BASIC FABRICS
Cloth for Common Wear

CONTENTS
2. The Responsibility of Tailors and Seamstresses
3. Fabric Appropriate for Specific Garments
4. Fabric Appropriate for Specific Guests
5. Broadcloth
6. Burlap and Hemp
7. Canvas
8. Cotton
9. Felt
10. Flannel
11. Gauze
12. Homespun
13. Linen
14. Muslin
15. Wool
16. Worsted

The Responsibility of Tailors and Seamstresses

Tailors and Seamstresses must be ever aware not only of which fabrics they are and are not permitted to use, but also two other factors:

- which fabrics are appropriate for which GARMENTS
- which fabrics are appropriate for which GUESTS

The information in this book (along with its companion volume, LUXURY FABRICS: Cloth for Formal Wear) should guide you, along with your own good judgment, in choosing appropriate fabrics for the garments you create.

Fabric Appropriate for Specific Garments

Each fabric has its own characteristics which cause it to be more appropriate for some uses than for others.

For example, some fabrics are relatively stiff, and would not be well-suited to a garment which should drape. Others are quite thin and delicate, and would be inappropriate for a garment which should provide warmth or protection. A cloak made of gauze would be as inappropriate as a chemise made of burlap.

The responsible Tailor and Seamstress select fabrics that suit both the fit and useage of the garments they create.

Fabric Appropriate for Specific Guests

Each person in society has their own station, and their clothing should reflect that station. It is the Tailor and Seamstress's responsibility to clothe folk appropriately, based on their rank, title, and favor.

The Capitulary regulates some of this through the sumptuary laws which restrict the wearing of satin, silk, damask, fine fur, goldweave, silverweave, and velvet, as well as any cloth colored by cerulean dyes. But it is not only for the Capitulary that a Tailor or Seamstress should be cautious.

The chemise given to a common sera of no significant favor or rank should not be made of the same fabric as the chemise given to a Lady of Her Majesty's High Court. It would be most inappropriate for the humblest Outer Bailey resident to be clothed like unto Her Majesty Queen Vivienne.

The responsible Tailor and Seamstress select fabrics appropriate to the station of the intended wearer.

BROADCLOTH

This twilled fabric (woven in subtle diagonal lines) made of wool fibers is dense in texture and slightly napped on one side, but smooth and lustrous on the other.

GARMENTS: Broadcloth is most often used for gowns, tunics, men's shirts, light pants, and skirts.

GUESTS: Broadcloth is a versatile fabric appropriate for commonfolk of all levels of favor. It is rarely worn by courtiers, though they may of course request it if they wish.

SKILL LEVEL: Broadcloth is available to all who have achieved Junior Apprentice or higher in Tailoring.

SEE ALSO: Wool.

BURLAP and HEMP

These two fabrics made from the fiber of the hemp plant are somewhat course and utilitarian. The fabric called 'burlap' is plain-woven, scratchy, and somewhat stiff. The fabric referred to simply as 'hemp' is similar to burlap, but is slightly softer and of a finer weave.

GARMENTS: Due to their coarseness, burlap and hemp are generally used primarily for sacks and pouches, though they can also be used for crude cloaks, vests, bodices, tunics (under which would be worn a shirt to protect the skin), caps, aprons, belts, and girdles.

GUESTS: Burlap and hemp garments are generally produced for commonfolk of low favor.

SKILL LEVEL: Burlap is available to all who have achieved Novice level or higher in Tailoring, while hemp is available only to those who have achieved Senior Apprentice or higher.

CANVAS

This strong, sturdy, heavy fabric is plain-woven of hemp or flax fibers, though it can also be made of cotton. It is relatively stiff, and so ill-suited to garments which should drape.

GARMENTS: Bodices, vests, tunics, belts, caps, pouches, and sometimes low-quality footwear.

GUESTS: Canvas is traditionally used in garments for commonfolk of low to middle favor, though those of higher rank may also of course wear it for sturdy uses if they wish.

SKILL LEVEL: Canvas is available to all who have achieved Junior Apprentice level or higher in Tailoring.

SEE ALSO: Cotton, Hemp, Linen.

COTTON

A versatile plant-fibre fabric woven in a wide variety of weights and textures, cotton can be extremely durable and resistant to abrasion, and yet is quite comfortable to wear and drapes well. Many varieties of cotton fabric are listed separately by their more specific names, as listed below.

GARMENTS: Plain cotton cloth is appropriate for a wide variety of light uses, including shirts, blouses, chemises, aprons, hose, gloves, and handkerchiefs.

GUESTS: Plain cotton cloth is appropriate for folk of all ranks and stations.

SKILL LEVEL: Plain cotton cloth is available to all who have achieved Junior Apprentice level or higher in Tailoring.

SEE ALSO: In this volume: Canvas, Felt, Flannel, Gauze, Homespun, Muslin. In the companion volume: Lawn, Velveteen, Lace.

FELT

This firmly-woven fabric can be made of cotton, wool, fur, or some combination of these sources. It is heavily napped and shrunk to create a compact cloth.

