Material guide
Woven, knitted and nonwoven fabrics
Identify how a fabric is formed before choosing grain, seam, edge and support methods.
Woven: interlaced systems
Warp and weft cross one another. Grain direction, weave and yarn density influence stability, fraying, drape and whether a cut piece skews.
Knitted: connected loops
Loops create extensibility and can curl, ladder or recover differently by direction. Record greatest stretch and recovery before choosing seam, hem or support.
Nonwoven: bonded structure
Fibres or filaments are bonded rather than woven or knitted. Behaviour depends strongly on the bonding method and product specification. For every structure, prewash when appropriate, mark grain or stretch direction, and test a complete seam on a scrap.
How it behaves
Starting point
Construction controls directional stretch, edge stability, drape and the way fabric changes during cutting, stitching and care.
Useful for
Garment sewing, quilting, embroidery grounds, bags, linings and choosing compatible support layers.
Care
Use the fabric specification and planned care routine; measure a marked sample before and after washing to reveal shrinkage or skew.
Sources and provenance
- CottonWorks — shrinking and skewingStandard or registry · Checked 27 Aug 2026
- CottonWorks — knit basicsStandard or registry · Checked 27 Aug 2026
- CottonWorks — weaving basicsStandard or registry · Checked 27 Aug 2026






