One thing that will always stymie the re-enactor is the
difference in finishing fabrics between 'now' and 'then'. Since the last quarter
of the 1800s, fleece wool has been treated to a carbonization process to get rid
of the plant debris. This involves dipping in acid. The surface of the wool
fiber is affected as well as the plant material and the care and timing of the
process determines how much it is affected.
(You can get yarn, and I think fabric, too, that hasn't
been carbonized at special stores on the internet. I think you must search for
'natural wool'. )
Another thing that is a real pain is that fabrics
weaves go out of style and come back with a different name. Or the same name is
stuck on a different fabric. So the bengaline of yesteryear (silk warp,
wool weft) has become a pure silk fabric today. The linen/wool fabric today is
more likely to have the linen and wool blended together in one thread than to
have the pure linen warp and pure woolen weft.
The fibers have all been cut to 'machine manageable' lengths so there are no
long fiber worsteds comparable to those of the hand-spun industry. sigh.
That's not all but I think I'll save that for an information page later...when I
get "a round toit".
I've done my best with the colors but it appears that
there are colors seen by the eye that don't exist in reality. sigh.
All fabric is 100% wool unless otherwise labeled.
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PLEASE CLICK ON THE PICTURES
to enlarge and see the textures and colors better |
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#1131
62" wool/lycra tabby in a gauze weight.
This is probably about a 95% wool/4-5% lycra blend. I say that based on the
stretch when I handle it. If only it didn't have the lycra I'd say it would
be perfect for any woolen veiling at any time period. And if you don't let
anyone close enough to pull it, it definitely passes the 10 foot rule. Heck,
it would pass a 2 foot rule. Think widow's veil.
Black
$12.00/yd |
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#1050
59" Alpaca
thick, plush and wonderfully soft!
This
fulls in hot water and agitation (approximately 31% shrinkage in the warp and 23% in
the weft.) so dry cleaning is the best idea. (the fulled wool makes wonderful
slippers and insoles ;-)
MINT on one side, PALE MINT on other side
$18.00/yd |
#1154
60" 100% worsted wool, light-weight gabardine (twill shows only on one side)
This is a light gabardine that has a lovely look and feel and makes such nice suits!
This jpeg should be a bit lighter... and ignore the peach highlights.
Slate green is so hard to define... what exactly is the green that's on a
slate? Hmm.... well, this one is a medium grey with a green hinted
quality. As I was draping it I noticed the rich sheen. This wouldn't be for
all skin tones but it is lovely!
Slate Green $13.75/yd |
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#1108
58" 100% woolen
From Carleton Woolen Mills which closed a couple years ago.
A beautiful soft wool. When I washed a piece in cold water and hung it to
dry it had 7% shrinkage in the warp and 6% in the weft. This could be from
the way I hung it to dry.
Navy
$13.45/yd |
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#1155
60" 100% worsted wool, light-weight gabardine
This is a light gabardine that has a lovely feel and makes such nice suits!
This color is a little dark but when I tried to lighten it, the color
changed...drat. So imagine this a tiny bit lighter and with no peach
highlights. My jobber calls it
Blue Aqua
$13.75/yd |
#1159
60" 100% worsted twill
This is another one I bought to fill out the 'browns'...and found to my
delight a lovely hand and magnificent sheen! This was called cinnamon. I
thought ...hmmph..not enough warm tone in it... Then I looked at all my
cinnamons and found that although my stick cinnamon had that tone, my ground
cinnamons didn't! So this is
....Ground Cinnamon (not McCormick's spices ground
cinnamon....it's closer to Vietnamese cinnamon...no red! a lovely light
brown)
$13.75/yd |
#1144
61" 100% wool coating
VERY nice...This is a woven woolen that has been felted. (different from a
wool felt which isn't woven first)
A lovely Italian wool. Twilight Grey
$18.50/yd
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#1066
60" 100% wool
fine satin-weave twill suiting.
almost a sateen finish, I'd venture a guess that this could be Venetian
Cloth.
lovely browns with a gray tone
$8.00/yd
about 4 yards left |
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#1169
60" Imported Shetland wool from Uruguay. 100% wool.
