The Sewing Place

In search of hippy, floppy, very soft but strong enough for trousers linen

warpbywarpweft

I have some lovely RTW bits that are linen, they have been washed and washed but even when they were new they were nice and floppy and hung well.

Does anyone know where you can buy such linen?  Or do makers subject their cloth to washing techniques to get it to drape. TIA!

Catllar

Are they pure linen or  are they cotton ramie? I ask because that seems softer than the pure stuff I've come across.
If life gives you lemons, add to gin and tonic !

Ohsewsimple

These might be what you’re looking for.
https://www.dragonflyfabrics.co.uk/product-category/dressmaking-fabrics/linen/biolinen/
https://raystitch.co.uk/laundered-linen-polar-grey
I managed to get hold of some line and viscose mix which is wonderful. I sometimes find linen can be a bit itchy but the addition of viscose made it very comfy and had that drape and weight needed for summer trousers.


warpbywarpweft

Those links look great, thank you!   I’ve just looked at the (hippy) top I’m wearing and it’s pure linen, it’s about 4 years old so it’s so soft now.  I don’t mind if it’s cotton either, it’s good to mix it up a bit and I have quite a few bits on the list to make.

BrendaP

Empress Mills have some linen fabric which they claim is soft
https://www.empressmills.co.uk/product-category/fabrics/linen-fabric/premium-linen-fabric/

Price per half metre!
Brenda.  My machines are: Corona, a 1953 Singer 201K-3, Caroline, a 1940 Singer 201K-3, Thirza, 1949 Singer 221K, Azilia, 1957 Singer 201K-MK2 and Vera, a Husqvarna 350 SewEasy about 20 years old. Also Bernina 1150 overlocker and Elna 444 Coverstitcher.
http://paternoster.orpheusweb.co.

Renegade Sewist

Look to see if you can find Brussels Washer linen. It's a 55/45 linen/rayon blend that is wonderfully comfy and soft. Wears very well. Allow extra for shrinkage and pre-wash 2 or 3 times before you make the garment. Dragonfly and Minerva both carry it.

I live in it in our climate and I don't iron my garments.
Hey Bill! Read the manual!  Hehehe.

Greybird

I think some linen is pre-washed before they use it - in the same way that some denim is. It definitely gets softer the more it's washed so you could try washing some first, perhaps using those plastic tumble dryer balls in the washing machine with it.

warpbywarpweft

Thank you for all of these,  putting the tumble dryer balls into the washing machine is a good tip, I used to use the balls in the dryer with wrap slings to get them floppy but didn’t want to tumble my clothes fabric so I’ll try them in the washer instead.

Renegade Sewist

Tumble drying the linen a time or two before you sew the garments out of it is a good way to get all/most of the shrinkage out of it. Washing alone only gets part of it.
Hey Bill! Read the manual!  Hehehe.