Glossary - D

Darning
Sewing is an ancient craft involving the stitching of cloth, leather, animal skins, furs, or other materials, using needle and thread. Its use is nearly universal among human populations and dates back to Paleolithic times (30,000 BC). Sewing predates the weaving of cloth.

Denim
Denim, in American usage since the late 18th century, denotes a rugged cotton twill textile, in which the weft passes under two (twi- 'double') or more warp fibres, producing the familiar diagonal ribbing identifiable on the reverse of the fabric, which distinguishes denim from cotton duck. Denim was traditionally coloured blue with indigo dye to make blue 'jeans,' though 'jean' denoted a different, lighter cotton textile....

Dressmaker
A dressmaker is a person (usually a woman) who makes custom clothing for women, such as dresses, blouses, and evening gowns. Also called a mantua-maker (historically) or a modiste.

Dye
A colourant that becomes molecularly dispersed at some point during application to fibre and exhibits some degree of permanence. There are many application classes of dyes, including acid dyes, disperse dyes, reactive dyes, and natural dyes. Dyes may be generally divided into natural and synthetic types. Natural dyes are obtained from berries, flowers, roots, bark and more. Synthetic dyes are chemical compounds.

Dyeing
The process of colouring materials impregnating fabric with dyestuffs.
1. Solution Dyed - Synthetic yarn which is extruded from a coloured solution; the filament is thus impregnated with the pigment.
2. Stock Dyed - Fibres are dyed before spinning.
3. Yarn (or skein) Dyed - Yarn dyed before being fabricated into carpet.
4. Piece or Beck Dyeing - Carpet dyed in a piece after tufting but before other finishing processes such as latexing or foaming.