A beautiful handspun and handwoven hemp sheet from the late 19th or early 20th century, from the Vienne region of France, probably never-used and certainly showing no wear at all. This sheet is made from two panels of handwoven fabric stitched together to make a larger sheet, and has had quote fancy red cross-stitched initials added in the centre top - the first letter is a C but I am not quite sure what the second one is!. The weave is beautiful, and the striations in the weave colour give the effect of pale stripes right along the length of the sheet. This is a really lovely sheet which poses a little bit of a conundrum for me. I have come across sheets like this one before and have never been able to decide if they are a hemp and cotton métis, or if they are pure hemp. Hemp varies so so much in colour, thickness of weave, and texture. I would have thought it difficult to find unspun cotton in France at this time available generally to weavers, given that it was an import from France’s colonies and from America, but I am also not 100% sure that it was not easily available and I have found rolls of German linen métis fabric from the same era which were woven with handspun cotton as in the weft as well as handspun linen. Without damaging the sheet to unpick the weave, I cannot be sure. In the meantime, this is a thick, soft, textured, beautifully-coloured sheet with a marvellous set of initials and it measures a slightly larger than usual 223×235cm.
Please click on the photos to open them up full-sized.
To purchase, please contact me via the contact form and include the title of this listing as it doesn’t automatically transfer.
A beautiful handspun and handwoven hemp sheet from the late 19th or early 20th century, from the Vienne region of France, probably never-used and certainly showing no wear at all. This sheet is made from two panels of handwoven fabric stitched together to make a larger sheet, and has had quote fancy red cross-stitched initials added in the centre top - the first letter is a C but I am not quite sure what the second one is!. The weave is beautiful, and the striations in the weave colour give the effect of pale stripes right along the length of the sheet. This is a really lovely sheet which poses a little bit of a conundrum for me. I have come across sheets like this one before and have never been able to decide if they are a hemp and cotton métis, or if they are pure hemp. Hemp varies so so much in colour, thickness of weave, and texture. I would have thought it difficult to find unspun cotton in France at this time available generally to weavers, given that it was an import from France’s colonies and from America, but I am also not 100% sure that it was not easily available and I have found rolls of German linen métis fabric from the same era which were woven with handspun cotton as in the weft as well as handspun linen. Without damaging the sheet to unpick the weave, I cannot be sure. In the meantime, this is a thick, soft, textured, beautifully-coloured sheet with a marvellous set of initials and it measures a slightly larger than usual 223×235cm.
Please click on the photos to open them up full-sized.
To purchase, please contact me via the contact form and include the title of this listing as it doesn’t automatically transfer.
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