Casa Solid Satin Twill Fabric for Dark Cloth

[Mike in NY]

Recently I decided to supplement my BTZS focusing hood with a full-size (56" x 96") dark cloth. I know where to get them commercially, but wanted to save a few dollars by making my own with high quality cloth of my own choosing. So I went to Joann Fabrics and received a few interesting looks from the clerks and customers as I went around the stalls picking up black fabrics, holding them up to the fluorescent lights, and draping them over my head, looking like some sort of bearded nun. I finally settled on Casa Solid Satin Twill in black. It's a virtually opaque, light weight, but rugged fabric that is machine washable with black, non-reflective twill on one side and black, slightly reflective satin on the other side. Virtually no light gets through the cloth. It normally costs about $25/yard but I waited until it was on sale for 30% off and I had an additional 20% off coupon, so I got three yards for half price ($37.50 instead of $75). I took it to my tailor who charged just $20 to hem it all the way around. Now I have a rugged, light weight focusing cloth that is 4-1/2 feet wide and 8 feet long (I'm 6'2"), for a total cost of just $58. It doesn't have the white or silver side that some prefer, but the satin side has a nice sheen so I'll use that to reflect the sun off my head and shoulders while under the cloth. It's not water proof, but will certainly protect the camera from light rain, and can air dry or be put in the dryer back home. All in all, not a bad dark cloth. For some reason the Joann Fabrics website shows the cloth in every color except black, so maybe black is only available in the stores.

[Sal Santamaura]

...It doesn't have the white or silver side that some prefer, but the satin side has a nice sheen so I'll use that to reflect the sun off my head and shoulders while under the cloth...

I grew up in New York City's suburbs; my late parents subsequently retired to the Hudson Valley. I predict that, after a few uses this summer, you'll be taking that cloth back to your tailor along with some white material and have them sewn together.

[Mike in NY]

Possibly, Sal... we'll see. But I don't want it any heavier or less breathable; I'd like to keep it light for hiking with my pack. I've had a much heavier dark cloth of the same dimensions for years, but I don't like using it due to its weight, except in windy conditions.

[pepeguitarra]

I have one of these, the other one I used it to make a bellows;
https://www.walmart.com/ip/DriftAway...-x63/770758514

[Mike in NY]

What a coincidence - I use thermal blackout curtains inside my dark room as added protection around each door, to prevent light from coming in under the door just in case someone comes downstairs and accidentally turns on the hallway lights. And the back of my curtains are indeed white, but they are heavy! All that aside, I never thought to make a bellows out of them. That's cool! Did you use it for an unpleated wide angle bellows?

[pepeguitarra]

What a coincidence - I use thermal blackout curtains inside my dark room as added protection around each door, to prevent light from coming in under the door just in case someone comes downstairs and accidentally turns on the hallway lights. And the back of my curtains are indeed white, but they are heavy! All that aside, I never thought to make a bellows out of them. That's cool! Did you use it for an unpleated wide angle bellows?

. That is not exactly the courtains I bought a Walmart (I could not find in the internet the ones I did), but mine were very light and not thermal.

[Mike in NY]

Those are a good width, too. Very economical solution you came up with.

[Willie]

Packpacking Gore Tex cloth? Makes for rain protection as well as a good darkcloth.

[Mike in NY]

I looked at the Gore Tex, but something about the Twill/Satin really appealed to me.

[Roger Thoms]

Packpacking Gore Tex cloth? Makes for rain protection as well as a good darkcloth.

Were are you getting your Gore Tex? Looked all over the internet and can’t find black.

The satin twill sounds interesting, will have to see if any of the Joann’s near me carry it. Need a big a** cloth for my recently acquired 717, which supposedly has a few pinholes in the corners of the bellows.

Roger