GP & J Baker | Evelyn

Evelyn is a six-fibre semi-plain, and the wool in the mix is what you notice first: it gives the surface a slight fuzz and a warmth of handle that a pure viscose cloth never has. The texture repeats every 2 centimetres vertically and 1.5 across, close enough to read as a plain colour with a soft bloom on it. Under a lamp the linen and wool catch light differently, which gives the colour a little depth.

It is 38 per cent viscose, 27 per cent linen, 14 per cent cotton, 13 per cent polyester, 6 per cent wool and 2 per cent polyamide, woven 139 centimetres wide and rated at 29,000 rubs, taking it through curtains, loose covers, fixed upholstery and bedspreads. The colourway is Aqua, a soft, slightly greyed blue-green that behaves like a neutral in a room with much white in it.

We would put Evelyn on a bedroom chair, a dressing stool, or a headboard where you want colour without pattern, and it makes quietly good curtains in a room with painted joinery. It goes with pale oak, aged brass and warm whites, and it sits comfortably beside an oatmeal linen sofa. A pair of cushions in it also softens a harder-wearing plain on the seating. Sold by the half metre; order a sample to see it in your own light.

Treat the repeat as negligible for quantities but keep all panels running the same way, as the wool content makes the nap directional and reversed pieces will read darker. A wool blend also relaxes a little once it is hung, so let curtains drop for a fortnight before you level the hems. Dry clean rather than wash; this is not a cloth to put through a machine.

• Composition: 38% viscose, 27% linen, 14% cotton, 13% polyester, 6% wool, 2% polyamide
• Width: 139 cm (55 in)
• Pattern repeat: 2 cm vertical, 1.5 cm horizontal
• Abrasion resistance: 29,000 rubs (Martindale)
• Care: Dry clean only; do not wash, bleach or iron
• Collection: Essential Colour III, GP & J Baker
• Colourways: 1 (Aqua)