Linen at Class Act Fabrics

Linen was a major fabric in the Egyptian dynasties: pre-680AD they had what we identify as huckabuck; tabby with a looped pile; herringbone, lozenge and rosette twills; honeycomb weave. Other weaves are recorded in guild regulation in 1456 and have been found in central and southern Rhineland graves.

There were fine linens with thread counts of 22/20 per centimeter and 22/18 per cm. found in London digs from the 1200's and extra fine linen gauzes even earlier in Egypt (etc). The Vikings didn't have to wear burlap-looking linens!! They had the ability to make finer and had the ability to "obtain" finer if they wanted. For Pete's sake!!....my own grandmother spun, wove and sewed linen on a Pennsylvania farm in the early 1900's that was a fine shirtweight! (end diatribe)

The above paragraph not withstanding, there was a use of the 'tow'...the short, waste fibers left after combing the longer 'line' fibers from the flax....to make 'tow cloth'. Tow was spun into thicker, fuzzier threads and used for cheaper fabric. Tow cloth was used for utilitarian things like sacks, servant and slave wear, and other cheap clothing.

The swatches have had their color manipulated, coaxed and cozened to try to match the original fabrics as close as possible.

All fabric is 100% Linen unless otherwise labeled.

LINEN WEIGHT: The linen I get is usually a seasonal run from the fashion industry. It is left-over after the original clothing run is completed or it was a bolt sent to a design house to make up a sample piece. When I get it, there is no information on the oz. weight of the fabric.

A linen importer sent me swatches with weights listed:
handkerchief linen is 3 1/2 oz.
shirtweight is about 4 1/2 to 6.3 oz.
bottom weight is over 8 oz.

HOWEVER...... today, just as it was in the middle ages and every age before and after, those who make and sell fabric can label it any way they want to make it more attractive to the buyer. One fabric is called one name for 30 to 50 years and then when the call for it decreases, they slap another fashionable name on it and hype it some more.
Industry can call any weight by any name it pleases. The weight doesn't mean that it has the same size threads or the same thread count....just that a certain yardage weighs a certain amount. Call it an approximation.

And linen is made in different ways. A lot of the fashion linens today are made on cotton thread machinery.... cotton fibers are shorter than linen fibers and these machines use short fibers of linen instead of the traditional long fibers we see in those glorious old linen table cloths and vintage clothing. The long fiber linen is "stiffer"...drapes with those large folds and doesn't get "fuzzy" after a lot of washes. The shorter fiber linen feels softer from the start.

I found out that one manufacturer, at least, is still "Sanforizing" linen. This is a process that was used a lot in the 50s through 70s for cottons and linens to pre-shrink them and give them better wrinkle resistance. I got some that even reacts like it is "mercerized". This is when short cotton (and according to one textile reference book from 1968, linen also) fibers are specially chemically and mechanically treated and they bend and form over and under the other threads. They can then stretch and recover. If you look at a single thread, it will look like the crenellations on a castle wall. I'm going to call it a "mechanical stretch" in the descriptions just to distinguish it from lycra stretch.

If you want your linen to stay crisper and less fuzzy looking, DO NOT DRY IT IN THE DRYER!! It breaks and loosens the fibers and the ends stick up more. Check your lint trap....you lose a lot of your fabric there. I machine wash my linen garb, then take it out and shake it, hang it up and hand stretch it to smooth most of the wrinkles out. It only takes a couple minutes, and the linen looks almost like new. If I wanted, I could iron it while it was still damp and the shine would be lovely.

