Hello and happy Wednesday!
Monday's post seemed to hit a chord with people. Sue's email though was the funniest: "I agree the fabrics are reminiscent of men's PJs, but they also remind me of my Dad's boxer shorts which I had to iron. My ironing wasn't good enough for his shirts. I was smart. My younger sisters got the important ironing. Surely there's a lesson there."
I too had to iron my Dad's hankies around age 6 but I don't remember Nana making us do Pop's boxers. I think she probably wanted us playing and not underfoot. When and how did you start ironing?
But this conversation got me thinking. There were times during the history of quilting that men's wear fabrics were a big part of quilting. Most prominently, shirtings.
I have always thought this top was circa 1900 although it is difficult to say for sure. The top is comprised of men's shirtings which gives it a nice airy look.
The top also features conversation fabric like below. This kind of shirting was popular in the late 1800s for men's shirtings and often pieces of the fabric can be seen in quilts during that time.
Later, maybe in the 1990s (can't remember for sure) there was reproduction fabric made that featured conversation. All I know was that I bought some and later made this quilt from the fabric.
Then I thought about quilts I had seen from the 1950s...and even earlier. I can't remember many masculine prints being featured in any quilt. Yet I know that lots of women sewed and there must have been more fabrics suitable for pajamas and boxers at fabric stores and factory outlets.
I think that women gravitated to more pretty prints (maybe?). Or didn't want people to think that Dad's boxers had been recycled in the family quilt. 😁
Still some of the prints from men's pajamas back then were pretty neat. Take a look at these:
Would you include any of these fabrics in a quilt you were making?
Have a safe and happy day!
Of the conversation fabrics I have seen, my favorite is a cat face with a mouse hanging from its mouth.
ReplyDeleteI had some of those same conversation prints from the 90s. I only had to iron flat things, like hankies and pillowcases -- and my own summer shorts outfits.
ReplyDeleteI love your pretty quilt with that darker background. I had to laugh at Sue being relegated to ironing boxer shorts - lol!
ReplyDeleteI love to iron. Mom would put up the ironing board and get the ironing out of the refrigerator! I used to help her "sprinkle" clean clothes with water, then roll them up and put them in a plastic bag in the fridge until they could be ironed. Sometimes they soured before she could iron them and she'd have to wash them again!
I love to iron, and I learned from watching her. I laid on her bed while she ironed and we talked. I don't recall what we talked about, but for some reason I enjoyed watching her. I'm not sure I ever told her how much I love thinking about those times.