Anything Suitable. Anyone Can Help Me?
Q: I would like to line my jewelry boxes with fabric but cannot find anything suitable. I have tried velveteen but it is too thick and only comes in very dark colours. I'm not keen on using a flocker as I am not sure how durable those fibers are. (Perhaps someone could give me an idea of how many years flocking stands up to use.) Felt is also too thick and really not appropriate. Any suggestions and sources would be appreciated.
A: I like silk; especially the moire weaves found in antique books as cover pages and box liners. If you need a bit of loft, almost any other fabric can be used as a loose backing. If you need a flat, tailored lining, suedes and splits are very easy to work (you may need to skive edges and miter corners). Paste -- the old boiled flour & water paste you make in your kitchen -- is the standard for leathers, by the way. Most commonly available synthetic felts are useless for fine work. Real felt can be found, but is expensive and likely too thick for what you have in mind. Modern velvets, the pale mints, roses, beiges, greys, and so on, are often used in jewelry display cases, but I'm not sure where to find yardage. Other choices might be the thicker, softer handmade papers (neutral pH will last a long, long time), and my favorites; kid vellum and Niger goat used for bookbinding and casemaking (you'll find suppliers online, I believe). I loathe flocking