'What's Gingham Anyway'

All this talk about fabrics like damask and linen… but what’s gingham?! I promised I would explain:

Chipper and Patterned

Gingham editorial in March '09 issue of British Vogue

The gingham men’s shirt that I managed to pry from my boyfriend’s fingers a couple weekends ago is what I would consider a good print to use as a picnic tablecloth at a summer barbecue. But I cannot deny that prints like gingham, check and plaid are gaining in popularity. My boyfriend falls in the same group as most trend goers, and likes the print.

Gingham, when taken for its original meaning, refers to its repeated stripes. The printed or dyed fabric dates back to the 1600s when it was imported to England and then the American colonies. Blue and white was often the checked pattern of choice.

To this day, gingham has various uses in the home and in the wardrobe. This might be because gingham is today spun from cotton and synthetic fibers – making the textile light, wrinkle-free and easy to clean. Gingham can be found in the kitchen as curtains, handkerchiefs, barbeque bedspreads, household linens and in summer dress for men and women.

Sophisticated and Draped

Silk Dupioni curtains

Silk dupioni is known for its texture and its visual appeal. The silk is produced when two or more silkworms spin their cocoons too closely to one another – the result is a silk that is tougher and has an uneven and regal appearance.

The silk is often mixed with fine or heavy yarns that have occasional soft but think lumps. If you take a look closely at silk dupioni, you will most like see this lumps in the fabric. It is a combination of the ‘lumpy’ texture and the roughness in the silk that makes this fabric so popular.

Unlike other silks, this fabric resists wrinkles and tends to carry more weight. Silk dupioni is also reversible, an added bonus when used for window treatments. Chances are if you’ve seen silk dupioni, it’s by way of jackets, blouses, dresses, gowns, window treatments and table runners.

Not that gingham, linen, damask and silk dupioni are the only fabrics out there. But it’s good to know a little bit about some of frequently used fabrics before adding to your wardrobe or home décor.

Now you will never find yourself asking: “What’s gingham?”

-S. Gonzalez

*Photos courtesy of liebemarlene.blogspot.com; decorinnovation.com