Help identifying fabric

[BillinOregon]

Gang, I bought this fabric some years ago from more than one vendor, and I can't quite remember what I've got here. The two on the bottom are 100 percent linen, I'm pretty sure, with the lightest fabric on the lower left being shirt-weight linen. I used the fabric on the right for the snapsack pictured in the thread in the camping section.
The upper two samples are much heavier weight, and I am thinking the one on the left is fustian, a linen/cotton mix. Unsure about the other; maybe I have them backwards.
I know it is hard to tell in a photo, but anyone have thoughts on these? That's a buffalo nickel.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Can't help.
But, I can confuse the issue a bit for you.
Really, wat difference does it make?
Use each for what you deem is best for the item in question. Don't fret names. Jes' do it. :grin:

 

[zimmerstutzen]

It can make a difference.

I recently purchased some old cloth at an estate sale. Some fancy real linen, some coarsely woven cotton made to look like homespun linen. And a coarsely woven material that appears to be ramie, which can be hard to find. Some fibers do a better job of scrubbing the bore when used as patches or for cleaning. (I actually bought the pile for the cloth seed and flour sacks that were included)

 

[DOUBLEDEUCE 1]

Maybe a trip to your local fabric store could get your answer. Take it in and ask the sales clerk if she knows what it might be. :hmm:

 

[BillinOregon]

Have to admit having a stash of these older fabrics just makes me feel good, whatever the heck they are.

 

[omarick1948]

Not sure, but the one on the upper right looks something like Osnaburg(sic).

 

[coloradoclyde]

From here they look like painter's drop cloths. :grin:
But I'm a long way from Oregon.... :idunno:

Time for a trip to Joanne's

 

[Stophel]

Can't see it well, of course, but the two bottom gray ones appear to be linen. The upper left, if it is gray/tan linen one way, and white cotton the other way, then that is what is currently called "fustian" (though I am not convinced that this is the fustian of 200+ years ago). Frankly, I find it useless fabric, loosely spun and woven and stretchy. The upper right... Well... The yellowish tan color is what hemp usually looks like, though probably it's just tan cotton.

You can tell linen by the feel. Linen has a "tacky" feeling, even after being washed. Hemp can actually be rather soft. Both of which are about a zillion times stronger than cotton, which is a very weak fiber (yes, long grain Egyptian cotton is much stronger). Even the heaviest cotton canvas will rip like tissue paper, while lightweight linen can be very difficult to tear. And there's your test of the yellow-tan fabric. See if you can tear it. If it is cotton, it will rip rather easily. IF it is hemp, you will probably find it near impossible to rip. :wink: