When I was looking through the inventories of several online shops for my posts about Ottoman fabrics, I found the quilting cotton to the left.  I  initially liked liked - the motifs are of an appropriate shape and organized in a period fashion.  The red is nice (it also comes in kiwi which also works) and the rest of the color palette is not perfect in my mind, but not horribly bad either.  The scale is not as large as I would love to see, but each motif is 4x2 inches which is really not bad for a quilting fabric.

I ended up rejecting this fabric, however, because of the way the color was used - with a series of four colors being used separately on the motifs.

I saw something only few days later that made me change my mind.

Below is a caftan belonging to Osman II (1618-1622, so just out of the SCA range).  The motif itself is very different, but the arrangement is the same.  The color palette is actually quite similar to the one in the cotton I found, and has red, pink, gold and blue as does mine (and an additional olive shade as well).  But what is most interesting to me, is that the color arrangement in each motif is different, much like the quilting fabric.

I also found one more jewel.  This is a detail from "The Disputation of St. Catherine," by Pinturicchio and was completed around 1495.  (Gentile Bellini's work as an artist who traveled in the East is credited as being the inspiration for the images of Ottoman men that sometimes appear in Renaissance paintings, including this one.)

So, the lesson I have learned is not to instantly reject something without looking a bit deeper.  And, of course, I am now somewhat tempted to order this one on the kiwi background.... ;-)

After my insanely busy spurt of preparing the trinity of posts about Ottoman fabrics, I had to catch up on every thing else.

The loom is FINALLY warped with my boyfriend's rug.  I see that I have an error in sleying that is making one stripe appear too narrow, so I will be cutting off my start and retying it, but it is still ready enough to weave to please me.

Beyond that, I had a rather intense weekend recently with the last race in our regions Club Trials series.  I am more than thrilled to come out in 3rd place over all.  And also keeping me busy is preparing decor for High Table and making sure my class materials are all in order for Glengary.   I am very much looking forward to the event!  Hopefully soon after this event I will be able to get back to my regular research and arts!

Perhaps one of the most appealing things about  Ottoman costume is the amazing patterning of these grand silks.  Unfortunately for the reenactor, finding similar patterns in an affordable form is not an easy task.

Below I will illustrate a few of the more common types of patterns and will include examples of extant textiles that follow that form.  After that, I will discuss some motifs that you see on period textiles and finally, I will provide links for fabrics that I would consider purchasing for garb and why I think they would make more than decent choices (of course, some of them are inaccessible due to cost, but they are too lovely not to share).

Staggered designs are also enclosed with a lattice style frame.  (The fabric with the blue background is late 16th century and is from the V&A museum.  That with the red is from the first half of the 16th century and is from the Cleveland Museum of Art.)

Patterns of wavy lines, which are sometimes referred to as tiger stripes also appear in both art and textile.

Designs from nature include, among other things, tulips, pinecones, pomegranates, fruit, and leaves.

The Matter of Scale

If you look at most of the examples I posted above, you will see that the prints tend to be large scale compared to the garments.  Giant flowers, circles and vines can often be found on home decorating fabrics (think of woven textiles meant to clothe sofas) but not so often in the apparel lines or in quilt fabrics.  Sometimes we find a near-perfect print in terms of style, but each motif is a mere inch across and there is not enough ground visible behind them.

Would I buy personally buy that tiny print?  It depends, if the motif itself is appropriate, and the layout is nice and the colors period, most definitely, even if the scale is small.  (Some small-scale designs could actually pass as Persian imports, so one does not have to avoid them completely!) 

I look for bold, striking patterns and purchase them when I can, but given the modern tastes in textiles, I do not encounter these things as often as I would like so I will choose something that at least has a few correct elements or I will opt for a solid.

So where does all of this leave us?

I have done some pretty extensive scouting online in search of period Ottoman patterns for use as modern reenactors.  There are several (nice) options for unlimited budgets, but few that perfectly fit our needs.  That being said, if you look hard enough you can find some gems or some very lovely fabrics that make reasonable substitutions.  Below are some of my choices along with extant samples that defend those picks (in my mind, at least).

And finally, here is a wonderful collection of fabrics that are extravagantly priced but are wonderful to dream about.

http://www.soane.co.uk/product/fabrics/turkish-blossom#

This one is probably my favorite of all of them.  Sigh...

http://stores.kasaboo.com/-strse-5956/anichini%2C-goredean%2C-lucrezia%2Csheeting/Detail.bok

And look at the others by this maker (you will NOT regret it):

http://www.anichinifabrics.com/index.php/catalog/product/view/id/293/s/hazeran/category/7/

http://www.anichinifabrics.com/index.php/catalog/product/view/id/289/s/anja/category/7/

One More Option

You can always attempt to paint, stencil, emboss or otherwise decorate your own fabrics to imitate these glorious designs.  I have seen people stamp designs on silk, apply silver leaf to fabric, stencil large scale motifs onto cotton or linen and I am even going to attempt to machine embroider a cintamani design on linen fabric to create an allover pattern.  Be creative and experiment!

