100% Natural White Linen Buckram

54" wide, $30.00/yd.
WLG 170

Buckram (aka taylors linen and interfacing) is used in the lining of garments to keep them stiff and hold their form. It is also used in the body of women's gowns. Most extant buckram is unbleached but this creamy buckram might be preferable in light colored garments. Being 54 inches (1 m 37 cm) wide a quarter yard is enough for most applications. Buckram is a very old fabric and has been used at least since the 17th century and probably well before. This linen made in Ireland is stiffened with gum and should be used along the button stand and button holes in men's coats, jackets, waistcoats and military regimentals. If interfacing is not used the front of the coat will flop and not hold it's shape especially if metal buttons are being used. In some extant 18th century garments several layers of interfacing is used.

For example in The Proceedings of the Old Bailey, London in 1742 during a murder trial it was recorded "this Handkerchief was as stiff as Buckram, with Sweat from the Heat of the Place." Hand sewing this fabric would work best using 35/2 off white linen thread.

100% Unbleached Linen Buckram

24" wide, $16.50/yd.
WLG 171

Buckram (aka taylors linen and interfacing) is used in the lining of garments to keep them stiff and hold their form. It is also used in the body of women's gowns. Buckram is a very old fabric and has been used at least since the 17th century and probably well before. This linen made in Belgium is stiffened with gum and should be used along the button stand and button holes in men's coats, jackets, waistcoats and military regimentals. If interfacing is not used the front of the coat will flop and not hold it's shape especially if metal buttons are being used. In some extant 18th century garments sometimes several layers of interfacing is used.

For example in The Proceedings of the Old Bailey, London in 1742 during a murder trial it was recorded "this Handkerchief was as stiff as Buckram, with Sweat from the Heat of the Place." Hand sewing this fabric would work best using 35/2 unbleached linen thread.

100% White Handkerchief Linen

2.8 oz., 60" wide, $22.00/yd.
WLG 113

This 2.8 oz. linen made in the Czech Republic is some of the finest commercially produced today. At 55 threads to the inch it is also tightly woven. Linen this fine was often called cambric in the 18th century and was used for neck and pocket handkerchiefs, caps, shift and sleeve ruffles for the ladies and for gentlemen's shirt ruffles, and neck cloths, stocks, and handkerchiefs. In The Proceedings of the Old Bailey, London in 1778 a man was "indicted for stealing . . .  two pair of men's cambric ruffles, value 1 s." White linen thread 60/2 will work well for sewing on this fine linen. Even if machine sewing other parts of your clothing, people look most at your face so that hand sewing should at least be done around the caps and neck handkerchief. The picture shows a penny behind the linen to show how sheer it is.

100% Handkerchief Linen

3.7 oz., 60" wide, $13.00/yd.
WLG 124 white or off white

This linen may be used to make neck and pocket handkerchiefs, linings, men's neck stocks, and cravats and lady's caps and aprons. Tending toward the wealthy but also worn by the poor, shirts and shifts were made of this fine white or off white linen. In The Virginia Gazette of 1775 "RUN away . . .  two indented SERVANTS, one a Scotchman . . .  by Trade a Gardener . . .  had on, and took with him . . .  one Shirt of brown Sheeting, several others of fine Linen". When hand sewing this linen try white or off white 60/2 linen thread to match the fabric.

51% Linen 49% Cotton

3.7 oz., 60" wide, $11.50/yd.
WLG 123 handkerchief oatmeal

This smooth fine handkerchief weight linen cotton blend makes a sheer lining for cool summer garments but may also be used for shirts and shifts. Cited in Wenches, Wives and Servant Girls "Run away . . .  a Dutch servant Woman, hath been about two years in the country . . .  had on . . .  a green worsted under jacket, lined with linen" was published in The Pennsylvania Gazette of 1776. When hand sewing this linen try 60/2 unbleached linen thread.

