Collect swatches to help you identify the different fabric types. Make your own by cutting small squares from your scraps, or old clothing and sheets before discarding them. Store them in a ziplock baggie and keep in your sewing kit.
In the pic above I have a few. One is from the scraps left over from a flat sheet I used to for demonstrations, another is from a fleece blanket, and so on.
If you cut and label after every project, soon you will have a neat collection of swatches to help you learn and identify different fabric types and their weights.
The label of your swatches can tell you the name of the fabric, the blend of fibers, how to care for it, etc. You can apply any kind of label you like. But, the most label-effective way I've found, is to write directly onto the swatch piece with a pointed permanent marker or pen. Paper or sticky labels tend to lint quickly and detach.
Quick Tip: old sheets and clothing may already have their own info labels w/care instructions. If still readable, cut them out along with your square swatch or tear it off and reattach it...Neat!
You may also categorize them into their fabric groups, and then types. For example, you may have a bunch of swatches in a bag labeled cottons, and then each piece can labeled in more detail telling which type of cotton or cotton blend it is, like flannel, fleece, etc.
Periodically, take a moment to examine the swatches by reading their labels, looking at them closely and feeling them. You may even take your swatch bag along with you when shopping for fabrics to compare.
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