Part of the ‘Antique Fabrics’ series, this fabric isn’t necessarily extinct, but it was more popular in the past than the present. A heavy crepe fabric, with a more prominent texture than average. The fabric features distinctly wavy ridges along the warp. I’ve seen it referred to a lot in my 19th century catalog reproductions,… Read More »
Part of the ‘Antique Fabrics‘ series, this fabric isn’t necessarily extinct, but it was more popular in the past than the present. AKA Reps. Fabric with closely spaced ribs running in the direction of the weft. Popular for upholstery in the 19th century, especially curtains. Historically, it was made from silk. Can still be found in… Read More »
Although I keep wanting to pronounce this one as if it’s a French word (“fay”) my books tell me it rhymes with “file”. Faille is a light to medium-weight silk fabric with a subtle rib running parallel to the warp. The hand is somewhat stiff, and the fabric has a slight lustre. It’s popular for jackets, formal… Read More »
Part of the ‘Antique Fabrics‘ series, this fabric isn’t necessarily extinct, but it was more popular in the past than the present. I’ve spotted this one in my 19th century catalog reprints. At that time, it seemed to refer to a hard wearing woolen or wool-silk originally woven in Turkey – hence the name. Classic and Modern… Read More »
Part of the ‘Antique Fabrics‘ series, this fabric isn’t necessarily extinct, but it was more popular in the past than the present. AKA drugget. A coarse, economical wool fabric (sometimes wool-silk or wool-linen). It was used for coats, breeches and waistcoats. Today it is still a coarse fabric, but with a cotton warp and wool… Read More »
Poplin is a plain-weave fabric with ribs running across the grain (warp). Historically, it was made from a silk and wool blend, but now is found made from many fibers, including cotton, silk, nylon and polyester. In heavier weights, it’s popular for upholstery as the texture gives even a pure solid color some interest. Poplin… Read More »
Broadcloth is a tightly-woven fabric with very fine – almost imperceptible – ribs running the length of the warp. The ribs are so fine that it’s often mistaken as a balanced plain-woven (totally smooth) fabric. It’s most often made of cotton or a cotton-polyester blend. It can also be made from wool or silk. Historically,… Read More »
Bengaline is a silk/cotton blend, popular in the late 19th century as an alternative to pure silk. The fabric has a ribbed surface running across the warp (from selvedge to selvedge), which makes it feel sturdier than it is. It’s sometimes called Bengaline silk. These days, the term gets applied a bit willy-nilly to any… Read More »
Fabric For Cosplayers