chenille
/ʃəˈniːl
/noun [mass noun]
A tufty, velvety cord or yarn, used for trimming furniture and made into carpets or clothing.To make your furniture snuggle-friendly, sew soft faux suede or chenille slipcovers for your favourite chair....
- If you cut the garment or project pieces ‘to size’ and then create the chenille, the final chenille piece may be too small.
- The bow stays tied better if you choose a textural ribbon, such as chenille, rickrack, or grosgrain.
Origin
Mid 18th century: from French, literally 'hairy caterpillar', from Latin canicula 'small dog', diminutive of canis.
This term for a tufty velvety yarn is a use of a French word meaning ‘hairy caterpillar’, from Latin canicula ‘small dog’, the connection being the fur of all three.