CLICK ON SWATCH FOR LARGER PICTURE

#249 60" natural "net-like" linen (called " mummy cloth") shrink approx. 3% thread ct. 14:14/cm (ca. 32 threads per inch) $5.00/yd use for needlework, window screening, cheese straining, flour sifting, wet veils to prevent heat stroke ;) also useful for replacement speaker cloth for Acoustic Research speakers from the 1950-60s	#299 60" 100% linen tabby shirtweight with a fine even weave White warp and a kind of 'speckle-y' tan weft....looks almost like a classier version of a traditional 'oatmeal' linen. thread ct 25warp, 21weft/cm light tan color $8.50/yd	#2078 55" 100% linen tabby light shirt weight I've tried to get this color but it just doesn't want to be caught. It's so scarlet the lights make it orangey. thread ct 20warp, 18weft/cm scarlet red $8.50/yd
#2122 60" 100% linen, tabby a very nice quality linen, light to medium weight and nice weave Ivory white $8.70/yd thread ct 18 warp,16weft/cm	#2124 59" 100% linen, fancy tabby weave. This is a nice shirtweight linen in an interesting weave...almost a waffle but not, pretty Turquoise $8.65/yd
#240 60" 100% linen stripe white weft, brown & white warp. $8.00/yd about 6 yards left	#2022 61 1/2" linen Un shrunk loose tabby weave. The yarns are tightly spun and the fabric holds its weave after washing. Shrinkage is about 5.5% so the 61.5" weft shrinks to a 59" weft. Every once in a while a warp thread has broken. Another set that could be called coarse gauze. A wonderful deal. So many uses! $3.50/yd see below to the right for swatches of this fabric	#2021 61 1/2" linen yellow, red,brown,blue warp and green, tan weft same as #2022 Unshrunk loose tabby weave The yarns are tightly spun and the fabric holds its weave after washing. Shrinkage is about 5.5%....so the 61.5" weft shrinks to a 59" weft. Every once in a while a warp thread has broken. Another set that could be called coarse gauze. So many uses! I couldn't pass it up. $3.50/yd See below for swatches of both fabrics
#2038 36" linen/cotton tabby I haven't counted threads yet. Imported Italian. Very nice feel! natural (tan-ish) $4.00/yd also a peachy cream color...#2037P	#2039W 36" linen/cotton tabby I haven't counted threads yet. Imported Italian. Very nice feel! a translucent fabric (see shoulder area where white silk goes under) a warm tan $4.00/yd also a cool tan...# 2039C	#2022 #2021 #2021 unwashed unwashed washed
#2068 42" 100% linen, tabby lite shirtweight thrd ct: 26warp:20weft per cm dark pink $8.00/yd	#2094 60" 100% linen, Jacquard heavy lovely design with border on both selvedges! (ignore the blue shadow) Natural $14.45/yd.	#2113 59" 100% linen tabby very nice shirtweight! The color didn't come out quite right. It really is a very nice Navy blue thread ct 21warp, 18weft/cm $8.25/yd
#2057 59" 100% linen, tabby shirtweight thread ct: 21warp,21weft/ cm light blue $9.00/yd	#2115 57" 100% linen, tabby a light medium-weight. natural thread ct 18 warp.16weft/cm $8.50/yd	This is #2033, BLACK, crisp, shirtweight 100% linen SEE BELOW for description
#201 58" evenweve linen red-orange/white plaid shirt/dress weight $6.50/yd	#2116 54" 100% linen, tabby light weight. I tried to show the translucence of this one.... you can see the black skirt underneath, and 'in person' you can see the white bodice underneath too. This would make a great chemise! Ivory thread ct 19warp, 16weft/cm $8.25/yd	#2033 (above ^) 55" tabby 100% linen Sanforized and Mercerized! That means it is already pre-shrunk and anti-wrinkle and it has a "mechanical stretch"in the weft (across)!! It has the shine that you get with pressing a good old linen ...without the work of pressing. I machine washed and dried this with little surface change. Use for anything that needs the comfort and look of linen. Goth could use this easily too! fine, light shirtwt 100% linen! Black $8.50/yd
#2108 39 1/2" tabby weave TOW 100% linen. My jobber had some of this wonderful Russian tow linen left, so I grabbed what he had! (I forgot to take this pic til after I'd taken the tan linen off Susie so I put the blue under it instead...oops) Burgundy thread ct 8warp, 6weft/cm $5.90/yd	#214 45" 45% linen, 55% cotton tabby weave nice even weave, good shirt weight fabric. blue/ white woven check $6.50/yd about 7 yd left	#2114 44" 100% linen tabby weave very nice tight weave, good shirtweight natural thread ct 18warp, 17weft/cm $7.25/yd
