b'are more likely to weaken and rot. Silk is fragile in ourcover a chair in your bedroom with a gorgeous, fragile sunlight, and cottons and linens tend to move as thesilk, or use an embroidered or beaded fabric for cushions atmospherechangesfromhumidtodrythroughtheor a duvet cover.year or day! Therefore, fabric houses are increasinglyAnother biggie is to check your upholstery fabrics for offering synthetic bres that mimic the look and feel oftheir ame resistance and for physical properties such as the nest natural products. adversity to piling, seam slippage, or tearing. Check the Synthetic bres such as polyester and acrylics boast betterlabels on the back of fabric swatches or ask knowledgeable sunlight resistance and durability, and have good thermalstaff who can quickly put you right.properties, and because of this have long lost their cheapWhen you are picking large expanses of fabric for a project and nasty reputation. They are increasingly favoured for a sofa, for example, can use 12 metres or more, and bothupholsteryandwindowtreatments,whichhavea room of oor-length drapes might take up more than to live up to wear and tear. Their stiffness can be used40 metresbe aware that colour differences between to great effect for full, opulent drapery. Whats more,rolls and batches of fabric are unavoidable. The samples tomeetanincreasinglyfashion-drivenmarket,textiledisplayed on cards or chips may not exactly match the technology is creating fabulous new fabrics with gloss,actual yardage youre after. So, be sure to ask your fabric plastic, metal, and even wood or bamboo-like effects.supplier to colour batch or sort rolls of fabric so that Price is your only limit. furniture or curtains hanging together actually match.However,Sharonadvisesthatthelonglife,thermalMaterial is supplied to be cut in the direction shown in insulation and attractive draping of curtains and blinds aresample presentations. If you wish to use fabric another way more about the linings than the textile itself. She advises for example, centring a large pattern on a sofa back, or not to skimp with the cheapest linings, and recommendshanging stripes horizontallyensure you order extra.even lining so-called thermal fabrics for better wear and warmth. And remember that more lavish curtains can beFinally, dont give up on that wonderful piece of cloth ordered with a bumph (a thin, quilt-like padding) betweenjust because its too expensive or not sturdy enough for the lining and the fashion fabric.everydayfamilyuse.Youcanbuildanentirescheme around one stand-out fabric. Treat yourself to a couple of Upholstery fabrics have their own rating scales, based onmetres for cushions or a footstool, or for a tiny side chair. rub tests. For commercial applications, the WyzenbeekThen, bring in other hardier or lower-cost textiles for big double-rub rating simulates a person getting into andsofas or curtains. Be modern and dont match everything. out of a chair, rubbing clothing against the upholstery.Mix and layer multiple colours, textures and patterns to Forgeneralcontractupholsteryorheavyfamilyuse,create a vibrant, one-of-a-kind home, brought to life by a double rub abrasion rating of 15,000 is ne; heavy- that key treasure textile.duty upholstery needs a rating of 30,000think hotel or conference roomswhile extreme weartheatres or airportsgoes up to 100,000. Lets face it, thats not necessary in your average family room. Australian,NewZealandandEuropeanfabrichouses morecommonlyusetheMartindaletest,whichrubs fabric with an abrasive material in a gure eight. Look for a rating of 20,000 cycles for general contract upholstery and 40,000 cycles for heavy duty. Finally, the appearance change of pile fabrics such as velvet velveteen, corduroy, knitted velour, knitted pile and ock fabrics are tested using the Stoll test. For these, though, lower ratings are ne for low-use piecesgo ahead and 72 |'