Description and Details
This antique home spun linen sheet is a rare survival from 1811, carrying the full story of early nineteenth century domestic textile making. The linen is home spun and hand woven, so the thread and cloth were produced by hand rather than in an industrial mill, giving it a distinctive handle and character that modern fabrics cannot imitate.
The sheet is hand sewn down the centre, a classic construction used to join narrow loom lengths into a full width. Importantly, the selvedges are still intact, which means the sheet has not been cut down and reassembled due to wear. For collectors and conservators, intact selvedges are a strong sign that the textile remains close to its original form.
At one end you have the original hand sewn hem, while the other end shows a later, tidy line of machine stitching where it has been mended at some point in its life. That repair reads as honest history rather than damage and makes the piece particularly interesting as a working household linen that has been carefully maintained.
Given its age, the sheet is described as being in wonderful condition. It has seen little use, with no signs of wear or thinning to the centre and no marks to the linen. The fabric has a good thickness and weight, making it suitable for continued use as a sheet, for layering as a cover, or for heritage textile projects where substantial antique linen is required. The sheet measures 179 x 218 cm (70.5 x 86 inches).
Materials Details: Home spun linen, hand woven and hand sewn.
