Baker Lifestyle | Portland

Portland is one of the tighter designs in Small Prints, 19.4 centimetres down and only 8.9 across, so it runs as narrow vertical columns of pattern rather than an open scatter. At a distance it reads almost as a fine striped texture, and only close up does the drawing resolve. It is printed on a polyester and cotton ground with a smooth, firm surface and very little give, which is part of why it wears as well as it does.

The cloth is 68 per cent polyester and 32 per cent cotton, 137.45 centimetres wide, a full 54 inches, repeating 19.41 centimetres vertically and 8.91 centimetres horizontally. It is tested to 50,000 rubs on the Martindale, and Baker Lifestyle rate it for curtains, fixed upholstery and bedspreads. Four colourways: Pebble, Aqua, Green and Yellow. Pebble is the near-neutral, Aqua and Green sit coolly together, and Yellow is best kept to smaller pieces.

The narrow repeat makes this a good cloth for upright, tailored work: close-covered dining chairs, a fitted bench, a pair of tall slim curtains in a hallway. It also does well as a bedspread, where the vertical run helps the proportion of the bed. We would put it with a plain linen and one broader woven stripe. Sold by the half metre; order a sample to see it in your own light.

Because the horizontal repeat is under 9 centimetres, joins are easy to place and waste is low: allow one vertical repeat per drop plus ten per cent. On close-covered seats, run the pattern front to back on every chair in a set so the columns line up down the table. The polyester content takes a sharp pleat and holds it, which suits a pinch-pleat heading.

• Composition: 68% polyester, 32% cotton
• Width: 137.45 cm (54 in)
• Pattern repeat: 19.41 cm vertical, 8.91 cm horizontal
• Abrasion resistance: 50,000 rubs (Martindale)
• Care: Professional dry clean only; do not wash, bleach or iron
• Collection: Small Prints, Baker Lifestyle
• Colourways: 4 (Pebble, Aqua, Green, Yellow)