Fabric without a directional design or nap can be railroaded to avoid seams in long lengths such as bed valances.
Return	The sides of the window treatment that project from the wall.
Roller Blind	A flat blind made from pre-stiffened fabric which is rolled up around a pole at the top of the window. The roller mechanism is normally bought in kit form.
Roman Blind	A flat blind which is pulled up into soft horizontal folds using cords attached to the back of the blind.
Ruffle	See Frill.
Scarf	A length of fabric which is neatened and draped across the top of a window treatment.
Seam	A way of stitching two pieces of fabric together.
Seam Allowance	The amount of extra fabric added to make a seam.
Selvage	The woven outside edge of the fabric.
Shade	See Blind.
Stack	The amount of space taken up by the curtains or draperies when they are open.
Swags & Tails	Often considered to be the height of opulance. An ornate window dressing consisting of pleated overlapping drapes of fabric across the top of the window finished at each side with pleated tails. These tails are usually lined in a contrasting fabric so that when pleated both colours show.
Tie Backs	Stiffened shapes of fabric hooked onto the wall to hold curtains back.
Valance	A gathered, and sometimes shaped, mini curtain hung from a pelmet board to conceal the top of curtains or a curtain track.
Valance Shelf.	See Pelmet Board.
Valance U.S.A.	See Pelmet.
Velcro	A touch and close fastening.
Warp	The threads that run down the length of a woven fabric.
Weft	The threads that run across a woven fabric.
Welt	A strip of fabric sewn between the two sides of a cushion to give it more depth.
Welting	See Piping Cord.
Woof	See Welt.

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