ven of cotton, silk, or
wool; used sometimes for dress goods; more generally for curtains and
table covers. _Chenille_ is the French word for caterpillar, which the
single thread of the cloth resembles.

=Chiffon.= A thin, transparent silk muslin. Although one of the
thinnest and gauziest of modern silk fabrics, it is relatively strong
considering its lightness. To convey an idea of the fineness of the
thread used in its manufacture, it is stated that one pound of it will
extend a distance of eight miles. In the process of finishing the
fabric receives a dressing of pure "size." There are two styles of
finish, called respectively the demi- or half size and the full size.
Chiffon finished by full sizing is comparatively stiff; while the
demi-finish produces a softer and lighter texture. It is dyed in a
great variety of colors, and sometimes is printed in delicate
patterns. It is especially adapted for home and evening wear, and is
used for neck and sleeve trimming, drapery over silk foundations,
fancy work, and millinery.

=China Silk.= A term applied to plain woven silks manufactured in
China. The term China silk has been adopted in the United States in
recent years for a class of machine-woven silks made in imitation of
the hand-loom product. These imitations are narrow in width and lack
the soft, lustrous quality of Eastern fabrics, and are also free from
the uneven threads. China silks are distinguished by their irregular
threads, caused by some of the threads being heavier than others, and
their extreme softness.

The warp and filling are identical in size and color, and being woven
evenly produce a beautiful natural luster. It is generally plain
color, although the figured goods are printed in much the same manner
as calico. It is used for gowns, waists, underclothing, etc. It
launders as well as white cotton.

=Crepe.= A thin, gauzy fabric, woven in loose even threads of silk,
heavily sized or gummed, crimped or creped in the dyeing. Crepe was
first used in black only as a badge of mourning. It is now an accepted
dress fabric, made in colors and white and of many materials. The name
signifies to crimp or crepe with a hot iron.

=Crepe de Chine.= A soft, lustrous silk crepe, the surface of which is
smoother than that of the ordinary varieties. It is woven as a plain
weave with part of the warp threads right twisted and the rest left
twisted. It is dyed almost any color and figured or printed.

=Eolienne.= S