launderess
Well-known member
Mending:
There were two schools of thoughts on that process. Some advised that items requiring repair should be done before they were sent to the wash. OTHO many did not like handling soiled (and considered unsanitary) linen, so they mended after items were laundered but before they were ironed (if required).
Problem with mending after laundering is that small holes, rips, tears and so forth are often made worse during the washing process. Hence a "stitch in time saves nine".
Once sewing machines came upon the scene hand darning and mending went out by many housewives and others including hotels and hospitals. However fancy the various attachments then and now are for sewing machines, flatwork mended by lockstich is often hard and coarse, and certianly not invisable. OTOH a skilled needleworker could produce a darn or repair on even the finest damask linen that was totally invisable. Such work was highly prized and while often found in convents many women knew such skills as well. In fact the term "French Reweaving" the process of mending rips and tears on textiles came about because after WWI and WWII so many European women of all classes landed upon American shores. Many had few other skills besides needlework (which was something all women were expected to know, but some were better at it than others), so they set up shop to do mending. While the more upscale clientle found the "French" bit chic, it was done by Jewish, Italian, German and others as well.
Household tasks divided by days:
Unless one had lots of domestic help there was simply no other way round things in a properly run household. So much work had to be done, much of it manually that in order to get on you needed a plan. Even with help much depended upon things such as when you went to market (until fridges came long meats, produce and such didn't last very long so had to be purchased daily or every other day), the weather (Monday or not if the weather didn't permit laundry day was put off).
Until washing machines for domestic use had safe and effective extraction methods it was best often to let things dry, starch (if required and if not done already), dampen and allow to sit so the moisture could spread evenly. Commercial laundries of course had extractors going back to the early part of the last century. This meant they could often send items from that process to ironing because the textiles were just damp enough. Wringers OTOH are not very good at extraction of water, and the more one tries the harder it is on fabrics and can create creases that make the work of ironing more difficult.
Starting Laundry On Saturday Nights:
Many of my vintage laundry manuals mention this and yes it was to avoid doing work on Sunday which was the Sabbath for most Christian households. Only whites and colourfast items would be left to soak.
Though many today find it odd, Sunday was the universal day of rest round the world in Christian countries. Even today in many parts of the United States/the world either by law or custom things pretty much shut down (Blue Laws).
Another word about mending:
Major mending, repair and making of new (homemade)clothing often took place during the winter months. For one thing the days were shorter and nights longer so people were indoors more. Also because of the weather much outdoor work wasn't done either such as farming and so forth.
There were two schools of thoughts on that process. Some advised that items requiring repair should be done before they were sent to the wash. OTHO many did not like handling soiled (and considered unsanitary) linen, so they mended after items were laundered but before they were ironed (if required).
Problem with mending after laundering is that small holes, rips, tears and so forth are often made worse during the washing process. Hence a "stitch in time saves nine".
Once sewing machines came upon the scene hand darning and mending went out by many housewives and others including hotels and hospitals. However fancy the various attachments then and now are for sewing machines, flatwork mended by lockstich is often hard and coarse, and certianly not invisable. OTOH a skilled needleworker could produce a darn or repair on even the finest damask linen that was totally invisable. Such work was highly prized and while often found in convents many women knew such skills as well. In fact the term "French Reweaving" the process of mending rips and tears on textiles came about because after WWI and WWII so many European women of all classes landed upon American shores. Many had few other skills besides needlework (which was something all women were expected to know, but some were better at it than others), so they set up shop to do mending. While the more upscale clientle found the "French" bit chic, it was done by Jewish, Italian, German and others as well.
Household tasks divided by days:
Unless one had lots of domestic help there was simply no other way round things in a properly run household. So much work had to be done, much of it manually that in order to get on you needed a plan. Even with help much depended upon things such as when you went to market (until fridges came long meats, produce and such didn't last very long so had to be purchased daily or every other day), the weather (Monday or not if the weather didn't permit laundry day was put off).
Until washing machines for domestic use had safe and effective extraction methods it was best often to let things dry, starch (if required and if not done already), dampen and allow to sit so the moisture could spread evenly. Commercial laundries of course had extractors going back to the early part of the last century. This meant they could often send items from that process to ironing because the textiles were just damp enough. Wringers OTOH are not very good at extraction of water, and the more one tries the harder it is on fabrics and can create creases that make the work of ironing more difficult.
Starting Laundry On Saturday Nights:
Many of my vintage laundry manuals mention this and yes it was to avoid doing work on Sunday which was the Sabbath for most Christian households. Only whites and colourfast items would be left to soak.
Though many today find it odd, Sunday was the universal day of rest round the world in Christian countries. Even today in many parts of the United States/the world either by law or custom things pretty much shut down (Blue Laws).
Another word about mending:
Major mending, repair and making of new (homemade)clothing often took place during the winter months. For one thing the days were shorter and nights longer so people were indoors more. Also because of the weather much outdoor work wasn't done either such as farming and so forth.
