Ticking Stripe

Definition and Overview

Ticking stripe is a vertical stripe pattern made up of a ground color and thin lines, or multiple lines of varying thickness. It is generally seen as blue or navy stripes on a white ground, and has a clean, simple, classic impression.

Originally, ticking referred to a densely woven bedding fabric designed to keep feathers and other filling from escaping. Today, it refers to the vertical stripe design seen on that fabric, and is also used as a pattern name that does not specify weave or material.

Pattern Origins and Types

In traditional ticking, yarn dyed by placing colored yarns in the warp direction is often used to create the stripes. The woven lines are clear, and the result tends to have a distinctly woven look rather than a printed one.

The impression changes depending on line width, spacing between lines, and color combination. There are versions with a single thin line at regular intervals, combinations of thick and thin lines, and designs using multiple colors, so the stripe structure differs from fabric to fabric.

• Fine, even stripes give a neat and light impression.
• Stripes with varying widths create a more decorative, vintage-like impression.
• Even in colorways other than blue, the design may still be called by this name when it derives from bedding stripes.

Main Uses and Seasons

It is used for shirts, blouses, dresses, skirts, and pants, as well as aprons and bags. It also works well for interior applications such as bedding, cushion covers, and curtains; choose the fabric thickness and density according to the application.

The pattern itself is not seasonal, but lightweight woven fabrics suit spring and summer shirts and dresses, while firmer woven fabrics are suitable year-round for bottoms, bags, and interiors. Seasonality is judged by material, fabric weight, and finish.

Fabric Selection and Cutting Notes

When selecting ticking stripe, check the stripe direction, pattern spacing, fabric width, sheerness, and thickness. Even with the same pattern name, there is a wide range from fine-count shirt fabrics to heavyweight canvas-like fabrics, so confirm the required strength, ease of sewing, and texture with a fabric swatch.

When the pattern is based on vertical stripes, cutting along the grain line keeps the stripes running vertically. It is important to decide in advance as a specification whether the stripes should be aligned or intentionally offset at the left and right front panels, collar, pockets, yoke, and other parts.

When matching the pattern, cutting layout freedom is reduced compared with solid fabric, and more yardage may be needed. If changing the stripe direction to horizontal or on the bias, check not only the appearance but also stretch tendency and ease of handling during sewing.

• Check whether the stripes are symmetrical left and right at the center front and center back.
• State clearly in the specification whether the chest pocket should match the body stripes or be cut through the pattern.
• The finished look of the collar, cuffs, and placket changes greatly depending on stripe width and placement.
• Before cutting, measure one repeat and allow for the yardage needed for pattern matching.

Differences from Similar Terms

Stripe is a general term that includes vertical, horizontal, and diagonal stripes. Ticking stripe refers to regular, relatively fine vertical stripes derived from sturdy striped woven fabrics used for bedding.

Hickory is also a striped woven fabric often used for workwear, but its origin and name differ from ticking stripe. The boundary between the two can overlap depending on product names and industry usage, so check the stripe structure and fabric specifications.

Frequently Asked Questions