H
Ham
Also known as a dressmaker's ham or tailor's ham. This is a tightly stuffed, "ham" shaped item that is used at the ironing board to support and provide the appropriate molding for pressing curved areas
darts, princess seams, sleeves, etc.
Hand
The way the fabric feels when it is touched. Terms like softness, crispness, dryness, silkiness are all terms that describe the hand of the fabric.
Hand
The feel and drape of a fabric.
Header
The extra fabric above a cased heading which forms a frill.
Heading Tape
A wide woven tape incorporating pockets for curtains hooks and gathering cords.
Heather
A yarn that is spun using pre-dyed fibers. These fibers are blended together to give a particular look. (For example, black and white may be blended together to create a grey heathered yarn.) The term, heather, may also be used to describe the fabric made from heathered yarns.
Heavy Duty Thread
Carpet or Button Thread.
Hem
Fabric that it turned up on the lower edge of a garment or sleeve to provide a finished edge. Often extra fabric is left in the hem with children's clothing to allow for growth (especially skirts and slacks).
Hemp
A coarse, durable bast fiber obtained from the inner bark of the hemp plant. Used primarily in twines and cordages, and most recently apparel.
Herringbone
A variation on the twill weave construction in which the twill is reversed, or broken, at regular intervals, producing a zig-zag effect.
Hold Backs
Decorative brass hooks or mushrooms fixed onto the wall to hold curtains back.
Homespun
A coarse, tweedy fabric, often made at home. It was usually of one color, or at least intended to be of one color. Homepsun often dyed inconsistently.
Hong Kong Finish
Enclosing a seam with bias binding.
Hook & Eye Closure
A type of closure that employs a small hook on one side and a loop made of fabric or metal on the other. The hook and eye is used at the upper back of many dresses and often on lingerie.
Houndstooth Check
A variation on the twill weave construction in which a broken check effect is produced by a variation in the pattern of interlacing yarns, utilizing at least two different colored yarns.
Housewife
A small sewing kit for a soldier's use.
Huckabuck
A period-accurate fabric for napkins or toweling. It is a relatively coarse weave of fabric, and may be found either plain or with colored patterns. Huckabuck fabric may be most familiar to us as the toweling we used to find in gas station restrooms in dispensers that allowed the continuous roll of huckabuck to revolve through the dispenser
not a very hygienic practice, to be certain.
Hydrophilic Fibers
Fibers that absorb water easily, take longer to dry, and require more ironing.
Hydrophobic Fiber
Fibers that lack the ability to absorb water.
