34 inches of Violet Tudor style woollen 2/2 twill cloth fabric - end of roll

End of roll piece - 34 x 60 inches. For fabric cut to order, see our fabric range.

• 100% New Zealand wool
• 60in (152cm) wide
• 18 oz/yd or 11 oz/sq yd
• 2/2 twill
• Made in the United Kingdom

This 100% wool fabric has been specially commissioned by The Tudor Tailor from a Yorkshire mill and is available in various colours. The weave is a 2/2 twill which has a good stretch across the bias, making it an excellent choice for bias-cut hose. It also has a lovely drape and makes up beautifully for petticoats, kirtles, coats and gowns.

The range of colours is based on the mass survey of 57,000 garments extracted from wills and inventories which is the basis for our book The Typical Tudor. Our findings make it clear that there were strong conventions in choices of colour for certain garments depending on one's gender and social status.

This listing is for woollen cloth in violet. Violet was a popular choice for the gowns of middle-class men and women. It was achieved either by over-dying madder with woad or by using a native lichen called orchil. Violet was not the same as purple which was heavily restricted by sumptuary law and required an expensive imported dyestuff called kermes or ‘grain’.

The wool has been chemically dyed to a shade achievable with woad. The best indication of the true colour is shown in the photos which show multiple colours together.

We offer a range of natural fabrics to meet the making needs of the discerning costume maker from basic calico (US muslin) for toiles to quality linens for making linings and underwear. We also offer a variety of woollen fabrics appropriate for Tudor reconstructions. Please visit our fabric section to see our complete range.

Any photos showing garments are intended for illustrative purposes only. No garments are included in this listing.