100% Shirt Linen

~4 oz., 60" wide, $12.00/yd.
WLG 104

This exceptionally fine 100% shirt linen is great for officer's shirts and lady's shifts. In The Pennsylvania Gazette of 1776 "Ran Away . . .  a servant girl . . .  had on . . .  an old shift of fine linen" which is included in Wenches, Wives and Servant Girls. When hand sewing this linen try 35/2 or 60/2 white linen thread.

100% Off White Linen Shirting

5.5 oz., 60" wide, 11.00/yd.
WLG 110

Linen shirting was primarily used to make men's shirts and women's shifts. Although more expensive than unbleached, this fabric is appropriate for all economic levels in the 18^th century. Shirting was also used to make men's trousers, caps, hat linings, and jackets, and women's gowns, jackets, petticoats, pockets, and aprons. Cited in Wenches, Wives and Servant Girls The Virginia Gazette of 1772 "a servant woman . . .  had on, and took with her . . .  a white linen ditto [gown], white apron". Hand sewing this fabric would be best done in 35/2 off white linen thread. This fabric has a thread count of 36 threads per inch in the warp and 45 in the weft.

100% Shirt Linen

5.75 oz., 60" wide, $21.00/yd.
WLG 111

This exceptionally fine 100% shirt linen 5.75 oz. is ideal for officer's shirts and fine shifts. This linen is some of the finest available today having less slubs and more threads (45) to the inch. In The Virginia Gazette of 1774 "RUN away . . .  in Maryland, an indented servant man named JOHN WHITE . . .  professes gardening and farming, and had on, and took with him . . .  a fine linen shirt and neckcloth, marked I.K." When hand sewing this linen try 35/2 or 60/2 white linen thread.

100% Unbleached Linen

6.5 oz., 60" wide, $13.00/yd.
WLG 100

Oznabrig (with many spellings) was first named after the German city that first produced considerable amounts of it. Later in the 19^th century, as with many fabrics, oznabrig began to be made of cotton. Oznabrig is a cheap unbleached fabric related to brown linen, tow and rolls and was often used to make men's shirts, hunting frocks, trousers, and overalls and women's shifts, gowns, petticoats, aprons, and pockets.

For example in The Virginia Gazette in 1745 "a Servant Woman . . .  her Speech is the North of England Dialect, and says she was born in Lincolnshire: she had on, when she went away, a Oznabrig Shift" and again in 1775 "a convict servant, a Scotchman . . .  Had on and took with him . . .  one oznabrig [waistcoat] . . .  two oznabrig shirts, two pair of oznabrig trowsers". Other articles like market wallets, bags, bed sheets, bed ticks, and haversacks may be made of this fabric as well. Although unbleached, this fabric will slowly fade to a creamy white with washings and time in the sun. Hand sewing this fabric would work best using 35/2 unbleached linen thread.

100% Linen

8.2 oz., 60" wide, $13.00/yd.
WLG 102

Linen with a warp thread of unbleached and weft thread of half-bleached creates an oatmeal color. Coarse linen like this was commonly used to make hunting frocks, trousers, sailor's trousers (sometimes called slops), haversacks, kettle bags, market wallets, chair seats, linings, and work aprons. Less often slave's shirts and shifts (ouch!), breeches, jackets, waistcoats, and coats. For example in The Virginia Gazette in 1776 "RUN away . . .  a small outlandish Negro Fellow . . .  He carried away with him . . .  2 Virginia Linen Shirts, one of them very coarse". Linen thread for this would be best hand sewing using 16/2 or 35/2 unbleached.

100% Linen

~8 to 9 oz., 58" wide, $13.00/yd.
WLG 103

Now in stock!

Heavy linen like this was commonly used to make just about anything including hunting frocks, trousers, sailor's trousers (sometimes called slops), haversacks, kettle bags, market wallets, chair seats, linings, work aprons, woman's jackets, and gowns. Less often slave's shirts and shifts (ouch!), breeches, jackets, waistcoats, and coats. For example in The Virginia Gazette in 1774 "RUN AWAY . . .  A Dark colour'd mulatto man . . .  has taken and carried away . . .  a white linen jacket without buttons". Linen thread for this would be best hand sewing using 16/2 or 35/2 white.