Cotton Textile

Cotton textile comes from the fluffy cream-coloured fibres of the cotton boll. The fibres that wrap around the seeds of the boll are separated in the mechanical process of ginning and cleaned before being carded and combed. Aligned and straightened fibres are then spun into cotton yarn that can be woven or knitted into fabric. While cotton is grown in many areas of the world, the best quality cotton comes from places where there is plenty of rainfall or irrigation during the growing season and a dry warm picking season.

I’ve spent the past few months sewing with a variety of cotton fabrics. Plaids are a favourite and I was introduced to Hawaiian palaka, a plaid or checkered cotton. It first appeared on the islands in the form of a loose-fitting, long-sleeved shirt worn by western sailors. The shirt was sturdy and durable and was adopted by plantation workers. In the past, navy was the only option, but now palaka is made as a lighter weight and is available in many colours.

Navy and cream and traditional Japanese designs feature in many Sevenberry cotton fabrics. Kasuri is a Japanese word for fabric that has fibres dyed with specific patterns and images in mind. Above, the medium weight Sevenberry fabrics with dots and circles are Kasuri. Below, the reversible bucket hat was sewn with a Sevenberry cotton with a traditional wave design on one side and cotton denim on the other.