Bring Back Linen!

George and Martha Washington enjoyed simple elegance in their bed chambers, and preferred white linens. Purchased in the early 1790s, the four-poster, canopy bed is just over six feet, six inches long to accommodate Washington’s more than six-foot height. It is the bed in which he died in 1799. The French writing desk crafted of mahogany with a marble top and brass fittings was regularly used by Martha. Courtesy of the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association of the Union

Commentary

We’ve written often about laundry in this space. Are you ready to get hardcore? Let’s talk about linen, a byproduct of flax and the oldest truly American fabric that is utterly amazing for clothing, napkins (please take a rest from paper napkins!), handkerchiefs, tablecloths, and pretty much anything else. It’s wonderful in every way: the look, the care, the feel. It’s fabulous.