Please help identify fabric

[sMarie]

I have searched the fabric resource and I just can't pinpoint what fabric this is.

It is very lightweight and the lining is very thin cotton. It feels silky and has a sheen. It is slightly textured, especially the lighter brown squares. Light blue and pink are weaved in, in vertical "stripes."

When I steamed it, it produced a strong odor that reminded me of when I steam wool coats. However, I'm assuming that could just be due to the age of this piece. I'm pretty sure it's not wool, but I have no clue at this point...

 

[claireshaeffer]

My guess is that it is wool with a novelty weave.

 

[retro ruth]

If it smells like wool, it may well be wool. Can you do a burn test?

 

[sMarie]

Thanks for the suggestion to do a burn test. I hadn't thought of that since I thought there was no way it's wool.

It turns out it is wool! I didn't know wool could be so lightweight. I'm going to have to learn more about fabrics.

Thank you both.

 

[sMarie]

Ok, now I'm more confused. I thought the burn test revealed it was wool fabric and now I see that burning silk brings similar results. How do you know which is which?

Here are a few more pics. A super duper close up of a tiny piece I cut off and a picture of the fabric running along the boning.

 

[claireshaeffer]

Both silk and wool burn slowly; silk often sputters and smells like feathers. Both smell like burning hair.When burned silk has a crushable ash, wool has a lumpy ash and a small brittle black bead.

Before burning more of this fabric, burn some fabrics you know are silk and wool so you'll have something to use as comparisons.

Your last photo looks like silk. To complicate it more, the fabric could be a combination of fibers.

I just looked at another fiber burn test chart and describes the silk ash as grey and wool burns with an orange color and sputters.

Hopefully another member will pop in with ideas about fabrics of the period.

 

[Jonathan]

It looks to me like poplin - a silk/wool blend.

 

[sMarie]

Poplin makes sense. Thanks! Would it have been made on a loom? I am kind of fascinated by this fabric.

 

[Jonathan]

The pattern would have been created on a jacquard loom.