Ohhh... are you talking about the bishop's lawm or lawn? That's similar to
batiste. Lawm, cambric, voile, nainsook, organdy and batiste are all
*generally* in the same category. Some apply more often to cottons, others to
linens, sometimes both. The industry is quite fickle in that regard. I did find
a useful set of definitions, though:
http://www.ntgclarity.com/ICCF&D/cotton.htm
Batiste
Fibre: Cotton, also rayon and wool.
Weave: Plain
Characteristics: Named after Jean Baptiste, a French linen weaver. Light weight,
soft, semi-sheer fabric which resembles nainsook, but finer. It belongs to the
lawn family; almost transparent. It is made of tightly twisted, combed yarns
and
mercerized finish. Sometimes it is printed or embroidered. In a heavier
weight, it
is used for foundation garments and linings in a plain, figured, striped, or
flowered
design. Considered similar to nainsook but finer and lighter in weight. Now
usually made of 100% polyester distinguished by slubs in filling direction.
Cambric
Fibre: Cotton, also linen.
Weave: Plain
Characteristics: Soft, closely woven, light. Either bleached or piece dyed.
Highly
mercerized, lint free. Calendered on the right side with a slight gloss. Lower
qualities have a smooth bright finish. Similar to batiste but is stiffer and
fewer slubs.
Launders very well. Has good body, sews and finishes well. Originally made in
Cambria, France
of linen and used for Church embroidery and table linens.
Uses: Handkerchiefs, underwear, slips, nightgowns, children's dresses, aprons,
shirts
and blouses.
Lawn
Fibre: Cotton
Weave: Plain
Characteristics: Word derived from Laon, a city in France, where linen lawn was
manufactured extensively. Light weight, sheer, soft, washable. It is crispier
than
voile but not as crisp as organdy. Made with fine high count yarns, silky
feel.
Made with either carded or combed yarns. Comes in white or may be dyed or
printed. When
made with combed yarns with a soft feel and slight lustre it is called nainsook.
Uses: Underwear, dresses, blouses, night wear, curtains, lingerie, collars,
cuffs,
infant wear, shirtings, handkerchiefs.
Nainsook
Fibre: Cotton
Weave: Plain
Characteristics: Produced in the finishing processes from the same gray goods
as used
for batiste, cambric, lawn. Fine and lightweight. Soft and has a slight lustre
in
the better qualities (mercerization). Slightly heavier than batiste. Like lawn
but not as crisp. Soft, lacks body. Usually found in white but also comes in
pastel
colours and some printed.
Uses: tucked or embroidered, blouses, night wear, lingerie, and infant's wear.
Organdy
Fibre: Cotton.
Weave: Plain. Some has lappet, swivel, or flocked designs.
Characteristics: Made with tightly twisted yarns. Crispness is due to a finish
with starch and calendaring which washes out, or a permanent crispness obtained
with chemicals (Heberlein process). Wrinkles badly unless given a wrinkle-free
finish (bellmanizing).
May be bleached, dyed, printed, frosted, flocked, embroidered, or plisse.
Uses: Fussy children's wear, trims, collars and cuffs, baby's wear, bonnets,
artificial
flowers, dolls clothes, millinery, summer formals, blouses, curtains,
bedspreads, aprons.
Voile
Fibre: Cotton - also wool and called "Voile de laine".
Weave: Plain, loosely woven.
Characteristics: Sheer and very light weight. Usually made with cylindrical
combed
yarns. To obtain a top quality fabric, very highly twisted yarns are used.
Voile drapes
and gathers very well. The clear surface is obtained by singeing away any
fuzzy yarns.
Has a hard finish and crisp, sometimes wiry hand. "Voile de Laine" is wool
voile.
Uses: Dresses, blouses, curtains.
It was me whom checked out Julian's supplier in Jersey. It was indeed cotton,
unfortunately. $25/yard doesn't sound too insane for good quality lightweight
linen. I sell my period-width, better cambric for $14/yard (Czech origin), and
the wider, very high quality for $36 (Belgian origin) Canadian dollars. As for
the link you were looking for in the first place, I can't recall offhand where
it could have been. Search the above terms and see what you wind up with.
Typically, you'll find them at heirloom sewing shops, which tend to price gouge
a little, if you ask me. Hope this helps.
Kathy
Ermine, a lion rampant tail nowed gules charged on the shoulder with a rose Or
barbed, seeded, slipped and leaved vert
(Fieldless) On a rose Or barbed vert a lions head erased gules.
It’s never too late to be who you might have been.
-George Eliot
Tosach eólais imchomarc. - Questioning is the beginning of knowledge.
Where the spirit does not work with the hand, there is no art.
-Leonardo da Vinci
but there was further discussion and a name of the sheer linen (it was not
called batiste)was said and a site that sold it for roughly $25 a yard was
found.
De
-----Original Message-----
The discussion I remember began when Julian Wilson (Hi, Julian!) mentioned that
he had bought some batiste to make banners with from a local supplier on (Old)
Jersey. Lots of us got very excited. Upon investigation, however, it turned out
to be cotton rather than linen, IIRC.
Ask a question on any topic and get answers from real people. Go to
Yahoo! Answers and share what you know at http://ca.answers.yahoo.com
_______________________________________________
h-costume mailing list
[email protected]
http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
