A Complete Dictionary of Dry Goods | by George S. Cole
The plan of the "Dictionary of Dry Goods" includes several objects, which, briefly stated, are: the proper description of all textile fabrics and manufactured articles; the peculiarities which distinguish a fabric and by which it may be identified; the method of weaving or manufacture; the origin of the names of all fabrics, with the history and literature of the subject; the definition of terms, words and phrases which have only a trade application, and which have sprung up with the development of the business in the nineteenth century; and the import duties under the new tariff on all goods, raw or manufactured. The Dictionary is designed to be a practically complete and comprehensive record of all fabrics which are in general use at the present time, together with full explanations of the modern process of carding, spinning, dyeing, weaving, knitting, netting, bleaching, and felting, constituting a book for general reference by merchants and clerks.
Revised Edition
A Complete Dictionary of Dry Goods
And History Of Silk, Cotton, Linen, Wool And Other Fibrous
Substances Including A Full Explanation Of The Modern Processes Of
Spinning, Dyeing And Weaving, With An Appendix Containing A Treatise
On Window Trimming, German Words And Phrases, With Their English
Pronunciation And Signification, Together With Various Useful
Tables.
By George S. Cole. 1892
Entered according to the Act of Congress in the year 1892, by George S. Cole, in the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, D. C.
All rights and privileges reserved.
W. B. Conkey company, Chicago, Printers and Binders.

"To please the flesh a thousand arts contend. The miser's
heaps of gold, the figur'd vest, The gem, the silk worm and the purple
dye. By toil acquir'd, promote no other end."

Preface- In presenting to the Dry Goods trade its first Dictionary (of American origin) the compiler feels confident that the time and labor devoted to make the work ...
Abb Wool- Abb Wool. In wool-sorting one of the two qualities known as coarse abb and fine abb; the lowest quality of wool used in the spinning of worsted yarns.
Abnet- Abnet. [From Hebrew abnet, a belt] In Jewish antiquity a girdle of fine linen. In surgery a bandage resembling a priest's girdle.
Acca- Acca. [From Acre, a city in Syria, whence it was first obtained] A rich figured silk fabric decorated with gold, in use during the fourteenth century.
Adulteration Of Fabrics- Adulteration Of Fabrics. Woolens have been for years past largely adulterated with refuse fibers called shoddy and mungo; also known under the terms of ...
Agra Gauze- Agra Gauze. A cobwebby fabric woven of gossamer silk threads. It is transparent as veiling, light as air, yet firm and strong. Its consistency may be realized ...
Aida Canvas- Aida Canvas (A'-Da Canvas). A species of canvas woven of pure linen, and frequently called Java and Fancy Oatmeal. It is made in widths varying from 18 to 54 ...
Aigrette- Aigrette (A'-Gret Or A-Gret), A French word used to denote the plume or feathery tuft on the heads of several varieties of birds, as the heron. Hence the term ...
Alamode- Alamode (Al'-A-Mode). A thin, glossy silk used for hoods and scarfs.
Alaska- Alaska. The name given to a variety of sandal-shaped overshoes, without fastenings of any sort, having cloth uppers and rubber soles. [See Rubbers]
Albatross- Albatross (Al'-Ba-Tross). A soft untwilled woolen dress fabric; properly a soft fine bunting, known by the various names of Satin Moss, Vicuna, (the stoutest ...
Albert-Cloth- Albert-Cloth. An all-wool material the two sides of which are of different colors and patterns, each side finished so that no lining is required; used chiefly ...
Alexis- Alexis (A-Lex'-Is). A style of fur cap for men, distinguished by the crown being made long and deep so that it may be pulled down over the ears and neck, and ...
Alizarin- Alizarin (Al-I-Za'-Rin). [From al-i-za-ri, the commercial name of madder in Asia] A peculiar red coloring matter formerly obtained from the madder plant [see ...
Alpaca- Alpaca. The wooly hair of an animal of the camel tribe, which inhabit the mountainous districts of Chili and Peru. In appearance this wool is fine, white and ...
Altar Cloth- Altar Cloth. A general term, formerly designating the closed case of linen used for covering an altar, and which was never allowed to be removed except for ...
Aluminum- Aluminum (Al-U'-Mi-Num). - An extremely light metal made from Iceland spar. Aside from its lightness and strength, it is malleable, does not rust, is as ...
American Cloth- American Cloth. A name given in England to a cotton cloth, prepared with a glazed and varnished surface to imitate Morocco leather, used for carriage trimming; ...
Angola- Angola. A diaper-woven cotton cloth with a fine rough face, somewhat resembling a momie-weave. It is usually a cream color, and is employed for embroidery ...
Angora Wool Or Mohair- Angora Wool Or Mohair. Of all animals whose fleece is largely used in the manufacture of fabrics, there is probably none so little known as the Angora goat.
Angora Cashmere- Angora Cashmere. A term employed to denote a certain kind of cloth made in imitation of camels'-hair cloth, which is made of the long, white hair of the Angora ...
Aniline- Aniline. One of the very numerous products of the distillation of coal tar. The readiness with which aniline, in certain of its reactions, produced very ...
Applique- Applique (Ap-Pli-Ka'). In modern dress and upholstery this term signifies applied or sewed on. Thus, the gimp or pattern of soiled lace may be sewed upon a new ...
Apron- Apron. The apron dates far back. Ever since over first parents ages and ages ago sewed fig leaves into aprons to conceal their nakedness, this style of garment ...
Arctics- Arctics. A heavy variety of rubber overshoes, distinguished by having a cloth top which buckles up over the ankles, rubber heels and soles, and a nappy wool ...
Areophane- Areophane. A variety of crape, but considerably thinner than the ordinary kind. It was formerly used chiefly for bonnet trimmings, and quillings, and is now to ...
Armozeen- Armozeen (Ar-Mo-Zeen'). [From French armoism] A kind of taffeta or plain silk used for women's dresses in the 18th century and earlier.
Armure Or Royal Armure- Armure Or Royal Armure. [French for armor ] The word is suggestive of the style of weaving. In feudal times an armor was worn by men made of small metal plates ...
Arras- Arras (Ar'-As). Arras cloth takes its name from the town of Arras, situated in the north of France. In the fourteenth century this place was the chief seat of ...
Arrasene- Arrasene (Ar-A-Sene'). A sort of cord made with a central thread and a thick velvet-like pile of wool or silk fastened round it. It is used in raised ...
Asbestos- Asbestos (As-Bes'-Tos). A fibrous variety of a mineral substance, composed of separable filaments, with a silky luster. Its fibres are sometimes flexible and ...
Astrakhan- Astrakhan (As'-Tra-Kan). [From Astrakhana, a city and province in Russia] Originally in Russia this was a name given to skins having a short, curly wool - ...
Aune- Aune. A French long measure of 11/4 yards, used chiefly for cloth. It is derived from Latin alna, forearm. [See Measures, Barege]
Baby Caps- Baby Caps. The styles of baby caps are originated in Paris and other fashion centres of Europe, and are copied in this country the following season. Those not ...
Baize- Baize. [Spanish plural for bay] In the 16th century a light woolen fabric of a brownish-red or bay color (whence its name) was manufactured in Europe and ...
Balayeuse- Balayeuse (Bah'-Lay-Yuhz). [French feminine of balayeur, a sweeper] A frilling of lace or muslin which lines the extreme edge of a dress skirt to keep the ...
Balbriggan- Balbriggan. A descriptive term applied to cotton knitted fabrics, either hosiery or underwear, and referring to the color, signifying that the articles are ...
Baleen- Baleen (Ba-Lene'). The horny teeth of whales; whalebone in its natural state. [Whalebone].
Balloon-Net- Balloon-Net. A kind of woven lace in which the weft threads are twisted in a peculiar manner around the warp in fanciful imitation of the ropes enclosing the ...
Balmoral- Balmoral (Bal-Mor'-Al). A name given to various articles of dress, possessing unusual strength and weight. Specifically, a term applied to a variety of ladies' ...
Band- Band. A flexible material, used to bind or bend around anything; as a hat-band. Also a border or strip on an article of dress serving to strengthen it or to ...
Bandana- Bandana (Ban-Dan'-A). [From a Hindoo word Bandhnn, which means '* a mode of dyeing, in which the cloth is tied in different places to prevent the parts from ...
Bangle- Bangle. [Hindoo Bangri, a bracelet of glass]. An ornamental ring worn upon the arms and ankles in India, and upon the legs and fastened in the ears, nose and ...
Bank-Credit- Bank-Credit. A credit that merchants often have with a bank, by which, on proper security given to the bank, the merchant receives liberty to draw to a certain ...
Bankrupt- Bankrupt. The breaking up of a merchant's business, due to his inability to meet his obligations. In modern law, any person who upon his own petition or that ...
Bankruptcy Laws- Bankruptcy Laws. The legal regulations under which the property of an insolvent may be distributed among his creditors, with the double object of enforcing a ...
Barcelona Silk Kerchiefs- Barcelona Silk Kerchiefs. These kerchiefs are named from Bar-ce-lo'-na, in Spain, from whence they were originally brought, though now all made in Great ...
Barege- Barege (Ba-Razh'). [So called from Bareges, a town in France, where it was first made] Barege veiling is woven with an extremely fine silk warp and a fluffy ...
Barras- Barras (Bar'-As). A coarse linen fabric imported by this country in the 17th century from Holland, used for shirting, linen pants, vests, etc.
Barrow-Coat- Barrow-Coat. A square or oblong piece of flannel, wrapped around an infant's body below the arms, the part extending beyond the feet being turned up and pinned.
Barter- Barter. To traffic or trade by exchanging one commodity for another, in distinction from buying and selling for money.
Basket-Weave- Basket-Weave. A style of weaving which produces a pattern resembling the plaited-work of a basket.
Basse-Lisse- Basse-Lisse (Bas-Lese'). Woven with the warp in the usual horizontal position, as distinguished from that which is woven with the warp placed in a ...
Bast- Bast. The strong inner fibrous bark of various trees, especially a species of linden, of which the Russia matting of commerce is made. Cuba bast is used for ...
Bastard Cloth- Bastard Cloth. A cloth presumably imitating a more expensive material.
Basting-Machine- Basting-Machine. A sewing-machine used for basting together pieces of fabrics, to make a continuous piece for bleaching, dyeing scouring etc.
Bat- Bat. See Batting.
Bathing Suits And Trunks- Bathing Suits And Trunks. Bathing trunks are usually made of knitted cotton or worsted, and shaped to cover the loins and trunk of the body. Bathing suits are ...
Bating- Bating. The process of steeping hides and skins in an alkaline bath to separate the oil and fleshy matter, and render them soft and pliable, preparatory to ...
Batiste- Batiste. A variety of cotton muslin, having a good deal of dress, closely resembling lawn, the only difference being that batiste is slightly heavier, though ...
Batting- Batting. Raw cotton or wool prepared in thick, but lightly-matted lapped sheets, used chiefly in the manufacture of comforts, bed covers, and mattresses. Also ...
Baudekin- Baudekin (Ba'-De-Kin). A rich embroidered or brocaded silk fabric woven originally with a warp of gold thread. Called in the 17th century, cloth of Baudekin.
Bayeta- Bayeta (Ba-Ya'-Ta). A common kind of coarse Spanish baize. [See Baize]
Beads- Beads. [From Anglo-Saxon bede, a prayer] Small perforated ornaments, of round or oblong shape, worn by women in necklaces, bracelets and head-dresses; and also ...
Beam-Roll- Beam-Roll. In cloth manufacture, the spool-shaped roll upon which the warp-threads are wound preparatory to being woven.
Bearing-Cloth- Bearing-Cloth. A cloth with which a child is covered when carried to church to be baptised, often richly embroidered ; also called a christening robe.
Beaver- Beaver. See Furs.
Beaver Cloth- Beaver Cloth. A thick woolen cloth used for garments by both sexes. The weave is similar to doeskin. Beaver cloth is always fulled to a considerable degree, ...
Beaver Bat- Beaver Bat. The modern stiff silk hat was commonly called a beaver until shortly after the civil war. The first high stiff hats were made of beaver fur. [See ...
Beaverteen- Beaverteen. A strong twilled cotton fabric for men's wear, napped on wrong side ; similar to moleskin but heavier ; dyed in solid colors of gray and tan.
Bed-Clothes- Bed-Clothes. The coverings used on beds; sheets, blankets, quilts, slips, etc., collectively.
Bedford Cord- Bedford Cord. A particular style of weave found usually in dress fabrics, consisting of heavy ribs running lengthwise of the ...
Bed-Gown- Bed-Gown. A night-gown or night-dress; a kind of jacket like a dressing-sack, worn in Scotland by women of the working-class, generally with a colored flannel ...
Bedizen- Bedizen (Be-Diz'-En). To deck or dress out, especially in a tawdry manner or with vulgar finery.
Bed-Linen- Bed-Linen. Sheets, pillow-cases and bolster slips, originally always of linen, but now usually of cotton.
Bed Pocket- Bed Pocket. A small bag, in use during the early part of the present century, hung at the head of the bed at night in which to put away things which might be ...
Bed Quilt- Bed Quilt. A wadded and quilted covering for a bed; as a bed spread or comfort, as distinguished from a counterpane or an ornamented cover-let.
Bed Tick- Bed Tick. A case of strong cotton or linen material for containing the feathers or straw of abed. Nine yards of 32-inch ticking is required for the manufacture ...
Beetling Machine- Beetling Machine. A machine for finishing linen or cotton cloth by hammering it; for this purpose heavy wooden blocks are used, which are raised in succession ...
Beige- Beige (Bazh). [from It. bigio -gray] In France in the early part of the present century there was a sort of twilled dress fabric woven with a gray cotton warp ...
Bend-Leather- Bend-Leather. The strongest kind of sole-leather used for shoes. A name in the leather trade for a butt or rounded crop cut in two; the half of a hide of sole- ...
Bengaline- Bengaline (Ben' Gal-Ene'). A dress fabric woven exactly like a Faille silk, except that a fine worsted thread is substituted for the weft. This weft (which ...
Bengal Stripes- Bengal Stripes. Wide striped ginghams used for skirting, so called from having originally been brought from Bengal, but now manufactured exclusively in this ...
Berlin Wool- Berlin Wool. A fine woolen yarn for working fancy articles in needle work. Also called German wool.
Berlin Gloves- Berlin Gloves. See Gloves.
Bias- Bias. A cut which is diagonal or oblique to the texture of a fabric. In retail stores satin and mourning crape are usually cut bias.
Bib- Bib. [From L. bibere to drink whence also our words imbibe, bibulous, etc] A cloth worn by children to keep the front of the dress clean while eating; usually ...
Birdseye Linen- Birdseye Linen. A honey comb or diamond-figured linen fabric used for towels and fancy-work. Birdseye is a term also applied to varieties of canvas and crape, ...
Biretz- Biretz. See Electoral Cloth.
Blacksize- Blacksize. In leather manufacture, to cover the tanned skin with a coat of stiff size and tallow. The size is laid on with a soft brush or sponge, and the ...
Blankets- Blankets. [Said to be derived from Fr. blanchet, meaning a blank piece of cloth, without figure. The name is also claimed to be derived from that of an English ...
Blazer- Blazer. A bright colored, loose summer coat, usually of striped flannel, worn by tennis and cricket players. The origin of the word is as follows: The boat ...
Bleaching- Bleaching. The process of freeing textile fibers and fabrics from their natural color, and rendering them white or nearly so. The ancient method of bleaching ...
Block-Printing- Block-Printing. There are two modes of printing calico, block-print ing and machine-printing. The former has been practiced from time immemorial. The latter is ...
Blonde Lace- Blonde Lace. Blonde laces were first made in 1745, and being produced of unbleached silk, were known as Nankins or Blondes . Blonde net is unbleached or cream ...
Bloom- Bloom. A term applied to velvets, when by dyeing they are said to glow with a warm color, or luster. Dyers claim that the most important branch of black-dyeing ...
Bloomers- Bloomers. A peculiar and ridiculous costume for women introduced and advocated in 1850 by a Mrs. Bloomer of New York, the distinctive features of which were a ...
Blouse- Blouse. A light, loose upper garment, made of linen or cotton, worn by men as a protection from dust or in the place of a coat; also a loosely fitting dress- ...
Boa- Boa. [From Latin boa, a large serpent] A long, serpent-like piece of fur or feathers, worn around the neck by ladies ; also a fur tippet. A boa usually ...
Bobbinet- Bobbinet. A machine-made cotton netting, consisting of parallel threads which form the warp, upon which two systems of oblique threads are laid in such a way ...
Bocasine- Bocasine (Bok'-A-Sin). [From buckram]. A linen fabric woven so fine as to look like silk; not in general use at the present time.
Booking- Booking. A coarse woolen flannel or baize named from Booking, Essex county, England, where it was first made.
Bolster- Bolster. Something on which to rest the head while reclining; specifically a long cylindrical cushion, stuffed with feathers, hair, ...
Bolt- Bolt. Any quantity of rolled or wrapped fabric.
Bolting Cloth- Bolting Cloth. A cloth of linen or silk used in mills for bolting or sifting meal and flour; also a fine wide linen fabric used by ladies for fancy-work. The ...
Bombast- Bombast. Cotton or other stuff of a soft, loose texture, used to stuff a garment; padding.
Bombazine- Bombazine (Bom-Ba-Zeen'). [From bombycina, made of silk] Originally a dress fabric woven of silk and wool, made in England as early as the reign of Elizabeth; ...
Bombyx- Bombyx. The caterpillar of the Bombyx mori is well known by the name of silk worm. When full grown it is three inches long. It feeds on the leaves of the ...
Bombycinous- Bombycinous. Silken; made of silk; silky, feeling like silk; or, of the color of the silk-worm moth, of a pale yellow color.
Bone-Lace- Bone-Lace. Lace, usually of linen thread, made on a cushion with bobbins, and taking its chief decorative character from the pattern woven into it as ...
Bonnet- Bonnet. [From Hindoo banat, woolen cloth or broadcloth] A form of head-covering worn by women out of doors. It encloses the head more or less at the sides and ...
Bookbinder's Cloth- Bookbinder's Cloth. A stiffly sized variety of cotton cloth, colored in every conceivable tint and shade, and often decoratively embossed, much used for the ...
Bookfold- Bookfold. A piece of linen or cotton fabric containing 24 yards.
Bookmuslin- Bookmuslin, A glazed, starchy, transparent muslin, used for the covering of library books or lining of dresses; very similar to paper cambric.
Boots And Shoes- Boots And Shoes, From the earliest times a comfortable covering for the feet has been one of man's first necessities upon emerging from savagery. As he ...
Bootee- Bootee (Boot-Ee'). A trade-name for a half or short boot for women.
Boot-Powder- Boot-Powder. Massive talc, or soapstone reduced to powder, used to dust the inside of a new or tightly-fitting shoe, to facilitate drawing it on.
Boucla- Boucla (Boo-Clay' ). A style of weaving in which a rough, knotted surface is produced. These bunches or knots are formed in the warp or weft threads prior to ...
Bowing- Bowing (Bo'-Ing). The old process of preparing the fur for the body of a felt hat. Usually about 3 ounces of fur was spread upon a platform of boards about 5 ...
Box Coat- Box Coat. Early in the present century an overcoat with a cape, intended for drivers or travelers on the outside of a coach. At present, a short overcoat, ...
Box-Plait- Box-Plait. A double fold or plait, as on a shirt bosom or a woman's dress; a method of folding cloth alternately in opposite directions so as to form a kind of ...
Braid- Braid. A narrow textile band or tape formed by plaiting or knitting together several strands of silk, cotton, wool, or mohair, used for the trimming and ...
Brandenburgs- Brandenburgs. [Named from Brandenbourg, in Germany] A variety of ornamental buttons formed somewhat in the shape of a long, narrow barrel, smaller at the ends ...
Breakfast Shawl- Breakfast Shawl. A small, square checked shawl, folded diagonally and worn around the neck by women.
