‘Verney’ softly-woven grey wool suiting fabric

We had a project in mind for a grey wool suiting fabric and oh my – did this delicious number fit the bill!? Just in from Italy – and with a smidgeon of cashmere to make our joy complete, this is a classic fabric which will be worth its (light-to-medium) weight in gold in your wardrobe. The shade of grey here is, as ever, a tricky one to capture, but it’s warmer than you might imagine. It works wonderfully with crisp whites, blues from the powdered variety through to turquoise – and really, most other colours we’ve tried it with.

What kind of fabric is this?

Our grey wool suiting fabric is a 95% wool fabric with 5% cashmere, woven in a very fine twill weave pattern. We’d describe it as a light-to-medium weight suiting. It has excellent opacity for its weight but will benefit from a lining to help with drape and movement across other garments.

What does this fabric feel like?

This is a fabric with a fairly crisp structure yet a particularly soft feel. The twill weave is almost obscured by a very fine napping of both sides which adds to the soft feel. It will be wonderfully comfortable next to the skin as trousers for instance (which is what Alice has done with the length she took – we’ll pop a link in here when we have pictures!).

How does this fabric move?

Our soft grey wool suiting fabric falls into softly-rolling and almost-angled folds as you can see from 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?

The soft texture of this grey wool suiting fabric means that a lining isn’t necessary for comfort or modesty. However if you’re contemplating more structured trousers, a skirt or a jacket, then we’d suggest a lining (or a half-lining in the case of trousers) will help with structure, fit and movement as well as smoothing the outline of undergarments.

What can I make with this fabric?

We think it would be just fabulous as cross-season trousers – either wide, flowing ones or more tailored and cropped designs. It would also make a classic pencil skirt or even a tailored dress. Relaxed blazers are very much on trend at the moment we know Kwik Sew pattern 3715 very well; it would be a fabulous choice for this fabric. However Alice has used her piece to make a more tailored  version of the ‘Sidewinder’ Pants from The Sewing Revival.

Sustainability

Wool is a natural fibre, which uses much less water and fewer chemicals to process than many other fabrics. It is long-lasting and can be repaired, all of which make it a more sustainable choice.

Deadstock? ✅

Organic? ❎

OEKO-TEX standard? ❎

Fabric width

152cm

Fabric composition

95% wool, 5% cashmere

Fabric preparation

Steam gently before cutting, holding a steam iron 1 inch away from the wrong side of the fabric, working down the length. Use a steam iron and a pressing cloth to press areas of the garment during construction where necessary.

Fabric care

We recommend spot- and dry-cleaning wool-rich garments, particularly if they’re lined. Find out more on our About our fabric pages