Linen cloth, such as this Natural & Indigo Cross Bar Checked Linen, was woven of flax fiber in many grades and weaves. Used in every aspect of living, from clothing, to household needs, to furnishings, to the shroud made for the corpse, linen was so common that a tax was proposed as a source of easy revenue on the coarser sorts being imported into the US towards the end of the 18th century.
The term “checked” in the 18th century referred to any number of patterns woven or printed that intersected at right angles in order to create squares. Checked linens were used for a variety of purposes most often found in aprons, shirts, children’s clothing, trousers and linings as well as many household items such as toweling, bed hangings and chair coverings. Runaway descriptions and other contemporary writings occasionally call out other garments such as a "cross bar gown" or check shortgown or jacket. The combination of natural and bleached linen yarn is something we came across most specifically in the Foundling collection.
- Our Natural & Indigo Cross Bar Checked Linen is lightweight.
- Suitable for women’s gowns, lightweight jackets, aprons, accessories and petticoats; men’s lightweight jackets, linings and waistcoats and children’s garments.
- 100% Irish Linen, 61 inches wide.
