What is "Calico" material?

[payo1a]

I just won a pair of rompers on ebay and the seller said the material is made out of "calico." I googled it but I can't seem to get a sense of what it's made/material feel. Anybody care to explain it in layman's term?

I also asked if it's stretchy but the seller said no. Hopefully I can squeeze my growing ass in an xs!! :wondering

 

[lilac0485]

From my old historical novel days, it is usually a floral printed cotton fabric.

 

[Izzy's Mom]

calico tends to be a woven cotton with small floral print. Popular for quilting and making lightweight clothing. Hope this helps.

 

[shoebuyer37]

Yes, and elsewhere they refer to Calico as muslin fabric (outside the states).

 

[payo1a]

thanks guys!

so if it's woven cotton, is it stiff rather than stretch? by stretch i mean elastic-y.

 

[girliceclimber]

^^Yep, it should be 100% cotton, so no stretch to that at all.

ETA: usually fabrics with stretch have a small % spandex/rayon in them.

 

[+stePHANie+]

is this what people use it in sewing, like to make a cheaper version of what they want to sew before making it again in the desired fabric?

 

[seattleista]

is this what people use it in sewing, like to make a cheaper version of what they want to sew before making it again in the desired fabric?

That's muslin usually.

 

[papertiger]

is this what people use it in sewing, like to make a cheaper version of what they want to sew before making it again in the desired fabric?

, that's it. It's usually but not exclusively parchment in colour and it used to make a toile (like a mock-up) of a garment before more precious material is used.

 

[littlebit_522]

I think I need to clarify something. In the United States, "calico" is used to describe the cotton, small floral print fabric that some posters described. (Think "prairie girl" dress.) Elsewhere, including the UK, "calico" is used to describe what we call "muslin" in the U.S. (i.e. what you'd make a mock-up of a piece of clothing out of.)

Hope that helps.

P.S. Google images is an amazing tool for stuff like that. And Wikipedia usually offers good insight : )