A beautiful soft, cushy, fluffy, cuddle-up and feel pampered, type of
woolen.
It would make the most wonderful shawl.
Underneath the soft thick nap I think its a tabby weave.
This is made of unbleached, undyed Shetland wool in shades of dark off-white
and light brown. I guess you might call it
oatmeal.
I only got 8 yards of this one....
$21.50/yd
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#1158
60" 100% worsted twill suiting
A LOVELY piece of wool! The color I think is taupe...not khaki, not tan, not
gray... it caught several reflections from the lights but those aren't
really there. The hand on this is fabulous for suits and light jackets! It
was a big surprise to me as I was draping it on 'Susie Q'. Here I bought
this only to fill out some colors only to find a great fabric in its own
right!
Taupe
$13.75/yd |
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#1211
60" 80% wool 20% ANGORA
PLUSH? no...
ZIBELLINE
!!
Have you ever felt an ermine or sable pelt? Or petted a beaver skin? This is the closest thing I've felt to those two. It is magnificent! The pile just invites petting by even the least fabric-addicted person. The dense, soft backing and the silky pile are fabulous! also spelled 'zibeline'.
Black
This fabric retails for over $100 according to my sourcces... but I got "an offer I couldn't refuse" and had to get it so I could offer it for
$50.00/yd
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#1096
58" 85% wool, 15% nylon coating,
soft, fluffy, lightweight twill with a wonderful thick nap surface.
Wonderful for a coat or a cape!
Feels great!
Beige
about 5% shrinkage
$9.00/yd |
#1156
60" 100% worsted wool, light-weight gabardine (twill shows only on one side)
This is a light gabardine that has a lovely feel and makes such nice suits!
Looks great, too.
Navy Blue
$13.75/yd |
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#1135
60" 100% wool coating
From Uruguay, this is another nice coating in a nice color....
Ruby (but not a bright ruby)
also called Fuchsia by some ;)
$14.50/yd |
#1136
60" 100% wool coating
This coating is a bit lighter than the others I got this year....not thin,
just a bit lighter. As most of the others, a twill with one side lightly
brushed.
I call it
Frosty Berry
because it looks like a ripe raspberry fresh off the bush. (get a
swatch, really)
$14.50/yd |
#1048
58" 100% wool twill plaid
about 10 oz.
black and cream with a white rail
$11.00/yd |
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#1209
60" 100% worsted wool SATEEN
A wonderful
find! This is very hard to get. A wonderful satin weave makes this wool shine like satin. Perfect for jackets, structured outfits...and 18th century mens wear!!!! Imported from Switzerland.
BLACK
$25.00/yd
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#1170
60" Imported Shetland wool from Uruguay. 100% wool.
A beautiful soft, cushy, fluffy, cuddle-up and feel pampered, type of
woolen.
This one is softer, drape-ier, and more cuddly than #1169 (above) with a bit
looser weave, and you can see the twill weave structure on the backside.
All I can think of is one of those soft, unstructured wraps or soft drape
coats like a big oversized cardigan. LUSCIOUS!
This is made of unbleached, undyed Shetland wool in shades of dark off-white
and light brown. I guess you might call it
oatmeal.
$21.50/yd.
about 7 1/2 yards left |
#1210
60" 100% worsted wool SATEEN
A wonderful
find! This is very hard to get. A wonderful satin weave makes this wool shine like satin. Perfect for jackets, structured outfits...and 18th century mens wear!!!! Imported from Switzerland.
DARK BROWN
$25.00/yd
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#1171
60" 100% woolen
from Uruguay. A medium weight herringbone twill woolen.
Very nice drape and a flexible woolen.
Lovely color...blue-grey warp and a black weft that looks a bit
tweedy. It looks like
dark charcoal with a subtle blue tone.
