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Making linen buckram for the Scroop Patterns 18th century stays thedreamstress.com

Making 18th century buckram: gum arabica vs tragacanth vs xantham

It’s time for an update to my 18th century buckram making adventures!  Back in 2019 (how did the time go so fast!?!) I posted about experiments in making buckram from both historically accurate gum tragacanth, and modern xanthan gum.

Both worked, but I wasn’t 100% happy with either – tragacanth was only available in pre-mixed form in NZ at the time, and thus prohibitively expensive.  It also smelled to high heaven.  Xanthan gum, whilst cheap, wasn’t accurate and doesn’t have the fabric-nibbling-creepy-crawly-retardant qualities of tragacanth.

So I read every source I could find on 18th century gums, and buckram making.  Garsault’s 1767 L’Art du Tailleur describes buckram as:

‘Bougran est fait de vieux draps de lit ou de vieille toile à voile gommés’;’

‘buckram is made from old sheets or old gummed canvas’ (according to my very poor French) and;

Bougran ou Treillis : toile de chanvre gommée & calendrée’;

‘Buckram or Trellis: gummed and calendered hemp canvas’.

Other sources mention gum, paste, starch, or glue.  So any product called by those names in the 18th century is plausible as a buckram stiffener.  I pondered whether I was game enough to try to make rabbit-skin glue.  Then realised that what might be the perfect solution was right in front of my face: gum arabic!

Gum arabic has been used since antiquity as a binder and paint and textile printing.  It was certainly in use in Europe in the 18th century.  After the slave trade, the gum arabic trade was the leading drivers of French and British colonisation in West Africa in the 18th century.

It was primarily used as a binder for fabric printing, so we have both documentation of its use in Europe in the 18th century, and documentation that it was used on fabric.  So using gum arabic to make buckram is very plausible as an 18th century option for buckram making.

Gum arabic was certainly being used as a starch and stiffener in the mid-19th century.  The House Book: or A Manual of Domestic Economy gives instructions on making gum arabic starch, and on using it to starch dresses, lace, and veils, amongst other things.  (note that the book frequently calls it gum arable water)

How to make buckram with gum arabic

Source your gum arabic powder.

It’s also called acacia gum or acacia Senegal gum, because it comes from the gum of the acacia tree.  You can get it from specialty food stores as well as makeup/cosmetic supply stores, and it’s widely available on the internet.  It’s available in both food safe varieties, and not food safe varieties.  The later is usually cheaper.  Since you’re not using it for food, non-food safe is just fine.  It may have a few impurities or be a little courser than the food-safe option, that’s not a problem.

You’ll find that there are also pre-mixed bottles of gum arabic available from art stores: avoid these.  They are very expensive, and you won’t be able to control how much stiffness they creates.

Making linen buckram for the Scroop Patterns 18th century stays thedreamstress.com

Proportions:

I find that 1 tablespoon of gum arabic powder per 100ml of water is perfect for making a nice stiff buckram, but your proportions will vary slightly based on your powder, and the fabric you’re applying it too.

If 1T to 100ml is too thick you can always add more water, if too thin you can always add more powder.

Mixing:

Add your gum arabic powder to cold water.  Adding it to hot will melt the outside layer of powder, forming a skin around the inside clump of powder so it doesn’t dissolve nicely.

Mix thoroughly to dissolve, and then bring your water to a boil, stirring all the while.  You can do this over the stove, or by microwaving it multiple times, bringing it out and stirring it in between.

Once your water is hot, it should thicken slightly, but will still be very liquid.  It will not as thick and goopy as bought gum tragacanth will be.

Gumming your fabric:

Have your clean, dry, pre-washed linen fabric read to go.  Use plastic sheeting under it to protect your working surface and avoid staining.

Spread out your fabric and paint on your gum arabic solution!

Making linen buckram for the Scroop Patterns 18th century stays thedreamstress.com

Let it dry until it is just the tiniest bit tacky.  I use a hanging rack with an old cloth underneath to collect the drips.

Making linen buckram for the Scroop Patterns 18th century stays thedreamstress.com

When it’s almost dry, take it off and press it with an iron.  Use an ironing cloth to avoid getting gum on your iron.

Making linen buckram for the Scroop Patterns 18th century stays thedreamstress.com

Pressing it will make your buckram nice and smooth, and lock the gum to the fabric.  If you let your gum get totally dry just spritz the buckram with a little water.

Making linen buckram for the Scroop Patterns 18th century stays thedreamstress.com

Ready to press:

Making linen buckram for the Scroop Patterns 18th century stays thedreamstress.com

All pressed and nice:

Making linen buckram for the Scroop Patterns 18th century stays thedreamstress.com

And here it is done:

Comparing buckram made with gum arabic, gum tragacanth, and xanthan gum:

And how do the three different types of gum work?  Here’s a comparison:

Cost:

Gum arabic was actually the cheapest, at NZ$13 for 100g (buckram for approx 10 pairs of stays – $1.30 per pair), compared to NZ$22 for the same amount of xanthan (buckram for approx 15 pairs of stays – $1.50 per pair), and NZ$27 for gum tragacanth powder (now available in NZ, I’m so excited!  I’ll be trying that next) (buckram for approximately 15 pairs of stays – $1.80 per pair) or NZ $34 for a tiny bottle that would only do one pair – (($34 per pair!))

