Sheer Fabrics - 6 Classic Lightweight Curtain Fabrics for Windows

Fabrics are the most versatile, effectual and efficient materials used in introducing colour, aesthetics, patterns and texture into any home's interior.

And as today's textile market offers home-owners and decorators a vast array of types and styles of home décor fabrics, whether the classic, 'mid way style', or the contemporary, the use and function, and the technical aspects of furnishing fabrics has, not surprisingly, become the most important consideration for their selection.

Curtain fabrics for glass windows come in both natural fibres and man-made (synthetic) fibres, and fortunately in a wide price range that fits comfortably into anyone's budget.

Traditionally, and even till this day, glass windows soft sheer curtain fabrics are textiles woven with the popular standard weave. These fabrics have a 'smooth flow', are light weight and soft with many appearing as sheer, gauze like or as silky fabrics.

Classic Lightweight Curtain Fabrics

These classic curtain fabrics include these six unique and prestigious lightweight textiles.

• Lace
• Voile
• Swiss
• Marquisette
• Fine Net
• Pongee

Basic to any fabric is the spinning of the yarn and its construction. It is these two elements which give textiles their aesthetic personality.

Lace is an openwork textile traditionally produced by the use of needles, pins or bobbins and the process of sewing, knitting, tatting (knotting) or crocheting. Traditionally, real authentic lace was handmade. However in the late 18th century, machines were invented to replicate hand production of lace.

Among the prime types used as home décor fabrics are:

• Filet lace fabric which is embroidered on a net material.
• Reticella, lace with a combination of drawn and cut works.
• Chantilly, with elaborate bobbin made patterns which make the ornament and fabric identical
• Irish lace which is primarily woven as the crocheted variety.
• Nottingham lace. This is a general term used for machine produced lace textiles. Very affordable lace curtains produced by weaving in one piece.

Voile is a light, soft and transparent sheer curtain fabric constructed of plain weave. During the weaving process, hard twisted threads are used to make it strong and durable. Voile can be produced using fibres of wool, cotton, silk or man-made threads. Voile is generally piece dyed, stripped or figured and makes durable and beautiful window curtains.

Popularly referred to as 'Swiss', this beautiful and very fine sheer cotton fabric was first produced in Switzerland, hence its being referred by its known name. Swiss fabrics may come plain and simple, elaborately embroidered or patterned with dots or figures which are chemically applied during its weaving process.

Though Swiss launders well, a good attribute for curtain fabrics, it however has a tendency to shrink slightly. Swiss materials are popularly used for glass curtains.

This fabric is a sheer cloth with gauze like characteristics, woven in a Leno weave, where pairs of warp yarns are sort of twisted around each other between picks of filler yarns which results in a net effect weave.

The fibres which are either cotton, rayon, silk, nylon, glass, or wool, is usually twisted hard and tight in order to ensure a fabric with enhanced serviceability. Marquisette fabrics make excellent glass window curtains.

Net fabric is an open weave textile that comes in various types and styles. Traditionally, the popularly used net fabrics include the following:

• Bobbin-et machine produced nets: constructed with patterns of hexagonal thread meshes.
• Dotted Swiss net: a net like fine mesh fabric, woven with tiny dots at the mesh corners.
• Filet net materials: square mesh netting used as a base or background for embroidery works. Some classic handmade varieties has knobs at the corners of meshes (machine made net fabrics have no knots).
• Maline net: is constructed as diamond shaped yarn mesh.
• Novelty nets: are produced in a variety of stylish effects, and are mainly constructed using synthetic fibres..
• Point d'Esprit nets: a variety of cotton constructed net with tiny dots scattered over its surface in a snowflake like effect.

Pongee, aptly described as a luxury fabric, is made of plain weave using wild silk in its natural tan colour.

This fabric is very durable with an interesting but unusual texture. Pongee is mostly used for draw curtains. Its name is derived from a corruption of Chinese words which imply "natural colour".

Understanding how to choose and specify a textile therefore is essential. Many furnishing fabrics are woven using either natural eco friendly fibres or man-made synthetic fibres, or a combination of both.

So for your Curtain or Drapery Fabric, whether a textile is durable and easy to maintain or not depends on the kind of fibre used, the manner in which it is spun and its fabric construction.

See Also: Home Decor Fabrics

• Luxury Fabric Stores Online
  
• Handmade Sewing, Hand Made Clothing & The Dressmaking Trend
• From Damasks to Fine Linen. Satisfy Your Fabric Craze!
• Damask Fabrics With Unique Traditional Weaves and Patterns
• Velvet Fabric: Timeless Home Décor Fabrics
• Traditional Upholstery Fabrics: Classic Brocatelle Fabrics On-line

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