Plate No. 059fabric
- First documented
- 1200s
- Fiber
- cotton, linen
- Weave
- fine plain weave
- Family
- plain
Plate No. 059 · fabric
Batiste
Batiste is the softest and lightest of the fine plain weaves, originally a linen of Cambrai in the same family as cambric, now most often a sheer combed cotton. Where lawn is crisp, batiste is limp and soft, which is why it became the cloth of christening gowns, heirloom sewing, lingerie, and bishop sleeves. It takes embroidery and pintucks beautifully, and generations of fine hand sewing traditions are built on it.
Named for
By tradition named for Baptiste of Cambrai, a thirteenth century weaver of fine linens; the attribution is traditional rather than documented.
