This summer weight handkerchief linen is guaranteed to keep your body cool and dry even in the most humid hot climates.

Woven out of fine thread, 3.5 ounces per yard linen is a perfect choice for summer days and nights. It is thin, soft and silky, but durable enough to hold up to daily washes. Even though this fabric is thin, it absorbs moisture just as well as the fuller body linen fabrics.

These fabrics are yarn dyes - the thread was first dyed and then the cloth was woven and this gives you an individual look with every cloth design.

Yarn dyes allow you use old patterns to make completely different visually new garments. You won't believe how easy it is to recreate one of your favorite summer shirts or blouses, using your trusted old patterns and a yarn dye, to get a completely new look without losing the comfy fit you are used to.

If you don't feel like spending too much time making new things for summer, then use yarn dyes to embellish existing pieces and give these articles a new summer look without having to redo them from scratch.

Try these tricks to give an article of clothing a new look without doing to much work:

* Add yarn dye pockets or collars to blouses and shirts
* Add color to your bed linens by changing up the bed skirt or pillow cases with a bit of yarn dyes
* Add colorful hand towels to your bathroom or make a new colorful belt and pocket for your bathrobe

For this week only, these summer weight linen yarn dyes are available to you at reduced prices.

You know what you will be making and the embellishments you will be adding, so get the fabric before Sunday June 29th with these additional savings.

Enter here to go directly to the discounted summer handkerchief weight linen yarn dyes!

Whether you are just starting out in the world of Middle Ages era re-enactment or you have been doing re-enactments for years, the one thing that should stick out in your mind is authenticity.  There is nothing worse than showing up at a re-enactment in inappropriate clothes.  It can ruin the entire mood of the situation. 

During the Middle Ages, linen was a major component in clothing.  For instance, leg hose, or stockings, both worn by men and women.  In the early Middle Ages they were often made of linen.  

Another important element of clothing in the Middle Ages was the chemise, or undershirt.  Such undershirts were made of linen and worn by both men and women.

There are two 100% linen fabrics that are perfect to use for making an undershirt. Depending on whether it is a man’s or woman’s shirt, and if it will be worn alone or with a vest or dress over it, you should use either the light weight IL020 or the medium weight IL019. Since the top edge of the linen chemise was often visible, many times it was decorated.

Early in the era women used to wear a soft linen singlet.  It came down to either their ankles or their calves. Since this garment is worn under the undershirt, lighter fabric can be used such as the IS001. The singlet later developed into a full chemise, with long sleeves, though the other style didn’t disappear entirely.  Women still wore the singlets under close-fitting undershirts.

Meanwhile, in earlier times men typically wore just a loincloth.  The loincloth was a soft, rectangular piece of linen that was wrapped around them and tucked into itself.  Some men wore breeches instead.  Breeches looked a bit like today’s boxer shorts, but they were made of linen and very loose-fitting.  For both of these items, a fine fabric such as the IL020 is a good choice.

Later, men began to wear an under-tunic (chemise) made out of the medium weight un-bleached linen.  Gradually, over time, the shape of the garment changed and it became a long-sleeved shirt.

So, the length of the linen chemise varied based on which sex was wearing it and exactly what time period it was. A chemise from the early Middle Ages looked much different from one later on. 

If you’re planning to re-enact the part of a Middle Ages era monk, on the other hand, the importance of linen to you lies in the coif.  Monks of the time wore mostly woolen habits.  However, they wore linen coifs, for warmth.  A coif is a white cap made out of medium weight linen that covered their ears.  It was tied under their chin, similarly to a baby’s bonnet.

So, when you are looking for Middle Ages re-enactment garb, be sure to do your research thoroughly. It can be hard to make a modern day equivalent of the middle ages re-enactment garment, but, luckily you can find the exact linen match for your re-enactment project at www.fabrics-store.com.

What a better way to start your projects than with great savings on these gorgeous fabrics!

You have heard of the very exclusive Jacquard weave linen fabrics. Silky and durable, this fabric is on the crafters most wanted list any time of year.

Jacquards, to some better known as Damask fabrics, are made by using different or same color threads that are woven very closely together to form a design pattern throughout the cloth surface. This type of weave is very difficult to produce thus making Jacquard fabrics very exclusive, especially in 100% linen.

• By adding Jacquard linen to your project, you will achieve amazing results without any extra design work, the design in the weave will be doing the work for you
• Although these fabrics look like silk and extend the impression of being high maintenance and delicate, they are 100% linen and very durable
• These 100% linen Jacquards are certainly very easy to work with and can definitely be washed.
• Ease of fabric care allows you to use this fabric in many projects not having to worry about difficulty in caring for the made articles.

To make sure there is a complementary Jacquard for every project, these fabrics have been brought in a plethora of color combinations.

I do hope that everyone who requires this fabric will have the opportunity to work with it, although there is a wide selection, we are very limited in quantity.

With this promotional discount, you can save on silky, durable cloth and get ready for projects such as:
• Fine table linens
• Elegant clothing
• Luxurious bed linens
• And updates to your furnishings

The promotion will be this week - only through Sunday, June 15th and is an excellent opportunity to save an extra 10%.

