
Full Answer
See 7 key topics from this page

What does with nap mean in fabric?
“With nap” means that you cut all the pattern pieces (even the facing) in the SAME direction, and “without nap” means that you can cut regardless of the direction (just don't forget to follow the grain line though).
What does fabric without nap mean?
When laying "without" nap, the hem or lower edges of your pattern pieces are pointing to opposite ends of the fabric. A layout "with" nap, indicates that the lower edges of the pieces point to the same end of the fabric.
What does it mean if a fabric is napped?
Napped fabric refers to a process in which both sides of a piece of woven or knit fabric are teased and raised and/or sheared off to make them even. The raised fibers of napped fabric all lie in one direction, making the fabric look and feel different when seen or touched from different angles.
How do I know if my fabric is napping?
0:469:47What is Fabric Nap and Why Do You Need to Know About It? - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd velvets you can easily see the difference if i go up if i go down it's darker or lighter this isMoreAnd velvets you can easily see the difference if i go up if i go down it's darker or lighter this is the way the light is reflecting off of the fabric depending on which way the pile is pushed.
What kind of fabric has nap?
Normally, nap refers to fabric that has a weave or pile in one direction and so needs to be cut with all pieces facing the same direction. The pile in a napped fabric is created in the weaving process of the fabric and examples of napped fabric include faux fur, velvet, terry, velveteen, corduroy and velour.
How do you nap fabric?
0:251:54What Is the Nap of a Fabric? : Sewing, Sketching & Fabric Care - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnother way to figure out if you're not sure what the NAP is the smoother side is lighter and theMoreAnother way to figure out if you're not sure what the NAP is the smoother side is lighter and the darker. The rougher side is darker.
Does all fabric have a nap?
Pattern Envelopes and Nap A pattern envelope will list fabric "with nap" or fabric "without nap" and in most cases, you will notice different fabric requirements depending upon fabric nap. When cutting out fabric, the directions will usually be different.
Does polyester have nap?
Common fabrics that are napped are wool and cotton flannel, flannel-back satin, polyester fleece, flannelette, and outing flannel. Sueded fabrics are also napped through a process that includes an additional step to shear the nap close to the surface of the fabric to produce a smooth, soft finish.
Does brushed cotton have a nap?
These fibers naturally run one direction or the other. On pile fabrics, such as corduroy or velvet, you can feel the nap. Fleece, faux fur, suede, leather, brushed cotton, some knits, terry and velveteen are all napped fabrics.
Does satin fabric have a nap?
Satin has a bit of a shine to it and the nap will be noticeable if the pieces are cut going in a different direction.
Does fleece have nap?
Does fleece have a nap or one-way direction? Yes, it does. To determine the direction, try the “stroking the cat” technique. When rubbing your hand over the fabric, the “fur” is going downward.
What does it mean to cut selvage to selvage?
0:004:40What Is... The Selvedge? - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd this is how a fabric was made from Salvage edge to selvage edge across the width. So when you'reMoreAnd this is how a fabric was made from Salvage edge to selvage edge across the width. So when you're purchasing a width of fabric it will come with a selvage edge on both edges.
Does all fabric have a nap?
Pattern Envelopes and Nap A pattern envelope will list fabric "with nap" or fabric "without nap" and in most cases, you will notice different fabric requirements depending upon fabric nap. When cutting out fabric, the directions will usually be different.
What is a nap on a dress?
A term that is coined to become a major summer trend this 2020, the nap dress is exactly what its name dictates. It is a dress in which you can comfortably take a nap. It is an item of clothing fully designed to follow the function of its moniker.
Does satin fabric have a nap?
Satin has a bit of a shine to it and the nap will be noticeable if the pieces are cut going in a different direction.
Does velvet fabric have a nap?
Pay attention to pile So you know velvet has pile, which means it also has nap, or a directionality to the fiber. If you run your hand "down" the pile, it will feel smooth and look lighter and shinier.
What is nap fabric?
Jump to navigation Jump to search. A cloth with a nap. Primarily, nap is the raised (fuzzy) surface on certain kinds of cloth, such as velvet or moleskin.
What is a nap?
Piled nap. Since the 15th century, the term nap generally refers to a special pile given to the cloth. The term pile refers to raised fibres that are there on purpose, rather than as a by-product of producing the cloth.
How is a nap made?
Carpets, rugs, velvet, velour, and velveteen, are made by interlacing a secondary yarn through woven cloth, creating a nap or pile.
What is the raising process of a nap?
The raising process, which draws out the ends of the fibres, is done on both woollen and cotton fabric. Flannelette is a cotton fabric that goes through this process. There are ways to 'raise the nap', most of which involve wire brushes such as raising cards.
When was the word "nap" first used?
Starting around the 14th century, the word referred originally to the roughness of woven cloth before it was sheared. When cloth, especially woollen cloth, is woven, the surface of the cloth is not smooth, and this roughness is the nap.
