Tag Archives: Faire-Friendly

Suitable for seamsters wanting to make historically-accurate Renaissance-era costumes.

About Upholstery Fabrics

You should never neglect the home décor section when shopping for costume fabric. You’ll find patterns and colors there appropriate for a surprising swathe of history and some drawn characters too. For instance, when you need emergency princess gear, pintuck taffeta can be a lifesaver. Sheer gauze curtains can provide material for fairy wings. I’ve lost count of… Read More »

Samite

I’ve encountered samite in I don’t know how many bits of historical fiction, but it’s only now that I wonder what it actually is! According to good ol’ Wikipedia, samite is a heavyweight silk fabric with a twill weave, although as time passed, the term came to be applied to any heavyweight fabric with a… Read More »

Kersey

Part of the ‘Antique Fabrics‘ series, this fabric isn’t necessarily extinct, but it was more popular in the past than the present. Kersey is a coarse woolen cloth, originally made in Kersey, in England, hence the name. Made from lower-quality wool with a twill weave it was thick and sturdy, and very warm. Very suitable for peasant… Read More »

Boiled Wool

Boiled wool yardage Boiled wool is a woolen fabric that has been woven or knitted, and then subjected to heat and agitation to make it shrink. This is very similar to how felt can be made and sometimes the terms are used interchangeably – albeit not by your local historian. Unlike felt, boiled wool doesn’t… Read More »