Casgliadau Arlein

Rag offerings tied to a hawthorn branch from a 'wishing well' at Tremains, near Bridgend, 1904.

Rag offering consisting of a thin brown twig with two strips of woven textiles knotted around it. The twig is from a plant that produces thorns and is still covered with dark brown bark. The bark, however, is dry and slightly shrivelled.The thicker end of the 'main' twig has been cut neatly with a knife, while the thinner end is broken off roughly. A thinner and shorter twig grows out of the top of the 'main' one; it ends in a thorn. There are several other points where smaller twigs have started to sprout, but these have all either broken (or have been cut) off. One textile is a 3.2cm wide strip of dark grey tabby weave (singles yarn, Z-spun; c. 38 yarns per cm). It has a raised, slightly 3D, woven stripe pattern which is created by occasionally using thicker yarns. The fabric is slighty gathered along some of the thicker pattern yarns. This strip is tied on with a very loose knot. The bend in the shorter end suggests that the strip may once have been tied with a second knot, however this has since come undone. The other textile is a 3:1 twill weave of an undyed, unbleached yellow-white colour. (singles yarn: warps = Z-spun, wefts = S-spun; c. 48 warps / 25 wefts per 1cm). There are c. 6 irregular running stitches down the centre of one end using a white cellulosic thread (3-ply, S-twist). The fabric is creased along the line of stitches and the pattern of soiling suggests that one side would have been tucked in as a seam allowance as it has been protected from soiling, while the other side is soiled. 2.5cm up from the same end, there is a crease across the width of the fabric which is held together with a few stitches of the same thread. This fabric is knotted tightly to the twig.