Liberty of London – Tana Lawn

History of Liberty of London Fabrics

I love Liberty of London fabrics. Whenever I see them at the fabric store I drool over them but have never bought a yard. For some reason the price holds me back. While I was in France a few years ago, there was a village fabric store that I bought some Liberty of London like floral cotton prints. I do love them, but they are not Liberty of London quality, that is the closest I have come. One day I will breakdown and purchase yardage, maybe on a trip to London. I have heard the store is fabulous.

Here is an article explaining the history of Liberty of London fabrics and the base cloth they use, Tana Lawn that originated from Africa.

Loving Lawn from Selvedge Magazine.

Tana Lawn is the speciality of Liberty of London. During the 1920s their renowned cotton fabric buyer and designer, William Haynes Dorrell sourced a particularly fine grade of long staple cotton from Africa and named it ‘Tana’ for Lake Tana in Sudan. The pure combed or carded cotton has an exceptionally high thread count, giving a silky feel despite the crisp crease resistant texture: it is still processed in Lancashire without added chemicals or allergens.