The sign of the unicorn. A fabric shop for 18th century reenactors and historians.

18th Century Cotton Printed Fabrics

Chintz | 18th Century Cotton Prints

18th Century Cotton Prints

These printed cottons that are true copies of the original designs are now available thanks to the work of the people at Durán Textiles from Stockholm, Sweden. Using examples of textiles from clothing in museum collections in Sweden and the USA they have presented us the opportunity to fulfill the desire to add clothing to our wardrobe that will produce not only the correct print but also the proper drape of the fabric for the late 18th century.

Printed cottons made before the process became much more sophisticated in the early 19th century have a charm that was lost with the advent of roller printing. Some of the prints offer the sought after monochrome designs on a light background that in the period were printed using the color resist method or by block printing, others are block printed with the blues and yellows "penciled' in. Today Durán Textiles has used the block printed method to duplicate some of the original designs while others are screen prints.

You may choose to make an entire printed gown, jacket or banyan and have a garment to be proud of. Alternatively you may buy a small piece to border a petticoat, line the turn back cuffs on your short gown or to make a pair of pockets adding a touch of luxury to your wardrobe. The preshrunk cotton fabric from Durán Textiles will only produce 2-3% shrinkage with washing: all are 59" (150cm) wide.

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Scrolling Floral Stripe
44" wide $17.99/yd.

Purple on white prints were among the most common printed fabrics in the 18th century. They are repeatedly described in runaway descriptions and are the most numerable prints in the Foundling Museum's Billet Books. Printed cottons were often used to make women's gowns or jackets. The gown or jacket may have a matching petticoat of the same fabric but petticoats were usually not made of printed fabrics unless the upper garment is also of the print. Men's banyans were also made of printed fabrics. In The Pennsylvania Gazette of 1774, "Run away . . .  a servant girl . . .  had on, and took with her . . .  a callicoe gown, striped with a little purple flower, a good deal wore" as cited in Wenches, Wives and Servant Girls. Off white 60/2 linen thread will work well for hand sewing this fabric.

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Calico cotton swatch for 18th century reenactors, 18th century interior designs, and historic interpreters.
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Cicoria
59" wide $35.00/yd.

In the Winterthur Museum in Delaware there is a panel of block printed linen in red and brown, with penciled details in blue, yellow and green. Because of a stamped mark "Philadelphia, printed by Walters & Bedwell", this print is well dated to 1775-1776 and is one of the earliest proved examples of American textile printing in existence. Thomas Bedwel immigrated from London around 1772 and many of the frist printing manufactories were located in Philadelphia. In The Pennsylvania Gazette of 1772 "Run away . . .  an indented servant woman . . .  says she was born near the city of Armagh, in Ireland . . .  had on, and took with her . . .  a short gown, with some red and white stripes and sprigs through it, a good deal worn, and pieced under the arms with check linen, the colour much faded". This quote is cited in Wenches, Wives and Servant Girls. White 35/2 linen thread will work well for hand sewing this fabric.

Pinted cottons were often used to make women's gowns or jackets. The gown or jacket may have a matching petticoat of the same fabric but petticoats were usually not made of printed fabrics unless the upper garment is also of the print. Men's banyans were also made of printed fabrics.

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Calico cotton swatch for 18th century reenactors, 18th century interior designs, and historic interpreters.
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Linen printed fabric swatch.

Blue and Grey Stamped Linen
59" wide, $12.00/yd.

This linen is not copied after any orginal but is similar to those printed linens used during the 18th century. The dark blue vines are punctuated by pale blue flowers and grey leaves. Small dots used within a print are often seen in the billet books at the Foundling Museum in London. Two shades of blue are also commonly seen. Pinted linens were often used to make women's gowns and jackets. The gown or jacket may have a matching petticoat of the same fabric but petticoats were usually not made of printed fabrics unless the upper garment is also of the print. Men's banyans were also made of printed fabrics. In The Pennsylvania Packet of 1775 "Ran away . . .  a servant woman . . .  had with her when she went away, a gown of stamped linen" cited in Wenches, Wives and Servant Girls. Either white or unbleached 35/2 linen thread may be used for hand sewing and white 1" cotton twill tape matches the white linen and the 3/4" linen tape matches the unbleached linen. Matching tape is often used for binding petticoats and bedgowns.