$21.50/yd.
about 8 yards left |
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#1143
56" 100% woolen coating
A tabby weave that looks more coarse than the other woolens I got at the
same time. Interesting.
Black
$14.50/yd |
#1139
100% wool coating
a very nice medium weight woolen coating from Uruguay.
I did a gentle cold wash, hang dry on this wool and the shrinkage was about
6%. (your results, of course, will vary according to gentleness, water temp,
how you shake it out before drying, etc, etc, etc.
Corn Silk Tan
$14.50/yd |
#1061
59" 100% superfine worsted
with lycra, tropical weight
tabby weave suiting
tan
$8.00/yd |
#1064
59" 100% superfine worsted
with lycra
tabby weave tropical weight suiting
mixed grays
$8.00/yd |
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#110
60" 100% wool worsted tabby
a superfine suiting from a top men's suiting company. Understated woven
checks in charcoal grays.
$7.00/yd
about 6 yards left |
#179
60" 100% worsted wool sateen
a luscious suiting with browns and blue and other furtive colors woven
together.
browns with blue hint
$8.25/yd
about 2 yards 16 inches left
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#1063
60" 100% superfine worsted
with lycra
tabby weave summer suiting
dark charcoal with a bit of blue tint
$8.00/yd
about 2 yards left |
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#1148
60" 100% worsted wool
a really nice twill suiting, very fine and summer weight.
The color...drat.. ignore the peach highlights and right side of the shot.
This is a light corn yellow.
Maize
$13.75/yd |
#1157
60" 100% worsted wool, light-weight gabardine (twill shows only on one side)
This is a light gabardine that has a lovely feel and makes such nice suits!
The color...hmph!....Ignore the peach highlights... lighten the color a
little bit.
This was labeled 'SAGE' by the manufacturer. And it really is...if
you look at the dusty grey with a memory of cool green in it and
remember what the herb looks like. I tried lightening the picture and lost
the green tone. This is really a pretty fabric so if you like 'sage'
color it would do you well to get a swatch.
$13.75/yd |
#1150
60" 100% worsted wool
a really nice twill suiting, very fine with body, a sheen that is glorious.
Take a close look at this one!
It does look like cocoa powder.Cocoa
$13.75/yd |
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#1151
60" 100% worsted wool
a really nice twill suiting, fine and lovely color and hand.
To see the color, check out #1162 which is a flannel to this one's hard
smooth surface.
Hunter Green
$13.75/yd
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#1164
60" 100% worsted wool
A lightweight gabardine perfect for summer suiting, dresses, tunics, undergowns, etc.
Dark Chocolate
( a TRUE dark chocolate...a cool dark brown)
$13.75/yd |
#1152
60" 100% worsted wool, light-weight gabardine (twill shows only on one side)
This is a light gabardine that has a lovely feel and makes such nice suits!
It was labeled Straw Gold.... Theresa and I call it
Honey Mustard
$13.75/yd
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#1160
60" 100% worsted wool
this is a light-weight worsted wool with a bit more body than a light gabardine or
summer suiting.
Just the weight for a spring or fall lightweight gown or promenade ensemble
(or dress, as the millennium suits you ;) Excellent for a fall tunic (or
suit jacket....) when there's just a bit of nip in the air.
Ignore the purple tinge...it isn't there!
(I'm changing the color name from the factory label:
Smoke (gray with a hint of blue)
$13.75/yd |
#1161
60" 100% worsted wool
this is a twill suiting worsted wool with more body than a light gabardine or
summer suiting.
Just the weight for a spring or fall lightweight gown or promenade ensemble
(or dress, as the millennium suits you ;) Excellent for a fall tunic (or
suit jacket....) when there's just a bit of nip in the air.
Navy blue
$13.75/yd |
#1162
60" 100% worsted wool
this is a light-weight flannel that has the worsted wool feel, a little
brushed/flannel feel that gives it more body than a light gabardine or
summer suiting.
Just the weight for a spring or fall lightweight gown or promenade ensemble
(or dress, as the millennium suits you ;) Excellent for a fall tunic (or
suit jacket....) when there's just a bit of nip in the air.
