Antique handwoven linen métis sheet
Linen métis is not my go-to fabric. It is the most common sheeting fabric - many if not most sheets that are sold as pure linen are in fact linen métis and most sellers either can’t or won’t tell the difference. It usually presents as a quite unbending, canvas-like machine-woven material with an unattractive square weave. This is linen métis post-WW2. But before that time, when cotton was still something of a luxury item, there have existed other iterations of linen métis, fine, delicate textiles which combine the best of the luxe qualities of both linen and cotton, or robust, textured pieces like this handwoven sheet. Linen métis combines the best of both worlds, it has something of linen’s drape and texture, and something of cotton’s softness and warmth. And when combined, it is stronger than either fibre by itself, far more durable than pure cotton and much easier to look after than pure linen. The cotton balances out linen’s dislike of dry heat and tendency to shred and snap under pressure, and the linen gives some backbone and length to cotton’s fine whispey fibres.
This sheet is a wonderful example of good linen métis. It has a linen warp and a cotton weft (which is quite odd, usually it is the other way round), which has produced a fabric which is at once textured, slubby, gently striped, and very tough. I have collected several sets of these sheets for my own use, they will be upholstering my 1880’s English sofa, because they are beautiful, but also they are durable. Antique French linen has a tendency to move and stretch, cotton alone is not strong enough for upholstery, but this…
Usually I discourage cutting up and reusing old sheets that are still perfect, but in this case, I think it is warranted. This is a peasant farmhouse sheet, it is not the most comfortable thing to sleep under or in - although these do also make magnificent bed-throws for summer-time sleeping, with a finer sheet underneath they are an ideal weight for a light blanket for those hot summer nights where it gets chilly just before dawn.
This is in perfect condition. It measures 214×238cm
Please click on the photos to open them up full-sized.
To purchase, please contact me.
Linen métis is not my go-to fabric. It is the most common sheeting fabric - many if not most sheets that are sold as pure linen are in fact linen métis and most sellers either can’t or won’t tell the difference. It usually presents as a quite unbending, canvas-like machine-woven material with an unattractive square weave. This is linen métis post-WW2. But before that time, when cotton was still something of a luxury item, there have existed other iterations of linen métis, fine, delicate textiles which combine the best of the luxe qualities of both linen and cotton, or robust, textured pieces like this handwoven sheet. Linen métis combines the best of both worlds, it has something of linen’s drape and texture, and something of cotton’s softness and warmth. And when combined, it is stronger than either fibre by itself, far more durable than pure cotton and much easier to look after than pure linen. The cotton balances out linen’s dislike of dry heat and tendency to shred and snap under pressure, and the linen gives some backbone and length to cotton’s fine whispey fibres.
This sheet is a wonderful example of good linen métis. It has a linen warp and a cotton weft (which is quite odd, usually it is the other way round), which has produced a fabric which is at once textured, slubby, gently striped, and very tough. I have collected several sets of these sheets for my own use, they will be upholstering my 1880’s English sofa, because they are beautiful, but also they are durable. Antique French linen has a tendency to move and stretch, cotton alone is not strong enough for upholstery, but this…
Usually I discourage cutting up and reusing old sheets that are still perfect, but in this case, I think it is warranted. This is a peasant farmhouse sheet, it is not the most comfortable thing to sleep under or in - although these do also make magnificent bed-throws for summer-time sleeping, with a finer sheet underneath they are an ideal weight for a light blanket for those hot summer nights where it gets chilly just before dawn.
This is in perfect condition. It measures 214×238cm
Please click on the photos to open them up full-sized.
To purchase, please contact me.
Linen métis is not my go-to fabric. It is the most common sheeting fabric - many if not most sheets that are sold as pure linen are in fact linen métis and most sellers either can’t or won’t tell the difference. It usually presents as a quite unbending, canvas-like machine-woven material with an unattractive square weave. This is linen métis post-WW2. But before that time, when cotton was still something of a luxury item, there have existed other iterations of linen métis, fine, delicate textiles which combine the best of the luxe qualities of both linen and cotton, or robust, textured pieces like this handwoven sheet. Linen métis combines the best of both worlds, it has something of linen’s drape and texture, and something of cotton’s softness and warmth. And when combined, it is stronger than either fibre by itself, far more durable than pure cotton and much easier to look after than pure linen. The cotton balances out linen’s dislike of dry heat and tendency to shred and snap under pressure, and the linen gives some backbone and length to cotton’s fine whispey fibres.
This sheet is a wonderful example of good linen métis. It has a linen warp and a cotton weft (which is quite odd, usually it is the other way round), which has produced a fabric which is at once textured, slubby, gently striped, and very tough. I have collected several sets of these sheets for my own use, they will be upholstering my 1880’s English sofa, because they are beautiful, but also they are durable. Antique French linen has a tendency to move and stretch, cotton alone is not strong enough for upholstery, but this…
Usually I discourage cutting up and reusing old sheets that are still perfect, but in this case, I think it is warranted. This is a peasant farmhouse sheet, it is not the most comfortable thing to sleep under or in - although these do also make magnificent bed-throws for summer-time sleeping, with a finer sheet underneath they are an ideal weight for a light blanket for those hot summer nights where it gets chilly just before dawn.
This is in perfect condition. It measures 214×238cm
Please click on the photos to open them up full-sized.
To purchase, please contact me.