cloth of gold

[ladyharrogate]

I'm sure this has been discussed but couldn't find it through a search so "new topic"!  What are your thoughts on cloth of gold?  Anyone researched it?  I am getting requests for gold in noble and joust costuming/garb and wondered how best to find a cloth that looks period and holds up.  Any thoughts?

[isabelladangelo]

They used real gold and silk.    Although you can find it, it's $$$$$$$$ per a yard.  Although earlier, you can get some great information here:
http://www.virtue.to/articles/margaret.html


I've used silk brocades to get a similar look as well as even dead dino if the fabric had a good pattern. 

[DonaCatalina]

My profile pic dress is in shade. But in sunlight it looks like an antique gold coin. You might have to look a bit but there are some cotton/rayon jacquards that will do the trick, especially if you touch it up with a bit of metallic gold gimp.

[amy]

What about something like this if you are just using it for adornment or accent applique?
http://cgi.ebay.com/Sateen-Gold-Decorating-Fabric-20-X-60-Flameproof-/170616578376?pt=US_Fabric&hash=item27b98a6148

Definately not HA but sure is purty.

[gem]

Anyone else alarmed that one of that fabric's selling points is that it's flameproof? 

[Lady Catherine]

Flameproof AND it's winning bid was 6.66!!!  

[amy]

You all must work on a completely different budget from me!   Look at how much you get for that price!   We could make a tent!

[Becky10]

A shiny flameproof tent.

[CenturiesSewing]

I'd look for quilters lame, it is a cotton/lurex <sp?> blend that is made by moda, the local fabric stores used to have it but now I've only seen it in online shops. In period it most likely would be thought more of as tinsel rather then cloth of gold but it looks nice.


I'm using it for a skirt lining, photo with flash:

[isabelladangelo]

Other than the alarming "flameproof", the color is also off for a cloth of gold.   

You want something more like this

or this although the paisley isn't around until very late 16th century

I found these after only a quick search.   I'm sure there are more upon ebay or etsy. 

[amy]

hahah.. won't you all be shocked when I show up at YOUR faire wearing my flameproof Gold gown.   LOOK OUT JOHNNY PHOENIX.  YOU GOT NOTHIN' ON ME!

[isabelladangelo]

hahah.. won't you all be shocked when I show up at YOUR faire wearing my flameproof Gold gown.   LOOK OUT JOHNNY PHOENIX.  YOU GOT NOTHIN' ON ME!

Honestly, I'd probably point you to the med tent or carry you there myself.  The problem with that material is that it has zero ability to breathe and will make you WAY hotter than it actually is.  There is a reason a lot of people on this board and elsewhere push for things like cotton, linen, and wool and it has NOTHING to do with historical accuracy.  It, instead, has to do with having seen one too many people go down -many with my own eyes that I have had to help- because they were being stupid (really, there is no other way to say it) and wearing 100% dead dino with no linen, cotton, or any other natural material anywhere on their person.  

One year, a group of people I know decided to test something -whether cotton canvas tents in the sun were warmer/cooler/just the same as nylon tents inside.   The nylon tents, on average, were at least 15F hotter than the canvas tents. One tent (polyester, I think) was 35f hotter than the cotton canvas!  Think about that.  If that's just a tent, imagine what wearing that nylon or poly does to your body.  

[Anna Iram]

True...but wouldn't she look absoulutly fabulous as they were carting her off to first aid? I'm quite certain too that all the other ladies would be pea green with envy with all the attention you were getting. Double win!   

[Lady Catherine]

    Lady amy!!!  lol!

[Cilean]

Thai Silks used to have a fantastic Cloth of Gold, and it was at a good price, I don't know if they still do though and it is not very scratchy.

I just purchased some 'Cloth of Silver' for my hubby's jerkin here is a picture.


So the first thing is from where are you from? Do you have Sumptuary Laws? Could you afford the tax for wearing this?  Italian City States, you might be able to wear Cloth of Gold in sleeves but not the whole gown, if are in England, you might be able to wear it if you are an Earl but I would check you could be wealthy enough to pay the fine like many did to show off their wealth by wearing lovely fabric as this.

Cilean

[DragonWing]

My partner and I got this fabric at Joann's for his garb.

[operafantomet]

Loops of gold in Eleonora di Toledo's monumental 1545 portrait dress:



Not cloth of gold as such, but a very advanced fabric to produce, as real gold was used, and it required great skills to not stain or rip the white silk. For such cloths-of-gold real metal threads were sometimes used, but it was more common to use thin linen or wool threads covered with thin layers of gold.

If anyone want to read more about the subject, I highly suggest the book "Merchants, Princes and Painters" by Lisa Monnas. It's about various historical (1300-1550) fabrics, and the author compares depictions of fabric with surviving samples and pieces. Very interesting, and cloth-of-gold occurs several places.

http://yalepress.yale.edu/book.asp?isbn=9780300111170

[Kathleen MacLeod]

I used the same fabric as DragonWing posted for the underskirt and sleeves of my first noble gown. It frays if you look at it wrong, so it's a pain to cut and sew, but once it's finished it holds up fairly well. It looks beautiful in sunlight, too 

[ladyharrogate]

thank you for all the wonderful comments.  I used the lame but I fused it to a cotton twill before putting it on the caparison (horse costume).  I will post pictures in the finished gallery soon.  I still have three more sets to finish for the order! I would like to find a nice gold that I can use with my daughters princess gown for CRF.  I have fabric from two Indian skirts that is embroidered with gold bullion (on burgundy silk chiffon).  I'm going to appliqué the pieces to her gown and really want to make it FABULOUS!!!