‘Varenna’ finely-woven silver grey stretch wool fabric

We’re great believers in the versatility of finely-woven wool fabrics and their ability to cross seasons. Line them and layer them for cooler weather; wear them alone as flowing trousers or jackets on warmer days. This marled silver grey stretch wool fabric is our latest arrival from Italy where they appreciate the ability of a fabric to cope with chilly winters and sweltering summers.

What kind of fabric is this?

This is a plain-woven wool fabric with just a tiny bit of elastane to provide ease of fitting and a little extra ‘swing’ to your garments. The elastane isn’t formally listed in the composition specification we received but we’ve worked with it and the elastane content is very apparent from the behaviour of the fabric as well as the slight horizontal stretch. As wools go, it’s definitely a lighter-weight suiting, however it does have a little substance so we’d also describe it as a medium-weight dress fabric. It has been woven from very fine twisted yarns comprising colours ranging from palest grey-white through silver to dove greys, giving it a textured appearance.

What does this fabric feel like?

Our silver grey stretch wool fabric has an extremely smooth, refined feel to it. It’s not at all rough and feels very comfortable next to the skin.

How does this fabric move?

This is a fluid, draping fabric with a beautiful sense of movement. You can see how it moves and stretches in this video.

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?

You won’t need to line trousers made from this grey stretch wool fabric. Likewise a jacket or coat could be constructed without a lining providing you finished the seams with binding. However a more fitted jacket would benefit from a lining to help with structure. A skirt or dress may also need lining in order to help with movement across the body, especially over hosiery.

What can I make with this fabric?

This is the perfect fabric for cross-season tailoring – or simply if you prefer jackets, trousers and skirts that have a more relaxed, less structured feel. Although this is very definitely a lighter-weight suiting fabric it has excellent opacity for its weight and is very stable and straight-forward to work with. It’s the kind of fabric that will elevate a simple pattern to a new level – and if you do have the skills to introduce tailored elements then your garments will have a real touch of class.

Relaxed blazers are very much on trend at the moment and we’ve been getting super feedback from customers using Kwik Sew pattern 3715

Kwik Sew Pattern 3715

Fabric width

156cm

Fabric composition

97% wool, 3% spandex (spandex content an estimate)

Fabric care

We recommend dry-cleaning this fabric to preserve its fit, finish and texture, particularly for lined garments.  See our Fabric care pages for more information.