Glossary of Textile Manufacturing - B

B

Backstrap loom

Backstrap looms, as the name implies, are tied around the weaver's waist on one end and around a stationary object such as a tree, post, or door on the other. Tension can be adjusted simply by leaning back. Backstrap looms are very portable, since they can simply be rolled up and carried.

Baize

Baize is a coarse woollen or cotton cloth, often coloured red or green.

Ballistic nylon

Ballistic nylon is a thick, tough synthetic fabric used for a variety of applications.

Barathea

Barathea is an indistinct twill or broken rib - usually a twilled hopsack weave - with a fine textured, slightly pebbled surface. Often of silk or silk blended with wool, used for neckties, women's fine suits and coats, men's and women's evening wear.

Batik

Batik is an Indonesian traditional word and refers to a generic wax-resist dyeing technique used on fabric.

Bedford-Cord

Combination of two kinds of Weave, Namely Plain and Drill.

Bias

The bias direction of a piece of woven fabric, usually referred to simply as "the bias", is at 45 degrees to its warp and weft threads. Every piece of woven fabric has two biases, perpendicular to each other.

Binding

In sewing, binding is used as both a noun and a verb to refer to finishing a seam or hem of a garment, usually by rolling or pressing then stitching on an edging or trim.

Blend

A Blend is a fabric or yarn made up of more than one type of fiber.

Bobbin lace

Bobbin lace is a delicate lace that uses wound spools of thread (the bobbins) to weave together the shapes in the lace.

Bobbinet

Bobbinet is a tulle netting with hexagonal shaped holes, traditionally used as a base for embroidery and lingerie.

Bombazine

Bombazine is a fabric originally made of silk or silk and wool, and now also made of cotton and wool or of wool alone. It is twilled or corded and used for dress-material.

Braid

To braid is to interweave or twine three or more separate strands of one or more materials in a diagonally overlapping pattern.

Broadcloth

Material of superior quality.

Brocade

Forming patterns in cloth with a supplementary weft.

Buckram

Buckram is a stiff cloth, made of cotton or linen, which is used to cover, and protect, a book, and although more expensive than its look-a-like, Brella, is stronger and resistant to cockroaches eating it. Buckram can also be used to stiffen clothes.

Burlap

Burlap is a type of cloth often used for sacks.