Meaning & use
with nap
Last updated
Meaning
phrasefixed phrasetechnical
Describing fabric that has a soft raised surface of fibers, such as velvet or corduroy.
Grammar: Comes after a noun: 'a fabric with nap' or 'velvet with nap'. The opposite is 'without nap' or 'no nap'.
Patterns
- fabric with nap
- velvet with nap
- cut fabric with nap
Velvet is a fabric with nap, so all pattern pieces must be cut in the same direction.
When you sew with nap, lay the pattern pieces so the pile runs the same way.
Corduroy has nap, which means the color looks different depending on which way you brush it.
Common combinations
- fabric with nap
- Choose a fabric with nap if you want a soft, fuzzy finish.
- cut with nap
- Always cut with nap to avoid shade differences in the finished garment.
- nap direction
- The nap direction affects how light reflects off the cloth.
Synonyms and how they differ
- pile
- Pile is the more general term for the raised surface on carpets and fabrics; 'nap' is common in sewing for fabrics like velvet and corduroy.
Opposites
Word family
- napped adjective
- Having a raised surface, as in 'napped cotton'.
Commonly confused: with nap or nap?
with nap vs nap
The everyday noun 'nap' means a short sleep. The fabric sense is technical and usually appears in the phrase 'with nap' or 'nap direction'.
Practice
In sewing instructions, 'cut with nap' tells you to:
Choose one answer.
'With nap' means the fabric has a raised surface, so all pieces must be cut in the same direction to keep the color and texture consistent. The other options confuse 'nap' with sleep or misunderstand the technical term.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “with nap”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.