Ticking, which derives from the Greek word theka, meaning case or covering, has been synonymous with mattresses since fabric was first paired with straw. For a decent night's sleep, it was imperative that the straw—or feathers if you were lucky—be kept within the confines of a thick, tightly woven fabric to prevent quills and bits of straw from poking through and scratching. Thus a denim-like twill was woven and then coated in starch, wax, or soap to seal the weave even more tightly. The stripes were uniformly indigo or black, and, like a petticoat, the stiff fabric was meant to do its work beneath softer and more decorative outer layers, never to be exposed to the respectable eye. It wasn't until quite recently in ticking's 1,000-year history that it has seen the light of day at all. The influential American interior decorator Sister Parish is credited with this act of liberation when she mixed chintz with ticking fabric in upscale 1940s sitting rooms. After raised eyebrows settled, ticking soon gained popularity in more general society.
Five to Buy
Above: Organic Ticking, 60 percent cotton and 40 percent linen, is 137 centimeters wide and available in a variety of colors from UK ticking king, Ian Mankin; £29.50 per meter.
Above: The black stripe and herringbone weave identify this fabric as true ticking twill. It's part of a collection of ticking available at Howe in London and Los Angeles. Narrow Stripe Black Cotton Ticking is 106 centimeters wide and £20.00 per meter.
Above: Pottery Barn sells ticking by the yard. Shown here Ticking Stripe in brown; blue and red are also available; $25 a yard (marked down from $30).
Above: Navy Eastpoint Ticking, 100-percent, double-thick cotton from Ralph Lauren, is 54 inches wide. It's also available in Barn (a red), Chambray (pale gray), and Desert (light brown); $66 per yard.
Above: Vintage ticking can be found on Etsy, at flea markets, such as Brimfield in Massachusetts, and at antiques and design shops, including Marston House in Wiscasset, Maine, and Howe in London and Los Angeles. Photograph via Howe London.
Object Lessons columnist Megan Wilson is the owner of Ancient Industries and curator of the Remodelista 100 presented in the Remodelista book. Watch for her column every Tuesday, and have a look at her past lessons, including The Hudson's Bay Point Blanket and The Classic Canvas Tote Bag. We featured her new shop in our recent post Purveyor of the Practical and the Timeless.
If you haven't voted today for the 2014 Considered Design Awards, click below. You can vote for the finalists once a day, on Remodelista and Gardenista. Voting ends this Saturday, August 8, and the winners will be announced on August 9.
More Stories from Remodelista