French Dowry Linen

Dowry Linen Preparation

Have you ever wondered about the work that went into the preparation of dowry linen? Throughout the centuries French women have prepared linen for their impending marriages. This was known as a dowry or ‘trousseau’.

The wedding linen had to be scoured, bleached and embroidered. This process was both labour and time-intensive and remained unchanged until the end of the 18th century when chemicals such as chlorine became available.

The Washing Process

When the fabric came off the loom it was a grey colour in appearance and had to be washed.

It was then boiled in a potash solution to remove fats and oils. This was known as ‘bucking’.

Next came the washing with soap.  Before the invention of soap, substances such as potash, herbs, lime, plant ashes, stale urine and even dung, were used to scour the linen.

A process known as ‘souring’ was then used to neutralise the alkaline and get rid of salt. This involved immersing the linen in an acidic liquid such as buttermilk.

The linen was then rinsed.

After this, it was taken to the ‘bleaching field’ where it was laid out in the sun for 3 to 6 months. It needed to be kept wet at all times, which involved ladling water onto the fabric. In each village, land was set aside for the bleaching fields (usually around 20 acres).

The last part of the process was to stretch the bleached fabric back into shape.

The sheets and other items in the dowry were monogrammed with hand stitched initials. Monogramming the items in the trousseau was an art in itself, with special techniques and rules.

Monogramming

The sheets were monogrammed with the initials of the bride and groom.  Enough linen to last a lifetime was piled high in huge armoires presented by the bride’s family. The amount of linen trousseau a woman brought to her marriage was a symbol of family wealth.