What is the process of finishing a cloth?
In the finishing process of manufacturing textiles, after the cloth is woven, it goes through processes such as washing, fulling, raising the nap and trimming the nap. After the nap is trimmed, the fabric is considered finished.
What is fabric nap?
Put simply, the nap is the texture of the fabric and describes which way the fibres align. You can see the texture of the Liberty cords from Sewbox in the image above.
How to get a napped fabric to not get crushed?
It is a good idea to press your seams on the reverse of a napped fabric and lay it face down on a towel so that the fibres don’t get crushed. Gently press with the point of the iron just along the seam so that your iron has minimal contact with the fabric to reduce the chances of crushing it.
When you select a sewing pattern that is suitable for sewing with a napped fabric, must you check the answer?
When you select a sewing pattern that is suitable for sewing with a napped fabric, you must check the fabric quantities required. In the pattern above, fabric requirements have already allowed for the nap so you should have sufficient material to cut the fabric all in the same direction.
Do you cut nap pieces?
It is recommended that you cut the pattern pieces so that the nap goes down the garment away from you for the most comfort as you run your hand down the garment. Most patterns suitable for napped fabrics will include a specific layout to allow for the nap.
What Does Nap Mean in Sewing?
Basically, a nap is the texture of a fabric. It is raised fibers that go in a specific direction. Also, this fabric refers to a type of fabric that consists of a pile or weave in one direction. Thus, when you want to make a dress using napped fabric, you need to cut the fabric facing one direction. When you run your hand over a nap fabric surface, you can feel the nap on your hand. The fibers will feel smooth when you run your hands downward. And if you run your hands upward direction, then the fibers (nap) will feel rigid.
How to Check if My Fabric Has a Nap?
The easy way to check the nao is to run your hands over the fabric surface. When you run your hand through the fabric against the nap, it will feel slightly rough. Otherwise, nap fabrics are soft, smooth, and fibers lie flat.
What happens when you push the fibers along with the nap direction?
And when you push the fibers along with the nap direction, the garment looks shiny and lighter. Even its different directions can have an impact on how you feel on the cloth. However, people like to keep their napped fabric smooth. And this is the main direction of nap fabric.
How to press a nap?
First, press the fabric with gentle pressure and use the up and down motion while moving the iron. Always place a towel under the fabric while pressing and make sure you press the garment from the wrong side. If you are not confident with iron, you can lightly steam your napped fabric, then gently press the fabric using your hand.
How to tell if fabric is napped?
When you fold a napped fabric one section goes down and another one goes up. You will get two different shades of the same color, which means the fabric is napped.
Can you wash napped fabric?
But there is a thing that we don’t like about the napped fabric. Nap fabrics are expensive to maintain, even they are expensive to buy. You can’t wash this fabric directly in the water, you need to dry clean them only.
Is napping bad for fabric?
Nap is not bad for fabric. Nap fabrics are different from fabrics without naps. A napped fabric’s color and texture can be changed according to the direction of the nap. When you push the fibers against the nap, the cloth looks darker and matte.
What is nap fabric?
Strictly speaking, ‘nap’ refers to the texture of a piece of fabric, rather like the grain in wood. A piece of velvet, for instance, might feel soft no matter how you stroke it, but on closer inspection you’ll find that its fibres all want to align the same way.
How to tell if fabric has nap?
If you’re not sure whether a fabric has nap (some satins, for instance, can be quite deceptive in this way), try running your fingers over it lightly to see if you can detect a difference in texture (if your fingers are calloused, the soft skin on the underside of your lower arm can sometimes do the job). Look at the fabric in different lights and turn it round to see if it catches the light differently at different angles.
What is a nap in sewing?
Strictly speaking, nap refers to the texture of a piece of fabric, like the grain in wood. A piece of velvet, for instance, might feel soft no matter how you stroke it, but on closer inspection, you’ll find that the fibers all want to align the same way. If you sewed together two pieces of velvet with the nap running in different directions, the resulting garment would look strange indeed! Crushed velvet deliberately misaligns the nap for effect, but looks very different as a result.
What is a fabric without nap?
To put it simply, a fabric without nap is a fabric that looks the same whatever way round you turn it. A fabric with nap looks different, though this difference may be quite subtle and not easy to detect at first glance. Strictly speaking, ‘nap’ refers to the texture of a piece of fabric, rather like the grain in wood.
Can you only align a pattern?
Some fabrics, of course, have patterns that can only be aligned one way. If you’re working with a fabric like this, you will need to choose a with nap pattern. If you’re designing your own sewing patterns, think carefully about which way round different pieces of the fabric to be cut will be aligned in the finished garment. Pay particular attention to details like pockets and waistbands. This may seem a challenge at first, but you’ll soon get into the habit, and you’ll produce much better work as a result.
