Selecting Printed Cottons for an 18th Century Gown
Posted by Emily Stringham on
Our next English Gown workshop is coming up soon and one of the main questions students will have is about fabric selection for their gown. Questions on where to find period appropriate cotton prints often tops the list. Finding good quality and authentic looking prints can be tricky so we often advise going with a solid color or even a narrow stripe. Many prints on the market, white technically correct for the period, would have been more appropriate for drapery or furniture than for clothing. When in doubt, play it safe a pick a solid fabric for your first gown. We will up this list as we discover new fabrics!
However, in no particular order, here are some options for period appropriate printed cottons on the market today. (Not a sponsored post, we just really like these fabrics!)
From our friends at Burnley and Trowbridge, this would work for 1770s gowns. They have carried other reproduction prints in the past, so be sure to check back to see what's new. https://burnleyandtrowbridge.com/collections/new-arrivals/products/6932-red-pink-blue-sprigged-cotton?variant=41590100164695
This one is best for the late 1770s and the 1780s as the original printed gown dates to the 1780s - https://burnleyandtrowbridge.com/collections/cottons-printed-figured-and-solid/products/7591-red-grounded-cotton-chintz?variant=40310179987543
For the 1750s onward. Someone used this same fabric in yellow at an earlier workshop - [BTY 18th 19th Century Indienne Block-printed Fabric W/ Border ~ White With Red Flowers ~ by the Yard ~ Rev War Regency (FAB-CHR) - Etsy]
A newly released print from Colonial Williamsburg. Good for the 1750s through the 1770s. Keep in mind that you will need extra yardage as these are only 45 inches wide!! Allow at least two addition yards from what is suggested for yardage with our Larkin & Smith English Gown pattern. Watch for their sales! You can often pick up these prints at 15% to 20% off right from the source. https://shop.colonialwilliamsburg.com/philadelphia-floral-brown-reproduction-fabric/
A quick note about the new "Moody" blue and white floral. The print "runs perpendicular to the selvedges". It's a printing mistake that will, supposedly, be updated with the next run of the fabric. It's good for small projects but the way it's currently being printed means that the print will be in the wrong direction for an English gown. Here's hoping it's updated soon!
These would also work for the 1760s and 1770s, again they are only 45 inches wide. [https://shop.colonialwilliamsburg.com/trailing-vines-purple-reproduction-fabric/](https://shop.colonialwilliamsburg.com/trailing-vines-purple-reproduction-fabric/) [https://shop.colonialwilliamsburg.com/cascading-floral-stripe-reproduction-fabric/](https://shop.colonialwilliamsburg.com/cascading-floral-stripe-reproduction-fabric/) - (on sale as it will be discontinued at some point.)
For the 1750 through the 1770s - "Arcadia Winter" and 1770s/1780s "French Spring" are good choices from PeasProjects on Etsy.
Cait's Flowers from Virgil's Fine Goods in red or blue colorway, good for the mid 1770s and into the 1780s. Their "Seraphina Vines" is very lovely as well for the same period.
Other sources for printed cottons, or linen cotton blends, are SummerSunStories, The Historical Fabric Store and Duran Textiles. We do strongly suggest ordering samples first as these are a bit more expensive and will require overseas shipping if you are in the U.S.
A great article with a list of reference books can be found here. http://demodecouture.com/cotton/