Somehow Kersey got left off of my list. This is a twill woolen that is lightly fulled and is most definitely available in the 16th century. It was a lower quality wool, so was cheaper and popular among the lower classes.
Kersey isn't lightly fulled but fairly heavily to give a blind finish suitable for outdoor clothing. Because a twill fulls more easily than a plain weave (like a broadcloth for example) it doesn't take so much work and consequently is cheaper than a Broadcloth, but can be used for similar purposes.
As a tourist guide on a traditional Dutch windmill, our grainmill was built as a textile mill outside the city of Leiden. In the process of broadcloth for sailors and navy, the weaven wool garment was but in a bath with water, soap and human urine. Two men holding eachother stamped the garment. A mechanism of hamers was invented on wind force with a mill. Could not find English word but in Dutch volmolen. Because of the urine used and supplied for a few cents by textile workers, those mills were often called stinky mills and built outside the city because of that
This has been incredibly helpful! I'm a German with Heiligensturm Fähnlein (Corona, CA) and I've been putting off making a "fancy" dress for ages because I've been wanting to get my wool fabrics Just Right! As someone with ADHD, I'm a huge perfectionist and I take my reenactment as seriously as my wallet can handle. Your videos have been a big help and relief!
@@ThimbleAndPlume 🥰 I'm so glad you enjoyed it! We've worked very hard to make improvements to the location and continue to do so every season. I'm so happy that you have these videos! They have been immensely helpful to me as I improve my reenactment gear! ❤
I would love to hear more about the different weaves of fabric that are no longer available today! What were they made out of, how did they look, how would they feel, what was their purpose what’s the closest modern equivalent if there is one.
Thank you for mentioning the other non-sheep wools! Too often people forget there were and are more fleece fibers than just sheep and they have a long history.
Yes! It is so easy to forget since the non-sheep wools do tend to be outside most budgets. I was lucky one day to find some gorgeous green cashmere on sale one time for a steal! It is one of my favorite dresses!
I recently came across a reference to Halbleinen in 18th century Switzerland, but the book didn't go into detail as to what the fiber for the rest of the cloth was, in addition to linen. My first guess is wool, similar to the linsey-woolsey cloth of the UK and the American colonies. You were the first person to come to mind for me to ask!! :)
So, after discussing with the rest of TaP, we believe that it is a reference to a linen and cotton blend. Typically during the 16th century, linen-cotton blend would have a linen warp and cotton weft. Of course, this is based on our 16th century knowledge, so it may not track all the way to the 18th.
You are a Saint! I am embarking on a historical working class outfit from the 16th century, and have been pulling my hair out with all these fabric choices. Your video helped me a TON. Where is the best place to buy good wool in the USA? The only good places I've found so far are overseas. (Sorry if you address this in the video, I'm about 2/3 of the way through!)
Thank you for the info! I've been looking into wool fabrics for history bounding to start working on some 1890s style skirts, which this helps to explain a tonne of my questions. I might also make a coat, and now I know what to look for!
I enjoyed this with all the names of kinds of wool cloth and comments on whether it is historically attestible (at least at first look). But I found that the names were not always the clearest parts of a sentence (perhaps I just need to make the sound louder), and I had to repeat some bits to figure out what was said. In other videos you showed words over the video for the tips -- I would have loved something similar here. Was the type listed after gabardine and before tropical, "Shelton"?
Thank you...those are very helpful observations. I will work on my diction! I also will add more text animations. I believe that would be Challis. Here is a list of the weaves in order; Melton, Loden, Broadcloth, Serge, Coating, Flannel, Twills, Gabardine, Challis, Tropical, Crepe, Supers, Merino, Felt
Thank you for talking about how the different wool prep and spinning methods affect the fabric! I appreciate your historical information so much! I'm planning to spin and weave my own fabric for some projects this year, but my sewing skills need work so I will be checking back here for more info often! Thanks so much! ❤🐑🧶😁
That's wonderful! Welcome to the channel. I also eventually want to try my hand at weaving...but my list of projects is long. I am glad you found the info helpful. I am doing a whe series on hand sewing in the next few weeks, so make sure to subscribe and sign up for notifications so that YT let's you know when those videos drop!