#2054 56" 100% linen, tabby nice tight, evenweave light shirtweight creamy tan $8.00/yd	#2109 39 1/2" tabby weave TOW linen This soft, absorbent linen makes wonderful towels and gambesons. It would also do for anything that you want to absorb sweat or water. thread ct 8warp, 6weft/cm dusty/faded rose $5.90/yd	#2110 39 1/2" tabby weave TOW linen This soft, absorbent linen makes wonderful towels and gambesons. It would also do for anything that you want to absorb sweat or water. thread ct 8warp, 6weft/cm pink $5.90/yd
#2111 39 1/2" tabby weave TOW linen This soft, absorbent linen makes wonderful towels and gambesons. It would also do for anything that you want to absorb sweat or water. forest green $5.90/yd only about 2 yards	#2009 59" 100% linen, twill this twill messes with the digital camera...it really is just a white warp and dark indigo blue weft but it wants to turn green and other weird colors :-P a 2:2 twill, thread count of 23warp/21weft per cm lovely hand $8.50/yd	#2112 39 1/2" tabby weave TOW linen This soft, absorbent linen makes wonderful towels and gambesons. It would also do for anything that you want to absorb sweat or water. thread ct 8warp, 6weft/cm light blue $5.90/yd
#2097 39 1/2" tabby weave TOW linen This soft, absorbent linen makes wonderful towels and gambesons. It would also do for anything that you want to absorb sweat or water. gray $5.90/yd only about 2 yards left	#2099 39 1/2" tabby TOW linen This group of linens are woven rather coarsely from rather loosely spun, thick threads of short (tow) linen. This looks a lot like burlap (grin) but is MUCH softer. When washed the weave fills out and gets very soft feeling, It makes a lovely towel.. This is really an ECRU color~ a warmish tan. $5.90/yd	This is a pic of the #2099 unwashed on the left, and washed/ drier-dried on the right.
#2117 53-54" 100% linen, tabby light shirtweight. This one is a rather fine weave. dark brown thread ct 19warp, 15weft/cm $8.25/yd	#2118 60" 100% linen, tabby finer weave, light weight off-white thread ct 23warp, 18weft/cm $8.50/yd	#2123 57" 100% linen, tabby medium weight, skirts, light pants, shirts. a very nice feel Gray thread ct 16warp, 12weft/cm $8.65/yd
#2114 44" tabby linen a nice shirtweight tan thread ct 18warp, 17weft/cm $7.25/yd	#272 61" tabby linen white/cranberry thread ct: 21warp:17weft/cm I just overdyed this with navy...I got the most wonderful "iridescent" periwinkle!!$8.50/yd	#227 60" linen/cotton tabby shirtweight tan/white check $8.00/yd SALE $5.50/YD
#2119 56" tabby linen lovely bottom weight thread ct 16warp:14weft/cm natural $8.95/yd	#2120 54" tabby linen really NICE evenweave! chemise or light shirtweight, handkerchief or veil use too. Not a sheer or tissue but look closely and you can see the demarcation of black 'skirt' and 'bodice top' on Suzie Q's chest. handkerchief wt. White thread ct 23warp, 22weft/cm $8.95/yd	#2121 56" tabby linen a medium weight good for shirts, 'shortgowns', dress etc. a pretty Wedgwood blue thread ct 18warp, 14weft/cm $8.50/yd
#264 55" tabby linen dark blue thread ct 17warp,13weft/cm $8.50/yd	#2063 51" 100% linen, tabby light pink "tissue"/ handkerchief weight thread ct: 29 warp:22 weft/cm $9.50/yd SALE $8.45	#256 55" basketweave linen dusty pink thread ct 20warp, 17weft/cm $7.00/yd



#290 56" tabby linen woven check: 5 squares/inch white, dark blue, tan $8.00/yd	#291 56" tabby linen woven stripe: 5.5 sets/inch white, dark blue, tan $8.00/yd	#2076 60" 2/1 twill linen white warp, lt. blue weft shirtweight thread ct: 22 warp:18 weft/cm $8.00/yd



#278 59" tabby linen white, sage-gray stripe shirtweight $9.00/yd		#280 59" 2/2 twill weave brown, white houndstooth check shirtweight $9.00/yd only about 2 yards left
	Well, I don't have a page for "hardware" and I was at a loss as to where to put these....so here they are: linen tester, thread counter, stamp magnifier, whatever you want to call it, it is wonderful! These are metal with glass optics. The smaller, 10x, has a lens about 1/2" in diameter. The larger, 8x, has a lens 3/4" in diameter. They fold up flat and come with a little black leather-like pouch. Each is $8.49 plus 51 cents state sales tax in PA, or $8.50 shipped outside of PA.

page updated 5/1/2008