Breast Clout- Breast Clout. A bib.
Breech Clout- Breech Clout. A cloth of any description, covering the breech and loins of Indians, Africans and other uncivilized peoples.
Breeches- Breeches. A bifurcated garment formerly worn to cover but the hips and thighs; improperly used in the sense of trousers or pantaloons. The word is derived from ...
Bride- Bride. In lace making and needle work a loop, link or tie connecting two different parts of the work together. [See Lace]
Broad Lace- Broad Lace. A wool lace or embroidery made in bands about four inches wide and used as an ornamental border to the upholstery of a carriage or car.
Broadcloth- Broadcloth. A fine woolen cloth, commonly black, with a smooth, glossy surface, principally used in making men's garments, so called from its breadth which is ...
Brocade- Brocade. A fabric woven of any material or combination of colors, in which a design of flowers or foliage is inserted. Brocades in the olden time were rich ...
Brocaded- Brocaded. This term is used to describe a fabric upon the surface of which a figure of any kind is formed by the threads of the warp or filling being raised in ...
Brocatel- Brocatel (Broc-A-Tel'). A coarse or inferior brocade or figured fabric, commonly made of silk or cotton, or sometimes of cotton only, but having a more or less ...
Broche- Broche (Bro-Sha'). [From French broach, to sew or stitch]. Broche properly means sewed or stitched; or, any style of weaving ornamented with threads which form ...
Broche Shawl- Broche Shawl (Bro-Sha'). A variety made in imitation of genuine Cashmere shawls, distinguished by its cone pattern, or round scroll work. They were first made ...
Brush Hat- Brush Hat. The old-fashioned brush hats were made of beaver fur, first made into a felt cloth, and then finished with a flowing nap. This nap was produced in ...
Buckle- Buckle. A metal appliance for fastening together different articles and portions of dress. The origin of the buckle is clouded in a great deal of uncertainty, ...
Buckram- Buckram. [Said by some etymologists to have been derived from bucca, a hole, from the fabric being woven loosely and open, and afterward gummed, calendered and ...
Buckskin- Buckskin. A soft kind of glove leather, yellowish or blue-gray in color, made originally by tanning deer-skins with oil and wood-smoke, but now sometimes being ...
Buff- Buff. A kind of thick, uncolored leather, originally and properly made of the skin of the buffalo, whence its name, but since the extinction of this animal, ...
Buff Coat- Buff Coat. A military coat made of buff-leather, in favor at the time of the English civil wars. The buff coat was commonly so thick and unyielding as to be ...
Buffing- Buffing. The operation of diminishing the thickness of a hide of leather by means of a currier's knife or splitting machine, for the purpose of increasing the ...
Bugle- Bugle (Bu'-Gle). A shiny, elongated glass bead, usually black, used for decorating female apparel. Bugle trimming consists of these glass ornaments attached to ...
Bullion-Fringe- Bullion-Fringe. A fringe of thick twisted cords, such as will hang heavily, covered with fine gold or silver thread ; used for epaulettes and the trimming of ...
Bunting- Bunting. A light loosely-woven single width worsted dress goods, woven both plain and laced. Bunting is also the material out of which all train flags are made, ...
Burlap- Burlap. A coarse, heavy material made of jute, flax, hemp or man-lila, and used for wrappings and upholstery; outside coffee bags are made of burlap. [See Jute, ...
Burl- Burl. To pick knots, loose threads, burrs, etc. from, as in finishing cloth. To cleanse cloth, as with fuller's earth or a similar substance.
Buskin- Buskin (Bus'-Kin). [From bore's-skin, of which they were first made] A half-boot or shoe, strapped or laced to the ankle and the lower part of the leg, worn by ...
Bustle- Bustle. Derived from busk, which in the 16th century is described as being a flexible strip of whalebone or other stiffened material, used by fleshy women to ...
Butcher's Linen- Butcher's Linen. A coarse and heavy bleached linen material, used principally as a backing for shirt bosoms.
Butter-Cloth- Butter-Cloth. A thin and open unsized muslin, used by dairymen to wrap their rolls of butter; similar to cheezecloth.
Buttons- Buttons. [Fr. bouton, from bout, end, extremity, bud]. A catch of various forms and materials, used to fasten together the different parts of dress. In ancient ...
Caddis- Caddis (Cad'-Is). A coarse serge. The variegated stuff worn by the Highlanders of Scotland.
Cadet Gloves- Cadet Gloves. See Gloves.
Calender- Calender. A machine consisting of two or more steel cylinders revolving very nearly in contact, between which is passed a woven fabric, for finishing by ...
Calfskin- Calfskin. The best calfskin is tanned in France, with the liquor extracted from the bark of the evergreen oak, a species indigenous to that country. One single ...
Calico- Calico. The word calico has a queer origin. Many centuries ago the first monarch of the province of Malabar gave to one of his chiefs, as a reward for ...
Cambrasiue- Cambrasiue (Cam'-Bra-Zene). A name given to batiste and cambric of fine quality.
Cambric- Cambric. The town of Cambria, France, was long famous for its manufactures of fine muslins. Here in 1520, was first made a fine thin muslin of pure linen, ...
Cameline- Cameline (Cam'-E-Lin). A fabric used centuries ago as a material for dress. It is commonly said to have been made of camel's hair; but as it is repeatedly in ...
Camel's Hair- Camel's Hair. The fiber known as Camel's hair comes from Southern Asiatic Russia, Tartary, and Africa; the quality from the latter country is the finest. Its ...
Camel's Hair Shawls- Camel's Hair Shawls. The cashmere shawl, which is made of the fine hair of the Cashmere goat, is sometimes erroneously called Camel's hair. The high price of ...
Camlet- Camlet. A rich fabric used for dress as early as the thirteenth century. It was more costly and finer than cameline, and is frequently mentioned as being in ...
Canton Flannel- Canton Flannel. A cotton cloth napped heavily on one side, used chiefly for under garments and bandages. Canton flannel received its name from Canton, China, ...
Canvas- Canvas. [From L. Cannabis, hemp] Originally canvas meant any coarse texture woven of hempen thread. Evolution has corrupted the pronunciation to plain canvas, ...
Cap- Cap. See Hats and Caps; Baby Caps.
Cape- Cape. A circular covering for the shoulders and adjacent parts, either separate or attached to the top of a garment. Any short circular garment hanging from ...
Capote- Capote. A loose, roomy cloak for ladies, properly with a cape and hood, but without sleeves, made of light cloth and covering the person completely, reaching ...
Cappadine- Cappadine (Cap'-A-Din). A sort of silk flock taken from the upper part of the silkworm's cocoon after the true silk has been wound off, used for shag in making ...
Capuchin- Capuchin (Cap'-U-Chin). A large loose hood worn by the women of the 18th century; also a hooded cloak of the same period.
Cardigan Jacket- Cardigan Jacket. A coarse, heavy, rib-knitted worsted or cotton jacket for men's and boys' wear, deriving its name from the town of Cardigan, Cardigan County, ...
Carding- Carding. The process of opening and combing wool, flax, hemp, cotton, for the purpose of disentangling the fibers, cleansing from extraneous matter, separating ...
Cardinal- Cardinal. A member of the Sacred College, a body of Roman Catholic ecclesiastics who rank in dignity next to the Pope and act as his counselors in the ...
Carpets- Carpets. A heavy woven or felted fabric, usually of wool, but also of cotton, hemp, straw, etc., used as a floor covering, made in breadths to be sewed ...
Cashmere- Cashmere (Kash'-Mere). [Also written cachemere (and with altered form and sense cassimere and kersymere); so-called because first made in Cashmere, or Kashmir, ...
Cashmere Chevron- Cashmere Chevron. See Cote de Cheval.
Cashmere Shawls- Cashmere Shawls. [Also called India shawls, and sometimes erroneously termed camels' hair shawls] These wonderfully wrought and ancient fabrics date back 4,000 ...
Cassimere- Cassimere. [From Cashmere] A general term applied to a class of all wool cloths used for men's clothing, woven plain or twilled, coarse or fine of woolen yarn.
Cassinette- Cassinette. [From Cashmere.'] A cloth for men's wear made with a cotton warp and a fine woolen weft. Also called Kerseynette.
Cassock- Cassock. A loose form of cloak or outer coat, particularly a military one, worn by men. Also a long clerical coat, buttoned over the ...
Castor- Castor. The beaver, and by extension the fur or hide of a beaver. The fur of the Castor beaver is used in the manafacture of fur hats. Also, a heavy quality of ...
Catgut- Catgut. A sort of linen canvas with wide interstices. The intestines of sheep, dried and twisted, used for strings to violins and guitars. The popular ...
Celluloid- Celluloid. A combination of gun cotton and camphor. Its successful manufacture and introduction has only been accomplished in the past twelve years. Celluloid ...
Challi- Challi (Shal'-I). A name originally given to a superior dress fabric of silk and wool, first manufactured at Norwich, England, in 1832. It was thin, fine and ...
Chambray- Chambray, A variety of plain-woven ginghams, always of one color and without pattern. It is made of extra fine cotton yarns and stiffly sized with pure starch.
Channeling Machine- Channeling Machine. A machine for cutting the channel in the soles of shoes and boots, into which the thread is sunk.
Chasuble- Chasuble (Chas'-U-Ble). A sleeveless vestment or coat, devoid of buttons or other fastening, and provided with an opening in the center through which to pass ...
Check- Check. In textile fabrics a pattern of squares of alternate colors. Properly, a check should have no divisions between the squares more than a thin boundary ...
Cheese-Cloth- Cheese-Cloth. A thin, limp muslin, bleached or brown, used by dairy-men to cover their cheese. A variety of cheese-cloth called cotton bunting is woven smooth ...
Chemise- Chemise (She-Mez'). [From Arabic camis, shirt] The innermost garment worn by women, anciently known as a shift or smock.
Chemisette- Chemisette. [Diminutive of chemise]. An article used by ladies for covering the neck, made of some light fabric, as lace or cambric, usually worn under a waist ...
Chenille- Chenille (She-Neel' ). [French for caterpillar. ] A beautiful description of cord used for embroidery and decorative purposes. The name denotes the appearance ...
Chenille Cloth- Chenille Cloth. A fabric made with a fringed silken thread used as a weft, in combination with wool or cotton; a fur-like surface is thus produced, whence its ...
Cheviot- Cheviot. A twill-woven, napped woolen cloth, originally made from the wool of Cheviot sheep. These sheep were formerly native to the Cheviot Hills, near the ...
Cheviot Shirting- Cheviot Shirting. A term which formerly signified a cotton fabric free from starch or dressing, but of late years has come to include all medium grades of ...
Chiffon- Chiffon (Shif'-On. French pron. she-fon'). A variety of thin transparent silk gauze woven so fine and sheer that ordinary print may be easily read through it.
Chijimi- Chijimi (Chi-Je'-Ma). A variety of Japanese drapery siik, dyed in fast colors; in width thirty inches.
China Silk- China Silk. A term applied to the plain silks woven in China, Japan and India on the primitive hand looms of those countries. The warp and weft are identical ...
Chinchilla- Chinchilla. The Indian name for a squirrel-like animal found in the mountains of South America. The ancient Peruivans were accustomed to employ the wool of ...
Chine Sheen- Chine Sheen;. (French Pron she-na'). [From the Fr. chiner, color, dye] A term applied to the fabrics in which the warp is dyed in different colors at short ...
Chintz- Chintz (Hindoo Chhint, spotted). Cotton cloth printed with flowers or other patterns of bright colors, and finished with a glaze. The only difference between ...
Chudder- Chudder. [From Hindoo chaddar, mantle, shawl]. The name given in Europe to the plain shawls of cashmere of solid color, without pattern except a herringbone ...
Cladding- Cladding. [From clad, to clothe]. A word sometimes used for clothes and clothing.
Claith- Claith. A Scotch word for cloth.
Clamp-Dyeing- Clamp-Dyeing. See Flags.
Clerk- Clerk. [From Latin clericus, clergyman, priest, whence our words clerical, clergy, ecclesiastic, clerk, etc]. In its original sense a learned man; a man of ...
Clan Tartans- Clan Tartans. [It. tartantanna, linsey-woolsey, or cloth of different materials and colors] A term descriptive of the parti-colored plaids long worn by the ...
Clay Worsted- Clay Worsted. A variety of flat-twilled worsted woven with a twill similar to that of serge, the diagonal lines lying flat on the surface and barely ...
Cloaks- Cloaks. [Originally spelled clokke and until recently cloke. The word is derived from clock, which piece of mechanism, when first made, was of the shape of a ...
Clock- Clock. [From Ang.-Sax. clokke, a time-piece, which, in its original form, was bell-shaped]. A term applied first in 1543 to a bell-shaped ornament or flower ...
Cloth- Cloth, [Formerly cloath, origin uncertain] A fabric or texture of wool or hair, or of cotton, flax, hemp, ramie, silk, or other fiber formed by weaving or ...
Clothes- Clothes. Garments for the human body. Dress; vestments; raiment; vesture; clothing; personal attire. According to statisticians, there are about five hundred ...
Clothier- Clothier. A retail dealer in ready-made clothes for men; a clothing merchant. Merchants sold cloth ages ago, but ready-made-clothing merchants were unknown in ...
Cloth Measure- Cloth Measure. A standard system formerly employed for measuring the length and surface of cloth sold by the yard, but now practically out of use, the yard ...
Cloth Of Gold- Cloth Of Gold. A splendid fabric of very ancient origin, first mentioned in Deuteronomy XXXIX, 3: And they did beat the gold into thin plates, and cut it into ...
Coal Tar Colors- Coal Tar Colors. A name given to a numerous class of colors derived from coal tar by various complex chemical methods. From ordinary soft coal is obtained the ...
Coat- Coat. A principal outer garment; any covering for the body. Specifically an outer garment worn by men, covering the upper part of the body. In the early middle ...
Coburg- Coburg. A thin dress fabric woven of worsted and cotton, twilled on one side, and used as a substitute for merino and paramatta cloth. It was first introduced ...
Cochineal- Cochineal (Kotch'-I-Neal). A dyestuff consisting of the dried bodies of a species of insects. It colors a brilliant crimson, which can be changed by acids to ...
Cocked Hat- Cocked Hat. A hat turned up evenly on three sides, such as naval and military officers wear on full-dress occasions. Such hats were in general use in the last ...
Cockle- Cockle. [Derived from cockle-shell, which is a variety having wrinkles or crimps over its surface] A term in trade signifying to pucker or contract into ...
Cocoa Fibre- Cocoa Fibre. Cocoa matting and cocoa carpeting are made of what is. technically called coir, which is the thick, fibrous husk surrounding the cocoa-nut when ...
Coiffure- Coiffure (Koif'-Ur; . French Pron kwo'-fur). A head-dress; the manner of arranging or dressing the hair.
Collar- Collar. [From Latin collum, the neck] Originally a peculiar badge worn around the neck by Knights of different orders. It consisted of a gold chain, enameled, ...
Collars And Cuffs- Collars And Cuffs. Articles of attire for both men and women, made usually of linen, and starched. The quality is denoted by the ply, which ranges from 2-ply ...
Colors- Colors. In its relation to textiles, color is that quality or appearance of a fabric which is perceived by the eye alone independently of its form. Hue is the ...
Combing Wool- Combing Wool. See Wool, Worsteds.
Comforts- Comforts. The history of the manufacture of comforts, or bed comfortables as they were styled formerly, is an interesting one. For seventeen years the machine- ...
Commission Merchant- Commission Merchant. An individual or firm who sells goods on a per cent, either in his own name or in the name of the foreign or domestic manufacturer, and ...
Composition Cloth- Composition Cloth. A material made from long flax, dressed with a chemical which renders it perfectly waterproof ; used for trunk covers, and in the ...
Convent Cloth- Convent Cloth; An Extremely Light Weight Dress Fabric, with a silk warp and wool weft, the weave resembling that of linen momie cloth as seen in towels, etc.
Cony Fur- Cony Fur (Co'-Ny). The fur of rabbits and other burrowing animals, used for making felt for hats, and also in the manufacture of a cheap grade of fur caps. [ ...
Cope- Cope. A large, loose outer garment; a cloak; a mantle. A large mantle of silk or brocade worn by catholic priests in processions. As distinguished from the ...
Cordage And Twines- Cordage And Twines. Cordage is a general term for all kinds of hemp rope, from cables 12 inches in circumference to common quarter-inch clothes line. Ropes ...
Corded Fabrics- Corded Fabrics. A general term used in trade to signify reps, Bedford and whipcord, pipecord, ottoman and other novelties in dress goods woven with a rib or ...
Cordovan- Cordovan (Cor'-Do-Van). [From Cordova, a. city of Spain, where it was first made] Leather made from the hides of horses. Also called cord-wain.
Corduroy- Corduroy (Cor-Du-Roi'). [French cor du roi, royal cord or King's cord ]. A heavy cotton material, corded or ribbed on the surface. It is extremely durable, ...
Cork- Cork. A species of oak, growing in the south of Europe, especially in Spain and Portugal and in the north of Africa, having a thick, rough bark, for the sake ...
Cork Leather- Cork Leather. A variety formed of two sheets of leather with a thin layer of cork between them, the whole being glued and pressed together.
Corkscrew Worsted- Corkscrew Worsted. [So-called from its fancied resemblance to the twists of a corkscrew] A particular weave which has for several years been extensively ...
Corset- Corset. [French corse, body; Latin corsetus, a close-fitting garment] A close-fitting waist, usually made of quilted jean, stiffened with whalebone, etc., worn ...
Corset Jean- Corset Jean. A double-fold, calendered cotton drilling, used principally in the manufacture of corsets and for lining the waists of ladies' dresses. [See Jean]
Cote De Cheval- Cote De Cheval (Cote De Chee'-Val). A light-weight wool dress fabric, with a slight mixture of camel's hair, woven with a longitudinal cord like corduroy, in ...
Cotton- Cotton. Among all the materials which the skill of man converts into comfortable and elegant clothing, that which appears to be the most extensively useful, ...
Carding Of Cotton- Carding Of Cotton is the process of disentangling and arranging in parallel rows the fibres of the cotton so as to facilitate the twisting of them together.
Cotton Flannel- Cotton Flannel. See Canton Flannel.
Cotton Damask- Cotton Damask. A material woven in different colors, used for curtains and upholstery. [See Damask].
Cotton Rep- Cotton Rep. A heavy, corded cotton cloth used for the lining of curtains, etc. [See Rep].
Cotton Wadding- Cotton Wadding. See Wadding.
Cotton Velvet- Cotton Velvet. See Velveteen.
Cottonade- Cottonade. A coarse heavy variety of cotton cloth, woven plain or twilled, used for men's cheap clothing. Of recent years cottonade has lost its former ...
Countermand- Countermand. [Latin contra, against, mandare, command]. An order in direct opposition to an order previously given, thereby annulling it and forbidding its ...
Counterpane- Counterpane. [A corruption of French counterpoint, point against point, in allusion to the panes or squares of which bed covers were often composed] The top ...
Coventry Blue- Coventry Blue. Thread principally used for purposes of embroidery,of a vivid blue, very popular in England in the 16th century, and for many years manufactured ...
Coverlet- Coverlet. Quilt, coverlid, coverlet, counterpoint and counterpane at different times have been used to describe the same article. Our Saxon ancestors were not ...
Cowl- Cowl. A hood attached to a gown or robe, and admitting of being drawn over the head or of being worn hanging on the shoulders; worn chiefly by monks, and ...
Crape- Crape. [The same word as French crepe, formerly spelled crespe, from Latin crespus, crisp, curled, frizzled] A thin, semi-transparent fabric made of silk or ...
Crape Cloth- Crape Cloth. An all-wool dress fabric, dyed in all colors. It is of an irregular weave, similar to Japan crape.
Crash- Crash. A general term used to denote a strong coarse linen fabric; chiefly used for toweling, tarpaulins, packing, etc. Crash and towels, both in their use and ...
