LINOLEUM

Whether it's for your first time or to continue the craft, the best linoleum for millinery is at Artipistilos. You can get very high-quality linoleum sheets of 40 cm by 30 cm with an ideal thickness for crafting here.

Lack specific tools to work with this material? We can provide them without a problem. Here we have an excellent quality linoleum gouge accompanied by 6 different shaped nibs for cutting and shaping as you need at each moment.

WHAT IS LINOLEUM?

Linoleum, combining the terms 'linen' and 'oil', is a material made from solid linseed oil mixed with sawdust, cork powder, and other materials, all applied over a canvas or coarse fabric. To change the color of the mix, just add the corresponding pigments.

Linoleum is commonly used as a floor covering. Floorings of this material are prepared by fitting together pieces of linoleum. Linoleums are often made with geometric patterns and with different thicknesses and dimensions depending on the place's needs. However, the thinner the linoleum, the more quickly it wears out from use.

The flexibility of linoleum means it can withstand the impact of footsteps better than more rigid materials like tiles or ceramics, which can break if subjected to too much stress. The highest quality linoleum on the market is called 'inlaid' linoleum and is the most durable of all.

The inventor of this material was the British Frederick Walton in 1860. Since then, linoleum has become a widely used material in construction, especially for areas with frequent foot traffic and for many people, such as hallways, corridors, and rooms, as well as a complement to carpeted areas.

One particular area where its use is widespread is in kitchen floors. Why? Because linoleum is very water-resistant and extremely easy to maintain, two very good qualities for an area that often gets wet and stained with splashes of all kinds of substances.

Additionally, the linseed oil with which it is made has bacteriostatic properties, meaning it can stop the metabolism of bacteria, thus preventing their growth and/or reproduction. This is why it has been widely used in hospitals, although special vinyls are now used instead.

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF LINOLEUM IN MILLINERY?

We haven't talked at all about the relationship between this material and millinery. What applications does linoleum have when making hats or headdresses? The answer is not for the hats or headdresses themselves, but for decorations that both can carry.

Due to its flexibility and resistance, linoleum is a considerable material for creating all kinds of decorative elements. Designer Bridget Bailey, for example, uses it to create her famous velvet lilies.