Woven basket
This handcrafted basket is made of woven ashwood. This basket can be used to store needles, thread, ribbons, and buttons for sewing. It is called a “work basket”.
Most of the sewing is carried out in winter when the people are less busy with farm work. New clothes are made, and old clothes are repaired. This craft is generally passed down from mother to daughter.
The fabrics, made of linen or hemp, are woven at home or bought from merchants importing them from Europe. Wool is also commonly used. Under the influence of Indigenous peoples, the garments worn by the non-Indigenous men of New France are trimmed with leather and fur. Adapted to the rigorous weather conditions, leggings, moccasins, and boots became part of their daily lives. As for women’s clothing, it remains predominantly European.
Spinning wheels, flax brakes, distaffs, embroidery hoops, and other articles needed for textile work are also common items in households.
References
Date: Unknown
Origin: North America
Owner: Site historique de la maison Lamontagne.
Sources:
Beaudoin-Ross, J. (2013, June 20). Clothing during the colonial period In The Canadien Encyclopedia Retrieved July 15, 2022, from https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/clothing-during-the-colonial-period
Gousse, S. (2022, June 2). La vêture des Canadiens au milieu du 18e siècle [How Canadians dressed in the mid-18th century. Conference presentation]. Société rimouskoise du patrimoine, Rimouski, QC, Canada.
Back, F. (1991). S’habiller à la canadienne [Dressing Canadian-style]. Cap-aux-Diamants, 24, 38–41. https://id.erudit.org/iderudit/7756ac
