Voile is a fabric that is quite similar in appearance to organza and organdy. It is often used when making curtains because it is sheer but also crisp and lightweight. Top-quality voile is constructed out of highly twisted yarns. Because it is sheer, it is a good fabric for women's summer clothing.
      Origin and Purpose
The word voile comes from the French word "veile," meaning veil, which is derived from the Latin word "vela," meaning "covering." Its original purpose was for creating veils. In very hot countries, voile is often used for window treatments as well as for mosquito nets. Voile curtains are very much like net curtains. Many years ago, cotton voile dresses first made their debut in France. Voile dresses are considered romantic, particularly if the fabric is a floral print with a watercolor effect.
      Characteristics and Construction
Voile is made of cotton blends, such as linen or polyester, or out of 100 percent cotton. Voile is comparable to refined fragile gauze. It is an open-weave fabric that can also be made out of wool. When voile is made out of wool, it is referred to as voile de laine. Although voile is normally constructed out of cotton or wool it can also be made out of rayon, acetate, silk or other fibers. Voile can have a frosty appearance and can range from gauzy to ultra-fine.
      Well Suited
Voile is ideal for curtains because it gathers and drapes well. The clear surface of the fabric is acquired by singeing away fuzzy yarns, which results in a crisp, sometimes hard, finish. It may even feel a bit wiry.
      Other Options
When the fabric is going to be used for a dress, dots can be woven in and the fabric is then called dotted swiss. Voile is sometimes used as a second material or as an overlay when making a dress.
      Advantages
The advantages of working with voile are that it creases well and sews easily. It also can be dyed. You can machine-wash and dry it.
      Considerations
A special heading tape is used when creating voile curtains because it is less noticeable than other types, which is necessary because voila is semi-transparent. Voile comes in a variety of colors and patterns, which gives you more to choose from, unlike netting materials, which normally come in off-white or white.