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Caption: Uncovering Time Capsules Peg and Awl
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Caption: The Bundle, stored in this manner for a century.
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Caption: Opens to reveal remaining bits of fabric cut for a dress.
Caption: This weekend I found piles of tiny fabric time capsules in small bundles from the late 1800s-early 1900s. Utilitarian fabric from Pennsylvania – predominantly indigo checked and striped cotton and used for everything from dresses to curtains to kitchen towels and more. Each bundle contains a larger outer piece (or pieces) and many small pieces, the remains of whatever pattern was being cut out – no piece was too small to save.
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Caption: In our throw-away society, seeing such bundles that have endured in such a manner for more then a century is so strangely inspiring. The first time I encountered this was at an abandoned house. I used the small fabric pieces to line journals – the curious legacy these women left, in saving the remains for some use in the future, was fulfilled a century later!
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Caption: Other colours...
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Caption: But mostly variations of blue.
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Caption: More late 1800s-early 1900s fabrics found this weekend!
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Caption: After fabric hunting we visited Daniel Boone's Homestead. I love Pennsylvania.
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Caption: But nothing's lost. Or else: All is translation and every bit of us
is lost in it.
-James Merrill
Caption: www.pegandawlbuilt.com
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