The Cloth Almanac

Every pattern has a paper trail.

Where it was first woven, what it was named for, who wore it, and why. A documented catalogue of named fabrics, weaves, and textile patterns, with the geometry of each pattern rendered from its own specification.

Today’s specimen

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Plate No. 002pattern

Red & Black

Charcoal

Forest

First documented: c. 1850
Origin: Woolrich, Pennsylvania, United States
Fiber: wool, cotton
Weave: plain weave
Family: checks

Buffalo Check

Buffalo check is a large two-color check, classically red and black, woven in equal blocks. It became a North American workwear staple through heavy woolen overshirts in the nineteenth century. Unlike gingham, the two colors are of similar weight, so the blended intersection reads as a distinct third tone rather than a deepening of one color.

Named for

Commonly attributed to a mill designer's herd of buffalo. The account is traditional and not firmly documented.