Black Linen "Dimity"
The textile term "Dimity" encompasses any number of harness-loomed patterned fabrics, made of linen, linen/cotton, and cotton. Most often left white, it was known by its patterns such as striped, corded, diaper, diamond, flowered and figured. Used in clothing as well as home furnishings it was woven in a variety of weights. The Manchester region of England became a center for manufacturing of dimities and survives still in swatch books in various museum collections. Surviving clothing of dimity in collections includes children's clothing, petticoats, waistcoats, breeches and jackets.
Striped dimity one of the common patterns we found in extant clothing ranged from very light to quite stout. Through out the 18th century it appears that dimity is either described with no color or the color white. Often it is associated with summer wear for this reason, as well as it's cleanability. It also survives in extant swatch books in white. The exception to this is an advertisement in the Public Advertiser, dated July 6, 1758 in which 1 piece blue Dimity Calico is offered for sale. By the early 19th century however, many colors of dimity begin to appear, such as this Black Linen "Dimity".