Cravat- Cravat. [From German crabat] A piece of folded silk, satin or other material worn about the neck, generally outside of a linen collar, by men. In 1786 a ...
Cravenette- Cravenette (Crav-En-Et'). A system of water-proofing woolen fabrics. It is applied to a large variety of materials, which are used in the manufacture of ...
Crazy-Quilt- Crazy-Quilt. A kind of patch-work quilt, in which irregular pieces of silk and other material are applied upon a foundation in fantastic patterns, or without ...
Crepe De Chine- Crepe De Chine (Crape De Sheen). A variety of extremely thin and highly lustrous crape dress-silk distinguished by its changeable or shadow surface. [See Crape, ...
Crepe-Lisse- Crepe-Lisse (Crape-Leece). A fine thin silk material, plain woven; used for women's ruching, dresses, etc. [See Lisse].
Crepon- Crepon (Crep'-On Or Cre-Pon'). A dress fabric resembling crape but not so thin and gauzy, made of silk or wool or silk and wool mixed; a term applied to ...
Cretonne- Cretonne (Cre-Ton'). [Derived from the name of the first maker, M. Cretonne, of Paris]. Originally a strong white fabric of hempen warp and linen weft, with ...
Crewel- Crewel. [From German clew, a ball of thread]. A kind of fine worsted yarn, used in embroidery and fancy work.
Cricket Flannel- Cricket Flannel. See Flannel.
Crinoline- Crinoline. [Fr. crinoline, hair cloth, from Latin crinis, hair and linum, linen]. When first invented crinoline was woven of horse hair and linen, but is now ...
Crofting- Crofting, The process of bleaching linen by exposure to the air on grass. This method in Ireland and Scotland is yet in use for the full and soft bleaching of ...
Crown Lining- Crown Lining. Fine crinoline or stiff tarlatan, used by milliners for lining the crowns of ladies' bonnets.
Curtains- Curtains. See Holland, Lace Curtains.
Cut Cashmere- Cut Cashmere. A variety of twilled, double fold dress goods, distinguished by the presence of fine sunken lines traversing the length of the web, producing an ...
Damask- Damask. A textile fabric woven in elaborate patterns, of various designs, as flowers, leaves, foliage, etc., woven in the loom. So called not because of having ...
Damasked- Damasked. Fabrics ornamented on the surface with flowers or other patterns having a running figure, produced by weaving and not by printing or stamping. The ...
Damasse- Damasse (Da-Ma-Sa'). Woven with a rich pattern, as of flowers or large running figures: said of certain silks for ladies' wear.
Damassin- Damassin (Dam'-A-Sin). A kind of damask with gold and silver flowers woven in the warp and woof; an ornamental fabric of which the surface is wholly or almost ...
Darning Needles- Darning Needles. A long needle with a large eye, used for darning with yarn or heavy cotton; sold at wholesale by the thousand, the sizes varying from 12coarse ...
De Beige- De Beige (De-Bazh'). See Beige.
Delaine- Delaine (De-Lane'). [French mousseline de laine, muslin of wool]. An expressive title which signifies fully what manner of fabric they properly should be.
Demi-Castor- Demi-Castor. An inferior quality of beaver fur ; hence, a hat made of beaver of this quality.
Denim- Denim. [A trade name; origin unknown]. A coarse cotton twilled material used for men's overalls and working shirts; the quality is denoted by the weight in ...
Designing- Designing. A figure or representation of some character must be originated and drawn suited to every class of cloth that is woven. This is called designing.
Diagonal- Diagonal. A term introduced in the United States in the year 1875 denoting a variety of worsteds used in the manufacture of men's fine clothing, especially for ...
Diaper- Diaper. In this term we have an example of a fabric possessed of a proud ancestry, in its time second to none in the family of splendid fabrics, degenerated to ...
Diced- Diced. A term descriptive of a pattern woven in cubes or squares -that is, with the sides of the cubes or squares shaded by the run of the thread; less ...
Dickey- Dickey. A separate shirt-front worn over the breast in place of a shirt, or to hide a shirt not fit to be seen. These were at one time called shams, and by ...
Dimity- Dimity (Dim-' I-Ty). [Supposed by early authorities to have been derived from Damietta, Egypt, where the fabric was once manufactured of fine linen. This is ...
Discharging- Discharging. A method employed in calico and silk printing for the purpose of imprinting a pattern upon a ground of solid color. If, for example, a piece of ...
Discount- Discount. A part deducted from the count; hence in trade an allowance or deduction, generally of so much per cent., made for prepayment or prompt payment of a ...
Distaff- Distaff. The staff or stick which holds the carded material in hand spinning. Generally it was a stick about 3 feet long with a forked top, on which was wound ...
Ditto- Ditto. [From Italian ditto, meaning that which has been said, Latin dictum, said] A duplicate. The same thing. Abbreviated do, and is also expressed by two ...
Dobby-Machine- Dobby-Machine. A loom built purposely for weaving fancy patterns, constructed on a principle similar to the Jacquard loom. [See Jacquard]
Doeskin- Doeskin. [So called from the fancied resemblance of the fabric to the skin of a doe, on account of its softness and pliability]. A compact, twilled woolen ...
Doe; Cheap- Doe; Cheap. [Early English dogge cheape and dog chepe, from dog, as a type of worthlessness]. Very cheap; in little estimation.
Dogskin- Dogskin. A term applied for the purpose of deception to a variety of sheepskin leather. It is somewhat thicker than the leather of which kid gloves are made, ...
Dolly Varden- Dolly Varden. [From Dolly Varden, a character in Dickens' Barnaby Rudge. ] A gay-flowered calico worn from 1865 to 1875.
Dolman- Dolman. [From Turkish dalama, a long robe open in front, worn by the Turks over their outer garments]. A style of ladies' winter wrap, characterized by a ...
Domet- Domet. A soft, loosely woven material similar in construction to flannel, napped slightly upon either side. Domet shirting is of the same organization, woven ...
Donsky- Donsky. [Russian Donskoi, of the river Don]. A variety of Russian wool of coarse quality introduced into English and American woolen manufacture about 1840.
Dornick- Dornick. A term now used for stout linen cloth, especially checkered table linen or damask having a simple diaper pattern; supposed to have derived its name ...
Double-Dyeing- Double-Dyeing. A method of dyeing mixed woolen and cotton goods, by which the wool is first dyed with a color which has no affinity with cotton, after which ...
Double-Faced- Double-Faced. Cloth having both surfaces finished, so that either may be used as the right side.
Doublet- Doublet. An outer body-garment such as was worn by men from about the end of the fifteenth century until the middle of the seventeenth century. Originally it ...
Dowlas- Dowlas (Dow' Las). Like the names of many other cloths, dowlas is from a town-name, said to be from Doullens, a town in the department of Somme, France. Until ...
Down- Down. The fine, soft covering of fowls under the feathers, particularly that of swans, ducks, geese, and other water-fowls. Down-feathers are characterized by ...
Doyley- Doyley. [Also spelled doi'-ley. Said to be so called from the name of its first maker, Sir Jno. D'Oyley] A fringed napkin, made of linen or cotton, white or ...
Drap De Alma- Drap De Alma (Drap-De A'L-Ma). A fine close, flat-twilled dress fabric of wool, or silk and wool, finished on but one side; somewhat heavier than cashmere. The ...
Drap De Te- Drap De Te (Drah-De-Ta'). A species of worsted dress goods, woven in fine longitudinal cords, sometimes dyed in shades of brown and drab, but usually black; ...
Draper- Draper. Drap is a French word meaning cloth, and draper in England, and drapier in France are the terms used in those countries to designate a dealer in cloth ...
Drapery- Drapery. The occupation of a draper; the trade of making or of selling cloth. Cloth or textile fabrics of any description. Specifically such variety of cloths ...
Drap Sanglier- Drap Sanglier (Drap San'-Glier). A loosely-made, all-wool French dress fabric, 44 inches wide. It is of rather coarse grain, plainly woven, and has a good deal ...
Drawing-Frame- Drawing-Frame. A machine in which the slivers of cotton, wool, etc., from the carding-engine are attenuated or drawn out by passing through consecutive pairs ...
Drawn-Work- Drawn-Work. A kind of ornamental work done in tidies, towels, etc., by cutting out, pulling out, or drawing to one side some of the threads of the fabric while ...
Dress- Dress. A garment or the assemblage of garments used as a covering for the body or for its adornment; clothes; apparel; skill in selecting, combining, and ...
Drilling- Drilling. [German drillich (from drei, three), a 3-cord fabric] A twilled material of either linen or cotton, very stout and used for waist linings, underwear, ...
Drugget- Drugget. [From French droguet, trash]. A large square rug or mat, felted or woven, either of one color or printed on one side, and used as a protection for a ...
Drummer- Drummer. A commercial traveler who is an agent or representative of a manufacturer, importer or other wholesale dealer who procures and transmits orders for ...
Dry Goods- Dry Goods. Textile fabrics, and related articles of trade; as, cloth, shawls, wraps, ready-made garments, blankets, ribbons, thread, yarn, hosiery, millinery, ...
Duck- Duck. [From Swed. duk, cloth] A strong linen fabric, plain-woven, without twill, lighter than canvas, and used for small sails, tents, and for men's summer ...
Due-Bill- Due-Bill. A brief written acknowledgment of indebtedness differing from a promissory note in not being payable to order or transferable by mere indorsement.
Dundee Goods- Dundee Goods. A term applied to a large class of coarse fabrics of flax, hemp and jute, made in and about Dundee, Scotland, such as crash, huckaback, burlaps, ...
Dupion- Dupion (Du'Pion). A double cocoon formed by two silk worms spinning together. The coarse silk furnished by such double cocoons.
Dyeing- Dyeing. The art of coloring fabrics by immersion in a properly prepared bath. The matters used for dyeing are obtained from vegetables, animals and minerals, ...
Ec'Ru- Ec'Ru (Eck'-Ru). [French ecru, raw or unbleached when applied to linen, silk or other textile fabrics]. Having the color of unbleached silk or linen, hence by ...
Edging- Edging. Narrow lace or embroidery especially made for trimming frills and parts of dress. [See Everlasting]
Egyptian Cotton- Egyptian Cotton. Cotton raised in Egypt, of a yellowish color and superior quality, not as fine and silky as the Sea Island cotton raised in the United States, ...
Eider-Down- Eider-Down. Down or soft feathers of the eider-duck, such as the bird plucks from its own breast to line the nest or cover the eggs. The commercial down is ...
Eiderdown Cloth- Eiderdown Cloth. A heavy-napped woolen fabric invented in 1882, by Mr. Robert Ward, of Philadelphia, and extensively used in the manufacture of children's ...
Elastic Web- Elastic Web. A material for suspenders, garters, etc., made in bands from half an inch to twelve inches in width. The slender rubber slips or shirrs as they ...
Electoral Cloth Or Biretz- Electoral Cloth Or Biretz. A double-faced dress fabric woven of wool, or silk and wool, with a cashmere twilled face upon one side ,and a round close-ribbed or ...
Ell- Ell. A long measure, chiefly used for cloth, of different lengths in different countries. The English ell, not yet obsolete, is a yard and a quarter, or 45 ...
Embossed Velvet- Embossed Velvet. See Velvet.
Embossed Felt- Embossed Felt. An upholstering material; used for table covers, borders, friezes, or dados for applique purposes. Ordinary thick felt is embossed under ...
Embroidery- Embroidery. The art of working with the needle flowers, leaves, vines and other forms, upon wool, silk, cotton, or other woven textures. That it is of the ...
Embroidery Silk- Embroidery Silk. The fancy colors are usually put up 10 yards to a spool, each spool being equal to four ordinary cards or skeins. All colors except black and ...
Empress Cloth- Empress Cloth. [So called on account of the weave having been originated for, and worn first by the Empress Eugenia, of France]. A variety of dress fabric, ...
Empress Gauze- Empress Gauze. A fine, transparent stuff, made of silk, or silk and linen, and having a design, usually of a flower pattern, woven in the mesh.
Epingle- Epingle (Ep'In-Gle). [French epingle, a slender pin wire] A descriptive term for a variety of thin silk, woven with prominent lustrous raised cords, as if a ...
Equestrian Tights- Equestrian Tights. A woman's knit undergarments, consisting of drawers and stockings combined, reaching to the waist. [See Pantella]
Ermine- Ermine. A small quadruped inhabiting the northern regions of Europe and America. The fur of the animal is snow white, with the tip of the tail a jet black. The ...
Estamene- Estamene (Es'-Ta-Mene'). An all-wool French dress fabric woven similar to serge, but having a rough and nappy surface, and uniformly measuring 25 inches in ...
Estamin- Estamin (Es-Tam'-In). A woolen stuff made in Prussia, used for sack cloth, plush caps, etc. [See Tammy]
Etamine- Etamine (Et'-A-Mine). A coarse description of woolen bunting or canvas, of a more or less transparent texture. It is employed as a dress material and is ...
Everlasting- Everlasting. A variety of very durable white cotton edging, distinguished by being made in rows of continuous holes surrounded and separated by a light, flat ...
Fabric- Fabric. [From Latin fabricus, a work shop] A woven or felted cloth of any material or style of weaving; anything produced either by weaving or interlacing; ...
Factory- Factory. A term which originally implied the residence of factors; that is, agents or brokers whose duty was to buy or sell goods for merchants who resided ...
Factory Cotton- Factory Cotton. Unbleached cotton muslin, as opposed to bleached or imported fabrics; called also factory and domestic.
Factory Yarn- Factory Yarn. Coarse 2-ply or 3-ply unscoured woolen yarn, or yarn in the grease. It is usually made by the interior woolen mills, and is used by country ...
Fagoting- Fagoting (Fag'-Ot-Ing). In embroidery, an operation in which a number of threads in the material are drawn out, and a small bunch ...
Faille- Faille (Fail). Originally a hood covering the face, worn by French nuns of certain orders. In the 16th century the term was adopted to describe a peculiar ...
False Hair- False Hair, See Hair.
Fans- Fans. [From Latin vannus, an apparatus for blowing the chaff from grain] A hand article for cooling the face and person by agitating the air. The first fans ...
Farmer's Satin- Farmer's Satin. A variety of lining for men's coats, made with cotton chain and a woolen weft, satin wove, and finished with a high luster.
Fashion- Fashion. A term which admits as little of an exact definition as of being referred to as an intelligent principle. The French term it la mode. In every age and ...
Fayetta- Fayetta (Fa-Yet'-A). A variety of lightweight, double-fold dress silk, twill woven, with a twisted silk warp and a weft of fine wool. The side of the fabric is ...
Featherbone- Featherbone. A substitute for whalebone, made from the quills of domestic fowls; patented in 1882. The quills are slit into strips which are twisted, the ...
Feather Cloth- Feather Cloth. A mixture of cloth and feathers woven together, the cloth being undyed and produced in drabs and grays; the material usually measures one yard ...
Feathers- Feathers. [Literally, that which flutters; German feder, Dutch veder] Feathers as ornaments were not used by civilized people until the close of the 13th ...
Feather-Stitch- Feather-Stitch. A stitch used in embroidery, producing a partial imitation of feathers by small branches that ramify from a main stem. In mediaeval embroidery ...
Felt- Felt. Woolen cloth united without weaving. The word felt appears to have signified at a very early period a material formed of wool not woven, but compacted ...
Fiber- Fiber. [From Latin filum, a thread, whence also the words file and filament] A thread or filament; any fine, thread-like part of a substance, as a single ...
Fiberlia- Fiberlia [Fi-Ber'-Lia]. A recently introduced flax fibre made from the stalk of American flax, which can be combined with cotton or wool, or used alone, in the ...
Fichu- Fichu (Fe'-Shu). [French for ladies' neckerchief.\ A triangular piece of lace worn around the neck instead of a collar, of various lengths; sometimes it is a ...
Filament- Filament. A fine, untwisted thread; a separate fiber of any vegetable or animal tissue, natural or artificial. [See Fiber]
Filature- Filature. A reel for drawing silk off from the cocoons; an establishment for reeling silk. Producers rarely reel the silk from cocoons, but instead ship them ...
Filibeg- Filibeg. The Scotch kilt in its primitive form, consisting of one piece of cloth, covering the whole body, and girt around the waist. At present the term is ...
Filoselle- Filoselle (Fil-O-Zel'). A loose, slackly-twisted silk thread used in fine-art needlework. It is put up in skeins, the strands of which can be divided or ...
Filling- Filling. The woof or weft in weaving.
Fish Hooks- Fish Hooks. An article to be found in nearly every well-selected stock of notions, and one, also, which suggests the wonderful strides made by American ...
Flags- Flags. It is probable that almost as soon as men began to collect together for common purposes some kind of conspicuous object was used, as the symbol of a ...
Flannel- Flannel. [From Welch gwlanen; in the Middle Ages known as flannella and flannen] Wales appears to have been the home of flannels, and this one fabric has long ...
Flannellette- Flannellette (Flan-El-Et'). A soft loose-woven cotton fabric, white, self-colored, or woven in stripes or checks, with a short nap raised on both sides, which ...
Flat Goods- Flat Goods. A term used to designate woolen or cotton knitted underwear as distinguished from Jersey or ribbed underwear.
Flax- Flax. [The common name for the plants of the genus Linnum] The term flax is employed at once to denote the fiber so called, and the plant from which it is ...
Fleece- Fleece. The coat of wool that covers a sheep, or that is shorn from a sheep at one time. In commerce, wools are distinguished as fleece-wools and dead-wools, ...
Fleur-De-Lis- Fleur-De-Lis (Fleur-De-Lee'). [From French fleur-de-lis, flower of the lily] A pattern in weaving representing the flower of the lilly or head of a lance, ...
Floret-Silk- Floret-Silk. In silk manufacturing, a yarn spun from the first and purest of the waste, and of higher quality than noil-yarn. [See Silk, Noil]
Floretta- Floretta (Flo-Ret'-A). Floss-silk.
Floss-Silk- Floss-Silk, An embroidery-thread, made of silk fiber ...
Fold- Fold. A double or lap of cloth, of any description. All dress silks are put up in folds 1 1/4 yards long (1 aune.) French fabrics, such as sateens, lawns, ...
Fondu- Fondu (Fon-Du'). Softened, blended; denoting a style in which colors are so applied as to pass insensibly into each other through delicate gradations; ...
Foolscap- Foolscap. A writing paper, usually folded, varying in size from 12x15 to 12 1/2 x l6 inches; so called from its former watermark, the outline of a fool's head ...
Foot- Foot. A unit of length, originally the length of a man's foot. The English foot, which is in use in the United States, contains 12 inches. The feet in use in ...
Foot-Glove- Foot-Glove. A heavy woolen stocking worn in northern regions over the shoes while riding; a warm muffler for the feet.
Foot-Sheet- Foot-Sheet. A cloth spread over the chair and floor for a person to sit upon, while the toilet is being made.
Forwarder- Forwarder. An individual or a firm who ships or sends forward goods for others to their destination by the instrumentality of third persons. Neither a ...
Foulard- Foulard (Fou-Lard'). A term which at first denoted a thin gauze French riband. At present foulard silk is a soft, thin washable dress silk, woven without twill, ...
Four-In-Hand- Four-In-Hand. A style of neckwear for men distinguished by being wider a tone end than at the other, which when tied presents the appearance and form of a made- ...
Fox- Fox. To cover the upper of a shoe with ornamental leather; also to repair a shoe by renewing the front upper-leather.
French Cambric- French Cambric. A very fine variety of linen or cotton cambric used for handkerchiefs, neckwear, and similar things. [See Cambric]
French Merino- French Merino. An extremely fine-twilled woolen cloth, made from the wool of Merino sheep, and used for ladies' dresses. [See Merino]
French Quilting- French Quilting. Same as pique (which see.)
French Twill- French Twill. A variety of French Merino of inferior fineness but of great durability.
Frieze- Frieze (Freez). [So called from having been first made in ancient Friesland, the most northerly province of Holland] A heavy, shaggy, woolen cloth, covered ...