Seriously, this bottle was $34:

Making linen buckram for the Scroop Patterns 18th century stays thedreamstress.com

However, I was able to get xanthan gum at a local grocery store, but had to pay approx $6 shipping each on the others, so their actual cost per pair is a little higher.

Stiffness:

All three had similar stiffnessess, but it was easiest to get the exact stiffness I required with gum arabia.

Pre-mixed gum tragacanth was the least effective stiffener, but only by a hair.

It would probably be equally easy to get the exact stiffness required from powdered tragacanth.

Durability:

I will report back on how each of these last as they age and wear.

The science says that gum arabic and gum tragacanth should last better, as they penetrate the fabric more, and have antibacterial and anti-mould qualities.

Gum tragacanth may be slightly better at resisting moisture than gum arabic, and thus last longer in a situation where it is exposed to body heat and humidity (as in stays).

Shrinkage:

Some people have reported shrinkage when making linen buckram, so I needed to test that to see if it is safe to pre-cut your linen pieces, and then apply gum to turn them into buckram.

My samples above were cut as 20cm squares, and 20x10cm rectangles, so I could test if there was any shrinkage after applying and drying the different gums.

There was 0% shrinkage in any of my samples, but the very lightweight linen experienced some warping because the pressure of brushing the gum on pushed the fabric out of shape.  I was able to return them to their exact shape with ironing.

My conclusion is that shrinkage is uncommon on pure linen, but to be safest its best to pre-treat your whole piece of fabric, and then cut your pieces once your buckram is totally dried and set.

Historical Accuracy:

Gum tragacanth is fully documented, gum arabic is totally probably but not absolutely documented for staymaking, and xanthan gum is a 20th century invention, so absolutely not accurate.

So which gum works best for buckram making?

I would say that powdered gum tragacanth is the best choice, by the tiniest possible margin, because it has less of a chance of softening from body moisture.  However, gum arabic is so close behind that it is a totally acceptable choice if powdered gum tragacanth is not available.

Scroop Patterns Cassandra Stays Materials

Now, go forth and make buckram, so we can make stays!

Scroop Patterns Cassandra Stays Materials

The Cassandra Stays Sew-Along: Choosing Materials

Hurrah hurrah!  It’s time for the first, and most fun part, of any making project: choosing materials.  I’m very excited about the fabrics I’ve chosen for my Cassandra Stays, and hope you are excited about what you’ve chosen for your stays!.

The Scroop Patterns Cassandra Stays Sew-Along scrooppatterns.com

Let’s start with an 18th century description of stay materials.  Garsault’s 1767 L’Art du Tailleur calls for the following:

Il faut pour un corps, taille ordinaire, une aune de canevas, trois quarts de toile jaune, demi-aune de bougran, autant de doublure qui est toile de Lyon ou futaine, demi-livre de baleine, une aune & demie de petit lacet…Un corps est donc compose de canevas ou de toile jaune, qui font le dessus, du bougran dessous, de la baleine entre deux, & enfin de la toile de Lyon ou futaine : on recouvre le dessus de telle étoffe qu’on veut…

You need for a body of ordinary size, an ell* of canvas, three quarters of yellow canvas [possibly this means unbleached?], half an ell of buckram, the same in lining which is Lyon canvas or fustian, half a pound of whalebone, an ell and a half of small lace [for lacing the stays, not decorative lace]… A body is therefore composed of canvas or yellow canvas, which makes the top, buckram underneath, the whalebone between two, & finally Lyon canvas or fustian: the top is covered with whatever fabric we choose…

*Depending on the part of France and exact date, and aune/ell could measure between 56cm and 195cm, but the most common measurements were between 110cm and 120cm, with 118-120cm probably the closest to what Garsault is indicating.

We’ve made choosing materials a little easier than Garsault’s instructions, thanks to our fabric and notions requirements:

The Cassandra Stays: View A Fabric and Notions

Choosing Materials for View A:

Layer 1: Outer:

If historical accuracy is your aim, this layer should be of tightly woven mid-weight linen, silk or worsted wool, in plain, twill or damask weaves.  There are also examples in brocaded silk.  You can choose a decorative synthetic fabric if you wish, but be aware that it will not breath as well as a natural fibre, so will be warmer to wear.

Whatever fabric you choose, make sure it is robust enough to not wrinkle and pull across the seams.  If you really, really love the look of a lightweight fabric, it is possible to make it substantial enough for staymaking by fusing it to a lightweight woven cotton fusible interfacing.  This is not, of course, a historically accurate option.  One of the most common mistakes I see in stay-making is people who choose very lightweight linens or silks: these will pull and wrinkle across all the boning channels when sewn up.

