.png) |
In the 19th Century, Goodholme's domestic cyclopedia of practical information listed the materials used for mattress stuffing in order of comfort: down, feathers, wool, wool flock, hair, cotton, wood shavings, sea moss, sawdust, and straw.
https://loveiissk.shop/product_details/22238826.html
No wonder our ancestors' bedtime worries included fighting off nocturnal visitors such as moths, bedbugs, fleas, mice, and rats. It was said that many pioneers took their shoes to bed to use as weapons to fight off the unwelcome guests.
In the 19th Century, feather beds became an achievable luxury for those willing to put in the effort to gather the fifty-plus pounds of feathers needed to create a mattress.
Cross-section of a late 18th-century American bed, with bedstead, straw mattress, and feather bed. Photo credit: Wintherur Museum.
Comfort came at a price, and not all of our feathered friends were considered equal.
Feathers from pigeons or chickens were considered inferior. White feathers from domestic geese were best. This led some families to keep flocks of barnyard geese for their meat and eggs and to eat bugs from the garden. Families would save feathers from years of plucking to accumulate the fifty to eighty pounds required to fill a mattress tick.
A tick is a linen or cotton bag filled with either straw, wool, cotton, or feathers without support and sewn shut. This type of mattress was usually put on top of another firmer mattress for support. While tickings eventually wear out and must be replaced, feathers last for years.
The upkeep of mattresses wasn’t easy. The feathers had to be aired out or changed out entirely several times a year when they began to stink. Even so, a feather mattress was considered a valuable possession worthy of being passed on as a gift of a comfortable place to sleep to the next generation.
An overworked rancher weighed down by the responsibilities of his family, A teacher of Cherokee descent longing for acceptance and love. Could her sunny disposition be the spark of hope that melts his stubborn resolve, ignites their love, and brings the acceptance Annabelle longs for? Or will their budding relationship be sabotaged by his meddling mother and her snobbish ways?
Connect with Kimberly:
Fans of historical romance set in the late 19th Century will enjoy stories combining History, Humor, and Romance, emphasizing Faith, Friends, and Good Clean Fun.
FB: https://www.facebook.com/FaithFunandFriends/
Sign up for my newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/a920c145512a/kimberlygrist
Amazon: Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Kimberly-Grist/e/B07H2NTJ71
Bookbub:https://www.bookbub.com/profile/kimberly-grist
Website: https://kimberlygrist.com/
https://loveiissk.shop/product_details/22238826.html
No wonder our ancestors' bedtime worries included fighting off nocturnal visitors such as moths, bedbugs, fleas, mice, and rats. It was said that many pioneers took their shoes to bed to use as weapons to fight off the unwelcome guests.
 |
| https://laurelleaffarm.com/ticking-pillow-doll-bed.htm |
In the 19th Century, feather beds became an achievable luxury for those willing to put in the effort to gather the fifty-plus pounds of feathers needed to create a mattress.
Cross-section of a late 18th-century American bed, with bedstead, straw mattress, and feather bed. Photo credit: Wintherur Museum.
Comfort came at a price, and not all of our feathered friends were considered equal.
Feathers from pigeons or chickens were considered inferior. White feathers from domestic geese were best. This led some families to keep flocks of barnyard geese for their meat and eggs and to eat bugs from the garden. Families would save feathers from years of plucking to accumulate the fifty to eighty pounds required to fill a mattress tick.
 |
| https://laurelleaffarm.com/primitive-old-feather-tick.htm |
 |
| https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47e0-d681-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99 |
The upkeep of mattresses wasn’t easy. The feathers had to be aired out or changed out entirely several times a year when they began to stink. Even so, a feather mattress was considered a valuable possession worthy of being passed on as a gift of a comfortable place to sleep to the next generation.
New Release:
 |
| https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CR8NTH3M |
Connect with Kimberly:
Fans of historical romance set in the late 19th Century will enjoy stories combining History, Humor, and Romance, emphasizing Faith, Friends, and Good Clean Fun.
FB: https://www.facebook.com/FaithFunandFriends/
Sign up for my newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/a920c145512a/kimberlygrist
Amazon: Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Kimberly-Grist/e/B07H2NTJ71
Bookbub:https://www.bookbub.com/profile/kimberly-grist
Website: https://kimberlygrist.com/
No comments:
Post a Comment