Toile has been a popular fabric since the 1700’s. It was invented by Christophe-Philippe Oberkampf, a German engraver living in France. Toile is short for Toile de Jouy, and was orignally made in Jouy-en-Josas, France. Toile de Juoy literally means fabric from Jouy. By 1810, Christopher-Philippe made ‘toile’ a household name in Europe and the Americas. Toile typically refers to cotton or linen fabric with a pattern that depicts a bucolic scene. It is usually made from 2 colors.
It’s an old fabric, but it remains one of my very favorite types of fabric. I find it to be very classic and elegant. I decided to pair a blue and white toile with the casual blue ticking fabric for a fun pillow.
I love mixing the rustic with the refined. Below, I’ve mixed toile with our double monograms and our reproduction grain sack fabric.
I mixed the toile with one of our heart pillows that has the same ticking mini ruffle and a double monogram. Yes the initials on the heart pillow are SA and I feel the need to explain since my husband’s name starts with a ‘K’. I recently asked our production team to make me a sample of the heart pillow with a double monogram and the mini ruffle. When I opened the box I noticed that the initials were ‘S and A’. The team decided to use a different letter from ‘K’ so customers could see some other initial combinations. Fair enough, but that left me with what I was going to tell people when they noticed. I’ve decided that the ‘S’ stands for Sam Heughan, the actor. He’s my celebrity crush. I waited for Kevin to notice the pillow so I could tell him what the ‘S’ stood for. I waited and waited. He didn’t notice, so there you have it. The S and A together does make for a gorgeous monogram.
I have a few more toile fabrics to show you. I made the toile pillow sham you see below.
Here’s a close up of the gorgeous fabric.
I also made this long drop bedspread. I actually made it twice. I made it for our guest room when we had a queen bed, then I cut it down for my daughter’s full bed later.
Lastly I have a purple and green toile duvet cover that I enjoy using. It’s a very fun summer fabric.
Personally I love toile and think it’s always in style. It goes so well with so many different fabrics too.
tolie is my favorite since I was a kid…my parents wallpapered our small hallway in a multi-colored toile and I’ve loved it ever since. I think Mom also had a bedcover in that slate blue/gray toile because I have a fabric swatch I’ve saved and treasured over the years…I think I need to make something from it asap!! lovely post!
That green toile in your guest room is divine. Absolutely deeee-vine!
I love toile too. My dining room, living room and eat in kitchen area all have a Bosporus toile curtains that I made.
Just love the toile bedroom. It’s just so welcoming and bucolic. I’m in the process of redoing a spare bedroom into a guest bedroom for our young granddaughters. I love the soft aqua toile bedding. Do you recall who manufactured this specific fabric. I have tried to find it and have so far been unsuccessful.
As always, thanks for any info.
Sharon, I don’t know where you can get that now. A lot of toile has been discontinued.
Thanks. Such a shame since it’s such a pretty design.
Thank you, Anita, for sharing your love of toile! It is such a comfortable, homey pattern, isn’t it?! I love the way toile brings a taste of authenticity into a room. We just wallpapered one wall in our bedroom with black and white toile to complement a soft pink and white décor! SO, I would love it if a toile pillow were to be added to your Noir collection at Bespoke Décor! 😉 We also have used blue and white toile curtains in our dining room bay window. Love it!! Thank you for sharing!
Toile is the BEST, and your pillows/rooms are beautiful!! I have (probably an overload) toile in several rooms. Red and white “Country Life” to go with my transferware, and Bosporus in the red colorway in the living room. It is just lovely to me!
Blessings,
J
Sounds totally dreamy.
Toile is a weakness of mine and you’re so right about it, Anita…it never goes out of style in my book. Your choice of toile fabrics used in your home are just gorgeous….wish I could find that green print. Think it’s my all time favorite. Love all your sewing projects and pillows. Each one is beautiful! =)
I am thinking that fabric is discontinued. But I also love it.
I have always loved toile. Such a pretty post!
Back again to invite you to come party with us at Thursday Favorite Things each week. I am always inspired by your beautiful posts, and as a host I love featuring French and farmhouse decor and projects! The party goes live every Thursday at 9:00 a.m. – Saturday at midnight.
https://followtheyellowbrickhome.com/enjoying-summer-splendor-at-thursday-favorite-things/
Hope you can join us!
Oh, My! I LOVE toile fabric, Anita!!! So classically French… though I read somewhere that originally it began in Ireland, of all places. But, the French when they found it, they ran with it and it has been their signature fabric ever since. 😉 Wherever toile originally began, it is such a lovely fabric with stories to tell.
Loving your green bed pillow covers with the side buttons! Do you have those available in your shop?? Wish I could wander over to Round Top this year ~ maybe next once we have a house again.
Have a great rest of your weekend,
Hugs,
Barb 🙂
Yes, I believe you are correct Barb on the origin of toile. The French definitely made it their own. I don’t have the blue bed pillows in the shop right now. I don’t have a source for that fabric right now. Oh I wish we could see you at Round Top!
Anita, what fabric is on the chair in the first picture with the blue Toile pillow? I keep coming back to it and the fabric looks so light and fine. Thanks
Beautiful fabrics! I do ha ve a question: where can I purchase the monogrammed pillows? Our guest room has toile fabrics and I would love to add similar pillows. Thank you,
We used to sell them, and sadly I no longer have a source for them. Check Etsy.
Hi, could you tell me where you got the trellis curtains from?
Those are curtains I customed ordered from Bali.
When I initially commented I clicked the “Notify me when new comments are added” checkbox and now each time a comment
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