Broadcloth, Common
Technical Details
Uses
A heavily milled woollen fabric with a blind finish it will take a cut edge and is suitable for tailoring men’s outer wear.
This is the quality used for British Army soldier’s coats of the C18th and C19th until 1859
Broadcloth, Superfine
Technical Details
Uses
A heavily milled woollen fabric with a blind finish it will take a cut edge and is suitable for tailoring men’s outer wear.
Made from finer grades of Merino wool spun into finer yarns enables makes a lighter cloth but with comparable density to the common grade. This density combines with the finer wool used facilitates the creation of a fine, directional nap on the surface of the cloth.
Used for high quality tailoring of Gentleme’s garments such as coats, waistcoats and breeches.
Kersey
Technical Details
Uses
The twill weave of Kersey allows it to mill slightly easier than Broadcloth, but has a slightly softer drape as a result.
It was used for making cheaper cloaks, overcoats and working jackets.
During the Napoleonic period it was used for British Army Greatcoats and for Waistoats.
Prior to 1768 it was used for British Soldiers Breeches.
Kersey, Blue-Gray,
(English Army Cloth / EAC / Tait Kersey)
Technical Details
Available Colours
Blue Gray. In Stock Now.
Uses
This particular quality seems to have been produced originally for British Army Greatcoats after the Crimean War.
Procurement Agents of the Confederacy crossed the Atlantic in search of supplies of appropriate fabrics for uniforms. Their start point seems to have been thie fabrics used by the British Army, as well as the manufacturing specifications and even the size ranges (why re-invent the wheel?). Whilst various qualities were ultimately produced in England, Ireland and even Europe, we have gone for a typical representative quality,
This material has been painstakingly matched to original samples and is suitable for Confederate enlisted jackets, pants and caps.
Kersey, Pant
Technical Details
Available Colours
Federal Sky Blue. Available Now
Confederate French Royal Blue. Available Now
Uses
The type of Kersey used for pants by both the Federal Forces and contractors supplying the Confederate Government, such as S. Isaac, Campbell & Company used a slightly different weave to that used for other goods.
We have analysed original samples and high resolution images of extant garments in order to recreate the specific weave, which gives a smooth surface on the face with the twill more visible on the back. The weight and width of the material is taken from the period Quartermaster’s specifications.
Colours have been matched to original samples of Federal and Confederate contract garments.
Cassimere
Technical Details
Uses
Invented by Thomas Yerbury in 1760 as a lightweight alternative to Broadcloth for use in hot climates, Cassimere is made from Merino qualities of wool spun into very fine yarns and then milled to give a blind face. The fine quality grades of wool used allow the development of a fine directional nap like Superfine Broadcloth, but the twill weave gives it a softer drape and it is not able to take a raw edge.
It became popular in the late C18th and early C19th for making Gentlemen’s breeches and waistcoats, including Naval and Army Officers. It was also used for turnbacks and tail and collar linings in Officer’s coats, lining of Hussar jackets and facings of Naval Officers’ 1812 patt coats.
Serge
Technical Details
Uses
A relatively coarse fabric which is only scoured, it’s loose texture makes it ideal for use as a lining material for lower quality clothing, but the woollen weft gives it a bit of insluating quality.
It was used for lining British Soldiers’ Coats from 1796 and Greatcoats from their introduction in 1803, and for lining intermediate quality garments such as Cavalry Troopers’ coats, and Infantry Sgt’s and Drummers’ coats from the period of the English Civil War.
Shalloon
Technical Details
Uses
Shalloon is the finest member of the Serge family, being a twill fabric composed of superfine worsted warp and weft fibres given a pressed finish resulting in a silky smooth surface with a soft drape ideal for high quality linings.
Typical material for lining Army Officers’ coats from the C18th right through into the early C20th, it was also seen in Gentlemen’s coats where it provided a more practical alternative to silk,
Bay
Technical Details
Uses
A coarse, cheap fabric woven with a worsted warp and woollen weft, it was lightly milled to give a flannelly material with a soft drape and a little bulk suitable for lining cheap clothes.
It was used for lining British Soldiers’ Coats from the English Civil War until it was replaced by Serge is 1796 and continued to be used by the Admiralty for Royal Marine’s coats throughout the Napoleonic Wars. It was also often used for Sailor’s jacket linings.
Quilting
Technical Details
Composition: Cotton Warp and Weft
Weave: Complex twill
Width: 59″ / 150cm
Weight: tbc per square Yd, tbc per linear Yd /
tbc g per square m, tbc g per linear m
For details of prices click here
Available Colours
White
Scan is of a sample 2″ x 3″
Uses
Quilting is a cotton fabric woven to give a three dimensional texture. It was used in the late C18th & C19th for waistcoats for wear in warmer climates.
Linen Hollands
Technical Details
Composition: Linen warp and weft
Weave: Plain
Width: 32″ / 81cm
Weight: 4 oz per square Yd, 3 1/2 oz per linear Yd /
138 g per square m, 112 g per linear m
For details of prices click here
Available Colours
Natural
White
Black
Scans are of samples 2″ x 3″
Uses
Linen Holland is given a crisp, shiny finish by means of the process of ‘beetling’ or pressing between heavy rollers. The body given to it allows it to be shaped with the iron ro give it three dimensional shape for use as interlining.
It is ideal for pocket linings, workmanlike, practical linings such as breeches waistbands etc and interlinings where additonal structure is required.