Never-used large fine linen mètis sheet with butterfly embroidery

This is such a beautiful sheet, probably from the 1950’s. It is a cotton warp and linen weft mètis sheet of very good quality. Linen mètis maintains the drape and smoothness of linen but adds the softness and warmth of cotton, and when it is good quality, as this one is, it is beautiful fabric. It is also far more hard-wearing than pure cotton and much less labour intensive than vintage or antique French cotton - you can wash it in a crowded washing machine and get away without ironing it.

This sheet was found completely unused with the starch sizing still in. It had the manufacturing mark ‘Fleur bleue’ printed on the selvedges, but as I soaked and washed this sheet on a very hot wash to prepare it for sale and to remove the storage marks, this printing has washed off. Fleur bleue is an indication of very good quality - it was a company that specialised solely in high quality linen and linen mètis textiles. The textile in this one is medium weight, beautiful drape, but softer and warmer to the touch than pure linen.

The butterfly embroidery on this has been done by a professional artisan. It is applied to two very delicate drawn and pulled thread motifs of flowers. The ladder border has also been done by hand - and whomever made this sheet was highly skilled and very precise.

This is in perfect condition. It measures 236x305cm