Enter here to go directly to the discounted 100% linen Jacquards and start saving now!

I am thrilled to email you about the new fabric shipment that has just arrived.

IL020 - 3.5 ounces a yard 100% linen is one of the finest linen fabrics available
in the world and it is here just in time for your summer projects.

IL020, better known as Handkerchief linen, has an incredibly gentle hand, is woven
using fine staple threads and has very few slubs.

The thread can be this fine without weakening the fabric because it is made from long staple flax.

The finesse of this easy in care, handkerchief linen makes it a favorite among people
who love luxurious, comfortable surroundings.

IL020 linen fabric application is often seen in couture clothing, embroidered bedding,
christening gowns, sleepwear, and in fine details of the interior decor.

The fabric colors that just arrived are based on designer color forecasts for Spring/Summer 2008.

I would like you to be the first to know that this fabric is on a limited time promotional sale.

For this week only – you can purchase the hottest colors in the finest linen fabric at reduced prices!

Through June 8th, the price per yard has been reduced by 10%.

You can also use your coupon codes and gift certificates at check out for additional savings.

Enter here to go directly to IL020 colors for Spring/Summer 2008
and save 10%!

Get the heaviest linen fabric yet and get it today while the promotion deal applies!

Requests have been pouring in to add an even heavier fabric to the store selection and this long awaited super heavy fabric is finally available.

100% linen and 8 ounces a yard - IL090 is the answer to the heaviest linen needs. The tight weave and thick threads give the cloth a super thick body. Couch upholstery, rug hooking, tents, outdoor furniture covers and umbrellas – these are just some of the things that people have been waiting to make out of this fabric.

The fabric was manufactured in a bleached/natural mix to give it more aesthetic texture and versatility in color coordination. It is also available in Softened and not treated for you to select the proper stiffness that your project requires.

The fabric can certainly be pre washed if you need your made garments to be washable or if you would like to make the fabric softer to the touch, you can just throw the cloth in your washer and dryer to have the fabric acquire the extra softness.

Heavy weight linen fabrics are difficult to find, they also rarely come at a good price or with such a guarantee that only Fabrics-store.com provides. Today, you are able to get this brand new fabric at a terrific discount, the answer to all you heavy cloth projects can be in your hands, in no time.

For this week only – the brand new, very heavy 100% linen fabric is on sale with 10% already subtracted from the price. The promotion will end Sunday, May 25th at midnight.

Enter here to go directly to the very heavy new linen IL090 and start saving now!

A glance into the past.

Patchwork has been known for centuries. It has been used together with other methods to create clothing and home décor. Some of the oldest patchwork pieces are dated as long as 3000 years ago. (I bet it was linen, that lasted that long ). However the technique itself started its development in the16^th century in England and by 18^th century became a true art.

Patchwork. From Europe to America.

It all began when England started importing cotton from India. It became very fashionable to have a blanket from India that was embroidered or had a colorful print on it. Those products and fabrics became so popular, that English government, in order to protect English manufactures, issued a law that forbade selling fabrics from India as well as any products made from them. Of course it didn’t stop people from importing to England the product that was in demand. The new law only made it more exclusive and expensive. That’s when an idea of using leftovers became widely used and piece work became the ultimate technique of creating fashionable home decorations. Patchwork got to America with first settlers from Europe and soon became a truly national craft. A colorful quilt made from small pieces of fabric attached together can be found nowadays in almost every American home.

You vs. Leftovers

Do you have linen leftovers? And you are going to use them one day, right? Well today is the day! It is time to stop that pile of pieces that are too good to throw away from growing. It is time to be creative. So get that bag of scraps out of your closet and let’s begin!

There are hundreds of beautiful patterns that have been developed since patchwork was first invented. I want to introduce to you to a few ornaments that I find very beautiful and yet quite simple to make.

“Chessboard”

It is one of the basic patchwork patterns. It is great for combining two fabrics of contrast colors together. But you can always mix in as many colors as you like.

Step 1.

Cut your fabric in strips so they have same width. Don’t forget to leave a little extra width on each side for seam allowances.

Step 2.

Sew strips together as shown on a picture below. Then iron the seams.

Step 3.

Take the piece you just made and divide it into strips of the same width as your original ones. Cut the fabric perpendicular to the seam leaving extra space for seam allowances. (see picture)

Step 4.

Take every other strip and rotate it up side down as shown on a picture below.

Step 5.

Sew strips together as shown below. Then iron. And you are done!

“Diamond”

Step 1.

First, you need to create a paper pattern template.

• Take a paper square that equals in size to the patchwork project that you will be creating. Divide each of its sides in half and mark that spot. Connect your marks with a line. You should get a tilted square in the center.

• In the square that you just got divide all sides in half, and repeat the operation in step 1a until you get a figure of a desired size in the middle. This little square in the center is the piece that we will start working with in Step 2.

Step 2.

Cut your fabric using center square template that you just created (don’t forget to leave some extra fabric for seam allowances). Then cut out 4 triangles from another fabric (use template of a triangle in the row marked “2” – see picture in Step 1). Place the square “face up” and put 1 triangle on top of it “face down” matching sides of both figures. Sew two pieces together as shown on a picture below. Then do the same for the remaining 3 triangles and iron.