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Chintz | 18th Century Cotton Prints

Chintz

Chintz (from the Hindi word chint, meaning to sprinkle or spray) were made using a multi-step process involving painting, resist dyeing, and mordant dyeing. A final finish was applied by burnishing with shells or beaten with a mallet to give them a shiny surface.

Both in America and Europe but especially in Britain and the Netherlands chintz fabric from India soon became the craze from gentry to servants after their first introduction in the 17th century. The glazed and printed cotton was a favorite long into the 19th century until the cheaper machine made copies replaced the hand painted cloth from India. In the 17th century it was used at first for bed hangings and bedcovers of the gentry then when worn out reused for clothing the children of the lower sorts. But the bright colors of the beautiful prints were soon being used for linings and later into women's jackets, skirts, and gowns and men's banyans and enjoyed by all economic classes. Much of what is written here is summarized from the book Chintz: Indian Textiles for the West by Rosemary Crill.

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Cotton chintz fabric swatch repeating part of an original 18th century design for 18th century reenactors, historic home upholstery, and museum interpreters.

Oberkampf Delft Blue
60" wide, $29.95/yd.

Oberkampf 1738-1815 was a designer and manufacturer in France. His fabrics were later reproduced in the 19th century and it is from these that this fabric is based. Chintz was used to make women's gowns and jacket. The gown or jacket may have a matching petticoat but petticoats were usually not made of chintz unless the upper garment is also of the chintz. Men's Banyan were also made of chintz. Chintz was also used as bed covers and in the late 17th to early 18th century as wall hangings.

For example in The Pinkney’s Virginia Gazette of 1775, "Run away . . .  Run away from Edenton, in North Carolina . . .  a negro wench . . .  She was born in New England, and speaks in that dialect . . .  She had on, and took with her . . .  a chintz gown" is cited in Wenches, Wives and Servant Girls. Unbleached linen thread 60/2 is a good match for hand sewing.

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Tulips Ecru Mauve
60" wide $29.95/yd.

Tulips is copied from an original chintz dated 1780 from the Fries Museum in Leeuwarden, Netherlands. The natural off white ground with shades of blue, purple and greens flowers and vines make a nice variation from many seen in Chintz: Indian Textiles for the West. This chintz will make a historically accurate women's gown or jacket. The gown or jacket may have a matching petticoat of the same fabric but petticoats were usually not made of chintz unless the upper garment is also of the chintz. Men's banyans were also made of chintz. Chintz was also used as bed covers and in the late 17th to early 18th century as wall hangings.

For example in The Pennsylvania Gazette of 1776, "Run away . . .  a Dutch servant woman . . .  took with her one cotton chintz gown" is cited in Wenches, Wives and Servant Girls. Ivory linen thread 80/3 is a good match for hand sewing.

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Calico cotton swatch for 18th century reenactors, 18th century interior designs, and historic interpreters.
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Waterland
60" wide $29.95/yd.

Waterland is inspired by an antique piece of fabric. Chintz was used to make women's gowns and jacket. The gown or jacket may have a matching petticoat but petticoats were usually not made of chintz unless the upper garment is also of the chintz. Men's Banyan were also made of chintz. Chintz was also used as bed covers and in the late 17th to early 18th century as wall hangings.

For example in The Proceedings of the Old Bailey, London 1717, a woman "was indicted for breaking the Dwelling-house of William Kendal in the Day-time, and stealing a Chintz Gown and Petticoat, value 25 l." Ivory linen thread 80/3 is a good match for hand sewing.

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Calico cotton swatch for 18th century reenactors, 18th century interior designs, and historic interpreters.
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Brown Josephine
44" wide $12.00/yd.

Reproduced from a quilt in a private collection this chintz is dated to the second half of the 18th century. Chintz was used to make women's gowns and jackets. The gown or jacket may have a matching petticoat of the same fabric but petticoats were usually not made of chintz unless the upper garment is also of the chintz. Men's banyans were also made of chintz as were bed covers and in the late 17th to early 18th century wall hangings.

For example in The New Jersey Journal of 1781, "ran away . . .  a Negro Wench . . .  had on or took with her a dark brown chintz gown" as cited in Wenches, Wives and Servant Girls. Ivory linen thread 80/3 is a good match for hand sewing.

