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Fabrics & Colors

The fabrics and colors you choose for your garment will have an effect on the look and comfort of your garb. It can make your outdoor events cold and miserable and /or indoor events hot and sticky. Fabrics and color also give an indication of your relative status in society. Tunic & trews in a rough cotton or wool, in dull or light colors generally indicate low status. The same tunic & trews in a fine linen, silk or wool, in strong or bright colors will indicate higher status or wealth. 

General Rules on Fabrics:

Fiber Contents:

  1. Natural Fibers are best: Cotton, Cotton Blends, Wool, Wool Blends, Rayon, Linen, Linen Blends, Silk, Silk Blends.
  2. If using a fiber blend, be sure that the natural fiber is at least 50% of the content.
  3. Avoid: 100% synthetic anything, (especially polyester double knits!) Acetate lining “satin”, fiberglass curtains, rubber-backed curtains.
  4. Try to avoid fabrics that are a blend of more than 3 fibers.

Fabric Patterns:

  1. Solid Colors: You can never go wrong using solid colors. Many colors were achievable with period dyes.
  2. Woven Patterns: Stripes/Checks/Plaids are all patterns achievable by weaving. If the pattern could not be woven, you probably couldn’t afford it. Printed stripes & check can be ok, but check to be sure the fabric has been printed on grain.
  3. Some jacquards are ok, choose large patterns - absolutely no cabbage roses!
  4. Avoid: Flower prints of any and all kinds.

Colors:

  1. Almost any color was achievable at some point in some country in period, however not all of them were available all of the time for all the people. An Tir does not have sumptuary laws in regards to fabric types or colors, but some countries did at various times. People also did everything they could to get around sumptuary laws.
  2. Any color can be worn with any other color - early period color sense does not correspond with modern!
  3. “Neutral/Natural” colors were readily achievable: browns, golds, yellows, oranges, reds, blues, greens. Any dilute of these colors. For most of period, if you use a dilute (light) phase of a color, it usually indicated either an old garment, or weakened, used-up dye pot. The darker, stronger (not brighter) the color, the more expensive.
  4. Avoid neon and chemical colors: chrome yellow, acid greens, aniline blues and purple.

Trims:

  1. Trims can be made from a wide variety of things. Strips of contrasting fabric, bias tape, cording,
  2. Almost any woven trim could work - again, you need to avoid modern flower patterns.
  3. Embroidery is always appropriate and looks very good.
  4. Avoid lace. Nearly all modern laces are completely inappropriate.

Fabric Fibers:

Fiber

Good Points

Bad Points

Cotton

(muslin, trigger, kettle cloth, batiste, denim, twill, sheeting, flannel)

Readily available,  wide range of colors, easy to sew, easy to clean.  Very comfortable to wear. Relatively inexpensive.

Wrinkles, if light weight, will tear if stressed.

Poly-cotton

(not more than 50% polyester)

Inexpensive, wide range of colors, easy to sew.  Does not wrinkle as much as 100% cotton.

Can have a “slick” or harsh feel.  Holds on to stains with a vengeance, especially oil/sweat based stains.  Will pill where it rubs against itself. Not as absorbent as 100% cotton.

Synthetics

(polyester, acetate, nylon, lycra)

None

Cold and clammy in cold weather, hot and sticky in hot.  Will shred if stressed.

Wool or Wool Blends

(twills, worsted, flannels)

 A must for An Tir weather.  Stays warm if wet, will allow your skin to breath if warm.  Available in a wide range of colors and weights.  Can be fulled (shrunk) into a wonderful soft, springy fabric.

Many people with allergies. Can itch if worn next to skin.  Will shrink when washed.   Medium expensive.

Silk/Silk Blends

Wonderful against skin. Available in many colors and weights.  Warm in cold weather and cool in hot.

Must be hand washed or dry cleaned.  Wrinkles. Can be expensive.

Rayon (cellulose)

Good range of colors, limited range of weights.  Becomes very soft when washed.

Not a lot of body after washed.

Linen/Linen Blends

Strong, cool, comfortable.  The more you wash it, the softer it becomes.

Can be expensive for real linen.  The finer the weave, the higher the price.  Wrinkles. READ labels, “Linen” is also a type of weave for fabrics, and the material may not contain any linen at all.

Copyright 2002 by Ellen Winnie aka HL Ellen Frazier - prepared for a  class handout. Posted March 2002

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