What Is French Toile Fabric?
French toile fabric is cotton material printed with monochromatic scenes featuring people dancing, lounging and making merry in the countryside. Modern variations feature animals, children, and floral prints. French toile is a favorite home decorating fabric and quilting fabric.
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Origins
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French toile fabric was created by Christopher-Philippe Oberkampf in response to a blossoming interest among the French bourgeoisie in home décor. In 1760, Oberkampf established a factory in the town of Jouy near the palace at Versailles to manufacture block-printed scenes on inexpensive cotton fabric for the middle classes.
Characteristics
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Benjamin Franklin introduced French toile to the U. S. The word "toile" (pronounced twahl) means canvas or linen, but as used to describe French toile fabric, it refers to the cotton material first printed in seventeenth century France using 10" square wood blocks carved with pastoral scenes. The printed designs were made with just one color of dye, either red, blue, or black on natural colored cotton.
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Historic Significance
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French queen Marie Antoinette took an interest in the toile manufactured at Jouy; her husband King Louis XVI distinguished the factory with royal favor in 1783 by declaring it to be the "Manufacture Royale de Jouy." Benjamin Franklin introduced French toile to the US by bringing a length of yardage back to his wife from his travels abroad (see Reference 3).
Toile Today
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Today, toile is a popular fabric for quilting and home decor.
More Designs
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Toile scenes can depict the hunt, mythology, travel, and musical subjects.
Use
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As with all cotton fabrics, be sure to pre-wash prior to usage to prevent shrinkage later.
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References
- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of digital cat Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Tony
