Collecting vintage linens is like discovering rare treasures. When you look at the delicate needlework, the eye-catching designs, and when you feel the texture of the fabric each piece is so elegantly taken from, it is reminiscent of cherished memories. As an admirer of these stylishly designed linens, let’s share some of the background and history of these elegant fabrics.

If you have found vintage linens stored away and passed down from your grandparents, or your grandparents’ grandparents, you are the lucky owner of some highly sought-after cloth and visions into the past. Did your grandmother, or you aunt perhaps, leave to you a piece of their lives embroidered on a pillowcase or pillow cover? These are possessions to be held close to your heart.

Linen
This fabric was commonly used for its durability. As one of the strongest vegetable fibers out there, it has more strength than cotton fabric. It is what many of the tablecloths and napkins were made from. The fabric is smooth in texture and relatively lint-free. The fabric is a white or tan color and easy to dye without fading much. The more you wash it, the softer and smoother it becomes. It is very absorbent and conducts heat which often keeps the garments cool. One problem with linen is that it does tend to break down in creases and folds for a period of time; this tends to break the threads causing a permanent crease in the fabric.

Damask
This fabric is a linen, cotton, silk, or wool that has a reversible pattern woven into it. Damask was first known to be produced in the countries of China, India, and Persia. Originally Damask was made from silk; however, there have been a number of other fabrics used over time and Damask has been more characteristic of the type of weave it uses. Damask has a very heavy use of thread to make the dense weave. Thus, it is more expensive in cost. Patterns found in Damask tend to appear to have a geometric type of theme.

Velvet
Velvet is an old fabric that has been produced for thousands of years. To produce the material velvet, cut threads are very evenly distributed throughout, thus creating a short, dense “pile” of threads, offering a soft and luxurious feel to the touch. Velvet can be produced from an assortment of fibers, although ideally silk is chosen. Velvet is woven on a loom and this method of production leads to the quality of the finished product. It is believed that velvet-weaving originated in Kashmir, around the 14th Century.

Silk
Silk is a natural filament, similar in appearance to lengths of thread, and gives a soft and shimmering appearance to the materials produced with it. The prism-like make of the silk cloth actually allows light to refract off it at various angles, thus the glistening effect. The best type of silk comes from cocoons of mulberry silkworm larvae. These gentle fibers enhance the beauty and feel of clothing, sheets, pillowcases, and handkerchiefs.

Lace
Lace is an open fabric that has patterns with open holes that is either handmade or made by machine. By removing threads from other fabrics, the holes are created. Lace is believed to have originated around either the late 15th or early 16th Century. When a thread is braided, twisted, or looped, it is called “True Lace.” The “crocheted lace” is another form of lace that is created from using very fine thin threads and using them to do delicate stitching. Doilies make a good example of this.

Designs And Patterns
Vintage linen accessories were most often decorated with the threadwork of tatting, cutwork, and embroidery. Drawnwork produced a spectacular design on many fine pieces. Edging with lace sets the entire design apart from any other. Appliqués were used from time to time as well. There were also the techniques of Battenburg and Needlepoint Lace.

Cutwork is a technique whereby designs and patterns are cut into a piece of cloth and then united with the workings of needle lace or embroidery to complete the creation. Cutwork is a cousin to Drawn Threadwork. Drawn Threadwork utilizes the method of needlework known as “warp” and “weft” (drawing threads over and under) to fill in the desired pattern.

Vintage linens not only bring us back into time long past, but they speak to us by those who left them behind. We learn about the culture of our country as well as the lifestyles and history of days gone by. Vintage linens are exquisite reminders of the past and they help bring us closer to what daily life was like for Americans in that era of history.

Alana Morgaine
Alanas Cherished Treasures
Our Vintage Linens