Choosing fabrics for clothes and furnishings can be a tricky and costly business; will they wear well or shrink, fray or stretch; will they drape and hang effectively; are they shower- or flame-proof; are they easy to sew and handle; are they washable or to be dry cleaned? Ann Ladbury, the leading writer on home sewing, provides all the answers in this practical, straightforward book. When it was first published, Fabrics established itself as a standard reference book, highly recommended by experts. Now it has been fully updated and substantially enlarged to take account of new developments in fabric design and technology, as well as advances in dressmaking techniques. - Back cover.