At the junction of 7A and Center Hill, across from Gringo
Jack’s and Adams’ Park lives a charming cottage with a Victorian porch, picket
fence and pretty lace curtains in the windows. I have always wondered about this house because of its
storybook demeanor. The other day,
seeing the Antique flag flying by the front door, and with some free time on my
hands, I decided to stop in and take a look around.
I was greeted warmly by Phyllis Carlson, who, along with her
husband, runs this shop filled with the finest collection of antique linens I
have ever seen, outside of the Shelburne Museum. Crisp white napkins pile up on tables. Painstakingly handmade lace tablecloths
hang on a round rack. Quilts and
bedding fill armoires. It feels a
bit like stepping through time and Phyllis adds to the illusion with her pretty
white hair done up in a bun and her violet blue eyes, giving her a Victorian
allure.
Phyllis explained that the linens in her shop date from
1775-1930 and consist of three distinct categories -- Plain Linens, Fancy Linens and Needlework. The Plain Linens were used daily, such
as homespun sheets, tablecloths and towels, and were made out of flax. These basic necessities tended to be
unadorned but were sometimes initialed by the maker. Each homemaker grew her
own flax and wove her own goods. She showed me one example of a sheet that was
beautifully pieces together because the loom was only so wide. The delicate stitches add to the
overall design. Such care and
expertise!
Fancy Linens were made by the upper class. Girls around 1778-1840 were sent off to
boarding schools or academies to learn the 3 graces – needlework, art in the
form of watercolor, and music.
Needlework consisted of samplers, silk work, fancy embroideries and wool
work. Phyllis has fine examples of these hanging in her shop.
Women of that day, whether poor or rich, elevated needlework
to a fine art. Phyllis showed me a rare pair of beautifully embroidered long
pockets on a string. Women would ties these pockets around their waists and
wear them under their long skirts to store their treasured needles and thread,
accessed by slits in the side of skirts. Their tools were always close at hand
and traveled easily to a neighbor’s house.
I have been stumped by how to care for fine linens and
knowing that I had an expert in my clutches, I posed that question to
Phyllis. Here are her
recommendations. Linens with any kind of handwork or embroidery must be washed
by hand, pressing the water out rather than wringing. The most important thing to remember is never use Chlorine
bleach as it continually breaks down the fibers of the fabric. She has tried
all sorts of laundry detergent and recommends you use the one that you
prefer. You can soak stained linens
in Oxi-Clean overnight but you may have to accept some stains as part of the
charm. Hang them on the line, and iron when still slightly damp. Store linens on hangers, in acid free
paper on a shelf or an acid free box.
She even suggested that a clean pillowcase makes a nice environment for
old fabrics.
I hope you get a chance to visit her shop and learn, like I
did, to appreciate a different era in America, not so long ago. And as Phyllis says: “Anything of this
quality is worth a bit of effort!”
