Unbleached Oznabrig Linen, WLG 100

100% Linen, 6.5 oz, 60″ Wide

Osnaburg (with many spellings) usually in the 18th century spelled as “oznabrig” was first named after the German city that first produced considerable amounts of it. Later in the 19^th century, as with many fabrics, oznabrigs began to be made of cotton. At 28 threads to the inch this is an inexpensive linen. Oznabrig is a cheap unbleached fabric related to brown linen, tow and rolls and was often used to make men’s shirts, hunting frocks, trousers & overalls & women’s coarse shifts, gowns, petticoats, aprons, samplers & 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 wallets, bags, bed sheets & bed ticks may be made of this fabric as well. Although unbleached, this fabric will slowly fade to a creamy white with washings & time in the sun. Hand sewing this fabric would work best using 35/2 unbleached linen thread.