Calamanco information

Calamanco (also calimanco, callimanco, or kalamink) is fabric with a glazed surface that was popular in Europe and the United States in the 18th and 19th centuries.^[1] It was typically made of worsted-spun wool yarn, and the glazing was achieved by calendaring (pressing the cloth between hot rollers),^[2] by surface-rubbing with a stone, or by applying wax to the surface.^[1] The name comes from a Spanish term for worsted wool.^[1]

Calamanco goes back to the late 16th century but was most popular in the 18th and 19th centuries.^[2] It was made in a number of different weaves, including plain and satin weaves, damasks and brocades.^[2] Early in the period, it was used in clothing,^[2] but later on it was more commonly used for bed coverings, and surviving fragments are often found in quilts of the era, especially whole-cloth quilts.^[1] The surface sheen of the calamanco sets off intricate quilting patterns.^[1]