Avoid too-heavy wools and woollen wools, very bulky upholstery silks, and very heavy linen denim, as these will be very difficult to sew the boning channels in, and to join the pattern pieces.

Layer 2: Interlining 1:

This layer would usually be of mid-heavyweight linen.  This fabric needs to balance your outer layer.  If you’ve chosen a very strong, robust fabric for your outermost layer, this layer can be a bit thinner.  If your outer layer is just a standard midweight linen you probably need this layer to be a bit more substantial to provide the strength and support the stays need.

The most important thing with this layer is that it is densely woven and strong enough to keep the bones from wearing through.  If linen is too pricey for you to use in all layers, opt for a strong, tightly woven cotton for this layer.

Layer 3: Interlining 2 & Bellypiece:

This layer is made from linen buckram, which is mid-heavyweight linen stiffened with gum or paste.  I’ve already written on how to make this with gum tragacanth and xanthan gum, and a tutorial on making linen buckram made with gum arabica is coming tomorrow.  Here’s some that I made:

Scroop Patterns Cassandra Stays Materials

As of the writing of this post I’m not aware of anyone selling pre-made linen buckram that is suitable for staymaking.  It’s much better to make your own in any case: cheaper, and you can choose a fabric that’s smooth enough to be comfortable if you don’t line your stays, and use of scraps of leftover fabric for your buckram.

I’ll cover bindings and other notions as we get to them in the making: these three layers, plus your bones, are enough to get started sewing!

The Cassandra Stays: View B Fabric and Notions

Choosing Materials for View B

Layer 1: Decorative Outer (OPTIONAL)

If you have a fancy fabric you want to cover your stays in, which is not strong enough to protect your body from the bones wearing through, this is where it goes.  Just as with View A, this fabric still needs to be robust enough to not wrinkle and pull across the seams.  If you really, really love the look of a lightweight fabric, it is possible to make it substantial enough for staymaking by fusing it to a lightweight woven cotton fusible interfacing.

For the View B sample I made for Jenni we only used Layers 2 & 3, because the striped black and white ticking was heavy enough to not need any extra support:

Cassandra Stays Scrooppatterns.com

These Augusta Stays, on the other hand, have three layers; the decorative exterior chintz, and two layers of coutil:

Augusta Stays thedreamstress.com

Layer 2: Support Outer

Layer 2’s job is to provide structure and support to the stays, and to be robust enough that the bones don’t wear through.  The thicker and stronger Layer 1 is, the lighter Layer 2 can be.  Whatever fabric you choose, it should be natural fibre, very tightly woven, and very stable, so it doesn’t twist and warp when sewn.

Layer 3: Support Inner

Layer 3’s job is to provide more structure and support to the stays, and to keep the bones from wearing through on the inside and poking your body.  Layer 3 could be the same fabric as Layer 2, or could be slightly heavier and more robust.

Here are the black and white stays, in ticking for Layer 2 and white coutil for Layer 3.

Scroop Patterns Cassandra Stays Materials

My Materials

For my stays I’m making View B, but using the historical making methods.   I’ll need the fabrics indicated in View A.

Layer 1: Outer: Yellow & white roses patterned linen damask.

Layer 2: Interlining 1: Mid-heavyweight cream linen.

Layer 3: Interlining 2: Linen buckram made with gum arabica.  All the information and a tutorial on this coming tomorrow!

I also have both types of boning (4mm and 6mm), and a length of cane for my bust rail.

Scroop Patterns Cassandra Stays Materials

Here we go!

Share what you’re making your Cassandra Stays out of!

The Scroop Patterns Cassandra Stays Sew-Along scrooppatterns.com

The Cassandra Stays Sew-Along!

Join me for a Cassandra Stays Sew-Along!

Starting Monday the 1st of April I’ll be covering every step of making the Cassandra Stays, from choosing your fabric, to some pattern hacks, to all the finishing details.

The Scroop Patterns Cassandra Stays Sew-Along scrooppatterns.com

I’ll be making View B, with a lot of techniques borrowed from View A, and demonstrating a hack to make View B without back lacing.  But you can make any view and combination of techniques you want as you sew along with me.

Detailed posts will be here on thedreamstress.com and on Scroop Pattern’s FB and Instagram pages.

You can share your own sew-along progress by leaving comments here, by sharing in the Scroop Patterns Sewing Group on FB, on by sharing on instagram by tagging @scrooppatterns and using the tag #cassandrastayssewalong

Sadly, with how IG is now sorting hashtags I probably won’t be able to find your posts if you only use the hashtag #cassandrastayssewalong, so be sure to tag me @scrooppatterns in your sew-along posts too!

Hope to see you sewing with us!

The Scroop Patterns Cassandra Stays Sew-Along scrooppatterns.com

The Sew Along: