another fabric question - does this textured fabric have a name?

retro ruth

retro ruth

Administrator
Staff member
Thanks to this forum's help with the lace, my black lace dress sold immediately.

I have another lovely dress, and the skirt has a textured finish that again I don't know how to describe.

I'm pretty sure it's silk, and it's very heavy, but is there a name for this fabric with textured 'bits' on the surface? The reverse, which I think you can just see in the second photo that I took to show the underskirt, has indents where the right side has the protuding 'bits'. As you can see my descriptive powers aren't at their best today!

Thanks for any help, either an specific term or just a better way of describing it.

Ruth

50s-60sHarrodsJeanAllendress-02.jpg

50s-60sHarrodsJeanAllendress-10.jpg
 
That is unusual! I think it would fall within the definition of matellase, "soft compound fabric with raised woven designs in quilted or irregular, blistered effect" per the Pickens Dictionary of Fabric and Costume. I looked it up because matellase that I've seen has been of the more formal quilted variety.
 
I can see where it sounds like it from the dictionary, but it doesn't look like matelassé to me - but I don't know exactly what it is. All the matelassé I've ever seen is quilted. Here's an example of matelassé bedding- this would be a throw or comforter:

Matelass_.jpg


I keep wanting to say something like "eyelash" soutache or something - and I could be wrong.

Linn
 
Linn, I agree that it's unconventional in temrs of what I think of as matellase, and I have never personally seen anything quite like this. But if we can accept the alternative option of irregular and blistered, it does fit.

I googled for matellase fabrics that did not have the quilted look and came up with this
DSC01510.jpg

And this

productimage-picture-fill-matelasse-fabric-110-431.jpg


The first example also has a jacquard design woven in.The second one definitely calls to mind the "blistered" description in the definition. Not eyelash, that means fringey ends. And soutache is sewn onto the fabric. If not matelasse, best option is probably "novelty weave with some characteristics similar to matelasse".
 
Hi,

It is definitely a brocade (a type of jacquard with raised designs), and until someone comes up with a more accurate term, I would call it a novelty brocade or high brocade. It is not a matelasse'.

Hmmmm, quite unusual and unique.

Barbara
 
No, not Mattelasse. The more I look at this the more interesting it becomes. I don't think the "slubs" are woven in because they are at odd angles that traverse the lay of the warp and weft threads of the ground material. It almost looks like they are applied like an embroiderey treatment. It looks like a raised satin stitch. REALLY interesting.
If it that is what I am seeing I would call it a novelty textural embroidery treatment. Somethin' like that

Melody
 
Thanks very much everybody. I've described it as "a heavy silk satin brocade, with a novelty textural treatment featuring slubs of silk"

For interest, I thought you might like to see more of the back of the fabric, as that might help determine how they've achieved this unusual effect - it does look to be me as though it is part of the weave, somehow, but I'm no fabric expert.

Ruth

DSCF4931.jpg

DSCF4932.jpg
 
I thought this might be a brocatelle but cannot find an image to support this. I do want to point out that satin and twill are not the same weave. They are both "basic" weaves - along with the "plain" or "taffeta" weave.

Here are some definitions:

Plain: http://www.textileglossary.com/terms/plain-weave.html

Satin: http://www.textileglossary.com/terms/satin-weave.html

Twill: http://www.textileglossary.com/terms/twill-weave.html

and here's brocatelle: http://www.textileglossary.com/terms/brocatelle.html

I think your description works, Ruth - and it's a really pretty dress.

Linn
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top