Linen

Advent calendar December 11 2020

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When we analyse old textiles we use simple equipment. Phones, a clip on magnifier, glass magnifier, measuring tape, ruler and in special cases we use a USB microscope.
Here you can see the benefits of using a clip on magnifier. It’s a simple thing that you can buy at any IT shop that sells mouses or charger for phones.

This piece is a linen fragment from the so called The time capsule . You can find more finds related to it at our blog.

The linen fragment have got lovely decorations at the edge.
We don’t know what it was before it became a fragment. A part of a veil? A towel? A table cloth?
It you have any suggestions- please write them in the comments!
/ Amica & Maria

If sharing photos: please cred us.

Advent calendar December 10 2020

/ Maria / 1 Comment

Today we want to show you some spangles/ sequins and some mini-mini pearls.
It’s a top of a sudarium. The top is silk, metal thread, linen thread, spangles and pearls.
The linen is also embroidered with red and blue silk. The seams are covered with silk ribbons, woven in a rigid heddle.

Dated to 15th century.
Today in the collections of The Swedish History Museum.
/ Amica & Maria
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Advent calendar December 5 2020

/ Maria / 2 Comments

Today we would like to present an altar cloth woven in brocaded on the counted thread. Woven in linen. The pattern is today very white, but have a tiny, tiny, blue tint. It is possibly that the pattern originally was dyed blue.

The tablet woven band sewn to the edge is woven with 2 plied linen thread in the warp. 6 tablets set in VVV.
Dated to the 15th century.

Today in the collections of The Swedish History museum.
/ Amica & Maria
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Advent calendar December 4 2020

/ Maria / 5 Comments

Todays post is two painted saints on an antependium.
Paint on a plain weave, linen. Dated to the second half of the 15th century.

The antependium can be found in the collections of The Swedish History Museum.
/ Amica and Maria

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Advent calendar December 24 2019

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Today, 24th of December, we celebrate Christmas ( Jul) in Sweden.
That means this is the last calendar post. We hope that you have enjoyed this years calendar and that you have seen things that you haven’t seen before.

Todays post is a Swedish embroidery. Wool on linen. Dated mid 15th century.

We have analysed the embroidery and a full report will come soon.

Merry Christmas and a Happy new year!
/ Amica and Maria

Photo: Historical Textiles- please cred if sharing.

Advent calendar December 13-14 2019

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Sometimes you come across a breathtaking textile. This fabric, that is part of a Swedish embroidery from mid to late 15th century, is probably that highest quality linen we have ever seen.

The photo is taken with a USB microscope and we are sad that the quality of the photo is not matching that quality of the fabric. Sorry for the blurry pic!

The fabric measures 21-22 threads per 5mm. That is 42-44 threads per cm.
Thinking of the skills that it takes to hand spin, on spindle, such even and thin threads is just beyond mad. The weave is super even and it is just pure pleasure for a weaver to look at it.

/ Amica and Maria

Advent calendar December 11 2019

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Sewing thread. All reenactors ask themselves how thick should it be? And how should it look?

All sewing threads for hand sewing, that we have seen on items from migration period up til 20th century have one thing in common. It’s 2-plied. Silks not included, it’s impossible to count.

Thickness? Some say that a sewing thread should be as thin as the threads in the fabric. That is not a rule that is usable on the older historical material. They used a lot thicker thread then both warp and weft combined sometimes.

Here we can see a bottom hem on an alba from Forsby church, Sweden. It is dated 1100-1350. Now in the collections of Historiska museet, Sweden.

So- don’t be afraid to use a thicker thread
/ Amica and Maria

Photos: Historical Textiles- pease cred us if sharing

Advent calendar December 6 2019

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The 6th calendar post is applications on the Dalhem 2 embroidery. The M is in fine linen and the boarder is in a fairly thick wool.

Dating late 15th early 16th century.

In the collections of the Historical museum, Stockholm, Sweden

/ Amica and Maria

Photos: Historical Textiles- pease cred us if sharing

A printed chasuble from Husaby church, Sweden

/ Maria / 1 Comment

We would like to wish you all a happy weekend with a very rare object.
A block printed chasuble in linen from Husaby church, Västergötland, Sweden. Dated early 15th century.
The chasuble is in a remarkable condition considering it’s age. And it has kept it original medieval shape and have not been remade in any matter.

The chasuble consists of six different pieces sewn together and then printed on top of seams and everything. The fabric is woven in two shaft/ plain weave, and is a fairly even weave with high class spun threads. No lumps on the threads!

Originally it was printed with black paint, but it also show signs of being painted with a red, yellow and green paint on some places. The green paint have eaten the fabric and today the fabric is broken where it was painted.

The pattern bring to mind 14th century Italian silk weaves and it’s very easy to understand where the inspiration came from.

The print believes to be either Swedish or German. The print size is 44 x 15 cm.

Today the chasuble is to be found in the collections of The Swedish History Museum.

/ Amica and Maria

Photos by Historical Textiles and Historiska
Please use CC-BY if reposting.

  • Photo: Historiska
  • Photo: Historiska

Advent calendar December 20th 2018

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Our twentieth advent calendar post is a small fragment of linen. Also today we show a quite unusual piece. It is a dark red linen fabric from Italy.
The fragment have got a small seam but we can’t say what it use to be. We know from sources that dyed linen did occur during the late medieval period in Italy. But it’s not the dye that we want you to focus on today.

We would like you to look at the seam. Check out the tiny back stitches. The scale above show millimeters. The stitches are less than 1 mm each.

They fragment is dated to late 15th early 16th century. 

Now part of the secret Italian collection.
/ Amica and Maria
Photo: Historical Textiles 

Tiny stitches