Tallchick: What pattern/project are you working on? Elizabeth Hartman's patterns all call for this Essex fabric. And, for all the reasons you mentioned, I have avoided it and substituted 100% cotton in its place. (that would be for the Fancy Forest, Butterfly, and Florence Flamingo). But for the Awesome Ocean pattern, I "cheated" and bought a "kit". Half of the fabric is this Essex (cotton/linen) and some even have a tiny metallic thread running thru it sporadically. The other fabric is kona cotton solids and her "reef" line of printed cotton. I am in the process of washing, dipping in starchy water, drying, ironing, and cutting all the pieces. The Essex is a little heavier, wrinkles a little more than cotton (but not like 100% linen). I will report back after I sew it, and assemble the pattern animals. But, so far, my fear level has decreased (LOL). And remember, Ms Hartman and Robert Kaufman have been selling this for years. If there was a problem, and/or complaints, she probably would be using less in her designs, not more. That is the theory I am going on as I work on this Awesome Oceans kit.