Casgliadau Arlein

bedgown (loose-cut; uncharacteristic in that the skirt section is not open at the front but flows down in a straight line from the shoulders, down the centre front); made from black and red striped tabby woven wool fabric (red stripes = 6 warps / 0.4cm wide); constructed from continuous long section at back, two at front and two small triangular pieces inserted into the side seams (up to waist height); small tuck of front sections at shoulders (pointing inwards / towards front); narrow yoke at rear neck (c. 4cm wide) into which 2 inward-facing peats at centre back are gathered; the yoke is folded over and stitched to the inside of the rear neck (over the lining [see below]); sleeves joined on separately (straight across shoulders); elbow-length sleeves with c. 5cm wide turn-up; 6cm wide turn-back at hem; centre front to fasten at approximately waist level with 3 metal hook and eye fasteners (centre hook and eye of different material as top and bottom ones = copper alloy vs steel)

Upper bodice section lined with white tabby woven cotton (sleeves not lined, lining loose at arm holes [selvages]); lining constructed from 1 piece of fabric across back (echoing the pleats of the outer fabric at upper centre back) and 2 front sections; an 8cm wide strip of coarser white tabby woven fabric has been stitched to the lower edge of the back lining (made up of 3 pieces of different widths); its bottom edge has large pinking while the bottom edges of front lining are cut straight (unfinished); 1.3cm wide brown cotton tabby tape pull-ties inserted through channel stitched into lining at waist: one end stitch-secured to right side, the other to the left; below (in the added strip) there are two further channels for draw strings, however only small ends protrude from these channels (small end on upper left and small end on lower right); the drawstring in those two lower channels is made from white cotton tabby fabric; the ends are stitched in place leaving (very slight!) permanent gathers.