Names of different Fabric textures (with pictures)

Wikipedia says that ‘texture is the perceived surface quality of a work of art’. It is one of the seven formal artistic elements.

So what is Fabric texture?

To put it simply, Fabric texture or textile texture is the surface quality and structure of the fabric.

To get it even more simple the Textile texture is how the surface of a fabric looks and feels.

Don’t we all say things like –

☝I love that soft, drapey, light chiffon.

☝That silk looks so lustrous.

☝The crispiness of organdy is so elegant.

☝This crepe has a wonderful pebbly surface.

☝That satin is so smooth, and glossy. 

☝The wool feels so furry, cuddly and cozy.

These conversations are about fabric, ofcourse. They are all talking about the fabric texture.

These and many other such adjectives are used when you talk of a fabric surface – like sheer, furry, burnished, delicate, sparkling, shiny, bulky, nubby, shaggy, matt, sleek, cuddly, soft, glossy, crisp.

Some are not so complimentary like rough, pilling, dull, fuzzy.

All these words refer to that particular textile’s texture.

✔ Some of these textures like roughness, smoothness, hardness, or softness can be felt with your hand.

✔Some are visual like shiny.

✔Some are a combination of tactile and visual experiences like a pebbly surface.

✔ I can even hear texture – haven’t you heard the crinkly sound of a crisp fabric.

Shiny Fabric Texture

Furry fabric texture

Pebbly Fabric Texture

Coarse and rough fabric texture

Crispy fabric texture

Here is a related post on the best fabrics you get with wonderful fabric texture: 30 Best fabrics with texture.

Why Fabric texture? How is it important?

First and foremost, texture holds attention. Fashion is a visual medium and with inventive use of textures, the designers aim to hold and attract the attention of the consumer.

Texture has a unifying effect. When used together in an ensemble a single texture can hold it together.

The emotional impact of texture is another major factor. Do you know that feelings are affected, even heightened with a change in texture? Velvet gives off a sensual and extravagant vibe. When you touch a tweed wool fabric or fleece you have a warm feeling. Corduroy and Leather make you feel protected. Faded Denim and Linen give you a feeling of comfort. They feel familiar and you feel at home.

You also associate fabric texture with gender. Leather, denim and corduroy are associated with masculinity and velvet, silk and lace with femininity.

Along with other elements of design like line, form, space, and color, the texture is forever creating new emotional experiences. The softness of a baby blanket, the crisp feel of the disposable hospital bed sheet, the rustle of a newly tailored wedding gown are all things that we always remember because of the texture and its experience. This is why decorators and designers are forever trying to come up with new textures.

Different types of fabric texture

There are specifically 3 main types of fabric texture.

Original texture

This is the texture of a cloth that is structurally created at the time of the manufacturing process itself; different yarns interact to create a beautiful texture naturally. The textural effect varies with the types of textile fibers used in its making, yarn weight, stitch size, and yarn structure.

Treated texture

This refers to the texture of a textile that is mainly dependent on the finishes applied on it for changing the appearance as well as increasing its functionality.

Check out the post on the different types of fabric finishes (70+) applied to fabrics.

Supplementary texture

This is texture created by additionally attaching other materials on the surface of the textile after it is made; Eg., embroidery done on fabric. 

How Fabric texture influences fashion designing 

It can change the perception of size and shape of the body

A fabric with shiny texture or smooth feel will cling to the body and reveal the body proportions as they are – if you want this effect, definitely use shiny fabrics but if you do not want this, choose a slightly more textured fabric. 

It can make colour look different

A fabric with a shiny texture will look a shade lighter than a fabric with a rough texture of the same color/shade. Rough texture dulls the color and the shiny surface reflects light.

If you want to design a garment with a subdued effect, choose a rough-textured or at least a smooth-surfaced fabric rather than a shiny one.

It can change the drape of the clothes

Rough heavy textured fabrics with a tight weave are stiff and will stand away from the body. Soft textured fabrics may be very drapey.

Ways to create your own fabric texture.

Check out the post on 50 + ways to change the fabric texture with different decorating techniques.

In addition to this, there are some super simple ways to make a textured fabric with your sewing machine. No need for any fancy machine for this but just your straight stitching sewing machine and you can still make beautifully textured fabric.

1.Use Quilting stitches

Quilting stitches are a great way to bring texture to the fabric, with simple sewing machine stitches. Quilting is often used on garments as well as blankets for adding warmth as well as for the textural patterns.

