Threads | Marl

Marl is a textured plain from the Threads Quintessential Naturals collection, a range of easy, unfussy linen weaves designed for curtains and blinds. Named for the mottled clay it takes its character from, the surface has a soft, mixed-tone grain, as if two close shades of yarn had been worked together, so the cloth reads as a single warm neutral from across the room but shows real depth close up. There is no printed motif, just the natural variation of a good linen yarn doing the work.

The cloth is 100 per cent linen, 137 centimetres wide, with no pattern repeat to plan around, so cutting and quantities are simple. The page lists it for curtains, and the collection is designed for curtains and blinds; there is no rub count published, and a cloth this weight is not one we would put on a sofa. It comes in a single colourway, Parchment, a soft, warm off-white that sits between chalk and sand and suits almost any wall colour.

We tend to use Marl for full-length curtains in a bedroom or living room where the mottled texture adds interest without adding pattern, and for Roman blinds in a kitchen where a flat panel shows the yarn properly. It pairs well with a printed linen cushion or a heavier textured weave on the sofa. Sold by the half metre; order a sample to see it in your own light.

There is no repeat to match, but the mottled yarn can vary slightly between rolls, so cut every drop for one window from the same bolt and keep the direction consistent across the widths. Line and interline the curtains to give the cloth weight and to protect the linen from strong sun, and dry clean rather than wash to avoid shrinkage.

• Composition: 100% linen
• Width: 137 cm (54 in)
• Suitable for: Curtains, blinds
• Care: Do not wash; dry clean professionally, do not bleach and do not iron
• Collection: Quintessential Naturals, Threads
• Colourways: 1 (Parchment)