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was everything white?

A

Alberta

Super Moderator
Staff member
I was pegging white items on the line yesterday and remember washing lines of my childhood.
They always seemed to be full of white washing,sheets,pillow cases, tablecloths,towels,babies nappies,shirts etc,made even whiten with a swirl from a 'blue bag'and only on Mondays.
When did we start to use coloured household linen.?
 
From White to Coloured Sheets, etc.

Alberta- I certainly remember when it seemed everything in the wash was white. I used to do large amounts of ironing when growing up....my father's shirts were a real challenge I remember, especially before steam irons came along. There certainly were loads of white items. I would estimate it was around the mid l960's when household linens started to change colour and be made of different fabrics.

My mother took me to a new rather big store somewhere on the No. 8 bus route in the mid l960's. The store was called Brentfords and they sold all kinds of household goods such as curtains, bedspreads and also some ladies clothing. I remember quilted housecoats in particular. The materials they used to make their goods were manmade I believe and nylon was popular. The colours they used for sheets, pillow cases, housecoats, etc. were all colours of the rainbow.

Once my mother discovered this shop she went all the time and filled the house with brightly coloured items...a bit of a shock after such blandness for the most part. She sent me a pair of nylon sheets from this shop over 30 years ago and I still have them. Pale pink and pale yellow.

I also remember the mail order catalogues like Kayes and others started selling coloured household linens, etc at about the same time. I asked my Mom why she was buying coloured sheets and storing them away. She said "If I am very ill at home I want to have nice bed linen on the bed for when the Doctor comes". Years ago people used to be nursed for long lengths of time at home and I imagine this is what she was thinking of.
I think she imagined herself ill in bed in a more cheerful setting at the end of her life!!
 
I remember Brentfords they sold the 'dreaded' brushed nylon sheets which if you had rough feet 'snagged'very badly also brushed nylon nighties. The first coloured bedding my mother bought was all in candy stripes topped by a candlewick bedspread that weighed a ton.
 
And if you suffled about too much in those nylon sheets they'd crackle and spark with static, in extreme circumstances, causing nasty friction burns. :shock:

What a way to start off married life, huh? :roll:
 
It was actually called Brentfords Nylons i think :lol: I remember the sheets i thought thery were vile, when i got married i reverted to cotton i used have them laundered at a shop on Rookery Road we collected them every Friday and they were folded in a recangle shape and tied up in paper. I remember when suddenly in the early 60s every thing became colurful, carpets and curtains were all vivid colours a little bright for me :shock:
 
It was the period of EASY CARE fabrics and with the new imported NYLON mens shirts were the same ..

Problem with nylon is it does not breath like cotton . men got stinkier in the nylon shirts and the same prob wit static was there as well ..

I hated nylon sheets and have an aversion to all man made fibres really .

I still try and buy mainly wool socks , cotton shirts, leather shoes , wool suits etc . bit more expensive in the main ,but feels better.

I picked up at one of these designer outlets a jumper that is wool,cashmere and silk . phew its looooveeleeey. (wasnt that expensive either ..

I do have mixed fibres and still turn the light out when I go to bed so that I can see the sparks fly whhen I take me top off .. (also stops senior managment laughing at me in the nude 0
 
Light hearted view

:D On the eve of his wedding night, a fresh-faced lad asks his mother: "Mum, why are wedding dresses white?"
The mother looks at her son and replies: Son, this shows the town that your bride is pure

The son thanks his mum and then seeks his father opinion. Dad, why are wedding dresses white? he asks.

The father looks at his son in surprise and replies: Son, all household appliances and items come in white. :lol:
 
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