Sewing Nap

The noticable texture of fabric which is in someway raised, fuzzy, or contoured on its surface is called nap.

Some fabrics change their appearance depending on the way you look at them. 

Besure to follow the pattern instruction on how the nap should lie and how it should be sewn. 

This surface may include raised designs, a hairy texture in the fabric, a fluffy surface, the pile of knits, and one-way designs. 

Some fabrics are simply flat and have no discernable nap, while other fabrics like fur, flannel, swade, and corduroy have obvious nap surfaces. 

Fabrics with pile nap including velveteen, velour, and corduroy feel smoother and color is brighter when the nap is going down and darker when going up. 

The nap wears better when the nap is going down.  

Fuzzy-surfaced fabrics like flannel and fake fur shuld be cut with the nap running down.

Shiny fabrics such as satin, damask, and knits reflect the light differently when viewed from different directions. 

It is important for such fabrics to lay the same direction.  Plaids and stripes need the added care of aligning the plaids and stripes.

Sewing Nap is a major consideration when sewing with some materials, but other materials have little or no nap to be of concern.