Linen Love

Until recently, linen never really held much interest for me.  I thought the fabric was either too stiff and uncomfortable to wear or too wrinkled and sloppy-looking in table linens and bedding.  Most women who love linen say that the wrinkling is “the beauty of it” but I couldn’t see it.  That is, until fellow blogger Leslie at Hostess of Humble Bungalow highlighted her new pinafore apron from Rough Linen.

First I researched Rough Linen and watched a series of videos about linens, their household uses in the kitchen and in bedding and of course, the aprons and pinafores.  I had been doing a lot of gardening before my brother died last month and thought owning one of Rough Linen’s pinafores might be just the thing to keep me motivated both in the home and in the garden.  Doesn’t having the right “tools” make all the difference in our daily rounds?  So I bought my pinafore and although I have yet to wear it, it sits prettily in my laundry center with it’s cloth ribbon still wrapped around it.

I began researching other linen lines and discovered the remarkable history of the fabric.  There’s something wonderful about wearing the same centuries-old cloth that outfitted Jane Austen and her cohorts as well as queens and their babies.  There are some beautiful images on the internet of homespun and high-end linens (and there is a difference) that has inspired me this summer.

As for clothing, I have a few linen pieces that I generally wear once and then let sit on my ironing pile until September.  That doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate my linen clothes….I just hate ironing.  But after seeing so many pictures on the internet of gorgeous linens in every form of disarray, I wondered if I should just enjoy my clothes and not worry about the creases and wrinkles.

I tried using my dryer with a sheet that purportedly smooths out fabric.  It worked only enough to make me feel comfortable wearing my linen blouses without ironing.   But soon I was able to appreciate the clothes on my back in a new way.  I love wearing such an ancient fabric and was surprised to feel how soft my garments began to feel against my skin.  I also loved the ease of linen – my salmon-colored tunic with the ties on the sleeves is naturally loose and stretches a bit in hot weather, making it super comfortable for the scorching days we’ve been having.  It also wicks away moisture beautifully.

Naturally, I wanted more.  I found some old linen napkins in a luscious heathery plum tucked away in my hutch.  Those came out and are smoothed and folded and ready for an early-fall dinner get-together I will have.  I love the cozy way they look with my blue dinnerware.  I found a coral-hued shift at a resale shop.  I’m sure it was discarded by its previous owner because she hates ironing too but I love the soft crushed look it has especially when I paired it with my matching Jack Rogers sandals and my slim gold bangles.  I find that accessories elevate linen’s friendly look into something quintessentially summery, chic but casual.  I’m pleased.  The simplicity of a linen life just appeals to me right now and has been a little spark of joy in a very sad and extremely hot summer.

I will untie that sweet little linen pinafore this fall and savor it with new blessings and cooler days…

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I can’t thank you enough for the kind comments I have received about my brother’s death.  I read some of them to my mother and she appreciated them very much.  You have all been so kind to me.  #iwilllovehimforever