Hand woven, disembodied, peasant shirts/smocks drying on the washing line yesterday.
Originally, extremely dirty with fold lines and rust marks... but now nice and clean thanks to a long soak in a wash tub with stain remover.
Red initials in different sizes and style,
The ladies' nightdresses are machine stitched with simple detail...
The gents are far more involved.
All completely hand sewn with tiny tucks and gathers...I dread to imagine the state of the seamstress's fingers pushing and pulling her needle through that coarse cloth time after time.
The placket detail with initials......
And the button holes and collar are a work of art....
They will stay au natural in their oatmeal coloured linen.... No dyeing this time.
Julie x
we live in a National Trust lodge house that has a clear view from the main road.
ReplyDeleteMany years ago, exasperated by trees dripping on my washing I re-sited the line onto the side lawn which was visible from the road.
There were semi-serious grumblings by the Property Manager at the time, that a Grade 1 lodge house didn't look good with a washing line showing.
I happened to have a batch of smocks similar to yours in stock, so I washed them. . .and hung them all along the front hedge to dry, just as they would've done in olden times!
My washing line was never mentioned again ;)
Gorgeous Julie, good luck this weekend, hope you have a busy one,
ReplyDeletexx
Oh, they are truly wonderful! X
ReplyDeletePLEASE tell me the name of your stain remover! I find a good old fashioned boil in a jam pan works well, but it's no good for big smocks.
ReplyDeleteThey are gorgeous Julie
ReplyDeleteJo xx
that's a proper smocking anchor stitch on the mans smock...I went on a smocking day at the Weald and Down Museum....what you need is a good pair of eyes...and daylight.
ReplyDeleteThey are so beautiful Julie, the smocking is exquisite, I love them in their natural colouring too. I have just seen that there is a fair on tomorrow, I am going to try and come. Jayne x
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