100% Linen

54" wide, $30.00/yd.
WLG 170

This buckram is back in stock!

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. 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 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% Linen

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 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% 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

5.5 oz., 60" wide, $10.00/yd.
WLN 114

Unbleached linen comes in a variety of shades depending on soil conditions, weather conditions, the variety of flax and how the flax is processed. This unbleached linen is a lighter shade than many of our other unbleached linens. Unbleached linen was the cheapest and most available in the 18th century. It went by names such as brown linen, tow, osnabrig, 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.

In The Pennsylvania Gazette of 1772 an ad included, "Run away . . .  an indented servant woman . . .  says she was born near the city of Armagh, in Ireland . . .  had on, and took with her . . .  3 coarse shifts, one of which is a homespun, with a pair of fine sleeves, one ozenbrigs ditto, and one coarse tow ditto, with broken ruffles on the same" as cited in Wenches, Wives and Servant Girls.. Other articles like market wallets, bags, bed sheets and haversacks may be made of this linen as well. Although unbleached, this fabric will slowly fade to a creamy white with washings and time in the sun. Hand sewing this linen would work best using 35/2 unbleached linen thread. This linen is prewashed.

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

8.2 oz. Drilling, 60" wide, $18.00/yd.
WLG 115

Drilling or drill is a stout twilled unbleached linen used to make military and men's civilian clothing, usually breeches and trousers, but occasionally coats, waistcoats and jackets. For example in The Virginia Gazette in 1775 "RUN away . . .  a Convict . . .  a Barber by Trade . . .  had on, and took with him . . .  one Pair of new Drilling Breeches". Hand sewing this project would work well using 35/2 or 16/2 unbleached linen thread.

In the military drill was used in summer-weight clothing in the French & Indian War, by New-York's Provincial Congress, who bought drilling for the waistcoats and breeches of its four 1775 regiments, and by some British and loyalist regiments in America after 1778 and made by the regimental tailors into breeches, waistcoats, and overalls. If this fabric is not exactly what you are looking for you might consider the similar hemp linen ticking or Russia drill.

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% Off White Linen

7.6 oz., 60" wide, $14.00/yd.
WLD 100

This prewashed linen has a weave that is tight enough that it is difficult to see through. White linen was used to make men's shirts and women's shifts. Although more expensive than unbleached in the 18th century, this fabric is appropriate for all economic levels. White linen is also used to make men's trousers, hat linings, and jackets, and women's gowns, petticoats, pockets, and aprons. In The Providence Gazette in 1772 "RUN away . . .  a hired Servant Man . . .  by Trade a Calker . . .  Had on and took with him . . .  two white Linen Shirts". Hand sewing this fabric is best done in 35/2 off white linen thread. This fabric has a thread count of 34 threads per inch in the warp and 44 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. Please specify shade of either oyster (below) or white. 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 white linen thread.

100% White Handkerchief Linen

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

This 2.8 oz. linen 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.

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% Linen Check

60" wide, $19.00/yd.
WLG 160

The 1/4" (6 mm) check in this sheer linen is formed by varying the tightness of the weave. Very similar fabrics were called dorea in the 18th century. This fabric is correct for lady's neck and pocket handkerchiefs and early 19th century gowns. When hand sewing try white 60/2 linen thread.