What is Tricotine Fabric? (Wool and Cotton Tricotine)
When it comes to sewing, you just never know what kind of fabric name or style you will run into. That is because sewing is very diverse and inclusive. Once you run into those strange fabric names it takes some time to find out what they are and how you can use them.
What is Tricotine Fabric? The technical definition is that it is a fabric made from worsted wool and rayon and can be blended with synthetic materials. The finish is very clear and there is a double twill rib on the face of the cloth. The fabric comes from the same family as gabardines, whipcords, and coverts.
To learn more about tricotine fabric just continue to read our article. You may not have heard about it before but it is a good fabric to use for a variety of situations. The material wears well and handles athletic competitions quite well.
What is Tricotine Fabric?
This fabric seems to enjoy the warmer climates in the world. It holds its shape well while still being breathable and comfortable. Those characteristics are only a part of what makes this material popular among sewers and fashion icons.
Another characteristic is that this fabric has the same cooling ability as what is called summer time wools. The open weave lets the air through without losing any ability to take a crease or handle some pressing.
Then the material is not wrinkle friendly and drapes well so you do not lose that fine fashion look you have created for yourself. And the good news may be that it is not an expensive fabric to use in your sewing projects.
There also may be a textured surface with a smooth backside. As to the quality, it is probably in the mid to high end of the range. You can’t go wrong with using this fabric as it is made from both natural and synthetic fibers. You can get the best of both worlds by using this material for key clothing items.
Wool Tricotine
According to some people finding an outfit made from wool tricotine is a rare find but that doesn’t seem to ring true. This fabric is perfect for a variety of clothing items especially when the weather and the humidity start to rise and become very hot.
One store has the cost of the fabric at $25 a yard and part of that price may be that its width is about 60 inches in size. Keeping this fabric clean takes some doing as you should brush the material first to remove any loose dirt and dust.
Then you should take it to the dry cleaners to make sure it is cleaned properly. Or use a damp sponge to get stains and embedded dirt off the material. Right now another store has some Thyme tricotine on sale for just over $12, its normal price is over $50 per yard.
There are different wool varieties but they all seem to have the same properties. The fabric holds its shape, helps keep you cool in hot and humid weather as well as draping very well and keeping its shape through thick and thin environments.
When working with the fabric some wool elements may be present as you sew. These elements are:
- May wiggle, slip or move on you because of its elegant style and drape.
- Should be cut one way.
- The slippery nature means you need to slow down and cut carefully.
- You may need to use a layer of paper or weights and pins to make the cut accurate and precise.
Cotton Tricotine
Cotton is one of those natural fibers that is used to make tricotine fabric. The fabric should have all the characteristics of cotton depending on, of course, if it is a pure fabric or a blended one. That means it may shrink, stretch or lose its shape when you are not careful.
But you also get the durability of cotton making any pants you make out of the material almost as strong as cavalry pants. Then because cotton is involved this fabric should be easy to work with.
Also, it is a good fabric to wear when the temperatures and the humidity levels rise a little. Cotton breathes well and should help keep you cool as you go about your day. Cleaning may follow standard cotton washing and drying instructions but check the label to make sure.
It may be that you may not find the fabric under the cotton tricotine name. You may find it renamed and given a better sounding moniker for whatever reason the manufacturer may have.
Tricotine Clothing
Tricotine fabric, especially the wool variety, is very good with men’s casual pants. That is because the fabric is very durable, wears well and handles a crease quite well. Also, it is because the fabric can come in a variety of colors and it is easy to turn into different styles of pants.
Plus, you can make chino pants to drawstring pants to fit your romantic interest’s preferences for clothing. Then, men’s shorts are a good alternative as they keep their shape when the humidity is above normal.
For women, a variety of pantsuits are made from this top fabric for many of the same reasons. The fabric gives you lots of flexibility for styles, cuts as well as designs and colors. Also, its warm weather capability means that you look as good at the end of the day as you did at the beginning.
With its durability, the style may disappear into the sunset long before the fabric loses its strength, looks, and durability. As you walk, there is no rustling sound that you may hear when you wear similar outfits made from alternative fabrics.
These are just a couple of examples of what clothes you can wear made from this material. There seems to be a lot of flexibility as to what you can make with this fabric so let your creative juices flow and start being a little innovative.
Where to Buy Tricotine Fabric
The first place you should check should be your local fabric stores. Whether they are big-box chains or little independent fabric stores, your search should be successful when you start at those places. If they are out of stock, hopefully, they will order some in for you.
If you are not successful, you can try your local department stores’ fabric section to see if they carry any of the material. What we did find out is that if you shop at the online outlets you may be paying a hefty price for the fabric, unless they all have as good a sale as that one company where you save over $40 a yard.
Next on the list would be fabric wholesalers. If you go to these outlets be prepared to buy a lot of material at one time. The best part about this option is that your cost may be cheaper by the yard.
Then there is always the online option. Amazon and a host of fabric stores that have an internet presence sell the fabric. The prices will vary. The drawback is that you may have to wait out the shipping period.
Other Tricotine Fabric Ideas
As you have already read, pants, shorts for men and pantsuits for women are great clothing projects to use tricotine fabric. Over at Etsy, there are a few ideas including a nice handbag made from the material. Or you can make a nice decorative wall hanging that will last for decades.
Or you can turn the fabric into a nice summer dress that will keep you extra cool when the sun turns up the heat. Pinterest has a few dress ideas you should be able to copy Shirts for men and blouses for women can be made out of this fabric.
A little brainstorming should help you come up with a lot of different projects to help you develop your sewing skills as well as create great looks for you and your family. What makes this fabric great to use in those sewing projects is that most varieties are wrinkle-resistant or free.
The only thing you need to watch out for is keeping those items nice and clean.
Some Final Words
You may not be adventurous and avoid using tricotine fabric because you do not know much about it. But after reading this you can see that you can use it for a variety of sewing projects that will keep your family in durable tough yet good looking clothes for a long time.
Tricotine should be an easy fabric to work with just watch out for any slipping, wiggling and other movements as you try to cut or sew with it. This fabric is a great alternative to others as it is also very breathable and holds its shape.
