Nainsook

I had to take a reference picture of this card for another project today.
When I looked closely at the picture in i-photo I realised I had no idea what Nainsook meant, easy to jump to a conclusion because I know what bias binding is but in The Oxford Dictionary I found this:-

     noun:-
     a fine, soft cotton fabric, originally from South Asia, often found with a woven stripe.
     Origin:
     late 18th century: from Hindi nainsukh, from nain 'eye + sukh 'pleasure'

and with an online search I came across this Etsy posting, showing the pictures below, for an 'Antique White Nainsook & Lace Apron'. And it's only $15.00

If a translation of Nainsook is 'Pleasant on the eye'  it's a fair description, I reckon.

Swedish Lace Collars

Recently, on our trip to Sweden, I was shown this gorgeous box of old stock left over from my friend Helena's father's haberdashery shop. The shop closed a long time ago but Helena and her mother couldn't bear to part with a few special items and these boxes of crisp, white collars are stored safely in the garage.

Helena spent many childhood Saturdays writing price tickets and working in the shop. The collars, all still bundled into matching groups with perfect red bands are adorable as they are but for costume purposes, they are ideal for a period school project or a script with lots of little girls in matching outfits; when you look in the box and rummage around the designs it's easy to imagine them all walking smartly in croc behind their teacher.