Is Kettle Cloth Still Made? (What is Kettle Cloth)
Not all fabrics remain. Old-time fabrics were well known to be durable, long-lasting as well as very attractive. But as time passes, the old fabric favorites fall out of favor with the manufacturers because of the expense to produce them or because no one buys them anymore.
Is kettle cloth still made? You should sit down for this news. Kettle cloth is not being made anymore and it hasn’t been manufactured since the 1970s. If you are lucky, you may inherit some unused pieces through a variety of means.
To learn about kettle cloth just continue to read our article. It has the information you need so you know what Kettle Cloth is and how it was used. One thing you should know is that there are fabrics sold and made today that come close to Kettle Cloth.
What is kettle Cloth?
Kettle Cloth is what is called a vintage fabric. The reason for that label is that this style of fabric is no longer made and has not been produced for about 40 years. This variety of cloth was made by weaving both cotton and rayon together to make a heavy fabric that wasn’t hard to sew.
For some older sewers kettle cloth soon became their favorite to work with because they could make so many clothing items out of the fabric. One positive aspect of this cloth was that it was long-lasting.
It can hold its look. One 15-year-old dress was still able to be turned into cute children’s dresses.
Is kettle Cloth Still Made?
The sad part of Kettle Cloth’s story is that it stopped being produced sometime in the 1970s. Finding some unused bolts may be difficult as stores just have not carried the fabric after their supplies ran out.
After they stopped manufacturing the fabric, it was still sold for a while but in very limited colors. White, tan and dark blue were the only colors anyone could find. Some stores, like Walmart, carried the cloth up until about 2006 but after that, it was anyone’s guess where they would find it.
Some people have found bits and pieces on eBay and it is possible you might find some on Etsy but there is no guarantee that they will still have some leftover fabric to sell.
The other good feature about Kettle Cloth that made it so popular was that it was not hard to clean. Having an easy laundry time would make any fabric popular.
Kettle Cloth by The Yard
When Kettle Cloth was sold, it was not an expensive fabric to buy by the yard. One price came in at $2.50 for a 45-inch wide yard. 13 years ago Wal Mart sold some for $1.00, so it was an inexpensive fabric that was very versatile and durable.
If you can get it today, the price may still be cheap. It is hard to say. If you are lucky, you may inherit some from a friend or a relative. Or you may find bits and pieces at a yard, garage or estate sale.
People have searched different fabric stores to no avail. Most people have reported that their bits and pieces were given to them so you might get some for very cheap still.
Where to Find Kettle Cloth
Searching for Kettle Cloth may be more like going on a treasure hunt. People have been looking for this fabric for over a decade now and different sewing blogs and discussion forums have all said the same thing-- no one can find it.
One clue in tracking this fabric down is you may be able to find it at a craft store that specializes in cross stitch and needlework. There are no guarantees, of course, on either the price or being able to find it there.
You can try and ask fabric stores but they will only lead you to an equivalent cloth. Your best bet to find Kettle Cloth would be at a garage, yard or estate sales. If you are lucky you may come across an old sewer who wants to get rid of their vintage or old cloth that has been lying around for decades.
The final place would be checking with friends, relatives, and friends. Some people have been lucky enough to find the fabric through those channels.
Equivalent Fabrics to Kettle Cloth
There is a hint of good news though. While you may not be able to find Kettle Cloth anymore some similar alternatives come pretty close to or almost exactly like Kettle Cloth.
One is Osnaburg fabric, another is Kona Cloth, then there is Calcutta Cloth. All of which may be close if not the same. One of the better equivalents is Weaver Cloth. Joann’s and Amazon seem to carry it and if you go into the stores asking for the Kettle fabric you are often directed to Weaver Cloth.
Amazon seems to have a wide variety in its selection and you can see that here. Weaver Cloth is a heavy cotton muslin with slubs that has the look and feel of Kettle cloth so those properties make it a fine substitution.
Joann’s selection can be found here. One price has it at $5.99 a yard. Finally, the Online Fabric Store also has a good selection for $5.95 a yard and it can be seen at this link.
Some Final Words
Kettle Cloth may not be around anymore which is too bad. The fabric was very versatile, durable and it looked good. It was also easy to work with and keep clean. Those features made it a very popular fabric to work with.
Even though it is hard to find today, you can still find bits and pieces to work with. Or you can go to one of the equivalent fabrics and create great clothing items for you and your family.
