The workwoman's guide

House linen appears to be a branch of domestic economy little understood and considered, in comparison with its importance.

Many persons are little aware how much the good washing and wearing of their house linen depends on the choice and adaption of it to the purposes for which it is intended, as well as of the different methods of cutting and making it up, so as to have a handsome appearance, with due attention to economy. The following suggestions, though not adopted in all families, may, it is hoped, prove useful to some.

House linen may be classed under four heads, namely, bed-room linen, table and pantry linen, housemaid’s linen, and kitchen linen, to which may be added stable linen.

The following is a general table of all the linen necessary in a gentleman’s house, together with the price, width, and quality. Each article will afterwards be entered upon at large.

BED-ROOM LINEN.

TABLE LINEN.

PANTRY LINEN.

HOUSEMAID’S LINEN.

KITCHEN LINEN.

STABLE LINEN.

SHEETS.

These are of different sizes and qualities, which are regulated by the size of the bed, and other circumstances.

Gentleman’s families generally have three and sometimes more qualities of sheeting. The finest and best for the spare beds; the second quality for the general use of the family; and the third, of a commoner kind for servants; where there are several children, it is good economy to have bed-linen of an intermediate quality, for their use.

For those families who are in the habit of going periodically to the sea-side, it is a good plan to have calico sheets for the express purpose, for several reasons; in the first place, they take much less room than the linen in packing; secondly, if lost during the journey, they, not being of such value as linen, it will not be of so much importance; and thirdly, as very indifferent washerwomen are usually met with at watering or sea-bathing places, it would be a pity that linen sheets should run the risk of being badly washed or discoloured.

Invalids, infants, and young children should have sheets and pillow cases of fine calico, as they are warmer and considered more wholesome, especially in hot weather, when persons are liable to perspire.

Sheets should, if possible, be of such a width as to avoid a seam in the middle, but they seldom can be procured of more than two yards and three-quarters wide, which size, though wide enough for a good double family bed, is still rather within that usually adopted for spare beds.

In making up, if they are in two breadths, sew them together firmly, but with neat small stitches, the ends are turned down, as if for hemming, but they are sewed in the same manner as the tops of shifts.

Sheets should be marked at the corner with the initials of the master of the house alone, or with those of the master and mistress, with the set to which it belongs, the number and the date, for instance:—

• H. M. S.
•   F.
•   4
• ..38

Signifies Henry and Mary Saville, family sheets, the 4th pair, 1838.

B may be put for the best sheets, F for family, S for servants.

The stock of sheets should depend on the number of beds, allowing, upon an average, either three sheets or two pair for each bed.

When worn in the middle, sheets should be turned, that is, unpicked down the seam, and the two outer selvages sewn together, so that the inner selvages thus become the outer, and the sheet is equally worn.

There is a common kind of calico sold in the piece, or whole sheet, for the poor, which is both warm and cheap.

PILLOW CASES OR SLIPS.

These are made of fine linen for the best, and of coarser linen and calico for the family and servants’ use.

Procure your material of a width which corresponds with the length of the pillow; cut it one yard and three nails down the selvage. Fold the piece in half its length and sew it up; one end is also sewed up to form the bottom; at the other end, a broad hem is made, say half a nail wide, and strings or buttons sewed on to fasten in the pillow. It is a good plan, followed by some managing housekeepers, to cover the pillows with linen or calico, which is slightly sewed on, and the pillow cover is slipped over it. The advantage gained is, that it makes the pillow case look particularly white, and as it is of no consequence whether it is of linen or calico, the first cover may be made of any old pieces of either that happen to be in the house.

The stock of pillow cases must depend on the number of pillows to each bed; some beds have four belonging to them, while others have only two; each pillow in daily use, should have two slips belonging to it, and spare beds might have a cover to each pillow, and half the number besides, for the washing.

In addition to the full sized pillows, some persons have small ones made of down, five or six nails square; they are a great comfort to those who are in delicate health, or who suffer from cold.

TOWELS.

These are always a yard long, and eleven or twelve nails wide; they may be bought singly, with fringe at the edges, or in the piece, in which case the ends are sewed, or very strongly hemmed. Nursery or school towels have sometimes loops sewed to the ends by which they may be hung to the wall.