Fringe- Fringe. An ornamental bordering formed of short lengths of thread, whether loose or twisted, variously arranged and combined, projecting from the edge of the ...
Frock- Frock. [From Fr.froc, a monk's cowl or habit] Originally a long coat with large sleeves, worn by monks. At present a garment covering the body and worn by ...
Frock-Coat- Frock-Coat. A body-coat for men, usually double-breasted and with a full skirt; opposed to sack-coat, which has no skirt, and to cutaway, with a short and ...
Frocking- Frocking. A fabric suitable for making men's work-frocks; specifically coarse jean or drill.
Frog- Frog. An ornamental fastening for the front of men's coats and ladies' cloaks and waists, usually made of metal or braiding, and consisting of a spindle-shaped ...
Frontal- Frontal. An ornamental band for the hair, worn by women.
Fugitive Colors- Fugitive Colors. Those colors which fade, or are more or less destroyed by the action of light, air, and atmospheric heat and moisture; those also which fade ...
Fuller's-Earth- Fuller's-Earth. A species of clay, used by fullers to take grease out of cloth before they apply the soap. When good it has a greenish-white color, falls into ...
Fulling- Fulling. The process of condensing a previously formed fabric, causing it to assume a stronger and firmer body; especially applied to woolen goods. The first ...
Fulling' Mill- Fulling' Mill. A power-machine for fulling and felting woven fabrics, to improve their texture by making them thicker, closer and heavier. Such mills operate ...
Full Regular- Full Regular. A method of seaming knitted hose, underwear or gloves, by which the edges of the web are connected by hand, the loops on either side being so ...
Fur- Fur. Hair, wool, and fur are slender filaments or thread-like fibers issuing out of the pores of the skins of animals, and all partaking of the same general ...
Fur Beaver- Fur Beaver. A term applied in recent years to a variety of heavy, napped woolen cloth used exclusively for men's fine overcoats. The cloth is double-woven, ...
Furbelow- Furbelow (Fur'-Be-Low). [From fur and below] A puffed and puckered adornment on a dress or petticoat; any elaborate ornament or embellishment of a ladies' ...
Fustian- Fustian (Fus'-Tyan). [From Fustat, a suburb of Cario, Egypt, whence the stuff first came] In present use a stout, twilled cotton fabric, especially that which ...
Fuzz- Fuzz. Fine downy particles, as the loose fibres on the surface of cloth, or separated from it by friction.
Gaiter- Gaiter. [From Fr. guetre, a cloth covering for the ankle and upper portion of the foot] Originally a kind of shoe, consisting partly of cloth, covering the ...
Galligaskins- Galligaskins (Gal-I-Gas'-Kins). Leather guards worn on the legs by sportsmen and equestrians. Formerly, in the 16th century the term was applied to a fashion ...
Galloon- Galloon (Gal-Oon'). [From It. gallone, finery,] Originally, worsted lace, especially a closely-woven lace like a narrow ribbon or tape for binding. In modern ...
Galoshes- Galoshes (Ga-Loshes'). [From Sp. galocha, wooden shoe] A kind of clog or patten worn in the middle ages as a protection against wet, and common, because of the ...
Gambroon- Gambroon. A twilled cloth of worsted and cotton or linen and cotton used for summer trousers; also a twilled linen used for linings.
Garment- Garment. An article of clothing, as a coat, a gown, or a wrap.
Garter- Garter. An elastic band or other fastening to keep the stocking in place on the leg; more particularly a band passing around the leg either above or below the ...
Gauntlet- Gauntlet. Throughout the 12th and 13th centuries, the metal covering for the hand, attached to the iron armor worn by warriors, was called the gauntlet. This ...
Gassing- Gassing. The process by which cloth that is to be finished with a smooth surface, as well as lace and yarns, is run through a gas flame at a speed carefully ...
Gassing-Frame- Gassing-Frame. An apparatus in which yarns are run off from one bobbin to another and carried through gas flames in the operation of gassing. A stop-motion is ...
Gauze- Gauze. [Said to have been named after the place of its origin, Gaza, in Palestine, a city known from ancient days as an important cloth weaving center]. A very ...
Genappe- Genappe (Je-Nap'). [From Genappe, Belgium, where first produced] A worsted yarn which, because of its smoothness, can be conveniently combined with silk, and ...
Germantown Yarn- Germantown Yarn. [From having been first made at Germantown, Pa., which city at present constitutes the 22nd ward of Philadelphia,] A coarse heavy woolen yarn, ...
German Knitting Worsted- German Knitting Worsted. A strong durable yarn made of 'worsted, that is, wool prepared by the combing process. [See Wool, Worsted]
Gimp- Gimp. [From Fr. guipure, to whip round with silk] A flat trimming made by twisting silk or worsted threads round a silk foundation of wire; more or less open ...
Gimped Embroidery- Gimped Embroidery. A kind of raised embroidery made with a padding of inferior material which is entirely concealed by the silk or beads whipped round it; ...
Gingham- Gingham. [A term derived from the town of its early manufacture, Guinghamp, France, in the department of Cotes-du-Nord]. A close, stout, plain (untwilled) ...
Girdle- Girdle. The ancient use of the girdle was to confine to the waist the long flowing garments then worn, and in some countries is still in use,'worn by both men ...
Glace- Glace (Gla-Sa'). [From Fr. glace, iced, glazed]. In trade a term signifying fabrics or articles with a glossy, lustrous finish. Changeable colors or shot silks ...
Glass Cloth- Glass Cloth. A fine linen fabric, usually woven with a slight open pattern of colored threads, like gingham, used originally as a towel for drying fine ...
Glassing- Glassing. A method of finishing fine kid leather, to produce a permanent gloss, by rubbing it with a ball of polished plate-glass.
Glazing- Glazing. See Calender.
Glengarry Cap- Glengarry Cap. [So named from Glengarry, a valley in Scotland]. A Scotch cap of wool, either woven in one piece or cut out of cloth and sewed together. It has ...
Gloria- Gloria. A fabric the warp of which is silk and the weft either of cotton, wool or mohair. In the process of weaving glorias, the silk is so thrown up that the ...
Glove- Glove. The antiquity of gloves is very great. They have been known and worn from the remote age of the world, and doubtless antedate history, for the earliest ...
Gobelin Dress Fabric- Gobelin Dress Fabric. A kind of large brocade, woven of wool and silk mixed. One of the peculiar features of this material is the peculiar coloring of them, ...
Gossamer- Gossamer (Goz'-A-Mer). [A contraction of Godsummer, a name given by our superstitious ancestry to the fine filmy cobwebs which float in the air in summer time, ...
Gown- Gown. [From Welsh gwn, signifying that which is stitched] In a general sense the long habit of a man dedicated to acts of peace, as divinity, medicine, law.
Grain- Grain. The side of leather from which the hair has been removed, showing the fibrous texture, in contradistinction from the flesh side.
Grain Leather- Grain Leather. Tanned and dressed horsehides, goatskins, etc., blacked on the grain side, used in the manufacture of coarse boots and shoes.
Grass-Bleaching- Grass-Bleaching. The process of bleaching cotton and linen fabrics by exposing them to the action of sunlight and moisture by spreading on the grass. Grass- ...
Grass-Cloth- Grass-Cloth. A heavy, buff-colored cotton muslin, used at present for children's underwear. China grass-cloth, a beautiful, fine fabric made from the fiber of ...
Grass-Embroidery- Grass-Embroidery. A variety made by several tribes of American Indians, the chief material for which is dried grass, or fibrous leaves resembling grass.
Grass-Linen- Grass-Linen. A fine grass-cloth.
Grassing- Grassing. The exposing of linen cloth in fields to the influence of air, moisture and sunlight for the purpose of bleaching.
Grenadine- Grenadine (Gren-A-Dene'). [From French grenadine, wrought silk for making lace] A dress fabric woven in small square meshes or open work of coarse-like threads, ...
Grille- Grille (Gre-Lya'). [From French grille, a grating] In lace, having a background consisting of bars or brides crossing open spaces; also said of the background ...
Grogram- Grogram (Grog'-Gram). A coarse fabric formerly in use, made originally of silk and mohair, afterward of silk and wool, and usually stiffened with gum. [See ...
Gros- Gros (Gro). Thick; strong. A textile fabric stronger or heavier than others of the same material.
Gros Des Indus- Gros Des Indus. A silk fabric having a stripe, more or less broad,either of the same or a different color, woven diagonally across the web.
Gros Des Naples- Gros Des Naples. A stout, plain-woven silk dress fabric, woven of or-ganzine silk, in the weaving of which great care and labor is bestowed, hence one of the ...
Gros Des Tours- Gros Des Tours. A heavy corded black silk, used for mourning purposes.
Gros-Grain- Gros-Grain (Gro'-Grain). [From gros, thick, and grain, grain, showing conclusively the origin of the word and the manner of fabrics they should be]. A firm, ...
Guernsey- Guernsey (Gern'-Sy). [Named from having been first worn by the sailors inhabiting the island of Guernsey, in the English Channel]. A close-fitting, knitted ...
Guipure- Guipure (Ge-Pure'). A French word signifying vellum lace. Vellum means parchment, and parchment is sheep-skin, tanned and bleached white fit for writing or ...
Gunny- Gunny. A strong and extremely coarse cloth manufactured chiefly in Bengal from jute, but to some extent in Madras and Bombay from sunn-hemp. It is also ...
Gutta-Percha- Gutta-Percha. [From Malaygutta, gum, and percha, the island from whence it was first obtained. The island is now known as Sumatra]. The juice of an evergreen ...
Gypsy Cloth- Gypsy Cloth. A heavy-napped cotton cloth, used in the manufacture of negligee shirts, tennis and boating costumes, etc. [See Flannelette, Domet, Outing]
Habberdasher- Habberdasher. [A term which meant originally peddlers' wares, or the contents of a peddler's bag; derived from German Habtihrdas, Have you this? - a phrase ...
Habiliment- Habiliment. A garment; clothing; dress; vestment. Usually in the plural: as, fashionable habiliments.
Habit- Habit. External dress; particularly, the costume or dress regularly worn, or appropriate for a particular occassion, use, or vocation. Also, a costume worn by ...
Hair Cloth- Hair Cloth. A fabric woven of the hair of horses' tails, used for sofa coverings, seatings, etc., and for stiffening of ladies' dresses. The hair used in this ...
Hair Manufacture- Hair Manufacture. The various uses to which hair of different sorts is applied are familiar to every one. To prepare the curled hair for stuffing cushions, ...
Hair-Pin- Hair-Pin. A wire pin used to support braids and plaits of hair, or maintain the head-dress, of whatever description, in its proper position. The simplest kind ...
Hair Net- Hair Net. A silk net, confined to an oval shape by rubber cord, used by women to keep up the back hair. Nets were once known as cauls, and have been used in ...
Hammer Cloth- Hammer Cloth. [A corruption of hamper cloth] In early English days when coaches were first introduced, frugal Englishmen who lived in the country used to load ...
Hammock- Hammock. [From Sp. hamaca, a kind of hanging bed or mat. Columbus, in the narrative of his first voyage, says: A great many Indians in canoes came to the ship ...
Handkerchief- Handkerchief. The most ancient handkerchief was merely a bit of silk tissue, first used centuries ago by priests at the altar. For many years, indeed, priests ...
Hank- Hank. A skein or coil of yarn or thread. More particularly a definite length of yarn, of cotton, linen, silk or wool. A hank of cotton is 840 yards. A hank of ...
Haslock- Haslock (Haz'-Lok). The lock of wool that grows on the halse or throat of a sheep; hence the finest quality of wool. Also called hassock.
Hassock- Hassock. [From hassock, a bushy bunch of grass] A thick hard cushion used as a foot stool.
Hat-Block- Hat-Block. The block or mold on which a hat is shaped. It consists several pieces of wood or metal fastened together, preserving the general outline of the ...
Hat-Body- Hat-Body. The unshaped or partly shaped piece of felt from which a hat is to be formed.
Hats And Caps- Hats And Caps. There is but little relating to hat-making recorded in history, although their partial use may be traced back to the time of ancient Greece, ...
Hatching- Hatching. In embroidering and weaving, the art of disposing threads so as to give the effect of shading according to the shape and character of the object ...
Haute-Lisse- Haute-Lisse (Haute-Lese). [F. haute, high; lisse, warp] In tapestry weaving, wrought with the warp in a perpendicular position; distinguished from basse-lisse, ...
Havelock- Havelock (Hav'-Lock). [Named after the English general, Henry Havelock] A cover for soldier's cap, made of light washable material, with a flap hanging behind ...
Haversack- Haversack. [From Ger. hafer, oats, and sack, sack] A bag used for holding the food that a soldier carries on his person. It is carried by a strap slung over ...
Heckle- Heckle. The operation of drawing flax or hemp through rough teeth to separate the fiber from the bark and peth. [See Flax]
Helix- Helix. A term used in needle-making, with reference to the manner in which the eye is finished. The best qualities of needles always have their eyes helixed.
Hemp- Hemp. A valuable plant possessing properties similar to flax and jute, supposed to be a native of India, but long since naturalized and cultivated in many ...
Hemstitch- Hemstitch. The ornamental edging in linen and cotton fabrics, particularly handkerchiefs, produced by drawing out a few threads running parallel with the hem, ...
Henrietta- Henrietta. [Named in honor of the gay and brilliant Henrietta Maria, queen of England in 1624] A dress fabric, which, notwithstanding the revival of its ...
Herringbone- Herringbone. A style of twill-weaving, so called from its resemblance to the backbone of a herring. The weave consists of a series of very short diagonal lines ...
Hickory Check- Hickory Check. A particular style of coarse shirting, in which the checks are woven small and square, and of but two colors, usually blue and white or brown ...
Hindoo Silk- Hindoo Silk. See Mysore, China Silk.
Hogskin- Hogskin. Leather made of the hides of hogs, having a grained and minutely punctured surface, caused by the large pores; used for saddles (generally under the ...
Holland- Holland. A term signifying unbleached linen cloth, made in many European countries, but especially in Scotland. The term also indicates a material used ...
Home Weaving- Home Weaving. The operations of spinning and weaving carried on in dwellings, as distinguished from factory processes; hand-made goods, as opposed to power- ...
Honeycomb- Honeycomb. An ornamental weave produced in cotton and linen canvas by drawing the warp and weft threads so that the small lozenge-shaped spaces between them ...
Hood- Hood. [From Anglo-saxon hod, head; whence comes also our word hat] Properly a covering for the head, of soft or flexible material, but sometimes worn as an ...
Hook And Eye- Hook And Eye. A metallic fastening for garments, consisting of a hook, commonly made of flattened wire bent to the required shape, and an eye of the same ...
Hoopskirt- Hoopskirt. An article of feminine apparel evolved from the farthingale of the sixteenth century. The ancient farthingales were made of hoops of whalebone run ...
Hose- Hose. According to the most reliable authority the use of hose or leg-gins, comprising in one piece all the leg-covering below the waist, originated in Europe ...
Hosier- Hosier (Ho'-Zher). Formerly the term hosier was applied to tailors who sold men's garments ready-made. In its more modern use hosier has been restricted in its ...
Hosiery And Knit Goods- Hosiery And Knit Goods. Under this head is embraced a wide range of manufactured textiles, which are classed together more on account of their manner of ...
Housewife's Cloth- Housewife's Cloth. A linen cloth of medium quality, between fine and coarse, for family uses. It is in very limited demand at present, having made way for ...
Huckaback- Huckaback (Huck'-A-Back). [A corruption of huckster-back, which in early times signified any sort of pedler's ware. Often shortened to huck.\ A coarse and very ...
Illusion- Illusion. A thin and very transparent kind of tulle; silk bobbinet. [See Tulle]
Imports- Imports. Goods brought to this from a foreign country. Importations into the United States can be made only at ports of entry constituted by law. All goods so ...
Inca- Inca. [From Inca the name of the prince who governed Peru, S. A., previous to the Spanish conquest] A term given about 1850 to several varieties of alpaca ...
India Linon- India Linon. [French linen] A variety of clear, white lawn, put up bookfold, and woven of very fine cotton yarns. The chief difference between India linon and ...
India Rubber- India Rubber. An elastic, gummy substance, consisting of the coagulated milky juice of various trees and shrubs found in Central and South America and Africa.
India Shawls- India Shawls. Another name for Cashmere shawls. India has been famous from time immemorial for the production of that most elegant article of dress - the shawl.
India Silks- India Silks. Among the many varieties of silks manufactured in India, five may be more especially designated as entering more or less extensively the markets ...
Indigo- Indigo. A well-known and exceedingly valuable blue dyeing substance. It has been in use in Europe since the First century, being mentioned by Pliny as indicum.
Indigo Blue Calico- Indigo Blue Calico. A fine blue color, which is produced upon cotton by placing in an immense vat 2,000 gallons of water, 20 pounds of ground indigo, 30 pounds ...
Ingrain- Ingrain. [From in (the) grain] A term used to describe textile fabrics dyed before being woven; dyed in the yarn or thread before being manufactured. The ...
Inventory- Inventory (In'-Ven-Tory). An itemized descriptive list of articles, such as goods and chatties; specifically a formal list of moveables, as of the goods or ...
Invoice- Invoice. [From French envois, plural of envoy, a sending, conveyance] A written account, or letter of advice of the particulars of merchandise shipped or sent ...
Italian Cloth- Italian Cloth. A kind of jean, woven with a satin face, made of cotton and wool, cotton and mohair, and all cotton, used exclusively for lining and measuring ...
Ivory Nut- Ivory Nut. The seed of a low growing palm native to South America. The seeds grow in clusters, from four to nine together. Each seed is about as large as a hen' ...
Jacket- Jacket. A short coat or body garment; any garment for the body coming not lower than the hips. In the United States a waist coat or vest. A lady's sacque is ...
Jack-Towel- Jack-Towel. A coarse towel for general use, hanging from a roller.
Jaconet- Jaconet (Jack'-O-Net). A thin, soft variety of muslin used for making dresses, neckcloths, fancy articles, etc., heavier than cambric. The finer qualities are ...
Jacquard- Jacquard, Joseph M. The inventor of the apparatus which bears his name. This is not a loom, but an appendage to looms, which, in the weaving of figured fabrics, ...
Janus Cloth- Janus Cloth. [From Janus, a god in Roman mythology, who is repre-presented as having two faces]. A textile fabric, the color of one face of which is different ...
Janus Cord- Janus Cord. A kind of rep, made of woolen and cotton, the cord or rib showing on both sides alike.
Japanese Printing- Japanese Printing. The Japanese people continue to follow at present, as they have followed in the past for unknown centuries, the primitive method of printing ...
Japanning- Japanning. The art of coating surfaces of metal, wood, etc., with japan or varnish to produce a high black luster. Japanning liquid is made by cooking gum ...
Jean- Jean. [A term generally regarded as having been derived from the town of Jaen, Spain] A twilled and calendered cotton cloth, usually 27 inches in width, used ...
Jersey- Jersey. [So called from Jersey, one of the channel islands of Great Britain. The State of New Jersey was, in 1664, named after the same island] A close-fitting ...
Jobber- Jobber. One who purchases goods in bulk and resells them to smaller dealers. A wholesale dealer, as distinguished from a manufacturer.
Jumper- Jumper. A kind of loose jacket with sleeves, made of denim or duck and worn by laborers employed at rough work. Jumpers are generally worn in connection with ...
Jute- Jute. A fiber-producing plant of the genus Corchoras, which alone furnishes the jute-fiber of commerce. It is an annual, growing from 12 to 14 feet high, the ...
Kamptulicon- Kamptulicon (Kamp-Tu'-Li-Con). A variety of floor cloth, invented in 1843, but not generally introduced until about 1855. The materials and processes employed ...
Kangaroo Leather- Kangaroo Leather. See Leather.
Kapok- Kapok (Ka-Pok'). The silky wool which invests the seeds of a species of silk-cotton tree botanically related to the cotton-plant, found in the East and West ...
