Time sure flies when you are busy! And Texas Showtime is right around the corner again.

We will be arriving in Texas with no less than:

• 500 yards of vintage homespun linen on the bolt
• 100+ homespun feedsacks, with and without text, with and without stripes
• 300+ antique French linens sheets, from finest to coarses, monogrammed or not, small to large
• 250+ nightdresses and shifts, all thicknesses and sizes
• Amazing lamps, made with vintage linens, antique texts and sheet music
• Hundreds of great pieces made from recycled vintage linens, sachets, pillows, body pillows, bags and more

And so much more.

Our booth space is larger than ever, almost 1000 square feet of European market feel. So don’t miss us!

To find us at La Bahia, See directions here

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Touch of Europe

829 Pickens Industrial Drive

Suite 13

Marietta, GA 30062

770-794-4933

info@touchofeurope.net

Web-based retailer Touch of Europe announces 1^st Annual Open House

Marietta, GA- November 12, 2008

Save the date! Touch of Europe, a web-based retail operation with a large fan base announces its 1^st annual open house on November 28 and 29 from 9:00-6:00 in our fully stocked warehouse located at 829 Pickens Industrial Drive, Suite 13 Marietta, GA 30062, off of Allgood Road. Avoid the malls with their long lines and traffic delays, and instead  peruse our clearance room, our “good deals” room and our 5000 square foot warehouse packed to the gills with fine imported European antique linens, gourmet food items, office, paper and craft products, beautiful melamine dinnerware, unique table and kitchen linens, kitchen accessories…the list goes on and on!  Our items are unique and rarely seen in stores.

We will have a “close-out” area featuring beautiful French pajama sets and robes, adorable athletic type shorts, flannel boxers and pajama bottoms. We have great ideas for all of the children on your shopping lists including some of the cutest stuffed animals around! Our office items from Vera Bradley are in some of the best patterns of the season. Additionally, we have some handbags that are to die for! You will find items for everyone on your shopping list, including those hard to buy for people! We feature products from Baekgaard, Cavallini, Punch Studios, Reisenthel, Laguiole Cutlery and many, many more great names.

We encourage you to leave the kids at home (remember, we are in a warehouse…maybe not the safest place for your little ones!) and bring your friends for a fun-filled shopping experience. We will offer many incentives and door prizes to add to your enjoyment. You will not be disappointed with our selection and products! For additional information, and to see a preview of what is in store for you please see our website: www.touchofeurope.net. You may also call 770-794-4933 locally or 866-764-2975 toll free between the hours of 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. We look forward to seeing you at what may become your best shopping experience of the year!

Sign up for our newsletter at www.touchofeurope.net to get the latest news as fast as it comes out and get all the details for this unique holiday event.

In the old days monogramming was a way of life, especially in big wealthy families and estates.  Sometimes it was the only way to distinguish who owned what as the nightshirts and bed linens were all similar in one household.

The all important Trousseau was a measure of the bride’s wealth and included in some cases, years and years worth of embroidery and painstaking stitchery.   The household would be further augmented by inherited linens passed down from mothers to daughters, creating a real history in the linen press.

The trousseau or dowry also provided a measure of material security for a young couple starting out.  It gave them a base to build on, and showcased the talents and skills of the new wife.

European linens usually have 2 initials, the wife’s initial and her husband’s.  When one finds a piece with a single monogram it indicates a wedding that did not take place, for whatever the reason.  Double (and sometimes triple) monograms are the norm.  Single monograms are a particularity of the United States and generally not seen in Europe.

However, there is no hard and fast rule for which monograms were used.  Personal items would often have the first and last name initials, the more generic family linens, intended for passing down along the line would perhaps have both last names.
The contents of the trousseau depended on the wealth and importance of the family.  Twelve sheets was common in wealthier families, sometimes more.  Dozens of dish towels, towels, napkins, lapkins, tablecloths, ‘chemises’ (night and day shirts), bloomers, nightdresses, handkerchiefs and more were meticulously prepared, embroidered and monogrammed.  Girls began sewing when they were very young, 6 or 7 generally.  Every girl was taught the basic skills and produced one or several ABC samplers.  Other samplers would show a girls mastery of mending, darning and patching skills,  and other embroidery stitches.

Acceptable monogram colors were white and red.  Generally red is less formal, and would be more for luncheons and casual events.Red was commonly found along with white for monograms and ornamentation.  Red was a strong dye and would resist launderings and the rough treatment linens received in the days prior to the advent of the washing machine.  Every day pieces were embroidered more simply in red,often just cross stitched.  This was done as much for indentification within the linen cupboard and to keep items organized and paired, as for indicating ownership.   This system of accounting as it were enabled linens to be rotated so they would wear evenly, and also helped keep track of all the pieces in the trousseau ~ a valuable investment for the family.

The more formal and fancy linens were done in white on white. These would be used very little (and in many cases never at all) and laundered sparingly.  They were passed down from generation to generation.

All the women in the family were involved in the creation of the linens for the household, present and future.  The ‘gentle’ arts were always in the hands of the women.   This means not just the embroidery but the weaving, the sewing and the actual monogramming.