Best towels are made of fine diaper, similar to that used for pinafores, and fine huckaback.

The second quality is of diaper, of a different pattern, and rather a coarser huckaback.

Servants’ towels are of coarse huckaback.

The stock of towels should depend upon circumstances, such as the frequency or otherwise of washing; but upon an average, from six to twelve should be allowed to each washing stand.

DRESSING-TABLE COVERS.

These are of various kinds; sometimes merely a piece of diaper of the proper size is used, at others, a kind of Marseilles quilting made on purpose, and muslin or dimity, trimmed with fringe or frills. Much depends on the shape of the toilet table; some have merely the cover laid on the top, others are bordered along the sides and front with frills or work. Some persons have merely a piece of oil-cloth, the proper size, and bound with ribbon round the edge, upon their dressing-tables and washing-stands they look neat and are very durable.

PINCUSHIONS.

For these and their cover, see “Pincushions.” One cushion and two covers should belong to each toilet table.

TABLE CLOTHS.

These vary in quality, according to circumstances. The finest are the most expensive, and are only used for company. The price varies not only with the size, but also with the pattern.

The material of which they are made is called damask, and may be purchased up to a certain size in single table cloths, after which it must be bought in the piece.

Care should be taken in choosing a table cloth, to see that the edges are even, and the threads regular.

DINNER NAPKINS.

These are also made of damask, and vary in quality and price, according to the pattern.

• The best are from 50s. to 60s. per dozen.
• The second quality from 18s. to 45s. per dozen.

Dinner napkins are folded in various ways, and are generally put upon the plate, enclosing the roll or bread. The following modes are those usually adopted.

THE HALF-PYRAMID SHAPE.

PLATE 21. FIG. 7, 8, 9, 10.

1st. Take the cloth as it comes from the wash, and open the square length-wise, drawing the folded napkin to its fullest extent.

2nd. Turn up the ends to meet in the centre. Fig. 7.

3rd. Turn the napkin thus folded, so that the turned up ends are below, or underneath.

4th. Turn up each corner, half-handkerchief-wise, towards the centre. Fig. 8.

5th. Turn the cloth again the other side uppermost, and again turn the corners up to the centre. Fig. 9.

6th. Take hold of the corners, A B, and by drawing them under, make the napkin stand on its end, so that C stands up, and the cloth is supported by A B D. The bread is within the hollow, or between the folds thus formed.

THE DIAMOND SHAPE.

PLATE 21. FIG. 7, 8, 9, 11, 17.

1st. Open the square length-wise, drawing out the napkin to its full length.

2nd. Fold the ends to meet in the centre. Fig. 7.

3rd. Turn up each corner, half-handkerchief-wise, towards the centre. Fig. 8.

4th. Turn down the corners towards the centre. Fig. 11.

5th. Turn the cloth entirely over, and it is ready. Fig. 9. The bread is put in the mouth of the napkin, which should be turned on the plate towards the person. Fig. 17.

ANOTHER MODE.

PLATE 21. FIG. 12, 13, 14, 15, 18, 19.

1st. Open the napkin length-wise.

2nd. Fold it down from the centre, half-handkerchief-wise, at the centre, leaving two long ends. Fig. 12, 18.

3rd. Take the right hand piece, and draw it over towards the left hand, making the point, B, lie upon the point, A, thus forming a second half-handkerchief, Fig. 13; turn the end back towards the right from the centre, fold it back again in several neat straight folds towards the centre, Fig. 19; do the same with the left hand piece, Fig. 14, turn the napkin, and it resembles a diamond on a square, Fig. 15.

Napkins are often used to lay under fish, pastry, or sweet things, in which case, they may be folded in the shape of a diamond, or else the whole napkin, being first laid open, is plaited in regular and very small folds till reduced to the proper width; it is then doubled down a little at each end to secure the folds, and to make it fit the dish, Fig. 16.

DOYLEYS.

These may be either white or coloured, and are sometimes open, of six nails square; they are generally fringed.

• The best linen doyleys are about 11s. 6d. per dozen.
• The second linen quality, 8s. per dozen.
• The common sort or cotton, 4s. to 5s. 3d. per dozen.

KNIFE-BOX CLOTHS.

