Icon - Arrow LeftAn icon we use to indicate a rightwards action. Icon - Arrow RightAn icon we use to indicate a leftwards action. Icon - External LinkAn icon we use to indicate a button link is external. Icon - MessageThe icon we use to represent an email action. Icon - Down ChevronUsed to indicate a dropdown. Icon - CloseUsed to indicate a close action. Icon - Dropdown ArrowUsed to indicate a dropdown. Icon - Location PinUsed to showcase a location on a map. Icon - Zoom OutUsed to indicate a zoom out action on a map. Icon - Zoom InUsed to indicate a zoom in action on a map. Icon - SearchUsed to indicate a search action. Icon - EmailUsed to indicate an emai action. Icon - FacebookFacebooks brand mark for use in social sharing icons. flipboard Icon - InstagramInstagrams brand mark for use in social sharing icons. Icon - PinterestPinterests brand mark for use in social sharing icons. Icon - TwitterTwitters brand mark for use in social sharing icons. Icon - Check MarkA check mark for checkbox buttons.
You are reading

Object Lessons: Classic Summer Stripes

Search

Object Lessons: Classic Summer Stripes

August 12, 2014

Stripes have a somewhat checkered history. Medieval society was deeply suspicious of fabric patterned with lines and made it the textile of outsiders, deemed suitable only for court jesters and ladies of the night. Later, stripes became the uniform of crewmen, slaves, and prisoners. It wasn’t until Queen Victoria dressed her son Albert in a striped sailor suit toward the end of the 19th century that attitudes were adjusted. By the time Coco Chanel discovered the Breton fisherman’s shirt in the 1920s, stripes had taken on a much happier aspect, becoming synonymous with relaxation–and ideal for use on deck chairs, pajamas, beach towels and bed linens. Here are some summery classics available by the yard.

Five to buy

Object Lessons Classic Summer Stripes portrait 3

Above: Ian Mankin specializes in striped cotton and linen produced by one of the last remaining cotton mills in Lancashire, England. See Ian Mankin Stockists for vendors all over the world, including US sources.

Object Lessons Classic Summer Stripes portrait 4

Above: Robert Kaufman Medium Stripe Denim is $10.72 a yard at Purl Soho. It’s approximately 40 inches wide and is quilting cotton weight.

Object Lessons Classic Summer Stripes portrait 5

Above: This heavy French Cotton, woven in the Basque region of France, is ideal for upholstery, table linens, and espadrilles, among other things. It’s 72 inches wide and available in a variety of stripes (including Sunbrella Outdoor Fabric and Oilcloth). The cotton is $68 per yard at Les Toiles du Soleil. For more on the company, see our post Sunny Striped Fabrics from France. Photograph via Canet-en-Roussillon.

Object Lessons Classic Summer Stripes portrait 6

Above: John Lewis Cranmore Stripe Fabric is a cotton often used for Roman blinds (which the store makes to order). It’s 137 centimeters wide and £15 per meter at John Lewis in the UK.

Object Lessons Classic Summer Stripes portrait 7

Above: Natural Striped Black Linen is made from flax grown in Lithuania and is 150 centimeters wide. It’s available from Etsy seller Linen by Inga; $59.98 for two meters.

Object Lessons columnist Megan Wilson is the owner of Ancient Industries and curator of the Remodelista 100 presented in the Remodelista book. Watch for her column every Tuesday, and have a look at her past posts, including last week’s Object Lesson on the most basic (and beloved) of striped fabrics, Classic Mattress Ticking. We featured Megan’s new shop in our recent post Purveyor of the Practical and the Timeless.

(Visited 1,415 times, 1 visits today)
You need to login or register to view and manage your bookmarks.

Product summary  

Have a Question or Comment About This Post?

Join the conversation

v5.0