There was no lack of color in the attire of the Ottoman nobility.  The range of dyes they could produce covered the spectrum, as is shown in both extant textiles and in paintings of the time period. 

Commonly used plant dyes (with mordants of alum, iron, tin, or copper) were indigo for blues; madder for reds and oranges on wool; weld, safflower, larkspur and saffron were used for oranges and yellows; certain types of buckthorn berries gave green; and brazilwood gave purplish red.  Insect based dyes such as kermes, lac, and Mexican cochineal produced the most vibrant and valuable reds and crimsons.

Additional colors were produced by overdyeing one color with another.  A yellow dye over indigo gave greens, indigo and henna produced blacks and indigo with a crimson dye produced deep purples.*

Miniature paintings also show a variety of colors being employed by the residents of the Ottoman Empire.  Blues, reds, oranges, greens and yellows appear on people from varying walks of life.  Based on paintings, we can also determine that colors appear to have been used liberally, with little modern sense of "matching" (likewise with patterns).




Some personal things that I keep in mind when making color choices for an Ottoman persona:

• If I were to create a garment for someone of high status I would plan to use a rich crimson at least somewhere in the costume, if at all possible.
• If I have fabric woven with metal threads (such as the Indian jacquard in the below photo) I would also use it only for someone of high status, as serasar was only available to the very wealthy.
• I always use white for the gomlek (this is all I have seen in paintings, though there is one that could possibly be interpreted as indigo), but it is good to keep in mind that white is also an option for a woman's pants.
• If I were to create the impression of a non-upper class person, I would lean towards oranges or orange-reds rather than crimson or blue-based reds for color choice in the red family.
• A well-chosen, rich color in a solid fabric (such as a velvet or satin) can read better as a period reproduction than an overly busy quilting cotton that employs far too many colors.  (Often I will use a solid for a coat and reserve that lovely, but busy print for the pants.)
• While deep or bright colors were highly prized and more prevalent, there were also Imperial garments in white or pale shades such as taupe or rose.
• The facing of the coat was often a contrasting color (as shown in the green Imperial caftan below).  I have seen red, yellow, light blue, olive, bright turquoise, rust, grey, or hot pink, with other hues possible as well.  The lining of the garment could be a plain white (or beige) linen or cotton, or could be colored fabric as well.
• Typically somber colors such as the darkest blues, black and dark greys were used for mourning, modesty or to show one's piety.
• When looking to patterned fabrics, I try (though it is not always possible) to pick textiles that have a few colors, but not too many (again, that can be a failing of modern quilting cottons when used for recreating historic costume).  Often striking patterns were achieved with only two colors.  For more colors at once, a popular color combination for brocades was red/yellow/blue or red/yellow/blue/white.  Red was the predominant color, with yellow (or gold metal) following that and small accents or outlines in blue or blue/white.
• As always, I never knock the idea of using anything at least semi-appropriate that is already dwelling in the fabric stash.  :-)
  

For a selection of both extant textiles and extant art, please visit my Pinterest page to see further examples of the amazing range of colors used for Ottoman silks.

http://pinterest.com/alfrunketta/ottoman-and-middle-eastern-costume/

* Dye information came from two sources: Topkapi Saray Museum: Costumes, Embroideries and Other Textiles and Ipek: The Crescent & the Rose: Imperial Ottoman Silks and Velvets.

Ottoman textiles, particularly those used by the ruling class, were sumptuous.  Elaborate or bold brocades in silk, often with metal threads, were coveted.  The color palette was rich and there was a variety of textures from satins and velvets that added to the richness of these fabrics.

Unfortunately, this splendor is not often replicated in patterned textiles that are affordable to us as reenactors.  It is rare to find a truly period Ottoman print, and even more rare to find that in a form that is either affordable or comfortable (i.e. a natural fiber).

To better recreate the extant garments (which one must also remember were often imperial property and were ceremonially worn by the sultan or were given by him as gifts), we have to do our best to wade through the maze of lovely (but often overly busy) quilting cottons or suffer through the potential heatstroke that can come from wearing fabric that is better suited to a sofa.

When I am, however, looking to find that elusive perfect fabric for new garb, I tend to take into account four things: Fiber, Color, Pattern & Scale.  (And there is another category as well, UWYH.  That stands for  "Use What You Have".  If you have something semi-suitable in your stash and are questioning buying more, or are just starting a new costume endevour, it never hurts to do a bit of stash-busting first while learning to make a new type of garb and then try to find that perfect fabric.) 

