‘Sutton’ ivory & tan viscose-linen fabric

Getting a suiting fabric ‘right’ for warmer weather can be a tricky affair. Life tends to be little more relaxed; dividing lines between work and play can blur. Staying cool is right up there as a priority – but how to keep your cool without without losing all your edge? We think this ivory and tan viscose-linen fabric will help give your summer wardrobe some definition as trousers, a skirt or an entire suit – without compromising your style.

What kind of fabric is this?

This ivory and tan viscose-linen fabric is a 55%-45% blend of viscose and linen. It’s closely woven with a weft (width-wise) yarn of ivory and a warp of tan. The weave pattern is a combination of plain weave, with half-herringbone angles and stripes also woven in, running down the length of the fabric at intervals of about 2.5cm (that’s an inch in old money). We’d describe it as a medium-weight dress fabric or a light-to-medium weight suiting.

Don’t forget that there’s no ease in linen-rich fabrics so you’ll need to factor that into your garment choice and sizing. You’ll also need to pre-wash your linen to ensure that any initial shrinkage is removed prior to cutting. We usually anticipate up to 5% shrinkage.

What does this fabric feel like?

This is a comparatively structured fabric as new, and feels cool and smooth to the touch. The composition means that it’s breathable, and will be beautifully comfortable to wear next to the skin. As is usual with linen fabrics, it will soften up with washing and wear but given its weave structure and weight, it will retain some structure too.

How does this fabric move?

This is a fabric which holds some shape, but which also falls and moves with restrained elegance. You can see how it moves in this video; bear in mind though that our sample here has not been washed and so will appear to have a little more structure than it will after being laundered and worn.

NOTE: Our videos are intended to show the movement of a fabric. For accurate colour and pattern detail, please refer to our still images.

Will I need to line this fabric?

Whether or not you decide to line this fabric depends on what you’re making. The right and wrong sides are nearly indistinguishable, meaning that unlined summer jackets or trench-style coats are definitely an option. An A-lined skirt could also be unlined if you were planning to wear it over bare legs, otherwise we suggest you’d need a half-slip to enable this fabric to move against your body.  A more fitted dress or jacket however, would need a lining to help provide the structure and to aid taking it on and off. Trousers need not be lined – there’s no risk of a VPL with this fabric, although a half-lining might help a little with structure, depending on your trouser style

What can I make with this fabric?

We love this ivory and tan viscose-linen fabric – it’s got real class and as a summer suit or cross-season coat it would endure as a classic. Tailored trousers – either with a tidy pleat and cropped at the ankle or with wider legs, would also be winners. Here’s Alice wearing her version of the ‘Peaches’ Trousers by FibreMood.

Fabric width

138cm

Fabric composition

55% viscose, 45% linen.

Fabric preparation

Machine wash separately at 30 to 40 degrees.

Fabric care

Machine wash at 30 to 40 degrees. We recommend spot- or dry-cleaning if you line your garment. Find out more on our About our fabric pages.