What the heck is wool zephyr chenille?

jauntyrooster

jauntyrooster

Alumni
I picked up this cute little Bobbie Brooks outfit - hoping it is 1950s from the label (something sort of similar in Label Resource) but what I really would like to know is what exactly is "100% wool zephyr chenille?" I did an initial Google search and found the material but not necessarily a good description of what it actually is - I found some definitions of zephyr in relation to fabric and also chenille but wondering if this label is referring to the sweater material and the collar/sleeves separately??? We get lots of Bobbie Brooks in Cleveland area but mostly sweaters, etc. - this is first full outfit like this I have found. Let me tell you, you had better be thin and well packaged to wear this one or you risk looking like a stuffed sausage!

Photos aren't great - had to use phone as camear is M.I.A. but hoping you can get an idea of outfit and material. Belt is obviously not original. Has cute little rhinestone ring around the neck and collar and sleeve bands feel soft like angora...

Thanks all - ohhh, also if anyone has good idea for color description, would love to hear!!! :)

Maureen

Full View

bobbiebrooksfullview.jpg


Label View

bobbiebrookslabel.jpg


Neck View

bobbiebrooksneck.jpg


Skirt Material Close Up

bobbiebrooksskirt.jpg
 
Too sweet! Can't help on the zephyr wool designation, though.... Sorry! Bobbie Brooks clothing used to be so nice--I wore it all the time in junior and senior high school, as their junior fashions were cute and quite trendy at the time.

I think I would call this mocha.
 
Ohhh - I like mocha a lot! Better than tan or brown for sure!!!

This is really cute - I am sad because top has multiple tiny little holes. Cant see till you get stretched out on the manni but they are noticeable once on. :( Don't know if something like that can really be repaired so that it isn't noticeable. Still love the outfit but will have to list at a lower price for sure to account for damage. Skirt is mint - weird that it held up so much better but maybe the cabling helped out some?
 
If they're moth holes, you'll want to put the entire outfit in a plastic bag in your freezer for 2 weeks to kill any active infestation, otherwise it can infect your other items and continue to deteriorate when the customer gets it....

If you can match the color in a sturdy thread or pull yarns from an old sweater of the same color, you can probably repair this if the holes are quite small. I find this type of fabric easier to mend than a fine woven one, and have had good luck doing so.
 
Hmmm...doing right now. I guess it didn't cross my mind since the skirt is hole free but better safe than sorry. Thank you for the heads up - shows my newbie status.

God knows I wont be able to sleep now worried about a moth infestation!!! :lalala: Have a basement freezer and that is where it will stay for two weeks or six months...LOL!
 
No need to panic, but Anne is right - you can also wash it and hang it on the line. Moth eggs don't like the sun. I recommend that you freeze or wash the skirt as well, just in case.

Nicole
 
Oh I am just a general panicker...my hubby would LOVE to tell you stories all about what he perceives as my overreactions to things! :)

All in freezer and there it will stay per your recommendations.

Any other thoughts on the material description?
 
I came across two of these suits just last month. Moths LOVED this wool zephyr stuff, huh? Like crack. ha ha But the colors on both were odd too. Like this, kind of like coffee w/cream and the other a dusty rose.

I ended up passing on them.
 
It is funny - I was at an estate sale when I found this. Was getting ready to pass and there was woman working there who was watching me. When I put it back on rack, she jumped up quickly and said she would take half off of the price - which made it $2.00. I then talked her into taking half off everything I wanted so I was a happy girl. It really only has about 4 small holes so not too bad. I figured for that I would take a look at it and see what I could do with it. No harm-no foul if it ends up ruined from trying to fix.

It really is an odd color. My husband called it something not very flattering which I will not repeat here for fear that my mother could somehow find out and reprimand me! LOL
 
Zephyr is a term used to conote fine and lightweight thread. It is not just used for wool. A fine gingham would be made from a zephyr weight thread. Zephyr wool yarns were often sold for home knitting.

Chenile is the name given to yarns that have a pile that sticks out all around (thats the best description I can come up with) It is used to give a fabric a sort of downy texture.

I'm sort of confused by the label too. The yarns look like a boucle texture rather than chenile. The Zephyr makes sense, that just means light weight and fine. the collar and cuffs look more like they have angora mixed in.

I think the label is referring to the body of the garment not the collar and cuffs.

Melody
 
Melody, I thought the same, as to the boucle, versus chenille.
This dress really reminds me of a knit dress I used to wear, when I was much younger. Mine had a cool knitted in zig zag patterns, across the front (one of which was chartruese as I recall), and it was a bit earlier, from the 40s. I wonder what happened to it?
 
I would swear that there is angora in cuffs and collar. Oh well, will see how it fixes up and then will cross the fabric bridge IF I come to it.

Thanks all!!!
 
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