Laundry delights!

I visited Castle Ward in Co Down last weekend, a beautiful property owned by the National Trust and was particularly interested to see the laundry. I've written before about how much I love to wash and iron linen, but after seeing the equipment used in days past, I am very glad I am doing laundry in the 21st century!

Huge stone sinks each with a washboard and scrubbing brush at the start of the process, and then huge mangles. Not a spin dryer in sight!!

With all the physical effort of scrubbing and mangle turning, the poor laundry maids must have been exhausted. However, they still had the task of ironing ahead of them. No steam generator irons for these girls, but rather heavy cast iron smoothing irons which were heated on a central stove in the ironing room. I could barely lift them, and I can't begin to imagine how exhausting it must have been to spend hours smoothing linen for the household.

There were special implements for different tasks including a miniature mangle with ribbed surfaces called a goffering machine. This was used to give linen a frilled or goffered edge.

The main bench had a fascinating display of different pieces of linen, embroidered cloths, fine linen tablecloths with drawn thread work, bodices with lace trims, children's clothes with teeny buttons and ribbons and wonderful bloomers! Many showed signs of mending, neatly and expertly stitched.

So, as I tackle the next batch of linen which needs to be washed and ironed, I will thank my lucky stars for my trusty washing machine with high speed spin and my lightweight steam iron!

Castle Ward is well worth a visit if you find yourself in Northern Ireland. Situated on the edge of Strangford Lough near Strangford, it has extensive grounds with cycle and adventure trails, delightful gardens and the house itself is an intriguing mix of classic and gothic architecture - Lord and Lady Bangor, unable to agree on the style for the house, quite simply built one half in the classic style and the other in the gothic!

My latest finds - wonderful Irish Linens

When I am back in Ireland searching for linens all too often I meet people who say what a pity it was that they disposed of family linens when clearing their aunt's house or their mother's linen cupboard! It is so frequently the case that these linens are marked with use and age, and it is assumed that no-one would want them. Then off they go to the charity shop, or more often they are simply thrown away!

Just recently however I was introduced to someone who had actually kept everything and she was happy for me to come and have a look at them. I went to her home and was thrilled to see 2 very large piles of assorted linens awaiting me. What a treat! I now have 3 very large bags in my studio which have to be sorted and the contents measured, listed, assessed for damage and then the job of laundry will begin. I absolutely love the process of restoring pieces like this. Some will be more easily rescued than others I hasten to add!

Here is just one pile of Fine Irish Linen with the tiniest hemstitching and drawn thread work; beautifully worked crocheted borders, skilful embroidery and openwork. From tablecloths to doilies, table runners to tray cloths, all have been used and appreciated over the years and display workmanship that we are unlikely to see again.

There's also a selection of hand embroidery from the 1930s, vibrant colour combinations cleverly worked on smooth Irish Linen. Everything from tea cosy covers to tablecloths.

And no home in the last century was complete without luncheon sets with Madeira embroidery or tea napkins with dainty embroidery.

So, I have my work cut out for me in the coming weeks, but it will be a pleasure to bring these beautiful pieces back to their former glory.

Adverts for Irish Linen

I often come across examples of advertising for Irish Linen from years past. It is interesting to see how the properties of the cloth were presented and how Irish Linen as a "brand" was promoted.

Some are really very amusing when looked at from today's standpoint.

This one in particular made me smile. Depicted are the survivors of a shipwreck who have spread out a square of canvas from the sail as a tablecloth and underneath are the words....."The habits of civilisation rise above disaster. The first natural requisite of any meal is a fair white cloth."
It goes on to say that true Irish Linen is one of the 'indispensables' of life. So whatever disaster befalls you, standards must not be allowed to slip!!  This is an advertisement placed in Life magazine by the Irish Linen Society in the 1920s.

Other adverts from the '20s talk of Linen Damask being "impressively correct" and being "the unerring choice of generations of distinguished hostesses".

By the 1950s the Irish Linen Guild had been set up and an advert dated June 3, 1953 announces Irish Linen Week from June 15 and pronounces Irish Linen to be the Queen of Fabrics.

Colour had at last made an appearance in advertising, but the linen was still pure white, except for kitchen towels with their distinctive red or green stripes.

I have been collecting these for a while now and I think they will look great framed for the walls of my Linen Mill house.

How fantastic that this cloth was promoted as a commodity of the highest quality, not unlike how cotton is advertised today.

A world of linens enthusiasts.

Since I started my shop on Etsy I have watched with wonder at the variety of countries from which people are viewing my linens.

To date people in 61 countries have had a look, from Norway to New Zealand, Martinique to Moldova, Croatia to Chile! A love of linen unites enthusiasts from just about every corner of the globe it seems!

It is so encouraging to know that my passion is shared by like-minded people here, there and everywhere!

The word "passion" is a bit overworked these days, but I really do love nothing better than seeking out lovely examples of Irish linen which have been so skilfully woven, embroidered or crocheted. Whether it is a doilie with painstakingly stitched eyelets, drawn threadwork and tiny embroidered flowers 

or a cloth with bold colours and exquisite cutwork, 

 

it is a delight to see and appreciate the hours of work it would have taken to make these heirloom pieces.