Kerchief- Kerchief. [From Fr. couvrir, to cover, and chef, head] Properly a cloth to cover the head, and originally signifying a simple square or oblong piece of linen ...
Kersey- Kersey. [So-called from having first been manufactured at the village of Kersey, Suffolk county, England, in 1051] The kersey of former times was comparatively ...
Kerseymere- Kerseymere. A finer description of kersey, taking its name from the factory at which it is was originally manufactured. The factory stood on a mere or brook, ...
Kid Gloves- Kid Gloves. In kid and other snug fitting leather gloves a size is one-quarter of an inch. The measurement is taken around the full width of the palm, but ...
Kilt- Kilt. [ME kylten, to tuck up; Sw. kilta, the lap] In the garb of old Gaul the kilt was called a fillibeg. In the original Highland dress, that part of the ...
Kilting Machine- Kilting Machine. An appliance used for the purpose of kilting or pleating, which it can perform more perfectly and with greater speed than can be done by hand.
Kip- Kip. Leather made from the hide of a young or small beast. The term is also applied to leather made from the skins of full-grown cattle when they are of a ...
Kneipp Linen- Kneipp Linen. [From Herr Kneipp, inventor and advocate of its use] An elastic knitted linen fabric, made in various weights, for summer and winter underwear.
Knickerbocker- Knickerbocker. A cotton dress fabric, woven with a rough, knitted surface. The bunches or knots are formed at regular intervals in the weft and when woven up ...
Knitting- Knitting. The art of forming loose fabrics or textures with the use of needles or wires and a single continuous thread. Crocheting is an analagous art, ...
Knitting Cotton- Knitting Cotton. A loosely twisted cotton yarn used for darning purposes, the knitting of hose, tidies and other fancy articles. It is numbered from 8, coarse, ...
Knitting-Needle- Knitting-Needle. A straight, slender rod, usually of steel, with rounded ends; three are generally used at once for hand knitting. They are sold at wholesale ...
Knitting' Silk- Knitting' Silk. A slack-twisted silk yarn, used for the knitting of hosiery and in the making of fancy articles. It is made of both spun silk and reeled silk.
Knotting- Knotting. A kind of fancy work made with twisted and knotted threads, and closely imitating some old forms of lace. The term knotting in cloth manufacturing is ...
Labels- Labels. Woven labels are small strips of silk with a merchants' name and address woven into it, sewed to the inside of collars of cloaks, sacques, jerseys, ...
Laine Elastic- Laine Elastic. A light weight woolen dress fabric, dyed a dull black, used generally for mourning purposes. They are woven in several designs, one description ...
Lace- Lace. [From It. laccio, noose, snare, string. Lace originally meant a braid or tie - a signification still surviving in shoe lace, corset lace, etc. When such ...
Lace Curtains- Lace Curtains. The use of curtains originated during the brilliant civilizations which were developed in a very remote antiquity by India, China and Egypt. The ...
Lady's Cloth- Lady's Cloth. A term by which is distinguished a class of fine, wide flannels slightly napped, used for making ladies' light wraps and dresses. It is one or ...
Lambrequin- Lambrequin (Lam'-Bre-Quin). A term which has passed through several stages of evolution to reach the particular place it at present fills among dry goods. In ...
Lamb's Wool- Lamb's Wool. The wool of lambs, used in manufacture; hence, delicate wool, as of certain breeds of sheep or of lambs, or of mixed varieties; used for the ...
Lappet-Weaving- Lappet-Weaving. A system of weaving used for producing figures on the surface of cloth by means of needles placed in a sliding frame, called the lappet-frame, ...
Lariat- Lariat (Lar'-I-At). A rope used to tie horses and other animals together. Also a thong or noose made of rope, rawhide or buckskin, used for catching wild ...
Lasting- Lasting. [A contraction of everlasting] A strong and durable worsted fabric, formerly called durance. It is usually black, and is used for covering buttons, ...
Laventine- Laventine (Lav'-An-Tine). A thin silk, used especially for sleeve-linings.
Lawn- Lawn. A term applied first in 1423 to a fine thin linen fabric at that time much used for kerchiefs and ruching, and also for the sleeves and other parts of ...
Leno- Leno (Le'-No). [A corrupt form of Fr. linon, lawn] A very thin linen cloth made in imitation of lawn, or muslin, and sometimes called linen muslin. It is used ...
Levantine- Levantine. A stout twilled silk, so called from having originally been exported from the Levant.
Line- Line. In button manufacture, one-fortieth of an inch; the size of buttons being denoted by the number of lines across the diameter. Thus a 22-line button ...
Linen- Linen. Under this term are comprehended all yarns spun and fabrics woven from flax fiber. The cultivation and preparation of the fiber and its treatment till ...
Linen Diaper- Linen Diaper. Linen cloth woven in the same way as damask, but having a small set pattern of diagonal squares, bird's-eyes, or the like; used for towels and ...
Lingerie- Lingerie (Lan'-Zhe-Re). A French term of wide meaning, used to describe collectively all the linen, cotton, silk and lace articles of underwear which compose a ...
Linoleum- Linoleum. A variety of floor cloth, consisting of oxidized linseed oil combined with ground cork, treated and masticated in the same manner as Kamptulicon ( ...
Linon- Linon. A French word signifying lawn.
Linsey-Woolsey- Linsey-Woolsey. A coarse flannel of linen and wool mixed was first made at the village of Linsey, Suffolk County, England, in the year 1450. The linsey-woolsey ...
Lisle Thread- Lisle Thread (Lile Thred). An extremely fine and hard-twisted thread first made in the north of France, near the city of Lisle (formerly L'Isle, the island) ...
Lisse- Lisse (Lece). [Fr. lisse, ribbon, border, piping] A sheer fabric having the same organization as tarlatan, the difference being that lisse is woven finer, of ...
List- List. The border or edge of cloth forming the selvage, usually different in color from the body of the fabric. List is torn off the fabric when garments are ...
Livery- Livery. A garment or entire costume formerly worn by the retainers of a feudal lord, the followers of a military superior, or the members of a company, as a ...
Llama- Llama (La'-Ma). A South American animal similar in appearance to the alpaca and the camel. Its hair is frequently used in the manufacture of fine glossy dress ...
Lockram- Lockram. A kind of linen cloth, usually the cheapest and coarsest sorts.
Logwood- Logwood. A valuable dye, the product of the logwood tree, native to Central America, and grown also in the West Indies. The best qualities come from Campeachy, ...
Loom- Loom. [Literally, an utensil, from the Anglo-Saxon loma, furniture, utensils] The loom is the machine on which weaving is performed, the simplest form of which ...
Looped Cord Fabric- Looped Cord Fabric. A method of weaving in which the weft threads are composed of spiral or looped cords. The cords resemble chenille, the difference being ...
Louisine- Louisine (Louis-Ene'). A thin surah silk, woven in small checks and stripes, and also dyed in solid colors; used for children's wear and light summer costumes.
Lustering- Lustering. A process of giving to woolen cloth a permanent gloss and smooth surface which will not roughen with wear. This is accomplished by stretching the ...
Lustrene- Lustrene (Lus'-Trene). A glossy twilled lining, made in imitation of Lyons silk, used for lining men's clothes and women's dresses. It measures forty inches in ...
Lustring- Lustring (Lus'-String). A variety of glossy silk dress fabric, in extensive use during the 17th and 18th centuries, and at present denoting plain, solid silk, ...
Mackintosh- Mackintosh. The present use of rubber in the manufacture of clothing was discovered and perfected by Charles Goodyear, who was born in Connecticut in 1800 and ...
Macrame- Macrame (Mac-Ra-Ma'). A strong, hard-twisted, cotton cord, prepared for the manufacture of macrame lace and trimming. Macrema is the name given by the Italians ...
Madapollam- Madapollam (Mad-A-Pol'-Lam). [So called from Madapollam, a town in India] A coarse heavy cotton cloth, similar to calico, but stouter, and intermediate in ...
Madder- Madder. A plant, the roots of which are ground up and when dissolved in water, used as a red dye. The use of madder has been known from the earliest times, as ...
Madras- Madras. A large handkerchief of silk and cotton, usually in bright colors, used by the negroes in the West India islands and elsewhere for turbans. Madras lace ...
Mail Cloth- Mail Cloth. A heavy, lustrous silk fabric, of a weave resembling huck-a-back, or canvas, used chiefly for embroidering upon, as for fine table cloths, tidies, ...
Manila- Manila (Man-Il'-A). A fibrous material obtained from the leaves and stalks of a hemp plant that grows in the Phillipine islands. The ...
Manteau- Manteau (Man'-To). A cloak or mantle; specifically, a woman's cloak or outer garment, particularly one that is open in front and displaying the skirt or ...
Mantilla- Mantilla (Man-Til'-A). A woman's head-covering, often of lace, which falls down upon the shoulders and may be used as a veil; worn in Spain and the Spanish ...
Mantle- Mantle. A loose, sleeveless garment, worn as an outer covering, falling in straight lines from the shoulders; a simple kind of a cloak. The mantle, from its ...
Mantua-Maker- Mantua-Maker (Man'-Tu-A). One who makes women's gowns; a dressmaker.
Manufacture- Manufacture. Anything made for use from raw materials. To fabricate, especially in considerable quantities or numbers, or by the aid of many hands or of ...
Marbled- Marbled. A term in cloth-manufacture applied to fabrics woven with wefts of different colors, producing a variegated appearance resembling the veins and ...
Marceline- Marceline (Mar'-Se-Lin). A French trade name for a variety of thin silk used for the lining of women's dresses.
Marking-Cotton- Marking-Cotton. Loosely-twisted cotton thread, dyed solid colors, usually Turkey red, and used for simple embroidery work.
Marseilles- Marseilles (Mar-Salz'). [A name derived the city where first manufactured, Marseilles, France] A stiff corded cotton fabric, used principally for ladies' white ...
Marsella- Marsella (Mar-Sel'-La). Twilled marseilles.
Marvelieux- Marvelieux (Mar-Vel-O'). A fine, close-twilled, satin-faced silk dress fabric, resembling Rhadame dress silk, and having the same glossy finish, but with the ...
Matelasse- Matelasse (Mat-Las-A'). A term applied to silk or woolen cloth to denote the particular style of its weaving. Such fabrics have a raised pattern on their ...
Matting- Matting. A fabric of some coarse material, as rushes, hemp, coir, bamboo, palm leaves, etc., used as a cheap covering for floors. Cocoanut matting is made of ...
Mauve- Mauve (Mawv). [French mauve, mallow] A reddish-purple dye obtained from aniline, so called from the resemblance of the color to the purple markings of the ...
Measures- Measures. A system by which extent is ascertained or expressed; stated quantities. Our measures of lengths originated in the dawn of civilization and came down ...
Medici- Medici (Med'-I-Ki). A form of collar for ladies' cloaks and dresses, distinguished by being very high and stiffened, and finished with a slight roll at the top.
Melange- Melange (Ma-Lonzh'). A term derived from the French, signifying a mixture. In the dry goods trade melange is usually applied to dress fabrics of a black and ...
Melton- Melton, [So called from the name of original English manufacturer] A stout kind of woolen cloth used for men's clothing. In recent years it has been largely ...
Mercantile- Mercantile. A term pertaining to the traffic carried on by merchants; having to do with trade or commerce; trading; commercial. Mercantile applies only to the ...
Mercer- Mercer. A dealer in small wares, or in merchandise of any sort. In England the term is applied to a dealer in cloths of different sorts, especially silk.
Merino- Merino. The finest wool-bearing breed of sheep in the world, of Spanish origin, so called from their anciently being under the superinten-dency of a maerino ( ...
Merveilleuse- Merveilleuse (Mer'-Va-Lyez). [Fr. merveilleux, marvelous, exquisite] A fashionable woman under the Directory in France at the close of the 18th century, at ...
Mesh- Mesh. One of the open spaces in bobbinet; an opening in netting or network of a size determined by the distance apart of the knots by which the crossing twines ...
Meter- Meter. A French measure of 39.37 inches, or nearly 3 feet 3 3/8 inches. It is usually counted as 1 1/12 yards.
Metric System- Metric System. A system of measurement in which the meter is the fundamental unit. It was first adopted in France In the year 1800, and is now in use in most ...
Milan Braid- Milan Braid. A variety of flat braid used for trimming and binding, made of mohair fiber, on account of its superior wearing qualities. The number or size of ...
Milled Cloth- Milled Cloth. Cloth which has been thickened and shrunk in a fulling mill, until it is fulled or felted. Double-milled cloth describes those sorts which have ...
Milliner- Milliner. Formerly a man who sold ribbands and dresses for women; now, in common usage, a woman who makes and sells bonnets and other headgear for women.
Milling- Milling. The felting or fulling of cloth to thicken it. Double-milled cloths are woolen cloths which are fulled or shrunk by being put through the fulling mill ...
Mill-Raye- Mill-Raye. [A French term meaning all striped or all streaked] A variety of percale, so named as being descriptive of the pattern, which consists of minute, ...
Mitts- Mitts. A sort of glove without fingers, or with very short fingers. Mitts sometimes cover the hand only, and sometimes the forearm to the elbow. A common ...
Mocha- Mocha. See Gloves.
Mockado Or Mock Velvet- Mockado Or Mock Velvet. A stuff manufactured in the 16th and 17th centuries; described as a fabric made of cotton in imitation of velvet; probably similar to ...
Mohair- Mohair. Mohair, Brilliantine and Sicillian are dress fabrics having the same organization and construction. They are each woven with cotton warp and a mohair ...
Mohair Is The Hair Of The Angora Goat- Mohair Is The Hair Of The Angora Goat. The word is a corruption of the German mohr (a Moor). The material was first introduced into Spain by the Moors, and ...
Moire- Moire (Mwo'-Ra). The French term for clouded or watered silks. The weave on which a moire effect is produced is usually a gros grain. The goods are woven in ...
Moleskin- Moleskin. [So called from its fancied resemblance to the skin of a mole] A heavy cotton fabric, double-twilled and extra strong, piece-dyed in shades of brown; ...
Momie- Momie. French for mummy. [See Mummy]
Montanac- Montanac (Mon'-Ta-Nac). [Probably derived from montanic, rough, uneven] A heavy, napped woolen overcoat-cloth, distinguished by a portion of the nap being ...
Moquette- Moquette (Mo-Ket'). [French moquette, tuft of wool] A variety of carpeting, with a soft, velvety nap of wool, and a warp of hemp or linen. [See Carpet]
Mordant- Mordant. A substance used to fix colors; a substance which has an affinity for, or which can at least penetrate the fibre of the material to be colored, and ...
Moreen- Moreen. [Formerly moireen, from moire]. A fabric of mohair or wool filling and cotton warp; formerly made in imitation of moire silk, for purposes of ...
Morocco- Morocco. A term used by leather manufacturers, having two distinct significations. 1. Leather made from goatskins tanned with sumac, originally in Morocco, ...
Mosquito Netting- Mosquito Netting. A coarse cotton gauze with large open meshes. The most common kind has a single warp confined between two weft strands. Mosquito net is put ...
Mourning- Mourning. The custom of showing grief by outward signs is universal. The general form in civilized countries consists of wearing garments of colors which vary ...
Mousquetaire- Mousquetaire (Mus-Ke-Tare'). A style of ladies' kid glove, distinguished by its long loose top and a lengthwise slit at the wrist; so-called from its ...
Mousseline-De-Laine- Mousseline-De-Laine (Mos-E-Line'De-Lane'). [French for muslin of wool] An untwilled woolen dress cloth made in many solid colors and also printed with varied ...
Muff- Muff. A case or cover into which both hands may be thrust to keep them warm. It is commonly of a rounded form, and made of fur, but sometimes of velvet or silk ...
Muffler- Muffler. A term derived from the French word amusler, to cover. The muslau or muffle is a word of French derivation which has been in use for centuries to ...
Mull- Mull. [From Latin mollio, to soften] An extremely thin, soft and transparent kind of muslin, used for dresses, neckwear, trimming, etc. It is woven of fine, ...
Mullmull- Mullmull. Same as Mull.
Mull Muslin- Mull Muslin. A bleached muslin of the finest and softest quality.
Mummy Cloth- Mummy Cloth. Cloth in which the mummies or embalmed human bodies, taken out of the Pyramids of Egypt, were enveloped, the material of which was linen. This ...
Mungo- Mungo. See Shoddy.
Muslin- Muslin. A name derived from Mosul, a city in Asiatic Turkey, long celebrated for the fineness and delicacy of its cottons. Mosul, while it did not originate ...
Mutual Accounts- Mutual Accounts. Accounts in which each of two firm or parties have one or more charges against the other.
Myrtle-Green- Myrtle-Green. A rich pure green of full chroma but low luminosity. [See Colors]
Mysore Silk- Mysore Silk. Soft fine undressed silk of Hindoo manufacture. They are imported in all colors, printed and plain. The patterns are of a Hindoo character, ...
Nacre- Nacre (Nak-Ra'). A French word applied in the United States to decorated objects; as nacre porcelain, nacre ribbons. The word in the original French means a ...
Nail- Nail. A unit of English cloth-measure 2 1/4 inches, or one-sixteenth of a yard. Abbreviated N.
Nagapore Silk- Nagapore Silk. A kind of India silk, soft, slight and undressed, and usually in plain colors of the dyes peculiar to the far East.
Nainsook- Nainsook (Nan'-Suk). [From Hindoo nainsukh,a. term which was formerly used to designate India muslin, or sprigged muslin] A kind of fine, soft, bleached muslin, ...
Nankeen- Nankeen (Nan-Ken). A plain-woven cotton fabric, in former years (1820-1840) extensively imported from Nanking, China, to Europe, whence its name; the king, ...
Nap- Nap. [French naper, to nip off the knots on the surface of cloth] The wooly surface of felt, cloth aad plants. Specifically, the surface-covering of down or ...
Napery- Napery. [From Fr. nappe, a table-cloth] Linen cloths used for domestic purposes, especially for the table; table-cloths, napkins, tea-cloths,, etc. [See Table ...
Napkin- Napkin. [From Fr. nappa, which means literally little cloth. ] A small, square piece of linen cloth, now usually damask, used at table to protect the clothes.
Napping- Napping. See Teasling.
Natural Thread- Natural Thread. The fiber of the mescal plant, grown in New Mexico and Arizona. It looks very much like a cabbage plant. On a large stalk which grows up out of ...
Neck Cloth- Neck Cloth. A folded cloth worn around the neck, as a band or cravat; an article of dress which replaced the ruff and falling band, and formed a marked feature ...
Necktie- Necktie. Properly a narrow band, generally of silk or satin, worn around the neck, and tied in a knot in front; by extension any band, scarf or tie worn around ...
Needle- Needle. The date at which needles were invented and first used is lost in the darkness of prehistoric times. From Eve with her needle of thorn spikes to the ...
Needle-Loom- Needle-Loom. A form of loom used especially for ribbons and narrow fabrics, in which the weft is carried through the shed formed by the warp-threads by means ...
Needle-Threader- Needle-Threader. A device for passing a thread through the eye of a needle. One such device is a hollow cone with a perforated apex, which is adjusted to the ...
Net- Net. An open textile fabric, of cotton, linen, hemp, silk, or other material, tied or woven with a mesh of any size. Netting is an art so ancient that no date ...
Nether-Stocking- Nether-Stocking. The lower part of the hose or leg-covering, as distinguished from the trunk-hose or thigh-covering of the olden time; the stocking as ...
Netting-Machine- Netting-Machine. A bobbinet loom. A machine by means of which the action of the hands is imitated, and a fabric is produced secured by knots at the ...
Nettle-Cloth- Nettle-Cloth. A thick cotton cloth which, when japanned, is used instead of leather for waist-belts and vizors for caps. [See Japanning]
New Orleans Cotton- New Orleans Cotton. A grade grown on the banks of the Mississippi and Red rivers. It is clean, soft and glossy in appearance; rather short in staple but even ...
