Prunella (cloth)

This article is about the woven cloth. For other uses, see Prunella (disambiguation).
Look up prunella in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

In clothing, prunella is a worsted fabric, sometimes also made with a blend of silk. Documented from the 17th to the 20th centuries,[1] it was produced in Norwich.[2] Prunella was used in a variety of garments such as petticoats, academic and barristers' gowns, judges' robes, coats, waistcoats, and shoes.[3][4][5]

Etymology

Prunella was named from the French prunelle, meaning sloe, for its dark colour.[3][5]

Weave

Prunella had a warp-faced weave structure.[4]

Variations

Though the cloth was initially worsted material, manufacturers sometimes used a combination with silk, or with cotton in the weft.[4]

References

  1. ^ "prunella". Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press. (Subscription or participating institution membership required.)
  2. ^ Montgomery, M. (1984). Textiles in America 1650-1870 : a dictionary based on original documents, prints and paintings, commercial records, American merchants' papers, shopkeepers' advertisements, and pattern books with original swatches of cloth. Internet Archive. New York; London : Norton. p. 328. ISBN 978-0-393-01703-8. Prunella[.] One of the worsted fabrics made at Norwich.
  3. ^ a b "Definition of PRUNELLA". www.merriam-webster.com. Retrieved 2021-05-22.
  4. ^ a b c Montgomery, Florence M. (1984). Textiles in America 1650-1870 : a dictionary based on original documents, prints and paintings, commercial records, American merchants' papers, shopkeepers' advertisements, and pattern books with original swatches of cloth. Internet Archive. New York; London : Norton. pp. 328, 329. ISBN 978-0-393-01703-8.
  5. ^ a b "PRUNELLA | Definition of PRUNELLA by Oxford Dictionary on Lexico.com also meaning of PRUNELLA". Lexico Dictionaries | English. Archived from the original on May 22, 2021. Retrieved 2021-05-22.


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