Understanding fabric print names 101

So, you have the outfit picked out, and you’re picturing it in your head.  It’s this amazing masterpiece of fabric and thread, and your sweet darling is going to look so wonderful in it that you cannot wait to get your package in the mail.  Then, you hear *ping* and the message, “so what exactly did you mean by the checkered material but not really?  Also, I’m afraid I don’t have anything with conversation bubble looking print.  I’m afraid I don’t understand what you mean by that.  Do you know what the print might be called or do you have photos of them so I can see what you have in mind?”  What?!?  I understand that perfectly!  How can she not know what I’m talking about!  How the heck do I know what it’s called?!?!  It’s checkered but not really…that’s all I  know.  Now what?

Well, hopefully, we’re going to be able to give you a little bit of a guide on what some of the more popular fabric prints are called and what they look like.  The list of different types of print out there is very extensive, and I seriously could go on for days talking about the different types that are out there.  Here are just a handful of the more popular prints to get you started!

Let's just jump right in.  So, argyle…usually, the first thing that comes to mind when we hear argyle is socks, but really, it can be used in all sorts of places.  I’ve seen it on sweaters, pants, bags...Basically, argyle is a pattern of different colored diamonds on a plain background.  Most common uses for it are socks and sweaters, but more and more, it has been popping up in different places.  

Argyle vest from My Little Lady and Gentleman

Next up, we have the ever popular, chevron.  My husband calls these the zig zags, and every time he does, I roll my eyes and tell him, “They’re called chevrons…”  Now, he’s not entirely incorrect.  They are in fact zig zag lines, but if you ask for zig zags when talking about fabric, beware that you can get a wide array of print types.  Chevrons are a specific type of print, and I really do think he now calls them zig zags just to push my buttons.  These are a wide “v” that are joined together to form zig zags that actually look similar to military chevron insignia stripes.  These can be paired with all types of prints to make some pretty unique combinations, and they come in an almost endless array of color combinations.  

Corduroy dress in rainbow chevron from Shades of Pink Boutique

Now, we've all seen houndstooth before whether we realize it or not.  If you've ever seen a Roll Tide fan in gametime garb, chances are something in that outfit was the signature black and white houndstooth.  This print is so versatile and can be seen in pretty much anything from dresses to shoes, bags to coats, and hats to pants. The history of houndstooth isn't exactly clear, but most information credits the origin of it to Scotland. The name of the print comes from the fact that the print itself looks like dogs teeth.  In fact, you might even hear this pattern called dogstooth.  Traditionally, the print is black and white, but you can also find it in other colors.

Houndtooth and crimson capri set from Nini and Ash

This next one comes in all types of colors and patterns, but they all have one element in common.  They all have these "conversation bubble" type patterns interspersed in the print.  They might have other elements in them as well but those bubbles are always a part of the print.  This next print type is paisley.  Paisley fabric is characterized by curved, feather shaped figures and was first manufactured in the town of Paisley, Scotland in the early 19th century (http://www.quiltersmuse.com/Paisley-A-Brief-History.html)  .

Paisley dress from Made by Jovanna

Damask has seen something of a rise in popularity, and traditional damask is often a silk material that is reversible and used on drapes or upholstery.  However, when talking about prints, these are distinctive as they are typically two colors.  The main background color and a main design color.  The design is a large swirl of leafy or feathery prints over the background.  These are also available in different color combinations.

Damask and pink poshkini from Haute and Posh Designs

Another print that features an intricate and distinctive design that repeats across the fabric is a French origination called toile.  This print is typically a scenic or floral theme set on a light background.  You will also find this one called toile du jouy in some places.

example of blue and white toile fabric from Fabric.com

For those that like something a little different, batiks have a tie dyed appearance.  These are really neat because the design is actually on both sides of the fabric so there isn't really a front or back side to the fabric. The tie dyed design is actually achieved using wax to cover the parts that the creator doesn't want to color in. Once it's dyed, the wax is melted off using heat, leaving the design in the fabric with the dye around it.  This part can then be dyed or left as is.

example of batik fabric from Fabric.com

These next two aren't as widely known as the others, but they've been gaining some popularity lately so I thought I would go ahead and throw them on here in case you see these somewhere and want to use them in in outfit that you order at some point.  The first of these is called quatrefoil (pronouned ka-ter-foil).  It was originally derived from Christianity.  You will often see this in architecture, and it looks like a rounded cross or a clover.

Quaterfoil shirt from Bomberry's Boutique

The final print that we have up is called ogee.  It's reminiscent of the onion domes on the Russian Orthodox churches, but they look like bubbles with a point at the bottom and the top.  You can find these in a number of variations and colors.

T-shirt dress with ogee skirt trim from Ava Bella Boutique

Okay, so I know this was kind of a long winded post, and I really hope that I haven't lost you by now. These were just a handful of the types of prints that are out there with a short description of what they look like and a tidbit or two about them.  If you would like to know more about fabrics, there are a ton of resources out there.  A really good one that I found while I was doing some research came from Artlandia (http://www.artlandia.com/wonderland/glossary/).  I hope that this was helpful in some way and that you will be able to use this information if you ever get that little ping on your computer with a question asking you if you know the name of that print you're looking for!  Thanks so much and Blessings for stopping by!

Written by Kim of  Nini and Ash