New Market- New Market. A style of ladies' winter cloaks, imported from England about 1880, at which time it superseded a style known as the dolman. New Market was ...
Night-Gown- Night-Gown. A night-dress for women, high in the neck, with long sleeves, covering the whole person. A night shirt is a similar garment for men.
Noil- Noil. The short lengths and knots of wool taken from the long staple in the process of combing. The noils thus accumulated are used either to make felt, or are ...
Nom-De-Drap- Nom-De-Drap (Nom'-De-Drah). [A French phrase for cloth in name] A term applied to silk dress fabric made of pure silk-worm-silk, with only enough admixture in ...
Normal- Normal. A descriptive term used with reference to knit underwear, having application to both color and quality. Normal means natural, or according to a rule or ...
Nottingham Lace- Nottingham Lace. See Lace Curtains.
Nubia- Nubia. [From Latin nubes, a cloud] A knitted or crocheted scarf of Soft, fleecy material, worn about the head and neck.
Nun's Cotton- Nun's Cotton. A general designation applied to all fine white embroidery-cotton, from its use in embroidery on linen by Catholic nuns in convents. It is marked ...
Nun's Veiling- Nun's Veiling. A variety of wide untwilled woolen dress fabric, very soft, fine and thin; formerly used by nuns for veils, when it was more transparent; but ...
Nursery Cloth- Nursery Cloth. Fine bleached muslin, diapered linen, nankeen or other fabrics used in the manufacture of baby-cloths for infants.
Nutria Fur- Nutria Fur. The fur of an animal of the genus rodent, somewhat resembling both the musk-rat and the beaver. It is smaller than the latter, but larger than the ...
Obi Cloth- Obi Cloth. A kind of Japanese silk, embroidered with gay colors, with fanciful designs, used for hangings and coverings.
Oil-Cloth- Oil-Cloth. The body of floor oil-cloth is composed of burlaps, which is made of jute. By far the larger quantity of burlaps consumed in this country is ...
Oil Red- Oil Red. See Turkey-Red.
Oiled Silk- Oiled Silk. Thin silk saturated with boiled oil, semi-transparent and waterproof. It is much used in tailoring and dressmaking to prevent perspiration from ...
Oil Skin- Oil Skin. Heavy cotton or linen cloth impregnated with a preparation of oil to make it waterproof. It is the material of which oil-skin coats or slickers are ...
Open Account- Open Account. A course of business dealing still continued between two parties. An account of which up to date there has been no statement made; an account not ...
Organdie- Organdie. A fine variety of white goods, woven plain, cross-barred, striped and printed with figures. The stripes are damasked, showing lustrous in contrast ...
Organzine- Organzine (Or-Gan-Zene'). A silk thread for the warp in weaving, made of several singles twisted together. In preparing organzine the silk after being wound ...
Osnaburg- Osnaburg. A term used in the United States to describe a coarse, plain-woven cotton fabric, manufactured principally in the South; in color both plain, ...
Ostrich Feathers- Ostrich Feathers. The fine feathers of the ostrich, long known and used as ornaments. The bird is a native of Africa, but is now partially domesticated also in ...
Ottoman- Ottoman. [From Ottoman empire, Turkish empire, a word applied to anything regarded as distinctly Turkish in character] A fine, soft undressed silk dress fabric, ...
Outing Flannel- Outing Flannel. A soft, loose-woven fiannellette, woven of cotton and finished with a slight nap. [See Flannellette]
Overalls- Overalls. Loose trousers made of duck or denim, made to wear over others to protect them from being soiled. The quality of overalls is denoted by the weight of ...
Overcoat- Overcoat. A coat worn by men over the other dress, a top coat; a great coat; opera coat; New Market; ulster. Overcoating is the material from which overcoats ...
Overshoe- Overshoe. A term signifying any sort of an outer water-proof shoe; specifically, an outside shoe lined with flannel, fur, or other warm material. [See Rubber ...
Oxford Shirting- Oxford Shirting. See Shirting.
Padding- Padding. In calico-printing, the process of applying to the fabric a mordant, which when dried, is next printed with a design, the result that, after the cloth ...
Paduasoy- Paduasoy (Pad'-U-A-Soi). A smooth, strong, rich silk originally manufactured at Padua, Italy; in vogue during the last century for ladies' dresses and ...
Pajamas- Pajamas (Pa-Ja'-Maz). Loose drawers or trousers, usually of silk or silk and cotton, tied round the waist with a cord, used by both sexes in India, and adopted ...
Palempore- Palempore (Pal'-Em-Pore). A flowered chintz bed-cover, of a kind formerly made at many places in India, but now extensively in Europe and the United States.
Paletot- Paletot (Pal'-E-To). [A term derived directly from French paletot, an overcoat, but further traceable to Latin palla, a long upper garment, and toque, a cap] A ...
Pallium- Pallium. A symbol of office worn by bishops and archbishops of the Catholic church. It consists of a white woolen band, about two inches wide, and long enough ...
Pantalets- Pantalets. Long frilled drawers reaching to the ankles worn by women and girls.
Pantella- Pantella. A stocking of recent introduction, designed to dispense with the use of garters and provide a complete covering for the legs, the tops being knit ...
Pantaloons- Pantaloons. A term derived from Pantalone, a ridiculous character in Italian comedy, and a buffoon in pantomine, who first wore breeches and stockings that ...
Paper- Paper. A material consisting of a compacted web or felting of vegetable fibers, commonly in the form of a thin flexible sheet. The fibers most used for writing- ...
Paper Collars- Paper Collars. A collar for men, made of paper, cut to fit the neck, and covered with thin muslin, by pasting. Since the introduction of celluloid the paper ...
Paper Linge- Paper Linge. [French paper linen] An imitation of linen damask, made of linen paper. The French manufacture this novelty so cleverly that it is almost ...
Papier-Mache- Papier-Mache (Pa'-Pa-Ma-Sha'). A substance composed principally of paper (to which other substances may be added to impart special qualities), usually prepared ...
Paramatta Cloth- Paramatta Cloth. A twilled dress fabric made in imitation of bombazine, the weft of which is worsted and the warp cotton. It is usually employed for purposes ...
Parasol- Parasol. [From parry, guard, and Sol, the sun] A light umbrella, or sun-shade, carried by women. According to historical records the parasol with a movable ...
Partnership- Partnership. The relation existing between persons who combine their services, property and credit for the purpose of conducting business for their joint ...
Passe- Passe (Pas-Sa'). Past; out of use or style; faded.
Passementerie- Passementerie (Pas-Men '-Tri). A term applied to heavy embroidery or lace edgings and trimmings, especially those made of gimp and braid, or covered with beads ...
Passement- Passement (Pas'-Ment). A decorative edging or trimming, especially a gimp or braid, wrought in complex and fanciful patterns. This sort of embroidery was first ...
Pearl Buttons- Pearl Buttons. See Buttons, Appendix A.
Pearl- Pearl. In lace and ribbon-making one of the loops which from the outer edge. [See Purl, Picot]
Pea-Jacket- Pea-Jacket. A heavy short coat, generally of pilot-cloth, worn in cold or stormy weather.
Peau De Soie- Peau De Soie (Po'-De-Soa). [From French peau, leather, and soie, silk - signifying a silk with a fine, even grain or leather-like surface] A silk dress fabric, ...
Pebble- Pebble. To finish leather so as to cause the grain to become prominent, and to present a roughened or ribbed appearance. The imparting of a pattern in more ...
Pekin- Pekin. A trimming fabric, made in alternate stipes of satin and velvet, which vary in width from one-half to two inches. Pekin silk goods are dyed black and a ...
Pelisse- Pelisse (Pe-Lece'). [From French pelisse, a skin of fur] A garment, according to its name, that should be fashioned out of prepared skins, on which the hair ...
Penang- Penang. A cotton fabric similar to percale, except that it is heavier. It owes its name to the Island of Penang, whence it was formerly exported in large ...
Percale- Percale. [A French term signifying cambric muslin, ox cotton cambric, as distinguished from linen cambric] A kind of cambric very closely and firmly woven, ...
Petticoat- Petticoat. A skirt; formerly the skirt of a woman's dress or robe, frequently worn over a hoop or crinoline; now, an underskirt worn by women and children.
Picking- Picking. The final operation in finishing woven fabrics, by going over the surface and removing burrs and blemishes by hand, or retouching the color with dye ...
Picot- Picot (Pe'-Ko). [French picot, from pic, a purl or point] A small loop forming part of an ornamental edging, but larger than the purl and thicker, consisting ...
Piece-Dyed- Piece-Dyed. Dyed in the piece; said of cloth dyed after weaving as distinguished from that made of yarn dyed before weaving.
Piece-Goods- Piece-Goods. All kinds of cotton, linen, silk or wool fabrics which are woven in lengths suitable for retail sale by the usual linear measure; ascah-coes, ...
Pigment Color- Pigment Color. In dyeing, a color prepared in the form of a powder, and insoluble in the liquid by which it is applied to the fabric. Pigments are ...
Pile- Pile. [From Latin pi/us, hair] Nap of a regular and closely set kind, consisting of threads standing close together, and shaved smooth, so as to form a uniform ...
Pile Weaving- Pile Weaving. A process of weaving in which a third thread is introduced, and formed into loops by weaving it over wires laid across the entire breadth of the ...
Pillow- Pillow. A soft cushion filled with down, feathers, curled hair, or other yielding material, used to support the head during repose. Feathers are almost ...
Pillow-Lace- Pillow-Lace. See Lace.
Pilot-Cloth- Pilot-Cloth. A woolen cloth, slightly heavier than ordinary Kersey, and with a shorter and closer nap, but otherwise having the same organi-zation as Kersey ...
Pin- Pin. A small piece of wire, generally brass and tinned, pointed at one end and with a rounded head at the other, used as a fastener. There is no article used ...
Pina-Cloth- Pina-Cloth (Pe'-Nya). A thin and translucent fabric made of the fiber of the pineapple-plant. This cloth is chiefly made at Manila, and in its manufacture ...
Pinafore- Pinafore. A child's apron.
Pineapple Cloth- Pineapple Cloth. A sort of fine fabric made of the filaments of the leaves of the pineapple plant. The leaves are gathered by the natives just before the ...
Pique- Pique (Pe-Ka'). (Frenchpique, quilting). A washable cotton material, so woven as to have a small pattern in relief, usually a cord or rib, in imitation of ...
Plaid- Plaid. A pattern in textile fabrics consisting of bars or stripes of color crossing each other at right angles. The term plaid is also applied to a loose ...
Plastron- Plastron (Plas'-Tron). A garment or part of a garment covering the breast.
Plush- Plush. A term derived from French peluch, which in turn is derived from Latin pilus, hair, from the fact that when plush was first manufactured it was made ...
Ply- Ply. A fold; a thickness. A term often used to designate the number of strands of which yarn is made. P. M. An abbreviation of premium money. The letters are ...
Polo-Cap- Polo-Cap. A variety finished without peak or roll, usually made of silk, low, flat-crowned and soft. Men's traveling caps are made polo style.
Polonaise- Polonaise (Po-!O-Naz'). A light, open gown looped up at the sides, showing the front of an elaborate petticoat, and longer behind, worn toward the close of the ...
Pompadour- Pompadour. A design used in the manufacture of silk fabrics, consisting of small delicate leaves and flowers, with pink and blue colors intermingling and ...
Ponceau- Ponceau (Pon-So'). [From Latin puniceus, red] Poppy-corn color -a flame color. In dyeing, the name for various coal-tar colors of different shades of red.
Poncho- Poncho (Pon'-Cho). A kind of covering worn by the Spanish Americans, having the form of a blanket, with a slit in the middle for the head to pass through. Also ...
Pongee Silk- Pongee Silk. Properly, a thin, soft, washable, silk fabric, woven from the natural, uncolored raw silk, without further manipulation after it leaves the cocoon ...
Poplin- Poplin. In the 15th century a fabric was woven at Avignon, France, (which at that time was a papal diocese) and calledpapaline, in compliment to the reigning ...
Portiere- Portiere (Por-Tier'). [French for door-curtain] A heavy curtain or drapery hung at a doorway, or entrance to a room, to intercept the view or currents of air, ...
Prayer Rug- Prayer Rug. A rug or small carpet intended to be spread on the floor of a mosque or on the ground by a Moslem when engaged in his devotions. He stands on it ...
Princess- Princess. A term in dressmaking which denotes the form and style of a long gown for women, made in one continuous piece without drapery, and fitting closely.
Print- Print. A contraction of printed calicoes. [See Calico]
Prunella- Prunella. A kind of lasting of which clergymen's gowns were once made, but now only used for the uppers of women's cloth shoes. The name is supposed to have ...
Purple- Purple. The high estimation in which the color called purple has been held, dates back to a very remote period. The word is exceedingly common in the ...
Quaker Color- Quaker Color. The color of the drab or gray fabrics much worn by a religious sect known as the Quakers; an olive-gray to dove color. Among the Quakers the ...
Quality Binding- Quality Binding. A kind of wide worsted tape, used for binding the borders of carpets and similar work.
Quarter Blanket- Quarter Blanket. A horse-blanket intended to cover only the back and a part of the hips. It is usually put on under the harness, Queenstitch. A simple pattern ...
Quilling- Quilling. A narrow bordering of net, lace or ribbon, pleated, crimped or fluted so as to resemble a row of goosequills laid in successive ridges; ruffling.
Quilt- Quilt. A coverlet or counterpane. The Honeycomb quilt, as its name implies, is a cloth with the figures on its surface formed by raised ridges, both warp and ...
Quilting- Quilting. A cover or lining made by stitching together two thicknesses of a fabric (usually silk or satin), with cotton wadding between them. Usually one yard ...
Radsimir- Radsimir (Rad'-Si-Mer). [From French ras de St. Maur, cloth of St. Maur] A rich description of dress silk, in the weaving of which a marseilles or cut cashmere ...
Rag-Wool- Rag-Wool. See Shoddy, Adulteration of Fabrics.
Raiment- Raiment. A contraction of arrayment. That in which a person is clad, or arrayed; clothing; vesture; dress; garb; costume; habiliments; attire; array; garments.
Ramie- Ramie. A fiber-producing plant native to China, Japan and the Malay islands, but can be, and is, grown in any moderate climate, especially in the Southern ...
Ratteen- Ratteen. [From Ger. ratee, honey comb] A cheap coarse woolen cloth resembling frieze in outward appearance; it is chiefly employed for coat and overcoat ...
Refoozo- Refoozo (Re-Bo '-Tho). A narrow shawl or long scarf, worn by Mexican and Spanish American women, covering the head and shoulders, and sometimes part of the ...
Recherche- Recherche, (re-sher'-sa). Exceedingly fine; out of the common; rare; dainty; hifalutin.
Redingote- Redingote. A double breasted outside coat with long plain skirts, not cut away at the point; also similar garment for women, worn either as a wrap or as a part ...
Reed- Reed. That part of a loom used to separate the threads of the warp and for beating the weft threads up in the web. It if made of parellel slips of metal or ...
Reefer- Reefer. A heavy garment for men; originally a close-fitting jacket or short coat made of strong coarse cloth for use by sailors and fishermen, but copied for ...
Reel- Reel. The process of winding silk round an appropriate frame, in order to make a skein of it. Wool, cotton and spun-silk are each first carded and spun and ...
Regular- Regular. A term as applied to dry goods having two distinct meanings: Regular goods are those varieties upon which the retailer is allowed a certain discount ...
Remnant- Remnant. A contraction of remanent, from Latin remanes, that which remains or is left behind.
Rep- Rep. [Corrupted from rib] A style of weaving in which the surface presents a transverse-ribbed appearance, by close, round twills or cords extending in a ...
Repellent- Repellent. A general term for solid-colored, plain-woven, six-quarter-wide cloths used for making ladies' and children's wraps and winter dresses, ordinarily ...
Reseau- Reseau [Ra-Zow'). A term designating the ground of lace when composed of regular uniform meshes, whether of one shape only, or of two or more shapes ...
Retail- Retail. A word derived from French retailler, to cut again - from re, again and tailler, to cut; whence also comes our word tailor.
Reticule- Reticule. [From French reticule; Latin, reticulus, a little net] A bag, originally of net-work, but later of any formation of material, carried in the hand or ...
Ribbon- Ribbon. A strip of fine fabric, as silk, satin, or velvet, having two selvages. Ribbons in this sense were introduced into Europe in the 16th century Prior to ...
Rigby Cloth- Rigby Cloth. A variety of waterproof cloth. The term Rigby applies more to the process than to the cloth, as any woolen cloth may be subjected to the Rigby ...
Robe De Chambre- Robe De Chambre. A morning gown, or dressing gown.
Rope- Rope. See Cordage.
Rubbers- Rubbers. A general term used to designate both lined and unlined rubber footwear. Many people suppose that rubbers are made by melting the material and running ...
Rucking- Rucking. A kind of ruffled or goffered quilling, used chiefly for ladies' neckwear; made of bobbinet, tulle, lace and chiffon.
Ruff- Ruff. [From Dutch ruyffcl, to wrinkle or rumple] A projecting band or frill, pleated or bristling, especially one worn around the neck. In the 16th century, ...
Rug- Rug. A small pile-woven mat or carpet, in size ranging from one foot square to the dimensions of an ordinary setting room. The cheaper grades of rugs are made ...
Russet- Russet. A coarse woolen cloth, home spun and home woven, used for men's garments; a term generally derived from the redish-brown color of much cloth of this ...
Russet Leather- Russet Leather. Leather finished, but not polished or colored; except as colored by the tanning liquor.
Russian Embroidery- Russian Embroidery. Embroidering in simple and formal patterns, zig-zags, frets, etc., especially that which is applied to washable materials, as towels, etc.
Sack- Sack. [A word found with little variation in all languages, generally regarded as being derived from ancient Hebrew sag, a bag for holding corn] A coarse-woven ...
Sack-Cloth- Sack-Cloth. A penitential fabric. The ancients, more particularly the Hebrews and Assyrians during the period of great affliction, laid aside the garments best ...
Safety Pin- Safety Pin. A pin bent back on itself, the bend forming a spring, and having the point fitting into a kind of sheath, so that it will not prick the wearer ...
Salary- Salary. Literally and originally, money for salt, derived from Latin salarium, money given the Roman soldiers for salt. At present the term signifies a ...
Samite- Samite. A costly silk, frequently mentioned by old writers under the various titles of samittum, samitium, seyamitum, samilus, xamitum, or exametum. The name ...
Sash- Sash. [From Turk shash] An article borrowed by the English crusaders from the turbans of Orientals, only being disposed about the waist instead of the head.
Sateen- Sateen. A twilled cotton fabric, used for ladies' dresses when printed with appropriate patterns, and for linings and underwear when dyed in solid colors.
Satine- Satine. Printed calico, finished with a high gloss or luster. [See Calender, Calico]
Satin- Satin. A silken fabric of high luster, used chiefly as a dress material, but also for innumerable minor purposes. When satin first appeared in trade it was ...
Satin Cloth- Satin Cloth. A French woolen material of satin weave, having a smooth face. It is employed for women's dresses; is dyed in a variety of colors, and is of a ...
Satin Damask- Satin Damask. A silk textile with an elaborate floral design. In some cases the pattern is raised in velvet upon the satin ground.
Satin De Bruges- Satin De Bruges (Satin De Bruzh). A fabric of silk and wool, having a smooth and satin-like surface.
Satin Cuttanee- Satin Cuttanee (Satin Cut-Tan-Ee). A fine but thick cotton-backed material woven in stripes, and employed generally for upholstery purposes, though sometimes ...
Satin De Lyon- Satin De Lyon. A fine quality of lustrous satin, produced at Lyons, France, woven with a silk back. There is also another popular variety of silk under this ...
Satin Duchess- Satin Duchess. A name applied to a heavy grade of silk dress fabric. It is woven with a grain so fine that it does not produce a grain effect, but partakes ...
