Archive for Sunday, June 11, 2006  Hope chests make longtime
family keepsakes  June 11, 2006   In earlier centuries, every
bride was expected to have a hope chest or dower chest. Girls
living before 1900 were expected to start weaving and sewing
sheets, towels, tablecloths, lace, quilts and other textiles to
be used when they married. Samplers were originally samples of
the embroidery skill of the girls. The skill was important
because every piece of fabric in the chest was monogrammed.
Textiles were among the most valuable assets in the home. It
took weeks to spin, weave and sew a linen or cotton sheet or
towel. The wooden chests were usually decorated with carving or
painting. The hope chest was kept in an important spot in the
house of the new bride and was used for storage. American paint-
decorated chests are important examples of early folk art. They
are scarce and desirable, so prices are high. Many reproductions
have been made in the past 60 years because decorators and
homeowners like the look and the