Below and in several posts yet-to-come, I will discuss my own personal preferences and methods for selecting fabrics for my Ottoman garb and how I deal with the real world issues of money and inaccessible reproduction textiles.

Fiber
Fiber content is a key factor in the decision making process of many SCAdians.  Most reenactors prefer garments that will be cool in hot weather and that will breathe well (something one will not get with polyester or acrylic fibers).

Silk was most often used for the imperial caftans, but there is at least one extant garment in wool that I have seen (and I would guess there are others).  Linings were often linen or cotton or silk.

I personally often resort to plain linen for my SCA garments, even if that would not have been the preferred choice for that garment historically.  Why?  Because I know that I will get the most use out of garb that is comfortable to wear at summer events, particularly Pennsic.  I also think that sometimes the solid colored garments are under-represented among Ottoman and Middle Eastern reenactors in the SCA (many miniatures show people in solid colored garments, and even some of the imperial garments are in a single color of silk).

However, if I find the "right" design, I will often purchase a synthetic fabric and use it to make my entari.  The entari is a long coat, often worn over a shorter inner coat - the chirka, which in turn is worn over a gomlek (a sort of chemise).  I know that if the outer coat becomes too uncomfortably hot, that I can remove it and still have my chirka and gomlek on.  I am also more likely to use a synthetic for an event like 12th Night, which is in the winter, than I am to use it for a potentially humid event such as Pennsic.

Some people are less bothered by wearing synthetics than others so decisions about fiber content should always be based on personal comfort preference.

Silk was used in period by the Ottoman Turks, as was cotton, linen and wool.  Additionally, Indian block printed cottons were imported at the time as a luxury (but I would not use these for a coat).  Silks were made in the empires silk centers, but were also imported from Italy and elsewhere in Europe. 

My choices in fiber - for solid colors - can be found below (in no particular order).  (Note, these are my preferences for the things I often use myself or that I recommend to people who are looking to purchase fabric for new Ottoman garb.

Linen

As I have said many times, I love linen.  I particularly love to use this fabric in the 3.5oz weight (handkerchief weight) for my gomleks and undergarments.  I also make my salwar out of this for Pennsic as it is very cool and comfortable and gives a nice drape at the ankles.  I prefer the mid-weight (5.3 oz-6oz) for my coats.  Do I think that linen is the absolute best choice for an Ottoman coat?  No, but I do think it is more versatile for the average SCAdian.

Linen also comes in a wonderful range of colors, many are period for Ottoman clothing.  It also makes for a nice lining inside a coat made from a synthetic or silk fabric.

My favorite sources are:
http://www.fabrics-store.com/
http://www.graylinelinen.com/

Cotton

Cotton is perhaps the most affordable option for garb, and the easiest to find at your local fabric or quilt shop.  It comes in broad range of colors and is even easy to dye yourself.  It also comes in a plethora of prints (more on prints later).

Light weight cottons make wonderful gomleks and undergarments and even salwar.  A quilting weight cotton can even make a nice coat (but I prefer to line the garment to add body and stability, especially if one is aiming for the snug-in-the-torso look).  Occasionally one can even find a heavier weight printed cotton in the home decor section or a cotton twill in the apparel section that can make for a wonderful coat fabric.

One choice that I love if someone is looking for a cotton is a cotton sateen.  I will note here today that often people categorize and cotton fabric with a sheen as sateen, and any other fiber with that same sheen as a satin.  The difference in satin and sateen is actually in the weave structure, not the fiber content.  (If you care to see diagrams of the difference, check out the diagrams here:  http://stgeneve.com/quality_defines/covering/weave_types.htm )  A cotton sateen is affordable and has a nice luster (though not as rich as silk) and is not a bad option for a comfortable fabric for recreating Ottoman garb. 

Resources for cotton sateen (one can also search online for fabric stores carrying this fabric, there should be quite a few and those carried by home decorating stores might have heavier sateens that will work even better for coats):
http://www.joann.com/sateen-solids/prd12710/
http://www.hancockfabrics.com/Cotton-Sateen_stcVVcatId539047VVviewcat.htm

Another fabric with a satin finish that is a cotton-silk blend that might be nice for garb (I personally have not used this one yet) is the cotton-silk poplin from Fabric.com:  https://www.fabric.com/buy/bz-148/radiance-cotton-silk-poplin-cranberry

Another cotton option that has a luxury look, but is both comfortable and washable, is Cotton Velveteen.  Velvet is period, and cotton velveteen, while not perfect, is a fair substitute for the rich silk velvets of the Ottoman empire.