GARMENTS: Felt is most often used for pouches, hats, caps, shoes, and even occasionally cloaks.

GUESTS: Felt items are generally produced for commonfolk of middle to high favor, though those of higher rank may of course request them.

SKILL LEVEL: Felt is available to all who have achieved Senior Apprentice level or higher in Tailoring.

SEE ALSO: In this volume: Cotton, Wool. In the companion volume: Fur.

FLANNEL

This fabric, plain-woven of wool or cotton fibers, usually has a soft, downy, napped surface. Wool flannel is finer and heavier than the cotton variety.

GARMENTS: Wool flannel is useful for tailoring pants, vests, bodices, gowns, light cloaks, and scarves. Cotton flannel is often used for shirts, handkerchiefs, or hose.

GUESTS: Flannel garments are usually made for commonfolk of middle to high favor, though some courtiers have been known to request wool flannel trousers upon occasion.

SKILL LEVEL: Flannel is available to all who have achieved Senior Apprentice level or higher in Tailoring.

SEE ALSO: Cotton, Wool.

GAUZE

This thin, nearly transparent fabric is woven of cotton or flax fibers, with a plain, open weave. A similar fabric of finer quality is called 'lawn.'

GARMENTS: Due to its delicacy, gauze is suitable only for chemises, undertunics, shirts, and veils.

GUESTS: Gauze is customarily used in garments for commonfolk of middle to high favor, as well as low-ranking courtiers.

SKILL LEVEL: Gauze is available to all who have achieved Junior Apprentice level or higher in Tailoring.

SEE ALSO: In this volume: Cotton, Linen. In the companion volume: Lawn.

HOMESPUN

This loosely woven fabric is usually made of irregular, coarse wool threads, though it is also sometimes made of cotton or linen. It is woven in a wide variety of weights, appropriate for many different uses.

GARMENTS: Pants, bodices, vests, tunics, gowns, skirts, shirts, blouses, chemises, cloaks.

GUESTS: Homespun garments are customarily produced for commonfolk of low to middle favor, especially those most newly awakened.

SKILL LEVEL: Homespun cloth is available to all who have achieved Novice level or higher in Tailoring.

SEE ALSO: Cotton, Linen, Wool.

LINEN

Made from the fibers of the flax plant, this strong, cool, lustrous fabric is made of somewhat irregular yarns that give the cloth an interesting texture. Linen can be woven in a wide variety of weights, from sheer to course, and is therefore very versatile. It is not, however, very warm.

GARMENTS: Shirts, blouses, hose, undertunics, chemises, handkerchiefs, skirts, light tunics.

GUESTS: Plain linen of various levels of quality is worn by folk of all ranks and stations.

SKILL LEVEL: Plain linen cloth is available to all who have achieved Novice level or higher in Tailoring.

SEE ALSO: In this volume: Canvas, Gauze, Homespun. In the companion volume: Lace, Lawn.

MUSLIN

This plain-woven fabric made of cotton fibers varies widely in weight, from sheer to course, and therefore can serve a variety of purposes.

GARMENTS: Shirts, blouses, chemises, undertunics, hose, light gowns.

GUESTS: Muslin is customarily used in the production of garments for commonfolk of high favor, as well as lower-ranking courtiers.

SKILL LEVEL: Muslin is available to all who have achieved Senior Apprentice level or higher in Tailoring.

SEE ALSO: Cotton.

WOOL

A versatile fabric made from the fleece of sheep or other animals, wool can be used for a wide variety of purposes. It is a very strong, very warm fabric, and also gives some protection from moisture. Some plain-woven wool fabric is quite course, but there are also some very fine wools available. Many varieties of wool fabric are listed separately by their more specific names, as listed below.

GARMENTS: Doublets, trunkhose, vests, pants, hose, tunics, cloaks, capes, hats, caps, mittens, scarves, gowns, skirts, and bodices.

GUESTS: Plain wool of various levels of quality is worn by everyone from the Outer Bailey guest of low favor (who would wear a course wool) to courtiers of high rank (who would wear a very fine wool).

SKILL LEVEL: Plain wool fabric is available to all who have achieved Senior Apprentice or higher in Tailoring.

SEE ALSO: In this volume: Broadcloth, Felt, Flannel, Homespun, Worsted. In the companion volume: Brocade, Cheviot, Lace, Lawn, Serge, Velour.

WORSTED

This smooth, firm, napless fabric is made from wool fibers. Its tight weave results in a cloth that does not sag easily, and is therefore ill-suited to garments which should drape.

GARMENTS: Pants, vests, bodices, tunics, doublets, trim on garments made of other fabrics.

GUESTS: Worsted is traditionally used in the production of garments for commonfolk of high favor and the lower-ranking courtiers.

SKILL LEVEL: Worsted is available to all who have achieved Junior Apprentice level or higher in Tailoring.

SEE ALSO: Wool.

QUICK REFERENCE
Novice Fabrics: Burlap, Homespun, Linen

Apprentice Fabrics: Gauze, Broadcloth, Worsted, Canvas, Cotton

Senior Apprentice Fabrics: Flannel, Felt, Hemp, Muslin, Wool

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