Hello & Happy New Year 2020!
A new year and milestone as I have been shooting ML'rs now for 50 years.
Ok boys & girls in the firearms world. Two links here as well as the articles posted on different web pages. Read them , I know in my past experience it's hard nuff to get you guys to read a manufactures manual prior to screwing up a muzzle loader. So with that being said Please take the time to read these 2 articles on cotton ticking.
Bear in mind, cotton fabric did not become readily available until around 1840. Even though Columbus found cotton on his first voyage and returned to Europe with seeds.
Quote: Although many clothes, especially coats, were still made out of leather or fur, most clothes were made out of wool (from sheep) or linen (from the flax plant), hemp or cotton. Some rich people wore silk.
Source:
Fabric source brief history.
Then an additional link on
Sizing & Starch here Sizing & Starch
BPB
Lots of myths concerning cotton weave pillow ticking. Here are a few links to fabric sources explaining the material we all love to cut up in little round or square pieces.
Ticking Fabric link to follow including source credits.
Whatever happened to old-school ticking stripe fabric?
I’m talking about authentic mattress ticking woven in a dense twill or herringbone weave. The type that feels weighty even after it’s washed.
It’s 100% cotton and has no flame retardant coating.
OK all you smoke pole story tellers? Got it now? Ticking is plain old cotton no fire proof coatings. You wash it to shrink the material down, which in turn tightens the weave a bit more.
This is the kind of ticking I want for my slipcovers.
I have been searching for classic ticking in a slipcover weight for the past two years. Occasionally, I come across a few yards of gorgeous vintage ticking in exactly the weight I like. And, of course there’s always the lovely, densely woven herringbone ticking made in England but priced out of my reach.
Don’t get me wrong. It’s very easy to find basic cotton ticking fabric in a wide range of prices and colors. I have sampled and tested many. But none of them are weighty or durable enough for the look & feel I’m going for in my washable slipcovers. Even the ones called “heavy weight mattress ticking” weigh in at a measly 6 to 9 ounces and turn limp after wash.
My search continues. Stay tuned! For now, here are my reviews for some of the ticking I sampled so far:
Tinsmiths Ticking The Slipcover Maker Review
Ticking Fabric, Navy or Black I love this beautiful cotton herringbone ticking made in England. The classic stripe is offered in two different widths in navy or black. It’s a drapery weight but because it’s so densely woven it feels heavier. In addition to the fabric price and shipping cost, expect to pay duty on a roll of this fabric sent from England.
Blue Ticking Stripe Fabrics
Utility Fabric Pillow Ticking Blue This twill fabric has the look of traditional mattress ticking in dark indigo and natural. It feels stiff and somewhat heavy before wash. But after washed it’s limp and light weight. It has high shrinkage and is only 32” wide. You will have to piece widths together to cover a sofa or large chair.
ACA Blue Stripe Ticking
Soft and limp twill fabric especially after washed. Sold as a 9 ounce but feels more like a 6 ounce, which is very light weight. The indigo color is not as dark and rich as the pillow ticking stripe (above). Usable width is only 42” before wash.
Mattress Ticking Navy/Ivory Canvas Woven Fabric #3588
This ticking fabric is a twill, not a canvas per the name. It’s 60” wide, which is a plus. I like the dense hand-feel and the weight after washed. It feels like a medium weight, the heaviest ticking I have found so far. Unfortunately, this fabric pills and lints like crazy! And, the blue color is more like cornflower blue instead of indigo.
Catalina Ticking Stripe Canvas
Catalina Stripe, color Black Pearl A variation on a classic ticking. This one is a canvas in a drapery weight. A little too light weight for my taste but it does make a decent slipcover. Expect a lot of wrinkle, which softens somewhat as the slipcover gets used.
Covington Woven Ticking Black Covington Woven Ticking Stripe, color 93 Black Another cotton drapery weight. Too light weight for me but it can be used for a slipcover that gets moderate use and wash. Black stripe is woven on white twill. Average shrinkage. Width 55″.
On to the next article: Link to article with sources.
((With Video))
Ticking Product Fabric Guide
Ticking is a strong, functional fabric traditionally used to cover pillows and mattresses because its tight weave of 100% cotton or linen, does not allow feathers to penetrate it. Ticking often has a recognizable stripe, commonly navy on a cream background, or it can come in solid white or natural.
True ticking is featherproof, but the term may also refer to a striped pattern that is used for décor purposes, like drapery, upholstery, slipcovers, tablecloths, and throw pillows. This decorative ticking comes in a variety of colors.
47″ ACA Blue Ticking is a durable tightly woven twill weave fabric that is typically used for mattress covers, quilt backings, pillows, and bedding to prevent feather spines from poking through. It has the traditional navy stripe.
If you’re concerned about the stripe pattern showing through the fabric covering it, solid bleached white ticking and natural ticking are good options.
Lighter weight fabric printed or woven with the ticking stripe pattern can be used where appearance is important rather than strength and durability. These décor fabrics come in many more colors than true ticking and the small stripe is often a great coordinating fabric. This would be suitable for decorative pillow covers, drapes, and other décor projects. Find designer ticking patterns in Covington stripe fabric and Waverly stripe fabric.
Working with Ticking Fabric
If you have a decorative ticking print fabric, it’s easy to sew like any other medium weight décor fabric.
Feather proof ticking can be a coarse, stiff material that’s a bit challenging to cut and sew. For this reason, avoid complicated shapes with many seams and use it for large flat panels.
If hand sewing is required, use a sail needle or a curved needle and a thimble or guard to give more force to help to pierce the cloth.
PREPARATION AND CARE
Pre-washing is an option if you plan to wash your finished project as this will shrink the ticking before you start. However, dry cleaning or vacuuming are the recommended ways to keep it clean when completed due to excessive shrinkage and possible color bleeding. If you do wash it, iron while it is still damp for a smoother finish.
CUTTING
Use sharp, long bladed shears to cut ticking. As it is coarse, it may be hard on the hands so take your time and pace yourself.
PINNING
If pinning this dense fabric is difficult, use chalk or a fade away pen to mark a pattern outline for cutting out rather than pinning paper pattern pieces to the fabric.
When joining pieces of fabric try using household pins which are thicker than dressmaker’s pins or try holding the layers together using flat clips, like binder clips.
SEWING
Working with ticking is similar to sewing and handling a strong, heavy-weight denim. A denim needle will penetrate the fabric. Choose a size 90/14, 100/16, or 110/18, depending on the density of the ticking.
Use a strong, heavy-duty thread and lengthen the stitch to approximately 3.5mm to work with the extra depth. If you feel your sewing machine is struggling and the needle is finding it difficult to penetrate the material, turn the fly wheel by hand to prevent damaging the motor.
Join panels with plain seams with the raw edges pressed to one side. Finish with top stitching to keep the seam flat or make traditional flat fell seams if the fabric isn’t too stiff to work with.
IRONING
Use lots of steam and press the ticking with a heavy hand to smooth out any creases. Set the iron to its highest setting.
Top Tips
- Whatever you are making, choose a simple style with a small number of seams
- Use a strong denim needle – size 90/14 or larger
- Sew with heavy duty thread
- Sew with a 3.5mm straight stitch
- Use a steam iron or a dry one with a water spray or damp cloth to press out stubborn creases
- Clean furnishings with a vacuum cleaner or water-free solvent
Hope this helps you in the new year!
Regards,
BlackPowderBill
