Polished/Glazed/Chintzed Cotton

[BarbaraSmith]

Hey, so I stopped at a speciality chain store last night, and lucked into some polished cotton that I think I'll use on my flannel petticoat yoke.

The lady at the store made an odd comment though. She said that it was stupid, and no one carried it anymore, because the polish would be disolved by washing.

I've never heard of this. However, I've never been able to find polished cotton before to use for a project, so I can't say I know anything about it.

Should I plan to not wash this fabric before sewing it? Once sewn, I wouldn't wash it, anyway.

The bolt called it "chintzed" cotton, hence my topic line.

Many thanks!
Barbara

[Carolann Schmitt]

I have a detailed explanation of the differences between polished and glazed cotton and cotton chintz on my computer at home. I'll post it as soon as a can. In the meantime, yes - if you wash it you will likely lose most of not all of the glaze. 

[BarbaraSmith]

Hrmph! Okay, well, I'll start by not washing it, and await your reply when you have time. No rush! 

Thanks much!
B.

[Elizabeth]

One thing to note: silk and wool dresses aren't generally washed, so that glaze is far more permanent.  I'll see if I have Carolann's run down on glazed versus polished versus chintz, etc, in my own files, but I'll be she beats me to finding it.

[felicite]

I dunno about glazed, but I just bought polished cotton with a really bright sheen, very satiny, but 100% cotton, and washed a sample swatch. Not only did it hardly shrink (1/8 inch of 6"), it lost very little of its sheen, and I washed it regular cycle and warm, and dried it regular. Very encouraging.

I fully intend to line EVERYTHING in this lovely polished cotton from here on in. I have 5 yards of 60" black, so that should last me for a while, plus several yards of 45" white. Yay! I wonder about undersleeves out of the polished cotton...maybe difficult to iron, but they'd be so crisp and pretty!

-Amie

[Elizabeth]

I've not yet come across anything to recommend polished or glazed cottons or linens for undersleeves and accessories... generally, the recommended fabrics are batistes, lawns, "muslins" (period muslin--more like a voile with body these days), organdy, and various fine linens--all very light, finely-woven textiles that can be quite sheer to very nearly sheer.

Watch the black--black-dyed cottons are notoriously unstable in color (then and now), and tend to rub off grey on anything in close contact with them.  It's disconcerting to have your chemise and corset turn a streaky dove-grey!

[BarbaraSmith]

See??? Amie, this is what I've always heard, thus I bought the polished cotton when I found it. It DOES seem like lovely stuff, and I've heard numerous references to it in linings. In fact, depending on what color wool I end up with, I am hoping to go buy the rest of the bolt of this to line the paletote with.

But, I await further info. 

LOL,
B.

[felicite]

Bother. I still think the polished cotton would make pretty undersleeves! Sniff.

For lining dress bodices, I would definitely use the white. The black was intended for the back of a man's vest and sack lining. Then they realized that the bolt was running out and offered me half a yard for free, so I just bought all five. I suppose there's the risk of the black sack lining rubbing off on his shirt sleeves. Hrm. Better than polyester, either way! =D

It's so painful when people charge hundreds of dollars for a frock coat or something and it has poly velvet on the collar, and poly lining. ARGH!

Ah well, I shall educate them whether they like it or not - starting tomorrow! I was asked to do fashion shows at an event by another organization. =) No cattle calls for me - Kimberley and I will go recruiting. And then someone will beat me up for not including them.... Ah, the dire perils of progression. =P

-Amie

[Carolann Schmitt]

I haven't forgotten about posting the info on glazed and polished cottons and chintz; I've been busy teaching a corset class and with my regular job. I'll try to post it within the next few days.

[BarbaraSmith]

CarolAnn, you are under no obligation to any of us!!!! :-))))) We're happy to get it if it comes, if not, don't you feel responsible.     

Cheers,
B.

[BarbaraSmith]

Just wanted to report that I decided to wash the chintzed cotton, since I'd planned to use it for the waistband/yoke of my red wool petti, and worried about the dye rubbing off. It's lost some of the polish, but I figured, since I'm not going to wash it again, it will be fine for this usage.

Many thanks for your knowledge!
B.

[BarbaraSmith]

Can I make an overpetticoat of glazed/polished/chintzed cotton? This stuff is so light, so tight, so smooth!!!! I think it's luscious.  Also, anyone have an online source for white polished cotton?

Cheers,
B.

[Elizabeth]

If it's the quality of cloth you want, and you don't mind the glazy parts coming off over time and laundering, the actual weave itself is just fine.  The glaze *will* eventually go away.  Some of the period starch recipes call for additions of a bit of melted wax in the mix, which tends to give a slick, "glazy" finish to the cotton petticoats... almost a burnished feel. 

So--rather than say, "sure, make a glazed cotton petticoat" (which would not be consistent with what I've read so far on petticoats), I'd say, "sure, pick a light, full-of-body, firmly-woven white cotton for a petticoat."

[BarbaraSmith]

I knew you were going to say that!  You are right - no sense buying glazed cotton if you're going to wash the item. 

LOL,
B.