Clarence is a cotton-led plain with a clean, even face and no repeat, and it is the colour range that makes it useful rather than anything in the weave. The cloth is dry to the touch, firm enough to tailor and soft enough to gather, and it takes dye deeply so the stronger colourways have real saturation rather than sitting on the surface. It is a straightforward, well-made plain, which is often what a scheme needs.
It is 44 per cent cotton, 38 per cent viscose, 10 per cent linen and 8 per cent polyester, woven 140 centimetres wide and tested to 27,000 rubs, rated by the supplier for curtains, loose and fixed upholstery and bedspreads. There are nine colourways: Linen, Sand, Parchment, Biscuit, Soft Red, Deflt, Azure, Aqua and Green. The four neutrals will do the large pieces and the blues, red and green give you the same cloth for an accent.
We use Clarence for loose covers, for curtain linings on show, for cushion backs, and for the smaller upholstered pieces in a room where a single colour needs repeating in three places. Take Parchment or Biscuit for the quiet work and Azure or Soft Red for a chair that should be noticed. It goes with oak, painted furniture and rush. Sold by the half metre; order a sample to see it in your own light.
There is no pattern to match, so quantities are length plus turnings, but order the whole job at once because a strong plain shows a dye lot difference clearly. For loose covers, allow extra on every seam for shrinkage and have them dry cleaned. Keep all panels running the same way up; even a plain cotton has a direction that shows in raking light across a long sofa back.
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Composition: 44% cotton, 38% viscose, 10% linen, 8% polyester
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Width: 140 cm (55 in)
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Abrasion resistance: 27,000 rubs (Martindale)
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Care: Dry clean only; do not wash, bleach or iron
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Collection: Essential Colour III, GP & J Baker
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Colourways: 9 (Linen, Sand, Parchment, Biscuit, Soft Red, Deflt, Azure, Aqua, Green)
