Barkcloth Betsy

Specializing in Vintage Barkcloth, Clothing & Unique Collectibles
Exclusively on Ruby Lane. Member since May 2009 View Profile

Fabrics by the Yard & New Recession Pricing!

Today's Featured Items

$18 USD
Vintage 60's/70's Handwoven Straw Shopping Tote from ..

$145 USD
Vintage Blue Pink Peacock Rose Chenille Bedspread

$28 USD
Vintage 70's Purple Paisley Wraparound Pants One Size

$95 USD
Vintage Red Leather Classic Coach Handbag

$18 USD
Vintage 40's Schumacher Red Fruit Basket Chintz Fabric ..

$25 USD
Vintage 70's Pink Floral Terrycloth Towel Robe Medium

$22 USD
Vintage 50's/60's Dramatic Leafy Floral Bird Nest ..

$22 USD
Vintage 70's Super Wide Grey Palazzo Bell Bottom Pants ..

$20 USD
Vintage 50's/60's Fox Hunt Equestrian Barkcloth Pillow ..

$12 USD
Vintage His & Hers White Pillowcases with Blue Gingham ..

$10 USD
Vintage 1979 McCall's Beret Hat Belt Accessories ..

$20 USD
Vintage Boho Green Batik Embroidered Dashiki Top M/L

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View All Shop's Items (117)

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This Week's Arrivals (10)

 

About Barkcloth Betsy

Our Service Pledge To You:
Barkcloth Betsy will respond to all emails, questions, and orders within 24 hours and pledges high quality textiles and unique collectibles!

About Us
I love vintage fabrics, textiles, and linens! Barkcloth is my absolute favorite but chenille, silk, and brocades are just as great - the more pronounced the colors and textures the better. I also collect vintage needlework pieces, clothing & handbags, and really enjoy reworking/repurposing discarded furniture. Most of the fabrics & linens in my shop are just projects not yet begun and may disappear when I figure out where they need to be used. The furniture pieces generally have a small added artisan touch - sometimes it's painting or decoupage but usually it involves slipcovering or upholstery work. Send email with any questions about the shop inventory.

FYI: A brief history on barkcloth: the earliest form of bark cloth originated with certain tropical trees. Bark was soaked, then beaten with a wooden mallet into a paperlike fabric, sometimes as thin as fine muslin and then bleached, dyed , painted or printed.Tapa or kapa [Hawaii] or masi [Fiji] are types of bark cloths used as decorative wall hangings or for clothing as it is strong and cool to wear.

US barkcloth began as cretonne, a soft, textured fabric which arrived in this country during the 1920's as an import from France. The designs of the textured fabric started in the 20's & 30's as traditional lovely, large garden floral patterns on ecru or light blue or green heavy cotton with bark-like striations. They then became bold tropical prints in the 1940s and often blended with rayon or acetate with pebble-like effects. The earliest reference to the term barkcloth began in the 50's as manufactures started using the term in their catalogues. Barkcloth designs progressed to Danish modern and other free-form, abstract (also known as atomic) designs in the 1950s with nubby Fiberglas®,often incorporating metallic threads, and lasting into the early 60's.

Today, barkcloth serves as an umbrella name for a variety of bark-like and decorator textures - from 1920s to 1940s textured cretonne, textured florals, birchbark, nubby textures, novelty textures and texture prints to 1950s-60s barkcloth, bark cloth, bark crepe [an exaggerated creping using warp of one fiber, filler of another fiber], bark fabric, bark texture, decorator bark, rayon bark, acetate bark, cotton pebble, pebble cloth, textured Fiberglas®, folkstone and novelty weaves (waffle weaves, diamond weaves, etc). A few of the more well-known mid-century barkcloth manufacturers include: Waverly, Spectrum, Markwood, and Saison Happily Married (also Saison Fabrics). Be sure to ask about fabric content, weight, and weave type when purchasing barkcloth, because they're all different and all great!