These are used to lay in the knife boxes, to prevent their being creased, and should be of thick but soft linen.

PANTRY KNIFE CLOTHS.

These are for wiping knives and forks with, when cleaning them; they should be of common but strong material.

PANTRY DRESSER
CLOTHS.

These are useful and neat in appearance; they save the paint of the dresser from being scratched. The length and width must of course depend on that of the dresser. They are made of coarse damask, or tolerably fine huckaback.

PLATE-BASKET CLOTHS.

This is a sort of bag to place within the plate-basket, in order to prevent the sides being greased by the plates, which would cause it to smell disagreeably. These bags are made of linen and fit the basket; a circle is cut the size of the bottom, and the sides are equally well fitted, and sewed to it; these sides are made to hang over outside the basket, a sufficient depth to allow it either to have a tape run through the hem, to draw it round under the rim, or it should have slits to fit over the handles, by which it is secured tolerably firmly to the basket.

PANTRY CHINA CLOTHS.

These are used for washing and wiping china, they should be of a soft and rather thin material, as linen or diaper.

PANTRY GLASS CLOTHS.

These are used for glass, and should be as thin, or thinner than the china cloths. Old silk handkerchiefs are sometimes allowed in addition, to give the finishing polish to glass.

PANTRY LAMP CLOTHS.

These are for cleaning lamps and candlesticks, and are of flannel, linen, and silk.

PANTRY APRONS.

Are worn by men servants, whilst at their work; for a description of them, see “Aprons.”

WAITING GLOVES.

These should belong to the pantry linen, as they give a clean appearance, and are particularly desirable for coachmen, and out-of-door servants, who are occasionally required to wait at table. These gloves are of woven cotton, and should be marked with their number, &c.

HOUSEMAID’S LINEN.

DUSTERS.

These are used for dusting furniture, &c.; they should be of strong and good quality; linen is generally used, though some persons have a kind of blue cotton check, but it wears badly, and therefore, though cheap, is bad economy in the end.

SCOURING FLANNELS.

These should be made of strong coarse flannel, not of a very open texture, or they wear out soon. As they do not last long, it is of no use to mark them further than by over-casting them with different coloured worsteds, to prevent the edges becoming ragged, and to distinguish the kitchen ones from those used up stairs.

PAINT CLOTHS.

These should be of old soft linen, as, if they are new and hard, they are apt to scratch the paint.

CHAMBER BOTTLE CLOTHS.

Are used for wiping the jugs, glasses, and basins; they should be soft and not too thick.

CHAMBER BUCKET CLOTHS.

These are for the slop-bucket, and should be of a different colour and pattern to any other, for fear of getting them mixed, and employed for other uses. Blue or lilac checks or stripes are good for the purpose.

CLOTHES BAGS.

The size of these must depend entirely upon the use for which they are destined. They are generally made of linen, especially when large. The largest size is two yards long, of two breadths before sewed up; the small ones, two yards long, of one breadth before sewed up.

PINAFORES.

These are worn by servants while making beds, as, after emptying slops, cleaning grates, dusting rooms, &c., the clothes are apt to soil the bed-linen, which is very unpleasant and untidy.

KITCHEN LINEN.

TABLE CLOTHS.

These should be made of coarse and often unbleached diaper; the size must depend on the number of servants, or rather on the length of the table.

DRESSER CLOTHS.

These are laid on the dressers and cooking tables, and are of huckaback or coarse diaper; they should be merely the width of the dresser, and long enough to fall over a little at each end.

ROLLER CLOTHS.

These are very useful, and are fastened upon rollers fixed against the kitchen doors or walls. They are one breadth, and four yards long, the ends being sewed together; they are put upon the roller, and are used by servants after washing their hands in the kitchen.

KITCHEN DUSTERS

are made of strong cloth; often of blue linen check.

KITCHEN TEA CLOTHS

are of thin linen, and used for wiping tea things, &c.

KITCHEN KNIFE CLOTHS

are made of any common old linen, used for wiping the knives and forks.

PUDDING CLOTHS.

As these are liable to be stained, they should be made of old towels or other coarse linen.

JELLY BAGS.

PLATE 24. FIG. 2.