Basically, quilting involves layering fabric pieces ( three layers of top piece, wadding in between and the backing) and stitching them together.  Finally, the edges are finished with a border. The quilting stitches are made to stitch these layers together and result in a raised pattern on the fabric surface. These raised sections can be highly puffed with a 3 D effect if the wadding is very thick.

The best fabric for the face of the quilting sandwich is a fabric with some sheen like silk or satin; never use a fabric which is sheer. You can use cotton and linen as well.

How are the quilting stitches worked?

Basting the fabric layers with the basting stitches is the first step after you have made the sandwich of fabric layers. Then you have to draw the designs on the material. You will have to take into consideration the dimensions of the design and the fabric you have etc. It is entirely possible to randomly quilt something on the fabric but if you work out the design before you mark on the fabric you will get a well laid out design which stays within the margin of the fabric in all symmetry, without any distortion

Traditional quilting motifs are feather, rope, wine-glass, scale etc. If you have a template of the design motif this is great. Keep it on the center and start marking to the edges. You should make a sample and stitch this before working on the final piece. Then you will be able to get the stitch length and tension right for completing the quilting stitches smoothly. Learn more about the different types of quilting stitches used here. 

2. Shrink and stitch  for a puckered texture

This method uses fabric layers – the top layer will be prewashed but the bottom layer will consist of a fresh (not washed) fabrics.

Keep face fabric on top of the not-washed fabric and Stitch straight lines or wavy lines very close to each other. You can make these stitching lines in a grid pattern or parallel lines or circles. When you wash the stitched fabric the bottom layer will shrink resulting in a beautiful texture.

Start stitching from the same edge every time so that the puckers do not look twisted.

3. Stitch and slash method

This involves the age-old technique of Layer and stitch – this is a great texturing method and you can do this easily with simple stitching lines with your sewing machine.

Keep two fabric pieces which are of contrasting colours one on top of the other – right sides up. Make stitching lines in a diagonal direction or an oblong shape. Cut up the top layer very carefully between the stitching lines.

For more details check out the post on Stitch and slash method. It is also called faux chenille method as it recreates the chenille fabric. To create a chenille fabric like texture you will have to use a fabric that frays a lot.

4. Rag textile – make fabric from scraps

This creates a completely new fabric and I am in love with this technique, and all you need are some fabric scraps leftover from sewing projects and a piece of interfacing.

Choose a colour scheme – I have taken pink and off-white. Gather all the scraps you have in various shades of these colours.

Arrange the scraps of fabric on a paper kept on your ironing table.

Take a piece of thick interfacing fabric piece. Lay your interfacing piece sticky side down on the fabric scraps. Use hot iron to press the interfacing to the scraps till all of them adhere to the sticky side. Take it up and see if there are vacant spaces – keep more fabric scrap pieces there. Adhere more if there are even small vacant spaces.

Keep on an open toe embroidery foot on your sewing machine. Make free motion embroidery stitches all over the fabric scraps to fix the scraps. Use metallic threads for a beautiful look. Learn more about free motion embroidery here. 

5. Machine embroidery stitches

Use the regular embroidery stitches in your sewing machine to make simple textural effects. This is a no-brainer, all right but when you do this with a variety of threads it takes on a different look.You can look at this post on the 20 basic sewing machine stitches you can use here.

Nothing brings texture as much as metallic thread. Check out the post on the different metallic thread you can use for this embroidery. Put the metallic thread of your choice into the topstitching thread slot but use regular thread on the bobbin.

Don’t forget to change your needle to a larger eye needle so that your thread won’t break while using the metallic threads.

6. Couching stitches

You can do couching stitches to adhere any thick twine, cord, braids or thread on the fabric surface, which is great for texture. Keep twine on the face of the fabric and make zigzag stitches across the twine with the thread, in the shape you want.

Another method is to keep the twine sandwiched between fabric layers and then stitch along the sides. This gives a 3 D projection which also looks like piping. You can make any kind of representation with a texture on fabric with creative use of couching.

Learn more about how to do couching stitches here.

You can use a braiding foot on your sewing machine to attach braids and cords.

7. Using Hand embroidery stitches

You can create wonderful texture on fabric using simple hand embroidery. How to make a textured fabric with hand embroidery stitches – 10 easy background textured hand embroidery stitches.

8. Applique 

You can add extra elements with texture on to the fabric – the technique is called applique. Check out how to do machine applique ; how to do hand applique.

You can also just stick the applique elements to the fabric with fabric glue if you do not mean to wash the items.

Related posts : Fabric dictionary ; What are textiles?