Silk/Cotton, 45" wide
White Stripe Gauze WSV 127
$20/yd

New!

Striped gauze was often used to make lady's neck handkerchiefs and aprons. For early 19th century this can be used for women's empire gowns. In the picture the penny was put behind the silk blend to show how sheer this silk/cotton is but you can also see my hand holding the fabric. In The Pennsylvania Gazette of 1770, "Run away . . . an Irish servant woman . . . had on . . . striped silk handkerchief" as cited in Wenches, Wives and Servant Girls. White silk thread will melt into this when hand sewing.

100% Silk, 55" wide
Stripe Silk WSV 120
$20/yd

Striped silk of this weight is great for gentlemen’s waistcoats and coats as well as lady's petticoats, gowns and jackets. Silk garments were in the possesion of the poor as well as the wealthy such as in this Pennsylvania Gazette ad of 1781, "Ran Away . . .  a Negroe Woman . . .  She had a variety of clothes, among which are . . .  a striped silk jacket" as cited in Wenches, Wives and Servant Girls. Ivory silk thread will work well for hand sewing this silk.

100% Silk, 55" wide
Brown Striped Silk WSV 122
$20/yd

Silk with 1/16" Stripes of this weight is great for gentlemen’s waistcoats and coats as well as lady's petticoats, gowns and jackets. For example The Proceedings of the Old Bailey, London a theft trial in 1765 recorded, "she described them very particularly, and told where they were pawned: (a dimity gown, a brown damask gown, a striped silk gown . . .  ); these she owned she had taken unknown to her master". Ivory silk thread will work well for hand sewing this silk.

100% Silk, 55" wide
Yellow Striped Silk WSV 121
$20/yd

Silk with 1/16" Stripes of this weight is great for gentlemen’s waistcoats and coats as well as lady's petticoats, gowns and jackets. For example The Proceedings of the Old Bailey, London a theft trial in 1761 recorded, "one of them had on a loose stuff-gown; the other a striped silk". Ivory silk thread will work well for hand sewing this silk.

100% Silk, 46" wide
Red Silk Velvet WSV 118
$25/yd

Pure silk velvet is like no other fabric you have ever felt. This will just melt in your hand and the drape is fabulous! In the 18th century red silk velvet was used on the collars and capes of men's coats and sometimes cuffs. Red velvet was also used for caps and waistcoats. Red velvet was often used for pulpit cushions. For example advertised in The Virginia Gazette of 1775 "RUN away from the ship Elizabeth . . .  four sailors, viz. JAMES ROBB, born in the north of England . . .  had on, or took with him, a suit of blue clothes with a red velvet cape." For hand sewing try red quilter's silk.

Changeable Orange Silk Taffeta, 100% Silk, 55" wide, $22/yd.
WSV 126

Wow!

Taffeta included a number of silks especially early but this plain weave changeable silk is of a stunning orange (almost coral) color that changes to light gray. Throughout the 18th century taffeta was used for women's gowns, jackets, and petticoats. Men wore taffeta as jackets, coats and waistcoats. In The Pennsylvania Evening Post, of 1776, "Ran away . . .  an Irish servant girl . . .  She also took with her a changeable mantua gown" is cited in Wenches, Wives and Servant Girls. For hand sewing light brown quilter's silk will blend with this fabric.

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100% Silk, 55" wide
Changeable Light Blue Silk Taffeta WSV 124
$22/yd

Simply stunning!

Taffeta like this is a plain weave changeable silk of a pretty sky blue that changes to a light brown. Throughout the 18th century taffeta was used for women's gowns, jackets, and petticoats. Men wore taffeta as jackets, coats and waistcoats. In London's The Proceedings of the Old Bailey, of 1743 in a theft case the hearings recorded a woman "was indicted for stealing . . .  one blue Silk Gown, lin'd with Stuff". For hand sewing try blue quilter's silk.

Teal Silk Taffeta, 100% Silk, 59" wide, $20/yd.
WSV 123

Taffeta included a number of silks especially early but this crisp plain weave silk has a beautiful shiny finish. Throughout the 18th century taffeta was used for women's gowns, jackets, and petticoats. Men wore taffeta as jackets, coats and waistcoats. In Textiles in America 1650-1870 an American ordering silk from London in 1727 asked for "Persian Taffetys, as few whitish ones as may be, if none t'would be best; . . .  [including] bright greens . . .  and other good colours". For hand sewing try green quilter's silk.

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100% Silk, 55" wide
Changeable Claret Colour'd Silk Taffeta WSV 125
$22/yd

Pretty!

