School: Tobinstown, Tullow

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1. Clothes Made Locally

   

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   In my Grandmother's young days, she told me that in all the houses were spinning wheels for wool & flax wheels She spun all the woollen thread & knitted for household. Stockings in her days were white home knitted woollens for Sunday wear & a mixture of black & white wool which made grey socks for everyday use - She carded & spun wool for flannels, blankets & tweed which was woven by a local – called Paddy the Weaver. She also spun flaxenthread for home use & thread in great spindles which she sent to a man in Tinahely to be woven into white linen for sheets, shirts & tablecloths. My mother had her linen sheets' up to a few years ago which she got as portion of her marriage dowry – she is now. 80 years of age and has often told me of the beautiful field of flax with its pretty sky-blue flowers which she saw growing in her young days in Clonmore. A cloth made of a mixture of flax & wool called Winsey was also made at home and men’s sleeved waistcoats were also made from it. A great occupation of the women folk in those days was quilting - patched quilts of very beautiful designs were made on old linen sheets with pieces of white & coloured linens or cottons.
   Miss Ellen Ryan an old lady of 76 or over showed me some perfect specimens of these patched quilts' about two months ago. She has some of her mothers linen sheets Damask still - but if they are not soon looked after, the new mistress of house will make short work of them as she has no respect for such antiques
   May 1938

   

   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. objects
      1. clothing and accessories (~2,403)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Brigid O' Grady

   Gender

   Female

   Informant

   Miss Ellen Ryan

   Gender

   Female

   Age

   Over 76