The habit, the Jones of collecting "antique" and "vintage" linens came out of necessity. They were once cheap, and unloved. Then Ralph Lauren and Martha Stewart jumped into the fray, and collecting old linens became popular. They made it okay to be a working class stiff with nary an heirloom in your linen press. You could collect someone else's heirlooms and love them as if they were handed down to you.
It was quite the rage back in the 1970's and 1980's and 1990's among my friends. We scrounged around flea markets and thrift stores buying old towels, sheets, pillow cases, nighties. When we went to Europe we had to buy an extra suitcase or two to haul back the linen loot we picked up there.
We loved the thick monograms you can feel, and we didn't care that the initials weren't our own, although when we did find "our" monogram or initial we were thrilled.
In fact we loved writing of all kinds on the old linens and grain, flour, or feed sacks. Better yet if it was in French, which seemed so glam and to die for.
If you could sew a little, you could turn sacks into pillows for your couch.
Mongram towels I found yesterday buried in a cupboard - I pulled them out for the guest bathroom since we had company
The writing is on the wall -Cute message board!
This is the 'N Things part of the post - I just like the wall, and think it would be a good message board idea
Even vintage and antique altar linens came into our homes. These were often the best deal of all, and they made wonderful table runners.
Altar linens
Altar linens
We collected so much of the stuff, that we had to get armories, so we could display our linens in prominent places.
Ticking was a big deal too. Any color from the trad blues and black and grays, to red and green.
Ticking was a big deal too. Any color from the trad blues and black and grays, to red and green.
Tick tock tick tock - time flies Ticking in my bedroom past
Bedding was easy to use. You just put it on the bed! It didn't matter if the antique sizes didn't fit modern beds. You just piled it on.
Old Matelasse bedspread used as bed skirt in my bedroom once upon a time
If you had on odd sheet, or tablecloth, or even just a piece of fabric, you could clip it on a rod and it would be so pretty.
Old Matelasse bedspread used as bed skirt in my bedroom once upon a time
It was back when clips were Euro and cool, and not the passe tacky thing some would have us now believe.
My tacky clips
We collected tablecloths and napkins by the dozens. It didn't matter if they had holes or faint old stains. We used our linens everyday. We learned how to launder and iron them, and hold them together as the fabric rotted away with time. I once had a super long linen sheet that got tattered on the bottom edge. I took it to my local dry cleaner/tailor and asked that they cut off the bad part, and make me a nice hem so I could use the good part of my precious piece. They laughed at me, and told me to get that rotten piece of crap out of the store. So I did it myself, and used that sheet as a tablecloth for many years, until it finally did disintegrate.
Shabby Chic was a godsend. We happily slip covered and mixed matelasse, florals, lace, and linen. We found a two new words: Euro sham. We piled on the pillows.
Antique pretties to wear, such has nightgowns, camisoles, bloomers, and dresses also caught our fancy.
We collected tablecloths and napkins by the dozens. It didn't matter if they had holes or faint old stains. We used our linens everyday. We learned how to launder and iron them, and hold them together as the fabric rotted away with time. I once had a super long linen sheet that got tattered on the bottom edge. I took it to my local dry cleaner/tailor and asked that they cut off the bad part, and make me a nice hem so I could use the good part of my precious piece. They laughed at me, and told me to get that rotten piece of crap out of the store. So I did it myself, and used that sheet as a tablecloth for many years, until it finally did disintegrate.
Shabby Chic was a godsend. We happily slip covered and mixed matelasse, florals, lace, and linen. We found a two new words: Euro sham. We piled on the pillows.
If they didn't fit us, we displayed them as a work of art.
Another 'N Things portion of the post - I just think this plastic gown is fabulous!
I collected and wore similar nightgowns from the 1930's and 1940'sand wore them as evening dresses, and learned all about the bias cut -
I got a date with Truffaut wearing a pretty like this
And the most natural thing to do with wonderful old clothing was to display it on the wall.
Antique cami on a glass opalescent tie back on my bedroom wall
Antique dress that belonged to my 90 year old friend Miss Anne
Part of costume I wore in a tango show - We did a number showing tango in the olden days - The petticoat and cami are antique and were a close fit!
Woo hoo! A dress as wall art AND tons of pillows!
Even a pair of vintage and frayed pink satin slippers becomes wall art in my bedroomMost of my old linens have gone by the wayside. I still have enough pieces to use once in awhile. Personal style changes as we all know, so I don't have the same places to use and display these things. What made me do this post is taking out those ratty little towels and hanging them in the guest bathroom. I realized how many images I have collected of vintage linens, and voila, another clipping file weekend post for you to peruse.
Images from: Cote de Texas, Velvet and Linen, Apartment Therapy, and that fabulous rabbit hole called Google Images.
