The Flax of Life
- fabman556
- Sep 7, 2018
- 3 min read
Shirt of the Week
As I work my way through the few remaining fabrics on the "Spring Line-up" option stack I previewed here in late April, this week's shirt is made from a beautiful piece of Moygashel "Kent" Irish-made handkerchief linen fabric (see the inspiration image above). Moygashel, founded in 1795, has a well-deserved reputation for quality linens, based on exacting manufacturing standards. I had thought that the company had gone out of business, but they were acquired by another company. Learn more about Moygashel here: http://costumesociety.org.uk/blog/post/fine-fabrics-fabulous-fashions-the-story-of-moygashel-linen-mills
Linen fabric, made from a fiber derived from the flax plant, is one of my favorites to sew and to wear. Until now, I have only used suit-weight linens, but this handkerchief-weight is wonderful. I wish you could feel it: after the prewash, it is incredibly soft. Linen is one of the oldest fibers. Learn more about this super strong fiber here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linen
Tip: If your linen has been folded up in a stack or on a bolt for some time, avoid using that fold line in your garment, if possible. Over time the fold can stiffen, and then actually crack when unfolded, especially on heavier weights.
Linen Has Bad Press (ironing pun intended)
Some avoid wearing linen because it wrinkles. For me, I couldn't care less about the wrinkles, and here's why:
1) Wrinkles are a sign of the real thing, not a synthetic. We used to call that a "status wrinkle."
2) Linen is too comfortable to be concerned about wrinkles.
3) I'm on the inside of the garment and I don't have to look at the wrinkles.
Fiber vs. Fabrication
Linen is a fiber made from the flax plant, one of the basic natural fibers. There are plenty of other fabrics marked "linen," but that does not guarantee it's real linen, as the term has become generic for a "linen-look." Some of these imposters are real linen blended with lycra for added stretch, and that also reduces wrinkling. Other common fibers made into "linen" are polyester/rayon blends or 100% polyester.
Tip: When shopping for real linen, be sure to check the bolt label (or description if shopping online), to be sure you're getting exactly what you want.
Wash or Dry Clean?
Most ready-made linen garments will be labeled "dry clean only." This could be driven by non-washable linings or embellishments, or unstable dyes, or even excess shrinkage. When in doubt, follow the instructions on the label to avoid an unhappy result.
For those of us sewing our own linen garments, we have another option. Technically, any natural fiber is washable in pure soap and cold water. As with silk, you will want to wash a small piece first (confirm the original measurement, such as 4" x4") and be prepared for one or all of three outcomes: shrinkage (measure after washing), color change and/or texture change. If you can live with the outcome after prewashing the small piece, go ahead and wash the entire piece. That makes the garment washable, providing that your linings and embellishments are also washable.
Some linens are more loosely-woven than others, and this one tended to shift a bit, which forced me to slow down and sew more carefully. In spite of the slower and more careful pace, I thoroughly enjoyed working on this piece, which has been in the stash for a very long time. With our continuing warm South Carolina weather, I'll have opportunities to be wearing this one for awhile.
Until next time, keep those sewing machines humming, and check out those natural fibers next time you're fabric shopping (and don't fear the wrinkles!).
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