Indian Calico of GAoP

[Mary Diamond]

As started in the Mantua thread, I would like to continue the Calico discussion in more detail, here ~

cotton or Indian calicos were also outlawed for sale in England, twice...they were shipped for sale to the colonies I believe though...the main problem being, the cheap cottons in the stores today, well we aren't too sure they were like the indian calicos of the early 18th century...

I have been speaking with a fabric historian about GAoP calicoes ~ they are not at all like what we see in the stores. The patterns actually looked more like our modern chintz, with a light background. It wasn't until later that the Indian calicoes were made with darker backgrounds, as requested by the Europeans.

This may be helpful, for those interested in Indian calico ~

http://www.demodecouture.com/cotton/

The Reproduction fabrics are Expensive ~ it is not uncommon to see them listed between $8 and $30 a Yard.

Further reading

http://www.musee-impression.com/gb/collection/xviii.html

Note that Small Designs appear in the last quarter of the 18th Century.

[Mary Diamond]

The patterns actually looked more like our modern chintz, with a light background. It wasn't until later that the Indian calicoes were made with darker backgrounds, as requested by the Europeans.

Wasn't wondering patterns so much as to the actual texture...down here they sell an interesting cotton broadcloth...nothing like the average cotton fabric in the stores...the texture is very different...

In one of the websites, they noted the cotton calico weave was very similar to that of linen.

[Capt. Sterling]

Dang the stuff down here just might work...wonder if tis still $2.99/yard...hot though, compared to linen

[LadyBarbossa]

Most I have seen are pricy as hell. HAzel Dickfoss sells some of these, but most of them are for the mid to later part of the 18th c. Mostly around the Rev War. The more and more ye look and research, th' more and more ye see a difference in styles and patterns used at what decade. Yes, each decade has their own pattern and style. :)

Again, it's a challenge to find these. There are some that are close. And the more correct ones are pricy as hell.

Nice find, Mary. :) Gives a great explaination of the calicos.

~Lady B