Satin Or Broken Twill- Satin Or Broken Twill. In weaving this class of fabrics the peculiarity is that the order of interweaving the two sets does not follow consecutively, but at ...
Satinet- Satinet. A material used almost exclusively in the manufacture of men's ready-made clothing. It is woven with a cotton warp and a weft of short, inferior or ...
Satinette- Satinette. A fabric closely allied to satin, being a cheaper description of the same, but equally durable, made in black and colors, and used as a dress ...
Satin Jean- Satin Jean. A thick, strong fabric, woven on the satin principle; used for corsets, linings and women's shoes.
Satin Regence- Satin Regence. A rich and expensive description of dress silk, woven with a satin surface broken by fine, sunken lines extending across the web from selvage to ...
Satin Rhadame- Satin Rhadame (Satin Rad'-A-My). A dress fabric, the satin surface of which is broken by fine twilled lines, extending diagonally across the web. It is a ...
Satin Royal- Satin Royal. A very fine and expensive variety of dress silk, with a glossy satin finish on both sides, each face being crossed by fine twills or sunken lines, ...
Satin Sheeting- Satin Sheeting. A material made of waste silk, of satin weave on the face and twilled cotton on the back, the chief substance of the material being cotton. It ...
Satin Surah- Satin Surah (Satin Su'-Rah). A medium-heavy satin-faced dress material, the surface of which is diagonally crossed by a round cord or twill. [See Surah]
Say Cloth- Say Cloth. A cloth now obsolete, but which at one time (two or three centuries ago) was a well known woolen serge, and one of the earliest productions of ...
Sayette- Sayette (Sa-Et'). [From It. saiette serge] A light fabric made of fine wool and silk; it is a species of serge, adapted for linings, furniture-coverings, and ...
Scarfing- Scarfing. A cotton fabric, 18 inches in width, used for embroidering scarfs or covers for bedroom-dressers. When woven in fancy open patterns it is sometimes ...
Schedule- Schedule. A paper in the form of a list, often as an explanatory addition to another document, containing an itemized statement of the goods located in a ...
Scissors- Scissors. A small pair of shears or blades, movable on a pivot. The word signified in the original Latin, not the cutting instrument, but the person who used ...
Scotch Cambric- Scotch Cambric. A fine cotton cambric, sometimes white and sometimes printed, used especially for women's summer dresses.
Scotch Cap- Scotch Cap. A knitted and fulled skull cap for men. [See Bonnet]
Scotch Carpet- Scotch Carpet. See Carpet.
Scrim- Scrim. [From Fr. escrim, a shield, or protection] A soft and loose-woven cotton fabric, often of fancy, lacey weave, used principally for window curtains and ...
Sealskin- Sealskin. For the supply of sealskin fur the markets of the United States and Europe are at the present day nearly entirely dependent upon the Behring Sea ...
Sealskin Cloth- Sealskin Cloth. A variety of cloaking made of the finest kind of mohair, the shade given by dyeing being exactly like that given to seal fur. It is ...
Selvage- Selvage. [From self edge, or that which makes an edge of itself without hemming] The edge of a web or fabric so woven that it does not allow of raveling; also, ...
Seersucker- Seersucker. A washable cotton fabric, woven in stripes, usually of blue and white or brown and white. [See Gingham]
Serge- Serge. A twilled worsted fabric, which, according to some writers, being at one time made from silk; and so, through the L. sericum, silk, derived its name.
Seric- Seric (Ser-Ik'). [From Latin seric, whence comes our word silk. ] The Seres were an Asiatic people from whom the ancient Greeks and Romans got their first silk.
Serpentine Braid- Serpentine Braid. A black worsted trimming braid, so called from its resemblence to the winding or sinuous motion of a serpent. [See Braid]
Serviette- Serviette (Ser-VI-Et'). A napkin.
Sewing Silk- Sewing Silk. The present manufacture of sewing silk is a direct development of the colonial fireside industry, and formed the first factory silk product of the ...
Shadow Silk- Shadow Silk. It is the habit of manufacturers of giving names, and sometimes queer ones, to every novelty that is introduced, and frequently the name is a ...
Shaker Flannel- Shaker Flannel. Shaker is the name of a religious sect which emigrated to the United States in 1774 and colonized in different portions of various Eastern ...
Shalloon- Shalloon, A variety of worsted serge, twilled on both sides exactly alike.
Shantung Pongee Silk- Shantung Pongee Silk. A soft, undyed and undressed Chinese washing silk, made in imitation of the India or Hindoo goods of the same character, but higher ...
Shaps- Shaps. [Corrupted from Spanish chaparejos] Leather overalls or leggins, worn by cow-boys in western United States and Mexico.
Shawl- Shawl. [From Persian and Hindostanee shal] An article of apparel made after the shape of a large kerchief, the manufacture of which is believed to have ...
Shawl Material- Shawl Material. A brocaded fabric of silk and wool, used for dresses and portions of dresses by women. The material is soft and flexible and is usually woven ...
Sheep-Gut- Sheep-Gut. An article known in trade under the erroneous title of cat-gut. It is made of the twisted intestines of sheep. Whip cord, hatters' cord, bow string, ...
Sheer- Sheer. A term applied to cotton or linen fabrics which are fine and thin; soft and pliable.
Sheeting- Sheeting. Bleached or unbleached muslin, woven plain or twilled, ranging in width from 72 to 108 inches; in weight from 2 1/2 to 4 square yards to the pound ...
Shetland Lace- Shetland Lace. An ornamental woolen trimming, made like open-work lace, except that it is made of finer woolen yarn, and is, therefore, coarser and larger in ...
Shetland Shawls- Shetland Shawls. A variety of fine light-weight shawls originally made on the Shetland Islands, off the coast of Scotland. The wool of which the genuine ...
Shift- Shift. An undergarment; a shirt; especially a woman's under garment; a chemise.
Shirt- Shirt. The English speaking peoples are indebted to the Arabs for the article of apparel known as the shirt, the Arabic name for which was camis, whence comes ...
Shirting- Shirting. Any fabric designed for making shirts, such as cheviot, osnaburg and percale; specifically, brown or bleached muslin, as distinguished from sheeting.
Shirt-Waist- Shirt-Waist. A garment for both women's and children's wear, resembling a shirt in fashion, but extending no lower than the waist, where it is belted. They are ...
Shoddy- Shoddy. Formerly a term applied to the waste thrown off in wool-spinning, but now applied to the shredded wool of old cloth, reduced to a fibrous condition to ...
Shoes- Shoes. See Boots and Shoes.
Shoe Pegs- Shoe Pegs. A short wooden nail used for fastening the uppers to the soles of boots and shoes. Shoe peg making is an important branch of business in Maine and ...
Shoe Protector- Shoe Protector. A narrow band of water-proofed velvet designed to be sewn on the inside of the dress skirt at the bottom, to prevent the chafing of the shoe.
Shoe Thread- Shoe Thread. A strong unbleached flax thread yarn, made for the special use of shoemakers. The thread receives no twisting by machinery, the cobbler doing this ...
Shot- Shot. A term applied to silk fabrics having a changeable color like that produced in weaving, by all the warp threads being of one color and all the weft of ...
Shroud- Shroud. A winding-sheet; a covering of the nature of a garment in in which a dead body is wrapped, as a long white robe or gown, prepared expressly for the ...
Shuttle- Shuttle. An instrument for carrying the thread of weft between the threads of warp in weaving. [See Loom]
Sieillian- Sieillian. A mohair dress fabric. [See Mohair]
Side Comb- Side Comb. A comb used in a woman's head-dress to retain a curl or lock of hair on the side of the head, usually in front of the ear; about 1850 such combs, ...
Silesia- Silesia. Formerly a thin linen fabric, or sleasy kind of holland, so called because made in Silesia, a province of Germany. At present the term describes a ...
Silk- Silk. The Word Silk in Different Languages. Language Word Icelandic, Silke. Anglo Saxon 8iolc. Danish, Silcke. English, Silk. Welsh, Sirig. Latin, Middle Ages, ...
Scouring- Scouring. - Up to this time the silk fiber continues to be lustreless, stiff, and harsh, from the coating of gum on its surface. The removal of this gum is ...
Spun Silk- Spun Silk. - Fabrics made of silk are of two kinds, according as they are made of reeled or spun silk. In working the latter there is no attempt made to use ...
Silk Manufacture In The United States- Silk Manufacture In The United States. - Of all the manufacturing industries of which the United States is so justly proud, not one stands more conspicuous for ...
Silk Manufacture In France- Silk Manufacture In France. - The total production of manufactured silk in the world per annum is estimated at a value of $325,000,000, and of this at least $ ...
Singeing- Singeing, All fabrics when taken from the loom are covered with surface-hairs or fibrous down, which have been raised up during the process of weaving. Those ...
Sizing- Sizing. Cotton is never woven in its natural state. It always receives a dressing or coating of some kind of liquid size which is allowed to dry before the ...
Skein- Skein. A fixed length of any thread or yarn of silk, cotton, linen or wool, doubled again and again and knotted to prevent tangling.
Skirt- Skirt. A woman's petticoat; that part of a woman's dress that hangs from the waist. A divided skirt is that style of dress recommended on hygenic grounds by ...
Smock- Smock. An under garment worn by women, corresponding to the shirt worn by men; a chemise; a shift.
Smock-Frock- Smock-Frock. A garment of coarse linen, resembling a short shirt in shape, worn by field-laborers over their other clothes; similar to the French blouse. The ...
Sock- Sock. [From L. soccus, a kind of low-heeled shoe or buskin] The socks of the early Anglo-Saxons were worn over the stocking, and within the shoe differing in ...
Spatterdask- Spatterdask. A cloth covering for the ankle and leg, spreading out at the bottom over the shoe; also called spats and over gaiters. Spatterdashes are worn by ...
Spinning- Spinning. The operation of drawing out raw fiber (after having been carded or combed) and twisting it into threads, either by the hand or machinery. Until ...
Spongre Silk- Spongre Silk. A knitted fabric made from the waste or sweepings of silk. It is made out of the husks, the butts, and the odds and ends of everything left ...
Spool Cotton- Spool Cotton. See Thread.
Sprig- Sprig. An ornament or pattern in the form of a sprig, or spray, or leaf, used to decorate plain-woven fabrics; as sprigged muslin.
Stockinette- Stockinette. A knitted woolen fabric, usually ornamented with a fine ribbed pattern, similar in character to that seen in common knit goods. Stockinette is ...
Stockings- Stockings. A close-fitting covering for the foot and lower leg. Stockings were formerly made of cloth or felt, and sewed together with seams. Queen Elizabeth ...
Stocking Tarn- Stocking Tarn. Coarse, loosely spun yarn, used exclusively for knitting socks and stockings by country people, or by others whose occupation requires them to ...
Stuff- Stuff. A term applied in England, and to some extent in the United States, to any woven textile, whether cotton, hair, silk, linen or wool; but more especially ...
Sueda- Sueda (Su-Da' ). A term applied to gloves made of leather tanned on the wrong or flesh side; or if finished on the right side having the thin, glossy outer ...
Sumac- Sumac. A product of the dried and ground leaves of the sumac bush. The liquid is extensiyely used for tanning light colored leather, and to some extent for ...
Sunshade- Sunshade. A parasol, in particular a variety fashionable about 1850 and later, the handle of which was hinged so that the opened top could be held in a ...
Surah Silk- Surah Silk (Soo-Rah). A variety of soft, fine-twilled dress goods, woven with a flat twill similar to serge in woolen goods. It bears a Hindoo name and is ...
Surplice- Surplice. A variety of heavy, plain-woven, bleached linen, used in various portions of the dress of nuns and priests. [See Pelisse]
Surtout- Surtout. [From Fr. sur. over and tout, all - over-all] A man's over coat. In recent usage a coat cut like a frock coat with full skirts; a New Market.
Suspenders- Suspenders. Several hundred years ago, the methods of keeping the trousers in place were exceedingly vexatious. Strings were attached to the coat and similar ...
Sweater- Sweater. A very thick cardigan jacket, made of extremely coarse yarn, and felted so much as to make it very warm, thick and comfortable for the coldest climate.
Swiss- Swiss. A variety of fine muslin, manufactured at Zurich and St. Gall, Switzerland for a long period before being made elsewhere in Europe, or in the United ...
Swiss Embroidery- Swiss Embroidery. A variety of needlework in white on white, in washable materials, originated in Switzerland during the early part of this century. An ...
Swivel- Swivel. A minute shuttle, used in weaving small figures in silks and ribbons, and moved to and fro across the warps by slides, or by hand. These little swivels ...
Tabaret- Tabaret (Tab'-A-Ret). A medium heavy silk fabric used for upholstery, distinguished by alternate stripes of watered and satin surface, generally in different ...
Tabbinet- Tabbinet (Tab'-I-Net). A fabric woven of silk and wool, like a poplin, with a watered or tabbied surface; chiefly used for upholstery.
Tabby- Tabby, [From At-Tabi-Ya] a quarter in Bagdad, where it was first manufactured] A style of weaving which causes a watered or wavy appearance. The term is ...
Table Linen- Table Linen. Table cloths, table napkins, tray napkins, damask slips, damask doylies, tea cloths, etc., are all included in the general term of table linen.
Taffeta- Taffeta (Taf'-E-Ta). [From Persian taftah, to spin] A term of somewhat general application in the silk trade. It was formerly applied to all plain silks simply ...
Tailor- Tailor (Formerly Also Taylor, tailer, tayler). [From French tailler. cutter, hence our word retail, to cut] One who makes the outer garments of men, especially ...
Talma- Talma (Tal'-Ma). A kind of cloak for women in fashion during the first half of this century. A loose wrap with a hood, falling to the waist or a little below; ...
Tambour Work- Tambour Work. A species of embroidery worked upon muslin stretched tightly by means of hoops or a frame similar to that encircling a tambourine, whence the ...
Tamin- Tamin (Tam'-In). A thin woolen or worsted dress goods, plain woven, with a high gloss.
Tamise- Tamise (Tam'-Is). A trade name given to various thin woolen fabrics; specifically a fine, plain-woven woolen dress fabric, the warp and weft of which are of ...
Tammy- Tammy. Same as Tamin.
Tam 0' Shanter- Tam 0' Shanter. A style of cap borrowed from the Scotch, and named after the hero of a famous poem by Robert Burns. The cap is without a peak, the crown large ...
Tapestry- Tapestry. A fabric resembling textile fabrics in that it consists of a warp upon which colored threads of wool, cotton or silk are fixed to produce a pattern, ...
Tariff- Tariff. A term derived from Tarifa, Spain. This town received its name from Tarifa Malek, a Saracen chief, who landed at that point on the coast in 710, and ...
Tarlatan- Tarlatan (Tarl'-Tan). [From Italian tarlantanna, linsey woolsey] A thin, gauze-like fabric made of cotton, so open in texture as to be transparent, and often ...
Tartan- Tartan. A woolen or worsted cloth woven of different colors crossing each other at right angels, so as to form a definite pattern. This variegated cloth was ...
Tassel- Tassel (Tas'-L). A pendent ornament, consisting generally of a roundish mold, covered with twisted threads of silk, wool, etc., which hang down in a thick ...
Teasling- Teasling. The operation of raising a nap on the surface of woven cloth; also called napping and gigging. Teasling is an operation applied with but few ...
T-Cloth- T-Cloth. A plain-woven cotton fabric manufactured in this country and England for the Chinese and East India markets. T-cloths are always 24 yards in length, ...
Teasle Cloth- Teasle Cloth. See Outing Flannel, Flannellette, Domet.
Terry-Cloth- Terry-Cloth. [Supposed to have been derived from Fr. terre, high, from the elevation of the loops above the foundation of warp and weft] A cotton fabric with a ...
Textile- Textile. [From Latin textilis, texo, textum, to weave, anything woven, or suitable for weaving] Woven or capable of being woven, formed by or pertaining to ...
Texture- Texture. The peculiar disposition of the threads, strands, or the like which make up a textile fabric.
Thibet Cloth- Thibet Cloth. A tailor's fabric, occupying a place midway between a melton and a cheviot. It is more elastic and softer than a melton and not so nappy as a ...
Thimble- Thimble. A covering for the protection of the finger in the operation of sewing, of various forms, has been in use since the time when needlework first began ...
Thread- Thread. A twisted filament of a fibrous substance, as cotton, flax silk or wool, spun out to considerable length. In a specific sense thread is a minute cord ...
The Spool Thread Of To-Day- The Spool Thread Of To-Day, however, is not of the grade made before sewing machines became a modern factor. The early manufactured thread was but three-cord, ...
Throstle- Throstle. A spinning frame, a modification of Arkwright's water frame, said to derive its name from a low musical hum, due to the high speed which it attains, ...
Tick- Tick. [From Fr. ticquette, ticket, a bill stuck up; a marked card; a token of any right or debt] Tick, the current slang for credit, is an abbreviation of ...
Ticking- Ticking. [Formerly spelled ticken.\ A strong cotton cloth, used chiefly tor making beds, covering mattresses, pillows and the like, of various widths, weights, ...
Tile- Tile. A tall stiff hat; a silk hat; so called from its fancied resemblance to a section of polished tiling.
Tinsel- Tinsel. An ornamental fabric or cord overlaid with glittering metallic sparkles or threads. The name was formerly given to cloth of silk, interwoven with gold ...
Tippet- Tippet. A covering for the shoulders, so named from its forming the tip or cape of a garment, or from being worn on the tip or top. The term has not only been ...
Tissue- Tissue. [From Fr. tissure, to weave] A woven fabric. In former times a very fine fabric, richly colored or ornamented, and often shot with gold threads; now, ...
Toga- Toga (To'-Ga). The principal outer garment worn by the ancient Romans. It was a loose and flowing mantle or wrap of irregular form, without sleeves, usually ...
Toile- Toile (Two-La' Or Twol). A plain-woven, bleached fabric generally of linen, though occasionally woven of fine-spun cotton.
Toilet- Toilet. [From Fr. toile cloth] The dress and make-up of a person; also the operation of dressing.
Toilinette- Toilinette (Toil-I-Net'). See Valentia.
Toque- Toque (Toke). [From Welch toe, hat] A style of head covering worn in the 16th century by both men and women. At present a small form of ladies' bonnet in the ...
Tortoise-Shell- Tortoise-Shell (Tortis-Shell). The scales on the outer shell of certain sea-turtles. These horny scales or plates are naturally of a beautiful mottled or ...
Tow- Tow. The coarse and broken part of flax or hemp separated from the finer part by heckling or swingling. [See Flax]
Towel- Towel. A linen or cotton cloth used for drying the face and hands, and for other purposes. Towels, both in their use and title, have remained unchanged for a ...
Town-Made- Town-Made. A term referring to that class of fabric gloves or hosiery made by cutting out the various portions from a pattern and sewing them together with ...
Trade-Mark- Trade-Mark. A distinguishing mark or device adopted by a manufacturer or jobber and impressed on his goods and labels to indicate their origin. In the United ...
Tricot- Tricot (Tre'-Ko). A French term signifying stocking net; tricotage means knitting, and tricoteur, knitter, hence the particular weave known as tricot, often ...
Trousers- Trousers. [From Fr. trousses, corresponding with the old English word breeches] In the United States the original word trousers is almost laid aside, the term ...
Trunks- Trunks. See Bathing Trunks.
Trust- Trust. Specifically, a trust in modern commercial usage, is an organization for the control of several corporations under one set of directors, by the device ...
Tulle- Tulle (Tull). [Properly point de tulle, a fine net, so called from the town of that name, capital of the department of Correz, France] Silk bob-binet; a plain, ...
Tunic- Tunic. A garment of high antiquity, now only worn by women and boys, but amongst the Romans and Greeks common to both sexes. Generally speaking, the tunic of ...
Turkey Red- Turkey Red. Cochineal, which is so suitable a coloring matter for wool and silk, does not dye a fast color upon cotton or linen, but from very remote times the ...
