100% Unbleached Linen

6.5 oz., 60" wide, $13.00/yd.
WLG 100

Oznabrig (with many spellings) was first named after the German city that first produced considerable amounts of it. Later in the 19^th century, as with many fabrics, oznabrig began to be made of cotton. Oznabrig is a cheap unbleached fabric related to tow and rolls and was often used to make men's shirts, hunting frocks, trousers, and overalls and women's shifts, gowns, petticoats, aprons, and pockets.

For example in The Virginia Gazette in 1745 "a Servant Woman . . .  her Speech is the North of England Dialect, and says she was born in Lincolnshire: she had on, when she went away, a Oznabrig Shift" and again in 1775 "a convict servant, a Scotchman . . .  Had on and took with him . . .  one oznabrig [waistcoat] . . .  two oznabrig shirts, two pair of oznabrig trowsers". Other articles like market wallets, bags, bed sheets, bed ticks, and haversacks may be made of this fabric as well. Although unbleached, this fabric will slowly fade to a creamy white with washings and time in the sun. Hand sewing this fabric would work best using 35/2 unbleached or unbleached 60/2 linen thread.

100% Linen

9 oz., 60" wide, $13.00/yd.
WLG 102

Linen with a warp thread of unbleached and weft thread of half-bleached creates an oatmeal color. Coarse linen like this was commonly used to make hunting frocks, trousers, sailor's trousers (sometimes called slops), haversacks, kettle bags, market wallets, chair seats, linings, and work aprons. Less often slave's shirts and shifts (ouch!), breeches, jackets, waistcoats, and coats. For example in Virginia in 1776 "RUN away . . .  a small outlandish Negro Fellow . . .  He carried away with him . . .  2 Virginia Linen Shirts, one of them very coarse". Linen thread for this would be best hand sewing using 16/2 or 35/2 unbleached.

100% Off White Linen Shirting

5.5 oz., 60" wide, $12.50/yd.
WLG 110

Linen shirting was used to make men's shirts and women's shifts. Although more expensive than unbleached, this fabric is appropriate for all economic levels in the 18^th century. Shirting is also used to make men's trousers, hat linings, and jackets, and women's gowns, petticoats, pockets, and aprons. In The Virginia Gazette in 1772 "a servant woman . . .  had on, and took with her . . .  a white linen ditto [gown], white apron". Hand sewing this fabric would be best done in 60/2 off white linen thread.

100% Off White Linen

7.6 oz., 60" wide, $13.00/yd.
WLD 100

Fabric weight has to do with the size of the thread and the tightness of the weave. This linen is tightly woven of a fine thread giving it a high overall weight and increasing its durability. Many modern linens are loosely woven giving them a low overall weight. Linens woven before the 20th century tended to be more tightly woven. This 7.6 oz. linen is therefore much closer to the linens used in the 18th century than many of the loosely woven linens. White linen was used to make men's shirts and women's shifts. Although more expensive than unbleached in the 18th century, this fabric is appropriate for all economic levels. White linen is also used to make men's trousers, hat linings, and jackets, and women's gowns, petticoats, pockets, and aprons. In The Providence Gazette in 1772 "RUN away . . .  a hired Servant Man . . .  by Trade a Calker . . .  Had on and took with him . . .  two white Linen Shirts". Hand sewing this fabric is best done in 60/2 off white linen thread.

100% Shirt Linen

5.75 oz., 60" wide, $20.00/yd.
WLG 111

This exceptionally fine 100% shirt linen 5.75 oz. is ideal for officer's shirts and fine shifts. This linen is some of the finest available today having less slubs and more threads (45) to the inch. Please specify shade of either oyster (below) or white. In The Virginia Gazette of 1774 "RUN away . . .  in Maryland, an indented servant man named JOHN WHITE . . .  professes gardening and farming, and had on, and took with him . . .  a fine linen shirt and neckcloth, marked I.K." When hand sewing this linen try 60/2 white linen thread.

100% White Handkerchief Linen

2.8 oz., 60" wide, $21.50/yd.
WLG 113

This 2.8 oz. linen is some of the finest commercially produced today. At 55 threads to the inch it is also tightly woven. Linen this fine was often called cambric in the 18th century and was used for neck and pocket handkerchiefs, caps, shift and sleeve ruffles for the ladies and for gentlemen's shirt ruffles, and neck cloths, stocks, and handkerchiefs. In London in 1778 a man was "indicted for stealing . . .  two pair of men's cambric ruffles, value 1 s." Linen thread of the finest weight available will be required for hand sewing this project. Try white thread in either 90/2 or 120/2. Even if machine sewing other parts of your clothing, people look most at your face so that hand sewing should at least be done around the cap and neck handkerchief.

100% Handkerchief Linen

3.7 oz., 60" wide, $13.00/yd.
WLG 124 white and black

Both of these may be used to make neck and pocket handkerchiefs, linings, men's neck stocks, and cravats. The white may be used to make lady's caps and aprons. Tending toward the wealthy but also worn by the poor, white shirts and shifts were made of this fine linen. In The Virginia Gazette of 1775 "RUN away . . .  two indented SERVANTS, one a Scotchman . . .  by Trade a Gardener . . .  had on, and took with him . . .  one Shirt of brown Sheeting, several others of fine Linen". When hand sewing this linen try 60/2 or 90/2 linen thread white or black.

51% Linen 49% Cotton

3.7 oz., 60" wide, $11.00/yd.
WLG 123 handkerchief oatmeal

This smooth fine handkerchief weight linen cotton blend makes a sheer lining for cool summer garments but may also be used for shirts and shifts. "Run away . . .  a Dutch servant Woman, hath been about two years in the country . . .  had on . . .  a green worsted under jacket, lined with linen" was published in The Pennsylvania Gazette of 1776. When hand sewing this linen try 90/2 unbleached linen thread.

100% Linen Check

60" wide, $19.00/yd.
WLG 160

The check in this is formed by varying the tightness of the weave. Very similar fabrics were called dorea in the 18th century. This fabric is correct for lady's neck and pocket handkerchiefs and early 19th century gowns. When hand sewing try white 90/2 or 120/2 linen thread.