Casgliadau Arlein

Two rag-offerings both marked with the same number 'P93' with white paint

(A) is a length of light brown stick with bark still attached and rough broken-off ends. A metal pin or nail has been inserted into the wood at one end. Four 'rags' (= 4 fabrics of different weave / colour) have been crudely tied round the stick (in a single knot except where stated). All edges are unfinished and slightly frayed except where stated. 5 and 7.2cm in from both ends (respectively) there are small holes through the diameter of the wood, related to pinning the object to the wall of the display case during previous display. The hole that is 5cm in from the end still holds the remains of the pin: it is bent and missing its head.

The first fabric is a fine, densely woven, striped twill (2:1) (2-ply, S-twist yarns); it has stripes of deep red and blue on a formerly pink ground which now has faded to off-white apart from areas that have been protected from exposure. The stripes themselves also show signs of fading. One end has a 2.4cm long vertical row of handstitched running stitches using brown thread (3-ply, S-twist) along which the fabric is slightly gathered. One end is cut straight along the grain of the fabric, whereas the other end is cut diagonally. The fabric has a slight sheen.

The second 'rag' is a 3cm wide strip of undyed cellulosic fabric (tabby weave) (singles yarn, Z-spun; c. 37 yarns per cm). It has a raised, slightly 3D, check pattern which is created by using several and/or thicker yarns in both warp and weft direction. The fabric is slighty gathered along some of the thicker pattern yarns. The lower ends of the strip of fabric have narrow (2mm wide) machine-stitched turnbacks. This strip is tied on with a double-knot.

The 3rd 'rag' is a 10.5cm wide strip of cellulosic twill (4:1) fabric (singles yarns; warps = S-spun, wefts = Z-spun; c. 36 warps and 31 wefts per cm). It is faded from peach-pink (still visible in unexposed areas) to a dull yellow-grey colour.

The 4th 'rag' is a 1.2cm wide undyed cotton tabby tape (c. 33 warps and 19 wefts per cm). This tape is more tightly tied than the other three strips of fabric.

(B) is a length of light brown stick (of the same type of wood as A); its bark is also still attached and it has rough broken-off ends. One one side, a twig branches out of the thicker one, at a diagonal angle; the rough end has a shiny coating, probably adhesive.

Opposite it, a smaller, shorter branch also grows at a diagonal angle to the thicker one.

A separate piece of stick, which has broken off, fits in-between these two branches. It is possible to see the imprint of a pin/nail on the breakage point which will have caused the break (probably as a result of mounting for previous display); there also seems to be some adhesive residue on the break. Just 5-7mm in from the breakage point, there is another pin hole, probably made to resecure the stick to the wall of the display case after it had broken off.

1.3 and 9cm in from the one end (of the main section of [B]) there are small holes in the wood related to pinning the stick to the wall of the display case during previous display.

Five 'rags' (= fabrics of different weave / colour) and a piece of string have been crudely tied to the main stick (in a single knot except where stated). All edges of the fabrics on [B] are unfinished and fraying, worst of all on the striped cotton sateen (see below).

The first is a 3.8cm wide strip of undyed cotton tabby weave (singles yarn, Z-spun, c. 25 yarns per cm)

The second is an unevenly cut strip (3.2cm at its widest) of undyed cotton twill weave (slightly grey in colour) (singles yarn, Z-spun, c. 18 warps and 23 wefts per cm). This strip is tied on with a double-knot. It has a corroded pin inserted through one end (not pinned to anything else).

The third is an unevenly cut strip (c.4cm at its widest) of undyed cotton tabby weave of a slightly yellow colour (singles yarns, Z and S spun, respectively). The fabric is fairly thick and densely woven: c. 25 yarns per cm. This strip is more tightly tied compared to the other strips of fabric.

In-between this and the next strip, there is a small patch of tabby-woven fabric adhered to the stick.

The fourth is an very unevenly cut strip of striped cotton sateen weave (singles yarns, Z-spun, c. 9 warps per 0.1cm and c. 27 wefts per 1cm). The ground of the fabric is of a yellow/brown/grey colour. The stripes are brown with a white centre. The original colours probably differed from these as it appears as though the fabric is very faded.The brown part of the stripe is woven in a 7:1 twill weave. The metal pin which would have been used to mount the object within the display case remains stuck in the shorter, narrower end of the strip; the head of the pin doesn't survive. On the knot itself is a dark- and light-brown accretion which seems to be stuck with adhesive. The adhesive also seems to have penetrated into the surrounding fabric. There is a narrow strip (width = 1.2cm) of undyed tabby fabric (singles yarns, Z-spun) which is knotted in with the sateen strip. A large piece of mud is caked to one end of it. This fabric is thin, soft and loosely woven, c. 28 yarns per cm)

Next, a piece of cellulosic string (S-twist) is tied round the stick in a double-knot. The ends are trimmed off directly above the knot. Near the knot, the string is stuck to the stick with adhesive. There is also a shiny film of adhesive on surrounding wood. (The string consists of several strands and is densely twisted: c.10 twists per cm)

The fifth 'rag' is an unevenly cut strip of undyed cotton tabby weave (singles yarn, Z-spun). Another piece of the same material appears to be knotted in with this. This fabric is fine and densely woven (c.31 yarns per cm).