A Brief History Of Fine Swedish Table Linen   by Calle Redhe

Linen itself has been featured in history since Prehistoric times. Egyptian culture used linen as a basic cloth as well as for costume. Archaeologists have found samples of linen, dating back to 4200 BC. Linen that is now used in fine Swedish table linen was processed in much the same way, back in 642 AD. Unfortunately, few pieces have survived from that time.

By the 1500's, a damask linen was imported by Holland and Flanders. This linen was used for table cloths by the wealthy. This tradition was replicated in the seventeenth century in Sweden. Fine Swedish table linens were owned by wealthy Swedish families--they were ornate and decorative. And it wasn't until the 1800's that table linen was used as an everyday table cloth.

From the seventeenth century, Halsingland, Sweden began to produce both flax and linen. It was in 1730 that a man by the name of Stephen Bennet set up a linen factory of sorts with about eighty looms. The quality of the damask created was high, but the factory stopped producing fine Swedish table linen in 1845 when it closed down.

In terms of producing the linen, most histories agree that men were given the responsibility of the heavier work--carrying and lifting and transport of materials. Women were taught from a young age about the craft of linen. Many of the children and older women were in charge of less delicate jobs, while those with manual dexterity and stamina were given the task of making the higher quality fine Swedish table linens on one of the many looms.

Prior to weaving and spinning, the women would color the flax. Bleaching the fine Swedish table linens was difficult, as many of the dyes were not colorfast. Some of the natural dyes that were utilized were from natural findings--leaves, lichens, moss, and bark. In the rare occasions when other colors were requested, they could buy colorings--logwood, gambier, indigo, and Farnock (from a tree).

The complicated process of weaving fine Swedish table linen was not without good results though. One story goes that an owner of a weavery--Calle Redhe-- used to go to Norway to sell his fine Swedish table linen. In one particular summer trip, he met an older woman of about seventy years old. The woman came up to Calle and asked him if he was indeed Calle Redhe, to which he replied yes.

The woman was delighted to find Calle as she herself had bought a fine Swedish table linen from Calle's father in 1948 just after she was married. Now, recently widowed after fifty-seven years and returned to Norway to live she was delighted to learn she could finally buy some napkins woven from the same loom as the tablecloth. She had her tablecloth with her and purchased matching napkins.

Fine Swedish table linen has a long history behind it, but it's the story of the owners and their families are what enrich their legacy. And with the long-standing tradition of linen making and weaving, you too can probably find something to match your great-grandmother's linens.

About the Author

Calle Redhe is the owner and Master Weaver at Redhes Weavery in Bjorbo, Sweden. Redhes Weavery was founded in the mid-1940's and has become renowned for keeping alive the ancient Swedish traditions of patterning and quality most evident in the overshot weave cloths they produce today. He makes it easy for all to own table linens with the air of royalty.

Pomp, Circumstance and Fine Swedish Table Linen.   by Calle Redhe

Although the history to fine Swedish table linen is impressive enough, the current reverence for its past can be seen in many international functions.

Since 1901, the Nobel Prize Award Ceremony has taken place in Stockholm, Sweden on December 10 (the anniversary of Albert Nobel's death). This is a ceremony that recognizes the brightest and most innovative minds in the world with prestige and honor.

With speeches and grand presentations, the Nobel Prize dinner is one of the biggest dinners in the world each year, and the most secret as well. Not only are winners and their families invited, but the Swedish Royal Family is in attendance as well. His Majesty the King of Sweden presents each of the winners with a diploma and a medal.

Upon each table are fine demonstrations of fine Swedish table linen-from the tablecloths to the napkins. And with about thirteen hundred guests, that's quite a few pieces of fine Swedish table linen to provide. This guest list is strict, including only a few hundred students and over ninety members of the royal family.

Each table is set with special Nobel tableware that was created for the ninetieth anniversary of the Nobel Prize (which was in 1991). The Swedish designers that created the pieces of tableware were Ingrid Dessau, Gunnar Cyren, and Karin Bjorquist. It is interesting to note that Sweden is the only country that uses a particular place setting for events that include the royal family.