Taffeta included a number of silks especially early but this plain weave changeable silk is of a stunning claret color that changes to gray. Throughout the 18th century taffeta was used for women's gowns, jackets, and petticoats. Men wore taffeta as jackets, coats and waistcoats. In London's The Proceedings of the Old Bailey, of 1743 in a theft case the hearings recorded a woman "was indicted for stealing . . .  one blue Silk Gown, lin'd with Stuff". For hand sewing try claret quilter's silk.

100% Silk, 45" wide
Red Persian WSV 109
$14/yd

Scarlet red silk as fine as this was used for neck handkerchiefs, and linings. Cited in Wenches, Wives and Servant Girls The Pennsylvania Packet, of 1771, "Run away . . .  an Irish servant woman . . .  talks a little on the brogue, is full of impudence, loves strong liquor, and will get drunk, when she has an opportunity; she is a good seamstress, and professes to be a mantua maker; had on, and took with her . . .  red silk handkerchief".

100% Silk, 45" wide
Brown Persian WSV 108
$14/yd

Brown silk as fine as this was used for neck handkerchiefs, linings and sometimes bonnets. Cited in Wenches, Wives and Servant Girls The Pennsylvania Packet, of 1778, "Ran Away . . .  an indented girl . . .  country born . . .  had on and took with her, a brown silk bonnet".

100% Silk, 36" wide
Ivory Persian WSV 117
$10/yd

Ivory silk as fine as this was used for neck handkerchiefs, linings, and sometimes bonnets. In The New York Gazette, of 1775, "Run away . . .  a servant girl . . .  born in Scotland . . .  had on and took with her when she went away, a black silk hat lined with white silk" as cited in Wenches, Wives and Servant Girls. For hand sewing try fine white or medium weight ivory silk thread. Despite the image this does look very similar to WSV 106.

100% Silk, 45" wide
Gold Persian WSV 104
$14/yd

Gold silk as fine as this was used for neck handkerchiefs and as a lining. In The Proceedings of the Old Bailey, London of 1767, "Richard Griffiths, and Mary his wife, otherwise Mary Pitt, spinster, otherwise Anne Taylor, spinster, were indicted for burglariously breaking and entering the dwelling-house of Anne Nevell, widow . . .  and stealing . . .  a coloured silk handkerchief, the property of the said Anne Nevell".

100% Silk, 45" wide
White Persian WSV 102
$14/yd

This fine white silk was primarily used as a lining and hem facinings on women's gowns. White silk as fine as this can also be used for neck handkerchiefs, and men's cravats (aka neck cloths) and neck stocks. Sometimes Persian was used for women's bonnets. In The Proceedings of the Old Bailey, London in 1758, "Arthur Hambleton was indicted for stealing . . .  one white silk lining to a gown".

100% Silk, 45" wide
Black Persian WSV 100
$14/yd

Fine black silk was commonly used as a lining material but may also be used for neck handkerchiefs, women's bonnets, and to cover chip (straw) hats. It may also be used for men's cravats (aka neck cloths) and neck stocks. In The Proceedings of the Old Bailey, London of 1775, "CHARLES M'GINNIS and ANN his wife, were indicted for stealing . . .  a piece of black silk lining, value two pence; a piece of black silk, value six-pence".

100% Cotton, Brown Stripe Manchester Velvet, 57" wide
WCN 100
$10/yd

Manchester velvets first appear in runaway descriptions starting in the late 1760s but they really don’t become common until the late 1780s. From the late 1780s and into the early 19th century Manchester velvets were commonly used for working class men’s waistcoats and breeches. This velvet is brown with stripes of reddish brown and tan. In the 1770 Virginia Gazette, an ad included “RUN away . . .  an English convict servant man . . .  had on when he went away a . . .  black Manchester velvet waistcoat”. Black 60/2 linen thread for hand sewing will match this fabric.

100% Cotton Ticking, Blue and White Stripe, 56" wide
WCC 101
$10/yd

Ticking (also ticken) for most of the 18th century was made of linen but beginning in the late 1770s in England and the early 1790s in America large cotton mills were established. These quickly grew in scale and by the early 19th century cotton ticking was cheep and available. For example in The Proceedings of the Old Bailey, London in 1810 it was recorded that "WILLIAM LEE was indicted for feloniously stealing . . .  two remnants of ticking, value 3 s." For those of you who shoot this fabric is 6.5 - 7 microns thick.

100% Cotton Organdy, White, 45" wide
WCV 200 Not pictured
$4.50/yd.

Organdy was a type of muslin often referred to as book muslin in the 18th century. This fine crisp cotton was used to make shirt and shift ruffles, women's caps, aprons, and handkerchiefs starting in the 1760s and continuing to the present. Organdy is stiff and holds its shape well. In The Proceedings of the Old Bailey in London of 1771, "I lost two aprons a book muslin and a stript one". We understand this is not a silk but it did not seem to fit in elsewhere.