School: Coole (roll number 3936)

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1. Essay on Clothes Made Locally (continued)

   

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   has to be kept turned for ten days so that the both sides will get the benefit of the sun. Then it is tied up and put in a stack. After a couple months it was brought into a barn and one neighbour would help the other beat it out with scutches. A scutch is a long flat board with a handle. When all the brusk was beaten of it they would have flax. They would tie it up in streaks and every streak would weigh 2 pounds. Then it was spun and that would make one hank and when that was woven it was woven it was fit to make one shirt.
   In olden times all the socks was knitted at home. Often times a woman would go out to a hedge and gather up as much wool that the sheep would leave after them. Then she would card it and afterwards spin it. Then she would start knitting it and when the socks were knitted she would dye them with a pot of heather she had boiled. Then they were ready for wear.

   

   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Mary Gunning

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Coole, Co. Westmeath

   Informant

   Mrs Gunning

   Relation

   Parent

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Coole, Co. Westmeath