Arched Valance: A valance designed in an upside-down ‘U’ shape so the ends are longer than the center.
Banding: Synonym for binding.
Batten: A small strip of wood supplying a foundation to attach various treatments to the window frame.
Bed Valance (Skirt/Dust Ruffle): A skirt specifically designed to cover the divan of a bed.
Bias: A diagonal seam, cut, or other line across a length of fabric.
Bias Binding: Binding created from strips of fabric cut on the bias.
Binding: Attaching a piece of fabric or ribbon to a raw edge in order to neaten it.
Bishop's Sleeve Curtains: A style of curtain using fabric cut long in order to tie it tightly and billow the excess over the tied portion.
Blind: A single curtain with installed header, often with either horizontal or vertical slats, that can be adjusted from either top or bottom to admit various amounts of light.
Bolster Pillow: A long narrow throw pillow for head or back support.
Bound Edge: A finished edge treatment created with bias binding.
Box Pleats: Usually used for treatments in fixed position, this style of pleats is created by folding fabric in alternate directions to create an almost squared ‘accordion’ effect.
Braid: Decorative trim usually made up by weaving multiple thread-like pieces together.
Bullion: A thick, twisted trimming of cord often covered with metallic thread.
Cafe Curtains (Cottage Blind): A curtain stretching only across the bottom portion of a window in order to give both privacy and light. Can be tiered with a valance on top portion of window.
Casing: A stitched channel between two pieces of fabric so as to allow for threading of a curtain rod.
Chain Weights: A beaded weight simply covered in a cotton casing to anchor lightweight fabrics.
Combination Rods: Create a layered effect on the top part of a window by sharing one set of brackets between multiple curtain tracks.
Contrast Lining: Complementarily colored or patterned fabric used with intention of it showing through or in part from the front.
Cording: Synonym for Piping.
Curtains (Drapes): A length of fabric hung from a pole or rod to decorate the window and give privacy.
Dotted Swiss (Swiss Dot): A sheer crisp finished cotton fabric with a dotted motif applied through printing, flocking, embroidery or is woven.
Double Fullness: When each of a pair of curtains is twice the measured width of the window, allowing curtains to drape in folds for a fuller look.
Duvet: A quilt used on top of bed in place of a bedspread and top sheet. Often made to interface with decorative covers.
Envelope Curtains: Casual curtains designed to let light in with hooked-back bottom inside corners. They usually do not pull back.
Euro Shams: Often used in bedding ensembles, a decorative pillow covering to fit a large 26” x 26” pillow.
Face Fabric (Decorator Fabric) (Self Fabric): Main or central fabric in a design, used in the front of a treatment.
Finial: Ornamental end to a piece such as a curtain rod.
Finished Width: The width of fabric as it measures after the treatment is finished and all allowance has been accounted for.
Flanged: A decorative band of straight or fashioned-tailored fabric often used on pillows or pillow shams.
Frill: When fabric is either gathered or pleated and attached to an edge for decoration.
Fullness Ratio: This is the ratio of the width of fabric to window width. Typically, curtains are at least twice the width of the window.
Gusseted: A triangular shaped piece of fabric inserted in seam for added strength or decorative purposes.
Header: The extra fabric which forms a frill located above a cased heading.
Hold Backs: Decorative hooks or mushrooms fixed onto the wall to pull curtains back.
Interlining: The addition of a soft fabric placed between the face fabric and lining to aid in insulation.
Inverted Pleat: A flat pleat with the extra fabric created by the pleat pulled to the wrong side.
Jabot: The name given to the tail section of swags and tails.
Jacquard: Fabrics with elaborate figured designs with complex patterns and large repeats.
Kick Pleat: A doubling back of fabric creating a pleat.
Knife Pleats: A row of folds facing the same direction.
Leading Edges: The central vertical edge lines on a pair of curtains.
Matelasse: A pouching or quilted effect on fabric creating a raised or puckered appearance.
Mitering: A method of seam allowance finishing to create a less bulky, sharp corner.
Nap: The one way texture direction of fabric, such as velvet or corduroy.
Neck Roll Pillow: Cylindrical decorative throw pillow used for neck support.
Pattern Repeat: The length of one complete pattern that is duplicated down the entire fabric length.
Pelmet (Cornice): A decorative way of concealing the top of curtains and curtain tracks. Usually a flat shaped panel which can be painted or covered with fabric.
Pima Cotton: A cotton variety producing extra long silky fibers that is considered one of the best grades of cotton in the world.
Piping Cord: A cord covered by fabric and sewn into seam.
Pleat: Three layers of fabric resulting from two folds of the fabric; a back fold may replace a seam.
Puckering: A wavy, three-dimensional effect typified by closely spaced wrinkles.
Puddled Curtains: Window treatments made longer to allow them to puddle onto the floor.
Return: The sides of window treatments projecting from wall.
Ruffle: Synonym for frill.
Ruching (Rouching): A thick cord of fabric with filling that is gathered.
Scalloped: Indentations or curves along fabric edge.
Scarf: A draped length of fabric for across the top of a window treatment.
Shams: A decorative pillow covering.
Sheers: A weave where the fineness of the yarns and openness of the weave gives different degrees of translucence and texture to the fabric.
Slub: Slightly twisted and drawn out roll of fiber.
Stackback: The amount of space used by window treatment when open.
Stria: A stripe of contrasting color.
Tie Backs (Tassels): A length of fabric or other decorative item used to hook onto the wall to hold curtains back from window opening.
Thread Count: The amount of warp and weft threads in a single square inch of fabric.
Valance: A gathered or otherwise shaped mini curtain hung.
Weft: The threads running across woven fabric.
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