Chapter 37 - Textiles in Use

Question 1

How are textiles used in the home?

Answer 1

• Soft Furnishings: Items other then furniture which decorate a room e.g. Curtains, Blinds, Rugs
• Carpets: Some carpets are very hardwearing; others not as durable
• Upholstery: The covering fabric and filling furniture e.g. sofas, armchairs, mattresses.
• Bed Linen: Sheets, pillowcases, duvets and duvet covers, blankets
• Table Linen and Towels: Tablecloths, place mats, table runners, napkins,

Question 2

What are the properties of textiles?

Answer 2

A property is a characteristic or quality e.g. Hardwearing textiles used in carpets and absorbent textiles used in towels; warm textiles used in blankets and fire-resistant textiles used in sofas.

Question 3

What are the functions of soft furnishings?

Answer 3

Functions include:

• To make a room look attractive
• To make a house more comfortable
• To allow us to express our taste and style

Question 4

What are the guidelines for choosing soft furnishings?

Answer 4

• Function: Blinds - privacy but also let in light; cushions -comfortable.
• Attractive: Consider: colour, pattern and texture. Colour: room warm or cool, pattern: room more interesting, and texture: room feel cosy.
• Easy to Clean: Appliqué or decorative fringes can be difficult to clean. They may have to be hand washed, dry cleaned or vacuumed.
• Durable: Hardwearing fabrics would last a long time.
• Cost: A more durable item could be more expensive, but better value for money.

Question 5

Describe curtains.

Answer 5

Curtains can be full length or short. They should be 2-2.5 times the width of the window to allow for gathering. Curtains can be made of cotton, Dralon, polyester, linen or wool.

Question 6

What are the functions of curtains?

Answer 6

• They keep out light, especially lined
• They keep out sound
• They keep in heat, especially if lined
• They reduce draughts, especially if lined
• They give privacy
• They make a room look more attractive (colour, pattern, texture)

Question 7

What are the properties of curtains?

Answer 7

Curtains should:

• Hang/Drape well
• Be resistant to fading
• Be closely woven to keep out light
• Be washable or dry cleanable
• Be preshrunk so they won’t shrink in the wash
• Be fire-resistant

Question 8

What are the desirable properties of carpets?

Answer 8

Carpets should be:

• Hardwearing
• Warm
• Fire Resistant
• Mothproof

Question 9

What textiles are used in carpets?

Answer 9

• Wool is used because it is warm
• Nylon and acrylic are used because they are hardwearing
• Warm, hardwearing carpets made with 80% wool and 20% nylon

Question 10

What are the properties of upholstery?

Answer 10

• Fabric should be hardwearing
• It should be easy to clean
• It should be stain resistant
• Outer fabric should be closely woven

Question 11

What textiles are used in upholstery?

Answer 11

• Heavy cotton
• Wool
• Dralon

Question 12

What are the properties of sheets, pillowcases, duvets and blankets?

Answer 12

Sheets and Pillowcases:
-Absorbent
-Smooth
-Washable
-Crease Resistant
Duvets and Blankets:
-Easy to clean
-Warm
-Lightweight

Question 13

What is ‘tog rating’?

Answer 13

The measurement of the warmth of a duvet. The least warm is a tog value of 4.5 and the warmest is a tog value of 15.

Question 14

What textiles are used in bed linen?

Answer 14

• Cotten; Absorbent, comfortable and washable.
• Polycotton; Comfortable, crease resistant, and easily washed and dried
• Flannelette (brushed cotton); Soft, warm and popular in kids bed linen