The Nobel Prize dinner hall's sixty five tables are blanketed with about four hundred and seventy meters of fine Swedish table linen. On the fine Swedish table linen are many thousands of porcelain dishes, glasses and silverware pieces.

Although there are many suppliers of fine Swedish table linen in the country, Ekelund can profess to be the chief supplier of fine Swedish table linen to the Swedish Royal family since 1692. But Klaessbols is another linen company that provides the fine Swedish table linen for the Nobel Prize dinner, as well as to the royals.

The Swedish Royal Family not only uses fine Swedish table linen at all of their formal occasions-gala dinners, meetings with other heads of states, but also in their daily lives. In past history, maps and other decorations were painted onto linen and hung in the royal halls.

But you don't have to wear a crown to enjoy the luxury of fine Swedish table linen. When an everyday person embraces Swedish table linen as a part of their everyday life, then they are welcoming years of history and prestige into their own homes-a certain sense of royalty within themselves.

Thankfully fine Swedish table linen was not something that was carelessly tossed aside and replaced with modern technology. Family weaveries still exist in small towns of central Sweden today to give the new millennium its own piece of history and charm.

Whether as a wedding gift or a gift to ones self, fine Swedish table linen will tell the story of your life as it is shared by generations.

About the Author

Calle Redhe is the owner and Master Weaver at Redhes Weavery in Bjorbo, Sweden. Redhes Weavery was founded in the mid-1940's and has become renowned for keeping alive the ancient Swedish traditions of patterning and quality most evident in the overshot weave cloths they produce today. He makes it easy for all to own table linens with the air of royalty.

Great information on bed linens, linen fabric and table linens   by Amy-Jo Strutt

When we think of bedding, we often recall the flannel sheet sets we slept on as a child. This site is dedicated to providing you with the latest information on sleep sets. When we think of bed linens, we often think of 200 - 600 threat count Egyptian cotton, bridal quality satin, polyester woven satin, polyester knit satin, 100% cotton and flannel. But the truth is, pure linen fabric actually comes from the stalk of the flax plant making it one of the strongest materials on the market. You can find an array of bed linens online that are both exquisite and luxurious, a deadly combination. Check out the selection of fantastic table lines for the dining room while you're at it.

You have two options for cleaning your bed linens. You can dry clean them which is not very convenient and can be very expensive or you can simply machine wash them. Washing them is highly recommended because the more they are washed, the softer, more absorbent and luminous they become. The same is true for your table linens. You can either hand or machine wash them but make sure to use the gentle cycle and a mild detergent. Use cool or warm water, never hot water as this can damage the linen fabric. If you stain your bedding, be sure to wash it immediately before the stain sets. Feel free to hang or machine dry but take it out while it is still damp to preserve natural moisture and flexibility.

You will enjoy you bed linens for years. They are beautiful, durable and luxurious. By the way, they are 2 to 3 times stronger than cotton sheets. You will also enjoy your table linens for generations as they are often passed down over time. They actually get softer and finer with every washing. There are a number of fantastic retailers online that offer a wide range of products at great prices. Feel free to check them out and you can decide for yourself about the quality and choice they are offering.

About the Author

Amy-Jo Strutt is a successful home decorating writer and regular contributor to comforters-luxury-bedding.com An online resource to help you find the very best futons, futon covers and futon mattress.

How To Make Your Fine Swedish Table Linen More Beautiful With Age.   by Calle Redhe

Fine Swedish table linen isn't just a gift, but it's an heirloom. As a traditional wedding gift, table linen becomes a way to share history from generation to generation. To preserve table linen integrity, here are some tips and tricks.

Although a fine Swedish table linen only looks better with continued use, how can you keep it clean of everyday life? Stains and wrinkles do happen, but you can easily remove both. Linen is made to last.

Washing your table linen is simple due to the way linen is structured-it easily releases stains because of the fiber weave. The trick is to wash the table linen in mild temperatures, rather than anything hot, with a mild laundry detergent.

Hot temperatures can cause the linen fibers to disintegrate, especially when the table linen is old, such as with a heirloom piece.