These are made of flannel, and are in the shape of a half handkerchief cut from the square of a yard, the sides being sewed together, it resembles a reversed sugar loaf. The top is hemmed and has three loops sewed to it, which loop on to the corners of a frame which is made on purpose.

HAM BAGS.

These are made of earn, strong canvass or sacking, and are made of the same shape as a ham, or else are square, as a common bag; if the former is preferred, the wide end or mouth is hemmed, and has strings drawn through it, so that when the ham is put in, the bag is drawn up and hung up by them to the hooks in the ceiling. Bacon is also put into bags, which must be open at the long side, with an ample space to admit of the bacon being put in.

CHEESE CLOTHS.

These are made of a material usually called in the shops “cheese cloth”; it is a kind of thin canvass.

STABLE LINEN.

No remarks are necessary under this head, excepting as respects saddle-cases, which should be furnished always for ladies’ saddles, as they are liable to be moth-eaten, being stuffed. They should be of linen or brown Holland, like a bag, cut out a little to the shape of the saddle they are to contain.

Harness should always be hung against matting or drugget, instead of against the naked wall; those parts of the harness not in general use, may also be put in bags.

GENERAL OBSERVATIONS ON LINEN.

House linen should be purchased of various patterns, according to the use for which it is intended, and a great difference should be made between kitchen, housemaid’s and pantry linen, so that they may not easily be mixed, for servants frequently forget to look at the marks, and the tea cloths should be easily distinguishable from the glass or china cloths.

House linen should be marked very clearly and fully for this purpose; ink is better than silk: it is well to mark all pantry things P, kitchen K, house H, and stable S, but the use should be more fully marked, thus “P china cloth,” or “K duster,” is not at all more than is useful.

Plate 21, Fig. 5, is a drawing of a very convenient linen press, being a kind of bin or chest, to contain dirty linen, placed between two cupboards, three feet wide and twenty inches deep, and from six to seven feet high. The doors of these cupboards may be in two parts, if preferred to one, so that the pantry linen may be divided from the kitchen on the one side, and the housemaid’s from the bed-room on the other; the stable linen and any that is old may be put in the two drawers under the cupboards; the apparent drawers under the bin are false.

The bin is four feet and a half long, twenty inches deep, and three feet high; it should have two lids on hinges, and a division inside down the centre, so that wearing apparel may be kept separate from the house linen; over the bin is a shelf, on which may be kept clothes-baskets, &c., and beneath the shelf, lists of the linen may be hung; an inkstand and washing books might also stand there.

The cupboards should have moveable shelves, with slides all down the sides. It is an excellent plan to paste on the edges of these shelves, tickets of card-board, on which are written the name and number of the article upon the shelf. Thus, a ticket with “best sheets, 6 pair,” is placed on the edge of the shelf on which they lie; perhaps, “best pillow cases, 12 pair,” will be side by side with the sheets, the ticket belonging to them will therefore be on the edge of the same shelf. This arrangement is useful both to mistress and servant, particularly when a change takes place in the household. Fig. 6.

House linen should be counted over once a year at least.

A card containing a list of articles, together with the number and the mark, should be fastened within the cupboard, together with another list containing the quantity of linen allowed per week for the laundress, and the price to be paid the washerwoman for each article.

A linen press should be kept in the most perfect order.

REMARKS.

In purchasing house linen, it is a good plan to buy it in the piece, whether wanted at the time or not; by this means, you have always plenty of new linen by you, which being cut up, may be made by the the servants when there is any spare time, they should also be marked, so that when a towel or any thing wants replacing, it can be done immediately, and it does not appear nearly so great a tax on the purse when several things are wanted at once; much time is thus saved, and when things are bought in the piece they are charged less.

Shirt fronts, collars, and wristbands, children’s shifts, shirts and pinafores, with several other articles might also be cut out in the same manner, so that there is a constant supply of new linen ready-made when wanted. This plan, of course, only answers with large families where children of all sizes are to be fitted.

Very convenient washing books may be printed for families who pay for their washing by the piece, with the prices affixed, of which the following is a specimen.

It is the best economy to wash by the year, or by the quarter, in places where it can be done, and by the score or dozen in preference to the piece. A calculation may easily be made so as to be quite fair both to the washerwoman and her employer.

COUNTRY PRICES.