Turkish Towel- Turkish Towel. A cotton hand towel, distinguished by the surface being covered with a looped pile, produced by the same process of weaving as terry cloth. From ...
Turk's Satin- Turk's Satin. A soft brocaded silk material, with a twilled back. It is used for men's vests and women's evening shoes, and for lining fur garments.
Tussah Silk- Tussah Silk. Silk made from the cocoons of wild silk worms in India. It is inferior to the product of the domesticated worm.
Tweed- Tweed. A woolen cloth manufactured solely for men's clothing. It is a twilled fabric, two or more colors being generally combined in one yarn, and of soft, ...
Twill- Twill. [From German twillen, to separate into two parts] An appearance of diagonal lines or ribs produced in textile fabrics by causing the weft threads to ...
Twines And Strings- Twines And Strings. See Cordage.
Twine Cloth- Twine Cloth. A fine bleached cotton cloth, used as a substitute for linen.
Ulster- Ulster. A style of long, loose overcoat, worn by both men and women, originally made of frieze cloth at Ulster, Ireland. The peculiarity of this coat is that ...
Umbrella- Umbrella. [From It. ombrello a little shade. ] The umbrella lays claim to a pedigree of the highest antiquity, having had its origin in very remote times in ...
Underwear- Underwear. Underclothing; under linen; a general term which includes every article worn beneath the external or outer garments, by day or by night, both of men ...
Union Cassimere- Union Cassimere. A mixed material confined exclusively to the manufacture of clothing. It is made with cotton warp and wool weft, the pattern of the cloth ...
Union Underwear- Union Underwear. A style of underwear in which the drawers and vest are combined together as one garment.
Upholstery- Upholstery. A term by which every description of textile fabrics employed in the making and covering of furniture is designated. Varieties of silk, velvet, ...
Utrecht Velvet- Utrecht Velvet. Mohair furniture plush. Formerly this fabric was manufactured exclusively at Utrecht, Holland, hence the name; but more recently the trade has ...
Valentia- Valentia. A mixed material having a cotton warp, or a cotton-and-silk warp for the silk portion, and a worsted weft of fine British lustre wool. Valentias are ...
Vegetable Flannel- Vegetable Flannel. A material made from pine leaves. When spun and woven the thread resembles hemp, and is made into articles of underclothing; the latter keep ...
Vegetable Leather- Vegetable Leather. A name given to a cloth woven of flax and hemp coated with a composition which gives it the appearance of leather.
Vegetable Ivory- Vegetable Ivory. See Buttons.
Vegetable Fibers- Vegetable Fibers. See Fiber.
Vegetable Silk- Vegetable Silk. A variety of brown colored down gathered from a kind of fern, imported from the Sandwich Islands, which is used in this country to a limited ...
Veil- Veil. In modern use the veil is a piece of gauze, barege, net, or similar fabric, used to cover the face, either for concealment or as a screen against ...
Vellum- Vellum. Parchment; the skin of calves prepared for writing or printing by long exposure in a bath of lime and by repeated rubbings with a burnisher; also, the ...
Velour- Velour. A French term signifying velvet, being derived from Latin villosus, shaggy. Among old English writers, and in the entries made in the lists of the ...
Velure- Velure. A cotton fabric woven with a thick and soft pile, used for curtains. [See Velour]
Velvet- Velvet. [From Italian velluto, shaggy] A silken fabric having a short dense piled surface. It is the type of the numerous forms of piled fabrics now made, the ...
Velveteen- Velveteen. Cotton velvet. Velveteen is always of greater width than velvet proper, although woven in exactly the same manner. The making of these goods, for ...
Vest- Vest. [From vestment, clothing] A waistcoat; also a lady's knit undershirt. [See Appendix A. ] Yictorine (vic-tor-ene'). A lady's tippet made of feathers or ...
Vicuna- Vicuna (VI-Cu'-Na). A delicate all-wool dress fabric, produced in black and neutral colors. The commoner varieties are of the armure weave. Vicuna is the ...
Waban Netting- Waban Netting. A netting of large mesh, especially adapted for draping pictures, easels, mantels and' portieres. It is a thread net, 72 inches in width, and is ...
Wadding- Wadding. A lap or fleece of cotton prepared by the carding engine, to the surface of which is applied a gelatinous coating.
Waist- Waist. A garment covering the waist or trunk; one worn especially by children to which petticoats or drawers are attached; the body or bodice of a dress, ...
Wale- Wale. A ridge or rib rising above the surface of woven cloth, and extending the entire length or width of the piece. The word has a similar origin with wale or ...
Warmus- Warmus (Pron. wawm'-mus). A heavy flannel jacket, worn in winter by farmers and other out-door laborers for the procurement of warmth. [See Jumper, Appendix A.
Warp- Warp. The threads which are extended lengthwise in the loom, into which the weft is woven; also called chain and twist. Warp yarn is generally stronger than ...
Wash-Blonde- Wash-Blonde. A name given to a species of narrow bobbinet or Brussels net, suitable for quillings. It was formerly produced from unbleached cotton and was ...
Watered- Watered. An effect produced upon gros grain silk by which the surface assumes a variety of shades, as if the cloth were covered with a multitude of waving ...
Watteau Pleat- Watteau Pleat (Wat-Tu'). An arrangement of the back of a woman's dress in which broad folds or pleats hang from the neck to the bottom of the skirt without ...
Weaving- Weaving. [From Anglo-Saxon weafan, to weave or fold about] The art of forming cloth by the interlacing of yarn in a loom. Pliny gives the honor of the ...
Weft- Weft. The woof or filling of cloth. The threads that cross the warp from selvage to selvage.
Whalebone- Whalebone. The inaccurate term applied to the horny blades which take the place of teeth in the mouths of balaena whales. These blades are from three to twelve ...
Whipcord- Whipcord. A style of weaving in which large rounded cords extending the full length of the fabric, form the pattern; found only in men's suitings and dress ...
Widow's Weeds- Widow's Weeds. Weeds signifies a garment, or a dress. The term is now almost obsolete, save in its retention to describe the mourning dress of a widow. The ...
Wigan- Wigan. A very coarse and heavy sized cotton cloth, used for lining the bottom of ladies' dresses, in order to make them keep the shape desired. Wigan was the ...
Woad- Woad. A plant formerly cultivated for the blue coloring matter derived from its leaves, but is now used only with indigo as a ferment in the vat. It is ...
Wool- Wool. A form of hair distinguished by its soft and wavy or curly structure, and by its highly serrated or scaly surface. It would be idle to attempt to ...
Worsted Yarn- Worsted Yarn, as has been explained, is made from long wool fibers brought as far as possible into a level parallel condition. The first operation consists in ...
Woolens- Woolens. There are two great classes of manufacturers in this country each employed in using the same raw material - the fiber from sheep: still they are in ...
Worsted- Worsteds. In the 15th century the production of woolen fabrics was a source of great wealth to many towns in eastern England, each town usually striving to ...
Yacht-Cloth- Yacht-Cloth (Yot Cloth). An all-wool fabric, twilled like serge, and finished with a rough surface, usually employed in the manufacture of men's summer suits.
Yachting Caps- Yachting Caps (Yotting Caps). A cloth cap designed for ladies' and children's summer wear, the most characteristic style of which is distinguished by a small ...
Yard- Yard. An English measure of 3 feet or 36 inches. How this particular measure came to be first established in England is uncertain, but it has so intimate a ...
Yarn- Yarn. Any textile fiber prepared by the process of spinning for being woven into cloth ; also, the term applied to woolen fiber prepared for hand knitting. All ...
Appendix A: Length And Range Of Sizes- The garments for the various parts of the human body, together with numerous articles of dry goods devoted to the use of the same, are differentiated into ...
Appendix B: Widths, Number Of Yards To The Pound, And Counts Of Threads To The Inch Of The Principal Makes Of Domestic Cottons, Ginghams, Drillings, Ticks, Etc- The following tables give the widths, number of yards to the pound, and counts of threads to the inch of the principal makes of domestic cottons, ginghams, ...
Cotton Drills- Boott Standard............................ 30 Clifton K.................................. 30 Darlington Mills........................... 283/4 Eureka...........
Domestic Ginghams- 6.28 72x76 5.60 68x76 5.56 68x76 6.92 56x60 6.34 56x60 7.53 48x72 6.60 48x56 5.58 60x76 6.44 36x40 8.34 36x44 6.68 48x56 6.38 40x56 5.68 52x72 Yards Counts TO ...
Appendix C: The Tariff- A Table Of Leading Articles Imported, Giving The Rate Of Taxation At Entry By The New Tariff Of 1890. The articles covered by the Tariff act of 1890 number ...
Wool And Manufactures Of Wool- All wools, hair of the camel, goat, alpaca and other like animals shall be divided for the purpose of fixing the duties to be charged upon them, into the three ...
Needles- Needles for knitting or sewing machines, crochet and tape needles and bodkins of metal, 35 per cent ad valorem. Needles, knitting, and all others not specially ...
Buttons And Button Forms- Button forms; lastings, mohair, cloth, silk or other manufactures of cloth, woven or made in patterns or such size, shape or form, or cut, in such manner as to ...
Leather And Manufactures Of Leather- Calf skins tanned, dressed upper leather, including patent, japanned and enameled leather; chamois or other skins not specially enumerated or provided for in ...
Miscellaneous Manufactures- Feathers and downs of all kinds, not specially provided for in this act 10 per cent ad valorem. Manufactured articles of feathers and down including dressed ...
Free List- On and after the 6th day of October, 1890, unless otherwise specially provided for in this act, the following articles when imported shall be exempt from duty: ...
Appendix D: A List Of German Words And Phrases With English- Spelling And Pronunciation To those who desire to obtain a practical knowledge of German trade words and phrases, and haye but a limited time to devote to it, ...
Easy German Expressions- If you please - gue'-tigst Yes, Sir - yah, mine hair Yes, Madam - yah, mad-am' No, Sir - Nine, mine hair No, Madam - Nine, Mad-am' No, Miss - Nine, frau'-line ...
The Relations in German- The father - dair fah'ter the grandfather - dair gros-fah' ter the step-father - dair stelf-fah' ter the fatherland - day fah' ter-land the mother - dee moo' ...
The Dress in German- The clothes - dee klider the coat - dair rock the trowsers - dee hozen the pocket - dee tashay the buttons - dee kneupfay the dressing-gown - dair shlafrok the ...
Collective Numbers in German- A pair - ine pahr a dozen - ine doot'-send a score - tsvan' tsig firstly - ayr'stens secondly - tsvi' tens thirdly - dry' tens once - ine' mal twice - tsvi mal ...
Countries and Nations in German- The country - das land the native land - das faterland the state - dair staht the empire - das riche the kingdom - das keuni^raic// Europe - Oiropa the ...
Adverbs in German- Yes - yah indeed - yah vole truly - in dair tate certainly - vaar' lich surely - gay-viss' only - noor some - et' vas nothing - nichts much - feel quite - ...
Window Trimming- The merchant of to-day needs little argument to convince him that an attractive window display is a powerful means of increasing his trade. Charity knows that ...
Shop Window Design: Color- Imitation of nature is the perfection of art. Whether we walk in garden or street, in store or shop, the eye is gratified with some glimmerings of this noble ...
Shop Window Design: Background- The relative merits of white and dark backgrounds are the subject of much dispute. The real test is : Does the drapery bring out the articles shown in strong ...
Shop Window Design: Arrangement- Simplicity in arrangement as well as in color is desirable. It is a safe rule not to display a great variety of articles in the same window, as a complicated ...
Silk Puffs and Folds- Several kinds of rich materials contain sufficient body to hold them in a given position for a considerable length of time; this is especially the case in ...
Print Puffs- Modes of arrangement must always vary according to the finish of the goods in vogue. As fashion requires a dressy or soft finish, every department is affected; ...
Dress Goods Drapery- Generally speaking, dress fabrics should be displayed in the window by draping in the form of a dress skirt. A great variety of designs may be utilized, as ...
The Tier Window- The simplest and most convenient method of displaying a quantity of fabrics in the show window, and one which can be recommended alike for its economy and ...
A Lily Window- During the heated term pocket handkerchiefs are, as a matter of course, somewhat more in demand than at any other season of the year. The styles and patterns ...
Easter Lily Window- Use a white flannel or broadcloth to cover the floor of window and background. Right in the center place a good-sixed white or light cream jardiniere. Now, ...
An Easter Design- A novel curtain which is easily adapted to decorating an Easter window trim is composed entirely of brightly colored egg shells. The egg shells are first ...
A Clock Window- This suggestion is applicable to any line of goods, although the design calls for its construction of notions. It is made by taking boards and cleating them ...
Hosiery- Suspend a large hoop from the ceiling, over which pin a variety of hose, the feet meeting to the center. For the side, arrange hosiery alternating in color.
A May-Pole Window- An appropriate trim for the month of May, and one which offers a fertile field for the exercise of taste and skill, is a May-pole. In the center of the window ...
A Toboggan Slide- With a window sufficiently large, an effective winter display can be made by covering the entire back and sides of the window with sheets of snow white cotton.
A Ribbon Window- There is no line of goods carried in a dry goods stock that is more diversified in color, widths and general effects than are ribbons. A very striking window ...
A Button "Wheel"- A very attractive window piece may be made by building a flat circular foundation of rough boards, making a disc about four or five feet in diameter. Cover ...
A Button Display- Drape the background and side of the window with white lace curtains. Make a framework of light boards of an old castle, with a tower at one end, similar in ...
A Gingham Window- Across the top of the window stretch some fine spool wire or string, commencing at the glass, and placing the wires about six inches apart. Let them slant to ...
Pins and Needles- A very taking trim may be arranged by introducing into the display every article that is required for domestic sewing purposes. First construct a minature ...
An Underwear and Hosiery Window- From front corners of the window have four arms. On same, place Swiss ribbed vests and drawers. Above these on either side have a semicircular arm made of wire, ...
Stocking Window- A very handsome window display can be effected by means of stockings only, with little or no expense. Arrange a false bottom to the window by the use of pine ...
A Parasol Window- Line the background and sides with yellow serge, or China silk. In the center of the window place a small wooden box covered with the same material. Upon this ...
Table Oilcloths- Oil-cloths should always be displayed on a sample rack, and a small dealer with a small stock can do a large business in this way from the fact that every ...
A "Color" Window- What is meant by this, is a display of goods composed entirely of one color. To produce the best effect with a window of this character the trimmer should be ...
A "Canning-Apron" Window- The retailers all over the country are always ready to supply the necessary aprons and proper fabrics for gowns for the canning season. Many a lady who seldom ...
Table Covers and Napkins- To make a display of these goods it is desirable to use table covers and napkins that match, or at least nearly so. In the center of the window place a small ...
A Lace "Fountain"- Line the sides of the window with light blue cambric, and over this festoon wide lace from top to bottom. Festoons of lace are draped from the top of the ...
A "Grand Army" Window- For occasions of Grand Army encampments or re-unions a window devoted to a representation of camp life is very appropriate. This may be made by sodding the ...
A Bridge Window- The foundations or piers of the bridge are made of rolls of cloth, but could also be made of boxes covered with cotton dashed with paint to imitate stone work.
A Corset Window- A very stocky display may be made by building in a window an archway of corsets. The frame-work is light scantling, nailed to the floor and ceiling about two ...
Cloaks Display- To display cloaks effectively it is advisable not to show too many at once. A good plan is to arrange a pair of lace curtains at the back and sides of window; ...
A Suiting Window- From the back of the window, near the top, hang a half hoop so that the outer edge of the semi-circle will reach within a foot of the glass, the ends of the ...
A "Vase" of Dress Goods- A very tasteful trim may be formed of dress goods arranged to imitate a huge vase or goblet. The vase is formed by taking several pieces of goods with light ...
To Display Dress Goods Without Forms- To drape dress goods in a window where there are no forms, take a square board, say twenty by twenty, and nail a small strip at back for support, allowing it ...
Kid Glove Display- An effective display of kid gloves is made by arranging around the border of the window a piece of wide lace. This can be made fast by pinning to the sash.
Glove Arrangement- Rich gloves, like many other kinds of fancy articles, only require to be carefully hung or laid over the rods to show the particular feature; but two rows will ...
Plush and Velvet "Drums"- By taking a stiff pasteboard drum or roll, about four feet long and twelve inches in diameter, and pinning tightly and smoothly around it bright colored plush ...
Dress Goods Columns- The above design is one which can be carried out with no greater expense than that of a few hours' labor. The columns or pillars can be made out of stout ...
A Fan of Dress Goods- A favorite arrangement for dress goods is to arrange six colors of material in the shape of a huge fan, each section composed of a different color and material.
A Tent Window- The properties required for this scene are a pole, a small buggy-wheel, a few short pieces of wood, and a well assorted lot of dry goods. The pole should be ...
A Cupola Window- The design on the opposite page represents a bell and cupola formed of white linen handkerchiefs. It makes a very effective show window, and is well adapted ...
A Portiere Window- In the background of window drape dark colored dress goods plainly. Across these weave No. 9 bright colored ribbon in sqares of about a foot each. In front of ...
A Pipe Organ of Ribbon- A beautiful window during Easter-tide is formed by imitating a pipe organ of ribbons. The background, side wall and surroundings for this display should be of ...
An Indian Wigwam- The above design always proves a great attraction. The idea is to represent an Indian camp in the woods, and is executed in the following manner: Construct a ...
The Fancy Dress Window- The present is an age of great things, big stocks and striking trims. The proprietor of a vast establishment fills up his massive window with heaps upon heaps ...
Handkerchiefs and Underwear- To make a neat handkerchief display, cover the side of window well with blue cambric; then pin on white and colored border, in diamond shape, so arranging them ...
The Lover's Window- The above is the balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet, done in handkerchiefs. The framework, which is simple, is covered mostly with ladies' handkerchiefs, with ...
Corset Window- The corset window requires that the boxes should be ranged uniformly. Dressed in rows close to the glass, they look well ; but a more attractive display can be ...
A Lace Window- A good window of real white lace may be made up as follows: Hang festoons from the brackets, from side to side, front to back, or center to corners, but not ...
Hosiery Arrangement- Hose may be arranged in several different ways. Richly embroidered goods must hang with a good sweep to the window, but common kinds should be drawn up short, ...
Christmas Window Trimming- Although there seems to be a general impression that the Christmas tree is an outgrowth of a German custom, it seems to antedate the Christian era, and is said ...
Christmas Scenes- In the preparation of windows for this festal season, the selection of winter scenes is usually attended by successful displays. It is not a difficult matter ...
An Interior Trim- First secure screw-eyes to the center of the store ceiling, from front to back. These should be at equal distances apart say from 4 to 6 feet. Take cheap ...
How to Dress A Christmas Tree- Select one with special reference to the space it is to occupy. One with branches firm and quite tall is best: The upper branches should be decorated before ...
Mixed Windows- The tendency of the time is toward exclusive displays, but the heavy and formal outlines generally so presented would form a great argument against them. An ...
How to Keep Windows from Frosting- One of the most reliable ways to prevent windows from frosting is to cut a space through the window frame at the bottom and another at the top of the windows ...
How to Have Bright Windows- There is a knack even in washing windows. They should be kept clean and thoroughly clear for the display of goods. Choose a dull day, or at least, a time when ...
Advice To Salesmen- The future kings and princes of the Dry Goods trade must come out of the army of clerks and salesmen, and those who prepare and fit themselves to fill high ...
How To Show Goods- Selling goods is something like making a speech. Both depend upon how you begin and how you end. First impressions are always lasting. In your first minute ...
Sell Good Goods- In selling goods never talk price, but always quality. Quality is what after all, makes or loses a customer. Price has nothing to do with a customer's palate.
How To Wait On Two Customers- It is always in order to impress on the first customer, if a lady, that you wish to show her everything, and fully satisfy her, and while you are doing same, ...
Rules For Handling Customers- First Be ready to receive customers with a gracious, cordial and friendly address; not too forward, but in a quiet, easy manner cause your customer to feel ...