Sadly many of the skills used to embellish linens have gradually died out as fashion changed and people looked for more "easycare" textiles for the home.  It is such a pity that many of the textiles I find have been discarded by a generation that no longer wants to bother with caring for them.  Yes, linen does take a little more looking after, but it can bring such life to a table setting, I really think it is worth the effort.

I am so pleased to know I am not the only one who thinks so!

So as the number of viewings passes the 3000 mark, I am looking forward to many more happy days searching out great items to share with my cosmopolitan followers!

Granny McBurney and Granny Black

Well I thought it was time that I introduced you to the 2 wonderful ladies who were the inspiration for my shop name. I was recently sorting through old family photos, a lovely thing to do on a damp and grey January afternoon and I found a couple of snaps I hadn't seen before.

 
Here is Lizzie Black looking very stylish as always. Don't you just love the cloche hat?!

And here is Granny McBurney with the most wonderful hairdo ever! How long did it take her to do that each morning I ask myself. The child on her lap with the pretty frilled petticoat is my Dad aged about 9 months! And how handsome is my Grandfather?! Dad had helpfully noted on the back of the picture that this was taken early in 1911, a typical studio portrait of the time, with everyone looking splendid in their Sunday best.

I think you can tell that both my grannies had an eye for fashion and a sense of style. Granny McBurney died before I was born, but my grandfather would tell me how she loved to select fabric for him to make her suits and coats. As a master tailor he had access to the most wonderful Irish linen, Donegal tweeds and fine suitings.

Granny Black would visit us in Belfast during the summer each year from her home in Scotland and loved nothing better than a visit to the Moygashel linen shops in Dungannon, Co. Tyrone. She would usually leave at the end of her stay with an extra suitcase bursting with brightly coloured linen dresses and fabrics.

So no need to ask how I inherited a love for textiles!

Irish Linen washes without worry!

I recently bought a lovely set of Irish Linen Double Damask linens, a tablecloth and 6 napkins in the traditional Chrysanthemum pattern. Still in its box, and dating from the 1970s I think, I opened the package to find inside the most delightful leaflet entitled "Irish Linen washes without worry".

Here is it and it was full of great hints and tips, but also made me smile as it harked back to different times. Some of the descriptions are just charming, such as:

"You can wash Irish Linen any way you like - by hand or in the washing machine, with plain soap and water or your favourite washing preparation."

and

"Irish Linen is simple to iron - and so rewarding too".

Now I happen to agree with that, I love nothing better than ironing linen, to see it come up smooth and gleaming, but I know not everyone shares my passion!

I learned a few things too. It tells me that an ironing board cover made of Irish Linen and used for Irish Linen only, will help keep that lustrous sheen on tablecloths and linens, practically for ever! Now I know what to do with that cloth I found which sadly had a large hole in it.

There was lots of information on stain removal too, and one that I found interesting was for removing lipstick marks. These sometimes appear on napkins, and the suggestion was as follows:

"Rub lard into the stain. Sponge with dry cleaning fluid. Wash in warm suds and rinse as usual."

Sounds unlikely, but I must try it sometime......

The one thing that is made abundantly clear is that Irish Linen is for using and enjoying, not keeping for "best". Articles of Irish Linen thrive on regular use and regular laundering and they last a lifetime.

Sorry the body of the printed leaflet hasn't scanned more legibly, but I included it as I think the illustrations are just lovely!

To illustrate the design on the cloth without having to unfold it, a diagram was also included in the box - even showing the design number for the pattern.

They certainly thought of everything!

The Linen Museum in Lisburn

The Linen Museum in Lisburn is home to a terrific collection of linens, both garments and household linen. I took an hour or so to visit it back in the Autumn and it was really fascinating with lots of samples to touch, from the raw flax to finished cloth.

One of the most interesting exhibits was a set of linens made for Queen Mary's Dolls' House in 1912. The house was designed by Sir Edward Lutyens and was furnished with miniature replicas of the finest furniture, fabrics, paintings and books. 

No detail was ignored and even a tablecloth from Buckingham Palace was sent to Ireland to be copied.   The Old Bleach Linen Company in Randalstown was  commissioned to make a complete set of household linen for the dolls’ house. Damask napkins and tablecloths were woven in 1/12th scale and even packed and presented in a box! 

Towels carried the royal monogram and even kitchen linens were represented. 

The tiny details were so perfect. They are kept in a specially airconditioned space with low lighting, and it wasn't possible to take photos, but the actual cloth sent to London is on display in the dining room of the Dolls’ House, which can be seen at Windsor Castle today.This is how it looks.

 
I also got to see the proof cloth I mentioned in an earlier post. Good to see it first hand and admire the skill taken to produce it. 

If you ever have the chance to visit Northern Ireland and are a fan of textiles, then this museum is well worth the visit, and the Folk Museum at Cultra too.