Step 3.

You should have a new square. If its sides are not straight trim them with scissors.

Step 4.

Cut out other pieces according to your pattern and repeat Step 2 until you are done.

P.S.: Don't forget to send us pictures of your fabulous quits and patchwork projects!

IL020 -3.5 ounces a yard 100% linen is one of the finest linen fabrics available in the world and it is here now, just in time for your spring projects.

IL020, better known as Handkerchief linen, has an incredibly gentle hand, is woven using fine, long staple threads and has very few slubs.

The finesse of this easy in care, handkerchief linen makes it a favorite among people who love luxurious, comfortable surroundings.
IL020 linen fabric application is often seen in couture clothing, embroidered bedding, christening gowns, sleepwear, and in fine details of the interior decor.

The fabric selection that just arrived is based on designer color forecasts for Spring/Summer 2008.
For next week only – you can purchase these hot colors in the finest linen fabric at reduced prices!
Through March 30th, the price per yard has been reduced by 10%.
Enter here to go directly to IL020 colors for Spring/Summer 2008!

Have you heard of our Doggie Bag Section?

If you haven’t yet discovered this little oasis for bargain aficionados, let me point the way to additional savings on all in stock fabrics!

Regular stock fabrics - sold right on the next page at regular price - here in the Doggie Bag Section are sold at 20% off.

Every time we take a bolt and cut yardage to fill orders, at the end of the bolt we have an X amount of yards left.
Obviously this X amount of fabric is cut from both sides and because the fabric piece is already cut, we sell the piece with a discount.
You would cut the fabric anyway to make your project - so you are not only saving money, but as an extra bonus, you are saving time that you’d spend on cutting.

We wait until we have a variety of different fabrics, in a variety of lengths and post all of the pieces to the Doggie Bag Section in a group. A new group is posted approximately every two weeks. The fabric pieces are sold on the first come first serve basis, no exceptions.

As you can guess, we don’t have an unlimited amount of fabric pieces and if you are the first to know that new pieces are available - you get to have the first pick.

I don’t want you to miss out on getting your fabric at such a terrific discount and I am writing to notify you today of this incredible savings opportunity.
On top of the 20% that is already subtracted from the cost, you can also use your discount code at check out for additional savings.

Take this opportunity to sign up to receive Doggie Bag alerts and be the first to know when new fabric pieces are available.
Signing up is easy – at the top of Doggie Bag Section page there is a box where you need to enter your name and your primary email address. Click on “Add me to the doggie bag alert” and you will be notified when new pieces are posted.

Are you planning to attend a Renaissance re-enactment? If so, you should know a bit about Renaissance dress. A lot of clothing, during the Renaissance period, revolved around the use of linen.

In the early part of the sixteenth century, dress was actually similar to medieval times. Early Renaissance women often wore a linen chemise. A chemise is an undershirt, which often accompanied a kirtle. A kirtle is a long, simple frock. It was similar to a petticoat, with a full skirt, sleeves and a tight bodice.

Remember, when you’re looking for Renaissance clothing, around that time colors were generally strong and dark. While linen was important, black velvet was also an important fabric of the time. Meanwhile contrasting white linen was used a lot for wrist and collar ruffles. So, while it wasn’t always the main component, linen was an indispensable fabric of the time period.

As the Renaissance era progressed, fashions changed. During the later Renaissance, from 1520 to 1650, fashions lost their medieval look entirely. Around that time, slashing became popular and linen became even more prominent.

Slashing was the practice of cutting slits in outer fabric and pulling the inner fabric, usually linen, through the holes. The effect was a puffy look, which was seen as a good form of decoration during the time period. Sometimes the slashing was done in a deliberate pattern. Often, it was quite detailed. However, by 1650 slashing still existed, but usually as long vertical lines, not patterns.

Since slashing became such a fashion craze during the renaissance era, men and women’s linen chemises (under-shirts) were suddenly not just for practical use. Something that was formerly hidden suddenly became a main focal point. As a result, linen chemises became more decorative. The linen chemises were decorated with lace frills, which changed through the ages. This, believe it or not, prompted the creation of the modern necktie.

For women, especially, there were many other uses for linen in clothing during that era. Whether they were wearing linen collars, called collet monte of rotonde, or wearing a linen headdress, called a cornet, they needed linen. Of course, they also wore linen drawers (underwear) and coarse linen underskirts, known as farthingales or vertugadins. So, linen was really vital for the women of the time period.

The biggest change in linen clothing for men during the Renaissance was that men’s breeches became longer. Linen breeches were a bit like boxer shorts. They grew in length during the Renaissance period, so they were eventually decorated in a similar way to chemises.

When you are planning to attend a Renaissance re-enactment, keep all of those things in mind. Although these days it is not always possible to find the exact fabric colors used in olden days, you can certainly find suitable substitutes, if you know where to look. You can find most of the linen fabrics in matching Renaissance colors for your re-enactment project at www.fabrics-store.com!