Craft And Home

Fabric for the house, not the wardrobe

Heavier and more decorative cloth than dress fabric: brocades and jacquards with the pattern woven in, dupions and satins, laces, wools, velours, tapestries and table coverings.

These are chosen for how they behave over a frame or a window rather than on a body — weight to hold a shape, a surface that reads richly under room lighting, and enough durability to be sat on, leaned against and pulled at daily.

Furnishing, occasion and costume

Upholstery and tapestry weights suit chair seats, footstools, headboards and cushions, where the pattern being woven through rather than printed on means it cannot rub off with use.

Brocades, dupions and laces do the other job: waistcoats, bodices, historical and theatrical costume, bridal and occasion wear, where the fabric needs body enough to hold a structured shape on its own.

Practical notes

Measure generously for upholstery — you need enough to wrap and staple underneath, which is always more than the visible area suggests. Finish raw edges on brocades and jacquards, since the threads carried behind the pattern pull loose easily, and press these fabrics from the reverse so the woven relief is not crushed flat.