GP & J Baker | Audley

Audley is a cotton-led plain with no repeat and a close, even face. It is firmer in the hand than the viscose plains in this collection, which makes it easier to tailor: it takes a sharp edge on a box cushion, it does not slip under the needle, and it pulls up over a frame without ripples. The colour sits deep in the yarn rather than on the surface, so it wears evenly.

The blend is 38 per cent cotton, 31 per cent viscose, 18 per cent polyester and 13 per cent linen, woven 137 centimetres wide and tested to 28,000 rubs on the Martindale scale, which the supplier rates for curtains, loose and fixed upholstery and bedspreads. Soft Red is the colourway, a warm brick with brown behind it rather than pink, the sort of red that reads as a neutral once there is enough of it in a room.

We would use Audley on a chesterfield or a pair of club chairs, on a long window seat, or as curtains in a dining room where the walls are dark. It is good with brown leather, walnut and unlacquered brass, and it takes a cream or oatmeal plain alongside without either looking thin. On a headboard it warms a plain white bedroom. Sold by the half metre; order a sample to see it in your own light.

There is nothing to match, so quantities are length plus turnings, and a pair of club chairs takes around 13 metres. Order the whole job in one batch: a saturated colour shows a dye lot change more clearly than a neutral. For upholstery, self-piping cut on the cross gives a cleaner edge than a straight-cut strip, and a contrast piping in cream defines the shape of a deep chair.

• Composition: 38% cotton, 31% viscose, 18% polyester, 13% linen
• Width: 137 cm (54 in)
• Abrasion resistance: 28,000 rubs (Martindale)
• Care: Dry clean only; do not wash, bleach or iron
• Collection: Essential Colour III, GP & J Baker
• Colourways: 1 (Soft Red)