Flax LinenLinen is made from the fiber of either the flax or hemp plant. Since today many consider hemp linen separate from flax linen and hemp tends to be more expensive, our hemp linens are included as a separate page. In the 18th century linen was the fabric most commonly worn close to the skin for shirts, shifts, caps, handkerchiefs etc. Much of the information on these pages is gathered from Swatches: A Guide to Choosing 21st Century Fabrics for 18th Century Clothing which has swatches you can feel and for a wider view of fabrics imported to the Americas try Textiles in America 1650-1870. Below are just a few basic linens that we always keep in stock. We have many more linens in solids, checks and stripes that rotate through our stock as the fabric becomes available. Please email and let us know what project you are working on and the linen you would like to use including your snail mail address. We will send you swatches based on your interests. |
100% Unbleached Linen6.5 oz., 60" wide, $13.00/yd. Oznabrig (with many spellings) was first named after the German city that first produced considerable amounts of it. Later in the 19th 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% Linen5.5 oz., 60" wide, $10.00/yd. 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". 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. This linen is prewashed. |
100% Linen8.2 oz., 60" wide, $13.00/yd. 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% Linen14 oz., 60" wide, $17.00/yd.
Coarse natural unbleached tightly woven linen like this was commonly used to make hunting frocks, trousers, sailor's trousers (sometimes called slops), overalls, haversacks, kettle bags, market wallets, chair seats, linings, and work aprons. Less often breeches, jackets, waistcoats, and coats can be made of this. For example in The Virginia Gazette an ad reported "The person who stole the horse . . . had on a . . . coarse linen jacket and trousers" in 1776. Linen thread for this would be best hand sewing using 16/2 or 35/2 unbleached. If this fabric is not exactly what you are looking for you might consider the similar 14 oz. Russia sheeting. |
100% Off White Linen Shirting5.5, 60" wide, 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 18th 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 Sheeting7.5 oz., 60" wide, 10.00/yd. Linen sheeting was primarily used to make men's shirts and women's shifts but this can also be used for waistcoats and breeches when white linen is what is called for. This linen has a slightly thicker thread and looser weave than the 7.6 oz. shirting below. Although more expensive than unbleached, this fabric is appropriate for all economic levels in the 18th century. Sheeting may also be used to make men's trousers, haversacks, hat linings, and jackets, and women's gowns, jackets, petticoats, pockets, and aprons. In The Virginia Gazette of 1770 "RUN away . . . two Irish servants . . . The man has . . . two new white sheeting shirts, and some old ones." Hand sewing this fabric would be best done in 35/2 off white linen thread. |
100% Off White Linen7.6 oz., 60" wide, $14.00/yd. 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 Linen5.75 oz., 60" wide, $20.00/yd. 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 Linen2.8 oz., 60" wide, $21.50/yd. 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 Linen3.7 oz., 60" wide, $13.00/yd. 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 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 60/2 linen thread. |
51% Linen 49% Cotton3.7 oz., 60" wide, $11.00/yd. 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 Check60" wide, $19.00/yd. The check in this 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. |