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Calico cotton swatch for 18th century reenactors, 18th century interior designs, and historic interpreters.
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Cotton chintz fabric swatch repeating part of an original 18th century design for 18th century reenactors, historic home upholstery, and museum interpreters.

Oberkampf Variations Ecru
60" wide, $29.95/yd.

Oberkampf 1738-1815 was a designer and manufacturer in France. His fabrics were later reproduced in the 19th century and it is from these that this fabric is based. Chintz was used to make women's gowns and jacket. The gown or jacket may have a matching petticoat but petticoats were usually not made of chintz unless the upper garment is also of the chintz. Men's Banyan were also made of chintz as were bed covers and in the late 17th to early 18th century wall hangings.

For example in The Pennsylvania Gazette of 1782, "Run Away . . .  a Negroe Wench . . .  of a yellow complexion, something like an Indian: Had on a light chintz gown" is cited in Wenches, Wives and Servant Girls. Ivory linen thread 80/3 is a good match for hand sewing.

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Wilhelmina Mauve
60" wide $29.95/yd.

Remnant Only

Wilhelmina is reproduced using part of an original 18th century design. Chintz will make a historically accurate women's gown or jacket. The gown or jacket may have a matching petticoat but petticoats were usually not made of chintz unless the upper garment is also of the chintz. Men's Banyan were also made of chintz as were bed covers and in the late 17th to early 18th century wall hangings.

For example in The Pennsylvania Gazette of 1772, "RUN AWAY . . .  a native of Ireland . . .  had on, and took with her, one chints gown, stamped with blue". Ivory linen thread 80/3 is a good match for hand sewing.

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Calico cotton swatch for 18th century reenactors, 18th century interior designs, and historic interpreters.
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Cotton chintz fabric swatch repeating part of an original 18th century design for 18th century reenactors, historic home upholstery, and museum interpreters.

Wilhelmina Madder Red
60" wide, $29.95/yd.

Remnant only!

Wilhelmina is reproduced using part of an original 18th century design. Chintz will make a historically accurate women's gown or jacket. The gown or jacket may have a matching petticoat but petticoats were usually not made of chintz unless the upper garment is also of the chintz. Men's Banyan were also made of chintz as were bed covers and in the late 17th to early 18th century wall hangings.

For example in The New York Gazette of 1774, "Run away . . .  two Dutch bound servants, a man and a woman . . .  The woman . . .  had on and took with her . . .  a Dutch chintz jacket" is cited in Wenches, Wives and Servant Girls. White linen thread 80/3 is a good match for hand sewing.

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Tulips
60" wide $29.95/yd.

Tulips is copied from an original chintz dated 1780 from the Fries Museum in Leeuwarden, Netherlands. The natural off white ground with red, blue and greens flowers and vines are repeatedly seen in Chintz: Indian Textiles for the West. This chintz will make a historically accurate women's gown or jacket. The gown or jacket may have a matching petticoat of the same fabric but petticoats were usually not made of chintz unless the upper garment is also of the chintz. Men's banyans were also made of chintz as were bed covers and in the late 17th to early 18th century wall hangings.

For example in The Pennsylvania Gazette of 1777, “Run away . . .  a servant woman . . .  had on, and took with her, a light chintz gown” is cited in Wenches, Wives and Servant Girls. Ivory linen thread 80/3 is a good match for hand sewing.

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Calico cotton swatch for 18th century reenactors, 18th century interior designs, and historic interpreters.
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Les Fleurs d'Inde Ecru
60" wide $29.95/yd.

Les Fleurs d'Inde is copied from an original chintz dated 1780 from the Fries Museum in Leeuwarden, Netherlands. We chose this fabric because the natural ecru ground with red blue and green flowers and vines are repeatedly seen in Chintz: Indian Textiles for the West. This chintz will make a historically accurate women's gown or jacket. The gown or jacket may have a matching petticoat of the same fabric but petticoats were usually not made of chintz unless the upper garment is also of the chintz. Men's banyans were also made of chintz as were bed covers and in the late 17th to early 18th century wall hangings.

For example in The Virginia Gazette of 1750-1751, "RAN away from . . .  Maryland . . .  a white Servant Woman . . .  she took away with her a fine Chintz [?] gown with red Flowers". Ivory linen thread 80/3 matches this chintz well for hand sewing.

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Calico cotton swatch for 18th century reenactors, 18th century interior designs, and historic interpreters.
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