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Set of Baby's Clothing

1800-1849 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

These pretty baby clothes make up a matching set consisting of a jacket, pair of sleeves and a cap. The knitter has used stocking stitch decorated with an openwork design, clusters of pink beads and rose motifs made out of pink and green glass beads. She would have had to string the beads on the yarn in the exact reverse order of the pattern before she began knitting.

The jacket and cap have tapes attached to secure them to the baby. Separate sleeves were a common part of baby's outfits. The Workwoman's Guide of 1838 illustrates and describes how to make a 'Knit Armlet…. Little children, in severe weather, wear them over their little naked arms to prevent them from chapping’.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 4 parts.

  • Cap (Headgear)
  • Jacket
  • Sleeve
  • Sleeve
Materials and techniques
Hand knitted wool
Brief description
Set of hand knitted woollen baby clothes, English, 1800-1849
Physical description
A matching set of baby clothes consisting of a cap, jacket and a pair of sleeves. The overall pattern is of openwork knitting decorated with clusters of pink beads. There are additional bands of plain knitting embellished with rose motifs made of pink and green glass beads. The cap and jacket have tapes attached to secure the clothes to the baby.
Dimensions
  • Neck to hem of jacket length: 21cm
  • Arm of jacket outstretched width: 26cm
  • Of sleeve length: 18cm
  • Of sleeve at widest point width: 7cm
  • Crown to edge of hat length: 17.5cm
  • Of hat at widest point width: 21.5cm
Tension: 19.5 stitches per inch 8.5 stitches per cm
Gallery label
12. SET OF BABY'S CLOTHES Hand-knitted cotton with glass beads. English, mid 19th century Each piece of this outfit was circular-knitted in openwork and stocking stitch with the bead decoration knitted in. The front of the jacket has been cut and the raw edges hemmed. The bonnet is edged with bobbin lace. Given by Mr. Sydney Vacher 380 to C-1907(1985)
Summary
These pretty baby clothes make up a matching set consisting of a jacket, pair of sleeves and a cap. The knitter has used stocking stitch decorated with an openwork design, clusters of pink beads and rose motifs made out of pink and green glass beads. She would have had to string the beads on the yarn in the exact reverse order of the pattern before she began knitting.

The jacket and cap have tapes attached to secure them to the baby. Separate sleeves were a common part of baby's outfits. The Workwoman's Guide of 1838 illustrates and describes how to make a 'Knit Armlet…. Little children, in severe weather, wear them over their little naked arms to prevent them from chapping’.
Collection
Accession number
380 to C-1907

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Record createdJanuary 18, 2005
Record URL
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