Question:
Is anyone here familiar with this textile company? I have a piece of fabric that I thought was some sort of brushed cotton and now I'm having second thoughts.
In a burn test the fibers didn't flash the way most cottons do and didn't burn quite as quickly. It left a soft ash but instead of a little shapeless pile, all of the individual fibers were plainly visible and the ash was darker than I expected.
The top of the fabric has a brushed feel but definitely not enough nap to be flannel.
In what category are you listing flannel these days? Crafts/fabric/flannel seems logical but I see a lot of listings in the quilt fabric category. Probably because of those eye catching flannel quilt kits.
BTW, can someone tell me what flannel chamois looks/feels like?
Any help or thoughts appreciated.
Joan
Answer:
Here are pictures of the Mayar fabric.
Edited to say that the thumbnails don't seem to be working.
Joan
Answer:
Could it be mercerized cotton? (darker ash according to Pins' chart)
I sure do wish we had virtual fabric-touching around here...
Elaine
edited to add:
Chamois (cotton chamois, that is) is a heavier brushed flannel-like fabric. Heavy! Thick, and slightly stiff, especially when it's new. Think of those extra thick solid colored LLBean shirts....
Answer:
Just took a closer look at those photos!
Wow!
A fly-fisherman's dream!
What neat fabric!
Elaine
Answer:
Elaine, I'm still trying to ID this fishing lures fabric. I hadn't even thought about mercerized but I'll bet you're right. The top face has a definite sheen to it.
The lures are much more vibrant than the pics show and are almost iridescent---very striking. The back side is a plain weave without a nap at all. The top has a twill type weave and a short brushed one way nap. It IS a heavy fabric but not stiff.
I would like to get it listed this weekend buy still can't decide on what to call it.
Thanks for your help.
Joan
Answer:
Well, chamois isn't always stiff, but I do think it's an even weave fabric, as is flannel.
Maybe you should call it a brushed twill.
Or a flannel-like brushed twill.
Actually, I think your best customers will be looking for the fishing angle...
How much do you have?
And how old is it?
Elaine (who still wants to be able to see it close-up and TOUCH it!) lol
Answer:
Originally Posted by Joan The back side is a plain weave without a nap at all. The top has a twill type weave and a short brushed one way nap. Joan, I don't think you can have it both ways.
If it's twill, then it will look like twill on both sides. (well, that's not totally what I mean...the front and back won't be identical, but twill will definitely be twill weave on both sides...) The floats will be longer on the face, but you will definitely see a diagonal pattern to the weave, even on the back. (not as easy to see on solid fabric as it is with denim or something with two different colors in weft and warp.)
Could it be some sort of brushed satin or sateen weave? I'll need to go look up the details and differences, but I'm trying to describe a front float pattern that is NOT a twill weave.
The 'brushed' part isn't made of separate threads (sheared close) are they? Like velveteen? or some type of velvet weave?
Okay, it's late and I could be completely wrong here. Where's Pins when ya need her?
Sorry, I seem to be adding to the confusion, not helping....
Elaine
Answer:
Elaine, I wish you could pop down here and pet it....LOL
It's 46" wide and I have 3 yds. It's one of those pieces of fabric that I bought years ago for a project that never got off the ground. It was supposed to be a shirt for my fly-fishing brother but it got stuck away and forgotten. I've probably had it at least 10 years and maybe even longer.
Brushed twill sounds like a great title, thanks very much.
Joan
Answer:
Elaine, now I'm really confused (or was)....LOL
I know that I'm not seeing very well but I would have sworn that the back of the fabric was an even weave. After your post I got to thinking about it and realized that what I was saying made no sense at all so I got out the big magnifying light. Of course you are 100% correct, the back is absolutely a twill weave.
And now that I think about it, I believe I have another piece in another color and design stuck away somewhere. I'm having another eye surgery tomorrow but if I have time , I will try to send you a snippet of the fabric.
Joan
Answer:
Joan,
I got your sample today. It's even nicer than it looks in the photo above!
I was looking through those ca1950 Dan River Textile Dictionary booklets you sent; I'd say that in the '50s they would have called this a "surface napped twill weave cotton outing flannel.
On the other hand, some of those '50s terms probably won't be the thing to bring in your modern-day buyers, even though they still accurately describe the fabric.
You might substitute the word "sueded" for the "surface napped" part. Or include them both.
It's definitely lighter weight than the current chamois cloth. I'd say this is mostly due to being a finer cotton fiber and subsequently a tighter weave.
When did you say you bought this fabric? 1990s?
(And how did your eye surgery go?)

Elaine