So far, I've had good luck with B. Black and Renaissance. I also found a nice wool from Fabric.com, but that's for some suit pants for work, not quite suitable for medieval/renaissance clothing.
Soo informative, thank you very much. Could anyone, please, help me with this one? Is mélange/heather wool fabric somewhat historical? I'm not sure what technology is needed to dye raw fleece before spinning it into yarn and found no sources about history of mixing two colours of same fiber together.
That is a great question. I haven't personally seen any reference to heather in my research. But, I do know that medieval people did dye wool fleece before it was spun, but I can't say if they ever spun it with another color. I sense a rabbit hole coming on!
I’m wondering the same thing! Burnley and Trowbridge has a “mixed” wool that is made from yarn fibers of different colors “spun together to create a ‘mottled’ effect.” Seems to me it *could* have been done in period, but would it have been?
Drea Leed of elizabethancostume.net says “Solid color wools are the safest bet for an authentic garment. Some striped or multicolored wool fabrics are permissible as well, if they're woven into the fabric rather than printed on. I haven't seen much documentation for plaid wool weaves, outside of the usual Scottish Highland dress.”
@@thehearthaseyes114 B & T "mixt" wool seems to me to be not unlike kersey, though it's my understanding kersey was almost always a mostly grey cloth, but that could simply be because of an association with a certain period/region.
Somehow Kersey got left off of my list. This is a twill woolen that is lightly fulled and is most definitely available in the 16th century. It was a lower quality wool, so was cheaper and popular among the lower classes.
Kersey isn't lightly fulled but fairly heavily to give a blind finish suitable for outdoor clothing. Because a twill fulls more easily than a plain weave (like a broadcloth for example) it doesn't take so much work and consequently is cheaper than a Broadcloth, but can be used for similar purposes.
@@WIDOW79 Thanks for tge clarification and additional information 👍
As a tourist guide on a traditional Dutch windmill, our grainmill was built as a textile mill outside the city of Leiden. In the process of broadcloth for sailors and navy, the weaven wool garment was but in a bath with water, soap and human urine. Two men holding eachother stamped the garment. A mechanism of hamers was invented on wind force with a mill. Could not find English word but in Dutch volmolen. Because of the urine used and supplied for a few cents by textile workers, those mills were often called stinky mills and built outside the city because of that
This has been incredibly helpful! I'm a German with Heiligensturm Fähnlein (Corona, CA) and I've been putting off making a "fancy" dress for ages because I've been wanting to get my wool fabrics Just Right! As someone with ADHD, I'm a huge perfectionist and I take my reenactment as seriously as my wallet can handle. Your videos have been a big help and relief!
So glad they are helpful! So, do you participate in the Koroneburg Ren Faire or So Cal Ren Pleasure Faire?
@@ThimbleAndPlume , Koroneburg is my home faire! ☺️💜
@@cerintakeuchi1018 how cool. I've been once and I really enjoyed it.
@@ThimbleAndPlume 🥰 I'm so glad you enjoyed it! We've worked very hard to make improvements to the location and continue to do so every season. I'm so happy that you have these videos! They have been immensely helpful to me as I improve my reenactment gear! ❤
I would love to hear more about the different weaves of fabric that are no longer available today! What were they made out of, how did they look, how would they feel, what was their purpose what’s the closest modern equivalent if there is one.
That would be an interesting video. I may have to do a part 2 at some point!
Thank you for mentioning the other non-sheep wools! Too often people forget there were and are more fleece fibers than just sheep and they have a long history.
Yes! It is so easy to forget since the non-sheep wools do tend to be outside most budgets. I was lucky one day to find some gorgeous green cashmere on sale one time for a steal! It is one of my favorite dresses!
@@ThimbleAndPlume I'm really fond of camelhair myself
came here to learn more about my wool fabrics I have purchased. Thank you for this. Would like to know more about wool damasks.
Great video! This information is very helpful.
So glad you found it helpful!
