School: Clochar na Trócaire (Convent of Mercy)

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1. Clothes Worn by the People (continued)

   

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   The quilts were made at home and it often took a fortnight to make one. A large wooden frame was laid on four chairs and the quilt was bound on to this. The design was drawn on the material with chalk and the sewing was done along these lines generally in diamonds. These quilts took great trouble and time because they consisted of a lot of sewings crossing one another. The quilts were generally lined with white frieze and covered with red frieze.
   The people rarely wore shoes and whenever they did the shoes were made by a shoe-maker. The shoes were carried in their hands to Mass because the people thought they would wear too quickly if they wore them all the way.
   The people got special clothes for their marriage which lasted them while they lived. At a girl's marriage she wore a cloak which was very expensive, often costing about ten pounds. This was supposed to be a great luxury. The caps they wore were of white linen shaped like a fan, with face frills which had to be starched frequently. The cloak was made of very heavy material while the hood was of satin.
   Everything they wore was of linen or frieze. It was a contest to know who had the whitest and the stiffest linen. The starch was also made in the home. It was made by grating potatoes on a tin with several

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. objects
      1. clothing and accessories (~2,403)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Cáit Ní Shúilleabháin

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Coomnageehy, Co. Cork