F is for ...

F is for… Fanny, Florence, Francis, Frances, Frederick, fabric, flannel, frugal, family. 

I have had a very productive day at a Quilting Workshop today. So my thoughts are filled with all things sewing….fabric, flannel, just to name a few. 

My 3 x Great Grandmother Elizabeth Selwyn was sentenced to seven years transportation to Australia for stealing. She stole an article of clothing. 

Was it a flannel petticoat? During the 18th century flannel petticoats provided warmth under garments of the day.

Flannel petticoats were one of the items of clothing given to convicts from the government on arrival in Australia. Along with other articles of clothing … jackets, shifts which they wore over their petticoats.  

I feel that Elizabeth would have “hankered” after a red flannel petticoat. But alas she would have been given the government stores variety of white. 

But whatever colour, it must have been a luxury after the rough tattered rags that convicts were clothed in on the voyage. The soft texture on her skin must have been a comfort after the long ship voyage. 

I like to think of Elizabeth as being frugal with whatever fabric she obtain during the early days in the colony. I am sure that she would have “up cycled” her petticoat when it no longer served the purpose it was designed for. Along with other items of clothing from her partner to provide warmth in the form of quilts for her children.

I picture her saving all scraps of fabric to make items of clothing for her family. I picture her sitting by candlelight sewing the scraps of fabric together. I picture a basket set aside to house all her scraps of fabric for later use. 

I wonder if she referred to these as her “stash” as I do in this century!

I am sure she would be aghast to see me cut up perfectly good fabric into little bits to then sew back together to make quilts. 

I like to think that my love if fabric has its roots in my heritage. I hope my Elizabeth got pleasure from some form of sewing.