The Feisty Quilter: Types of Cotton Fabric

Quilters are always on the search for fabric, but are often confused about what distinguishes one cotton fabric from another. Most want to know what historic fabrics are called.

We all know that quilts from the 1930s through 1960s were made with sackcloth. We wrongly refer to all of it as flour sack. Sacks were made of different thread counts and courseness according to their contents. Flour sack had the highest thread count and was used for general clothing. Sugar sack had a lower thread count and would've been used for summer work clothing and under garments. The scraps from both would've been saved for use in quilts. Feed sack had a lower thread count and was used for quilt backing. Bean and gunnysack had the lowest thread count, so they weren't used for clothing or quilts.

All quilts were hand stitched or tied. A thread count higher than 120 would've been difficult to pass a hand needle through. Most reproduction fabrics are premium meaning they have a 150 thread count or higher which a machine needle can pass through easily. This higher thread count fabric isn't authentic for reproduction Depression era quilts, but it can be used for Civil War era quilts, especially for those representing the North.

Both homespun and handwoven shrink a great deal when washed and produce wearable fabric that was worn by both slaves and the poor alike making it the perfect choice for reenactors.

In terms of painting or dying, low thread count absorbs quicker than high thread count. Paint will adhere to the top of high thread count and will sink and bleed into the fibers of low thread count. Mercerized Cotton is a good all purpose medium weight fabric for dyeing, batik, and painting.

I've compiled a list of cotton fabrics that are used in sewing, quilting or other crafts. The first number is the thread count. The second two numbers represent the percent of shrinkage in length (warp) x width (weft). All of them except flannel, birdseye, linteum and the embroidery fabrics are available untreated from Dharma Trading. Linteum is available from Linteum Textile Supply. Huck toweling and embroidery fabrics are available from Nordic Needle. Calico, homespun plaid and crewel embroidery cloth may be purchased from Sew Inspiring.

How to Calculate Fabric Shrinkage

Step 1) Cut a square of fabric and draw an 18x18" square on the fabric. Make sure you are using a fabric marker and that your square is at least 2" away from salvage.

Measure Square Before Wash

18"x18" square block before shrinking
Length wise measurement =18"
Width wise measurement = 18"

Step 2) Wash your fabric sample following your standard washing method to find the shrinkage percentage to washing then let dry.

Measure square after wash.

18"x18" square block after shrinking results
Length wise measurement =17"
Width wise measurement = 15"

Step 3) Apply Fabric Shrinkage Formula:

[Width of square block before shrinking] - [width of square block after shrinking] / width of square block before shrinking x 100

Length wise total shrinkage percent Formula: [(18 - 17) / 18] x 100 = 5.55% = 6%

Width wise total shrinkage percent Formula: [(18 - 15) / 18] x 100 = 16.66% = 17%

Historic Fabrics

Birdseye (Diaper Fabric): Needle punched, non-woven

Linteum (thermal hospital blanket): Largely woven with the knap left on.

Calico (bag cloth): unbleached and woven of partially processed cotton in an equal number of warp and weft threads at a 90 degree angle called tabby weave.

Chintz: calico glazed and painted in a large floral pattern.

Calico Print: floral pattern printed with a wood block or roller using Rose Madder root (alizarin) dye and two mordants to produce Turkey red and black. Wood from the Chinese White Pear (Pyrus betulcefolia) is used for block printing in China.

Gunnysack (scrim): 10, 14x16%

Homespun Wool Plaid: 10, 14x16%

Bengal Burlap (coffee bean sack): 11, 9x4%

Tobacco Cloth (shade cloth, curtain cloth): 20, 5x5%

Osnaburg (feed sack): 40, 8x3%

Handwoven or Homespun (clothing): 44, 17x11%

Quilting Sateen/Broadcloth (sugar sack): 60, 3x5%

Combed Cotton (Civil War clothing): 104, 3x1%

Drop cloth (flour sack): 120, 5x2%

Now that you know the modern names for historic fabric, you can probably find it anywhere.

Tight Weave

Percale Sheeting: 200, 2x2%

Premium Quilting: 150, 6x1%

Poplin: 144, 2x1%

Sateen: 144, 4x1%

Waverly Brand Cotton made in China, sold by Walmart: 140, 4x1%

55/45 Cotton Silk: 140, 7x1%

Pimatex: 133, 6x4%

Mercerized Combed Broadcloth: 133, 6x2%

Light Weight

Cotton Linen: 52, 8x3%

Flannel: 84, 6x7%

Jersey Knit: 80, 11x2%

Medium Weight

Velveteen: 84, 8x.5%

Mercerized Cotton: 80, 2x4%

Muslin (quilter's calico, straining cloth for cheese and butter): 78, 7x4%

Sheeting: 60, 6x6%

55/45 Hemp Cotton: 58, 6x1%

Heavy Weight

French Twill: 132, 2x4%

Denim: 116, 6x1%

7 oz Duck Canvas bleached: 84, 11x0%

Scenery Canvas: 84, 17x3%

10 oz Duck Canvas natural: 76, 18x4%

Bull Denim: 68, 14x2%

Hemp Linen Canvas: 41, 15x2%

Loose Weave

Heavy Gauze: 96, 6x1%

Lawn: 90, 1x3%

Silky Voile: 90, 7x3%

Combed Voile: 80, 3x10%

Bubble Gauze: 44, 7x3%

Harem Cloth: 44, 10x3%

Net: 30, 12x10%

Cheesecloth Grades

Grade 10: 20x12 count. An open weave cheesecloth used in applications that requires good air and water flow through the cloth. Used for wine filtering. Also used for keeping dough bait on a hook, but panty hose is better.

Grade 40: 24x20 count. Low weave cheesecloth that is absorbent and durable. Used for cleaning, polishing, wiping, staining, crafts, weddings and faux paintings. Tack cloth.

Grade 50: 28x24 count. Medium weave cheesecloth that is absorbent and durable. Used for meat netting.

Grade 60: 32x28 count. High weave cheesecloth that is absorbent and durable. Used for straining maple syrup.

Grade 80: 40x32 count. Fine weave and high quality cheesecloth fabric used for its strength and durable construction. This cheesecloth is washable and reusable. Used for cheese making.

Grade 90: 44x36 count. Extra fine weave and higher quality cheesecloth fabric used for its extra strength and durable construction. This cheesecloth is washable and reusable. Used for crafts, bandages, dress making, binding, curtains, tea bags, and as an alternative for butter muslin.

Hand Embroidery