Hunter Green
$13.75/yd |
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#157
59" 100% wool twill with lush nap on one side
wool/camel hair blend
checked browns/black
$12.00/yd
about 2 1/2 yards left
$25.00 the piece |
#1165
60" 100% worsted wool
this is a light-weight flannel that has the worsted wool feel, a little
brushed/flannel feel that gives it more body than a light gabardine or
summer suiting.
Just the weight for a spring or fall lightweight gown or promenade ensemble
(or dress, as the millennium suits you ;) Excellent for a fall tunic (or
suit jacket....) when there's just a bit of nip in the air.
This is a nice milk chocolate.
Chocolate
$13.75/yd |
#1166
60" 100% wool
Melton Cloth. A beautiful, dense but flexible woolen that is perfect
for structured jackets.
And this just 'happens' to be the perfect color for a Civil War era
coat... Light Grey
$19.85/yd |
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#1167
60" 100% wool
Melton Cloth. A beautiful, dense but flexible woolen that is perfect
for structured jackets.
And this just 'happens' to be the perfect color for a Civil War era
coat... Dark Grey
$19.85/yd |
there is a little sparkle in the threads that makes this unsuitable for authentic
kilt/renaissance use
#117
60" twill 99%worsted/1%nylon?
(was labeled 100% wool)
black/cream faux Menzies tartan
$9.00/yd
SALE $ 4.00/YD |
#1168
60" 100% wool
Melton Cloth. A beautiful, dense but flexible woolen that is perfect
for structured jackets.
And this just 'happens' to be the perfect color for a Civil War era
coat... Navy blue
$19.85/yd |
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#1091
60" 100% twill woolen flannel suiting
a fine, soft, smooth finish in a pretty 'tweedy' look with very subdued
windowpane.
Grays with brown & blue 'panes'
$9.00/yd
about 6 yards left |
#1118
60" 100% wool crepe
A lovely hand and drape and a luscious rich color.
Wool crepe makes very nice suits that move with you and don't wrinkle
as much as other fabrics.
Burgundy
$9.95/yd |
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#1191
60" 100% wool twill
A very nice lightweight twill with a bit of brushed surface...feels so nice!
Merlot/ wine
according to the color website
$13.75/yd
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#1197
60" 100% woolen twill
A very nice medium coatweight woolen of Shetland wool. Imported from Uruguay. Nice look, nice hand. Neat color!
Heathered Watermelon
$18.75 |
#1198
60" 100% woolen
twill
A very nice medium coatweight woolen of Shetland wool. Imported from Uruguay. Nice look, nice hand.
Old Gold
$18.75/yd
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#1199
60" 100% woolen twill
A very nice medium coatweight woolen of Shetland wool. Imported from Uruguay. Nice look, nice hand
Jewel Red
$18.75/yd
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#1202
60" 100% woolen twill
A very nice medium coatweight woolen of Shetland wool. Imported from Uruguay. Nice look, nice hand
Light Aquamarine
$18.75/yd |
#1203
60" 100% woolen twill
A very nice medium coatweight woolen of Shetland wool. Imported from Uruguay. Nice look, nice hand
Apricot
$18.75/yd |
#1204
60" 100% woolen twill
A very nice medium coatweight woolen of Shetland wool. Imported from Uruguay. Nice look, nice hand
Dark Cadet Blue
$18.75/yd
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#1206
60" 80%wool, 20%nylon
Melton Cloth
A medium weight Melton, soft, dense, rich and smooth, with a lovely hand.
Apricot Peach ..a lighter apricot
$19.50/yd |
#1207
60" 80%wool, 20%nylon
Melton Cloth
A medium weight Melton, soft, dense, rich and smooth, with a lovely hand.
Light Olive Green
$19.50/yd |
#1208
60" 80%wool, 20%nylon
Melton Cloth
A medium weight Melton, soft, dense, rich and smooth, with a lovely hand.
Tan
$19.50/yd
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