Resources for cotton velveteen:
https://www.fabric.com/apparel-fashion-fabric-velvet-fabric-velveteen-velour-fabric-doux-cotton-velvet-fabric.aspx
http://www.joann.com/empire-velveteen-fabric/xprd728531/

If you are looking for sheer cottons to use for a gomlek, check out cotton voile.  This fabric is light, airy and can produce the sheer look that shows up in many of the Ottoman miniatures (see image of palace women from I Turchi; Codex Vindobonensis 8626 below).  Cotton is an appropriate material for these garments.  https://www.fabric.com/buy/dj-385/cotton-voile-supreme-wide-white

One additional word about cotton, if you are looking for comfort avoid cotton/poly blends.  Even if the fabric is light in weight, you will be doing yourself no favors by wearing it.

Silk

Silk is still the ultimate luxury fabric (and often still carries a luxury price).  Occasionally we can get silks that fall within our price range and occasionally those are even a good choice for reproducing period garb.

Silks were made in the empires silk centers, but were also imported from Italy and elsewhere in Europe.  Real silk, however, is very pricey and I find it just as uncomfortable in humid weather as I do synthetics.  The less costly silks are not always great for our recreations.  Silk Noil (often called Raw Silk) was not used in period and has a very different look and texture than historic silks.  When I occasionally still find some of this in my stash, and tend to use it in place wool for tunics and other early period European garments and look for something with more luster for my Ottoman clothing.

One often affordable silk is called China silk or habotai.  This is a very light weight, plain weave silk that can work for a gomlek, veil or even very light weight pants.  I would avoid using this fabric for a coat as it does not have the necessary body to recreate an Ottoman look, but it makes a nice lining fabric. 

A resource I have used for Habotai is:  http://www.thaisilks.com/

One other item I often look for in silk are the Indian "brocades" you can find on Etsy and Ebay.  They are typically sold as fat quarters for quilters but can often be bought by the yard as well.  They are actually jaquards rather than brocades, but occasionally they have patterns that work for Ottoman costuming (and more often than that you can find patterns suitable for Persian garments).

Another option in pure silk that can be affordable (especially if you monitor sales and clearances), is dupioni silk.  This is a somewhat controversial textile in the SCA because it has a slubby texture that would not have been found in period.  I personally will not hesitate to use it if I wanted the luster of real silk, nice body/drape, and a wide range of period colors for a project and could not find or afford a better fabric.  (And again, this is an opportunity for education!  When someone comments on your dupioni garb or if you use the item as an A&S entry you can explain why you made the choice and describe what a more period silk would look like.)

Resources for dupioni:
https://www.fabric.com/apparel-fashion-fabric-silk-fabric-dupioni-silk-fabric.aspx?Source=SubCategoryLink
http://www.thaisilks.com/
http://www.fabricmartfabrics.com/Dupioni/

For a coat weight solid silk I would recommend (if you have the $ to spend) looking for silk satin, taffeta or velvet.  Silk satins and taffeta can often be found in high end fabric stores among the bridal and special occasion fabrics.  Velvet can also be found there of in the home decor section. 

Often one can find silk velvets that are a blend of rayon and silk (Thai Silks, mentioned above carries this textile) and you can also find attractive satin, taffeta and velvet as synthetics.  (If you are looking for a more period satin that is synthetic, look to the better bridal satins rather than those destined to become Halloween costumes, the luster and weight of the two are quite different).

Another option that can occasionally be found is silk twill.  You have to scout around for it, and get swatches to verify that it is really silk and that it is heaver than lining weight fabric.

Resource for silk tafetta/twill (this site typically has a small selection of 100% silk tafettas and occasionally silk twill):  http://www.fabricmartfabrics.com/Taffeta/

Another type of tafetta that was available had a watermark pattern - often called moire.  Silk moires are not easy to come by at this time, but synthetics with this distinct patterning can still be found in the home decorator or special occasion apparel departments of many fabric stores.

Synthetics (yes, I used the "S word")

Unfortunately, many of the best period patterns are offered only in synthetic fabrics and we have to make a choice to suffer in the man-made fabrics or opt for something else.

Some fabrics are confusion to those new to the textile world.  Rayon and Viscose are made from cellulose rather than chemical compounds and can often be comfortable to wear.  Polyester tends to wash well and last awhile, but does not breath at all and can melt if it gets too close to fire.  Acetate is often used for synthetic tafetta, but can discolor if something is spilled on it and is terrible for changing color with sweat stains.

If you do not mind a synthetic, and come across and find something that looks real, I would never suggest that you not use it. 


More to come soon concerning Color and Pattern & Scale!