I recently came across a reference to Halbleinen in 18th century Switzerland, but the book didn't go into detail as to what the fiber for the rest of the cloth was, in addition to linen. My first guess is wool, similar to the linsey-woolsey cloth of the UK and the American colonies. You were the first person to come to mind for me to ask!! :)
So, after discussing with the rest of TaP, we believe that it is a reference to a linen and cotton blend. Typically during the 16th century, linen-cotton blend would have a linen warp and cotton weft. Of course, this is based on our 16th century knowledge, so it may not track all the way to the 18th.
@@ThimbleAndPlume this is very helpful context! Thank you so much for looking into this 😊
You are a Saint! I am embarking on a historical working class outfit from the 16th century, and have been pulling my hair out with all these fabric choices. Your video helped me a TON. Where is the best place to buy good wool in the USA? The only good places I've found so far are overseas. (Sorry if you address this in the video, I'm about 2/3 of the way through!)
I am so glad you found it useful! I did put a few links to US suppliers in the description box.
Very informative! I will be referring back to this video when needed. Thank you!
Thank you! I am glad you found it informative and useful!
Thank you for the info! I've been looking into wool fabrics for history bounding to start working on some 1890s style skirts, which this helps to explain a tonne of my questions. I might also make a coat, and now I know what to look for!
You are so welcome! I am so glad you found it useful!
I enjoyed this with all the names of kinds of wool cloth and comments on whether it is historically attestible (at least at first look). But I found that the names were not always the clearest parts of a sentence (perhaps I just need to make the sound louder), and I had to repeat some bits to figure out what was said. In other videos you showed words over the video for the tips -- I would have loved something similar here. Was the type listed after gabardine and before tropical, "Shelton"?
Thank you...those are very helpful observations. I will work on my diction! I also will add more text animations. I believe that would be Challis. Here is a list of the weaves in order; Melton, Loden, Broadcloth, Serge, Coating, Flannel, Twills, Gabardine, Challis, Tropical, Crepe, Supers, Merino, Felt
Thank you for talking about how the different wool prep and spinning methods affect the fabric! I appreciate your historical information so much! I'm planning to spin and weave my own fabric for some projects this year, but my sewing skills need work so I will be checking back here for more info often! Thanks so much! ❤🐑🧶😁
That's wonderful! Welcome to the channel. I also eventually want to try my hand at weaving...but my list of projects is long. I am glad you found the info helpful. I am doing a whe series on hand sewing in the next few weeks, so make sure to subscribe and sign up for notifications so that YT let's you know when those videos drop!
@@ThimbleAndPlume yes! I'm now a subscriber! 💜
@@JillianEve thank you!
So far, I've had good luck with B. Black and Renaissance. I also found a nice wool from Fabric.com, but that's for some suit pants for work, not quite suitable for medieval/renaissance clothing.
OH! Thank you! I forgot about fabric.com. I have gotten some decent melton from them in the past.
Soo informative, thank you very much.
Could anyone, please, help me with this one? Is mélange/heather wool fabric somewhat historical?
I'm not sure what technology is needed to dye raw fleece before spinning it into yarn and found no sources about history of mixing two colours of same fiber together.
That is a great question. I haven't personally seen any reference to heather in my research. But, I do know that medieval people did dye wool fleece before it was spun, but I can't say if they ever spun it with another color. I sense a rabbit hole coming on!
I’m wondering the same thing! Burnley and Trowbridge has a “mixed” wool that is made from yarn fibers of different colors “spun together to create a ‘mottled’ effect.” Seems to me it *could* have been done in period, but would it have been?
Drea Leed of elizabethancostume.net says “Solid color wools are the safest bet for an authentic garment. Some striped or multicolored wool fabrics are permissible as well, if they're woven into the fabric rather than printed on. I haven't seen much documentation for plaid wool weaves, outside of the usual Scottish Highland dress.”
@@thehearthaseyes114 B & T "mixt" wool seems to me to be not unlike kersey, though it's my understanding kersey was almost always a mostly grey cloth, but that could simply be because of an association with a certain period/region.