If you find a stain on your fine Swedish table linen, then you can put a little salt on top of the stain and soak in cold water before washing. This can remove many complicated stains with little work needed by you.

The quicker you can get to a stain on your table linen, the better. In many cases, just water can remove a light soiling.

If you have a more difficult stain on your table linen, then here are some tips:

- Berry stains: soak in boiling water to release the stain and wash as usual.

- Wine: red wine stains can be sprinkled with salt, while white wine stains can be washed away with cool water

- Grease: sprinkle potato flour on the stain and let soak over night before washing. Gently remove the flour from the stain and wash as usual.

- Coffee: a boiling water soak works well, but for colored linen, you will want to mix an egg yolk onto the stain and soak in warm water

For lighter stains on your table linen, you should be able to remove it immediately with cool water. Never rub anything into the linen! Not only can the stain be made permanent, but you may also destroy the fibers of the table linen.

Although most fine Swedish table linen doesn't need ironing, you can touch it up when it's damp for special occasions. You will want to avoid drying it in the dryer, rather hang it on a clothesline.

It's good to note that direct sunlight may discolor and damage your table linen-even if it is white. You will want to keep the table linen shaded or stored until you need to use it.

When you need to store your fine Swedish table linen, you will want to roll it instead of folding it. The folds can cause the linen to wear and break over time, especially if you don't use your table linen often.

Taking care of your fine Swedish table linen will help it to continue from daughter to daughter, mother to mother. A table linen tells a story of care for a piece of a family's history and you can help continue to add to the story.

About the Author

Calle Redhe is the owner and Master Weaver at Redhes Weavery in Bjorbo, Sweden. Redhes Weavery was founded in the mid-1940's and has become renowned for keeping alive the ancient Swedish traditions of patterning and quality most evident in the overshot weave cloths they produce today. He makes it easy for all to own table linens with the air of royalty.

Organizing Your Home: Your Linen Closet   by Shaan Randow

I'm so proud of you--committing to organize your home is the first step in actually doing it! Let's hit the Linen Closet!

If you have excess laundry to deal with, you probably have a linen closet that is less than user-friendly. Once you have clean towels, rags, and other linens to put away, you won't do it if your destination is less-than-appealing.

So let's organize it! This is the first place where you'll have to be brutally honest with yourself about what you keep and what you get rid of. When I say, "get rid of," I don't necessarily mean it ends in the trash--if it's towels, bedding, etc., that are in bad condition, your local animal shelter would be grateful for your donation. They always need things for the dogs and cats to lay on in their runs and crates, and your cast-offs in this area will be eagerly accepted.

1. Take stock of what you have for shelves. Do you have wooden or wire shelves? Do you have problems with things "falling through" if you have wire shelves? If so, you don't have to worry and go buy scrap wood to line the shelves with--a simple piece of shelf-lining (you know, that bumpy green stuff that comes in rolls) will lay nicely and prevent small things from falling through. If necessary, put some of that down.

2. Now take a look and see what you've got in terms of extra bedding. How many beds in your home? You should have a minimum of 1 extra bedding-set for each bed, a maximum of 2. Think about it before you start to write me and tell me why you need 6 sets of bedding for each bed--if you have small children who have nighttime accidents (or get the stomach flu in the middle of the night), you might have to change sheets in the morning (or the middle of the night if it's barf!), and you'll have some clean ones to put on. You'll put the dirty ones in the washer and get the machine started on that task. Then you'll swap things to the dryer. You'll still have clean sheets on the bed and if you've got 2 extra sets, another clean one in the linen closet. So now with that argument won, go through your bedding. Do you have mis-matched pieces? If so, put them in the donation pile. Do you have twin pieces mixed in with king pieces? If so, separate them in to piles. Make sure everything is folded (I'll give you a pass on the fitted sheets--those are impossible to fold neatly!). Now set aside one or two shelves for your bedding. Make sure that the bedding for the queen bed is not piled up with the stuff for the crib or twin bed. You can fold the stuff in squares or fold it in to long rectangles and then roll it. Either way is acceptable--it just depends on how much space you've got.

Good job--now we'll move on to towels and other things in Part Two of Organizing Your Linen Closet!