Description:
Quilted, cream, satin weave silk petticoat quilted in matching silk thread with a geometric quilting design suggesting an English origin; and with a bleached, plain weave linen lining and batting. As early as the 1720s, quilted petticoats were an important component of many women's wardrobes. In addition to providing added warmth, the materials and quilting patterns they displayed served as decorative embellishment to the wearer's apparel. During the late 18th and early 19th centuries, the bulkiness of these kinds of petticoats fell out of favor as dress styles became streamlined. From about 1710-1790, decorative petticoats were fashionable for wearing under an "open robe," a style of dress that is open across the center front of the skirt. The petticoat could be made to match the dress fabric, embroidered, or made of a contrasting solid color. During the 17th and 18th centuries, England exported thousand of pre-made quilts and quilted petticoats to the colonies. According to a note from the donor in the files, the petticoat probably belonged to a lady (a family ancester) "who had George Washington for dinner in Yorktown." This example was cut down, probably in the later 18th century, to make a narrower waistband; the excess fabric has been rolled over. There are three red lines through the length of the salvage.
Link to share this object record:
https://museums.fivecolleges.edu/detail.php?t=objects&type=ext&id_number=HD+T.146 |
