Eyelet is a lightweight woven fabric — most often cotton or a cotton blend — decorated with small round holes that are punched or cut into the cloth and then finished with embroidery stitching so they cannot fray. The holes are arranged in floral, geometric, or scalloped patterns, frequently with additional surface embroidery, and the fabric often finishes in a scalloped border edge. Crisp, breathable, and unmistakably summery, eyelet is a staple of warm-weather dresses and children's clothes.
How Eyelet Is Made
Modern eyelet is produced on Schiffli embroidery machines, which stitch the design and cut the holes in a continuous process: a boring tool pierces the ground cloth, and dense buttonhole-style stitching rings each opening before the pattern moves on. The ground is usually a plain-weave cotton lawn, batiste, or broadcloth; the embroidery thread may match the ground exactly (classic white-on-white) or contrast with it.
Eyelet is closely related to broderie anglaise — in many shops the names describe the same cloth, with 'eyelet' the common American term. Quality is judged by how neatly the holes are finished and how dense the embroidery sits against the ground.
Where Eyelet Is Used
- Summer dresses and blouses — white eyelet sundresses are the signature use.
- Children's clothing — christening dresses, bonnets, and party dresses.
- Trims and edgings — eyelet lace sold by the yard finishes hems, collars, and pillowcases.
- Lingerie and nightwear — soft eyelet trims on cotton nightdresses and camisoles.
Care of Eyelet
Cotton eyelet is washable — that is part of its charm. Machine wash cool on gentle inside a mesh bag to protect the embroidery, and line dry or tumble low. Press from the reverse on a padded surface so the embroidered rings are not crushed flat. The holes are finished and should not unravel if the stitching is intact.
For choosing and sewing the wider lace family, see the lace fabric guide, which includes eyelet among its types.
FAQs
- Is eyelet the same as broderie anglaise?
- Essentially yes — broderie anglaise is the French name for the same embroidered cutwork technique, and 'eyelet' is the usual American retail term.
- Is eyelet a type of lace?
- It is grouped with laces in fabric stores, but technically it is embroidery on a woven ground rather than a true made-lace structure.
- Does eyelet fabric need a lining?
- For dresses, usually yes or a slip — the holes are open by design. Designers also layer it over coloured lining to show off the pattern.
Detailed Guides: see Eyelet in the glossary A–Z listing of the Apparel Search fashion glossary for related terms.