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Falding

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Falding was a rough-napped cloth or frieze that was made in Ireland during the 14th century. It was a colored woolen cloth, variably made with pile or cut pile.[1] There is conflicting information about falding's texture. Some sources describe it as a soft cloth, while others describe it as coarse.[1][2][3][4]

Coarse wool was used to produce Falding.[5] It is probable that falding was also made in Northern Europe, and identical to the woollen wraps referred to as "faldones" by Hermoldus.[3]

Use

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Falding was comparable to the rough red woolen fabric used for petticoats and jackets by Irish peasants.[6]

Mentions

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Geoffrey Chaucer mentioned falding in the prologue to The Canterbury Tales, describing the Shipman as wearing a falding gown.[7]

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle mentions falding in Chapter 3 ("How Hordle John Cozened The Fuller of Lymington") of The White Company, in which the expelled novice Hordle John tricks Peter the fuller into giving up his clothing.

References

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  1. ^ a b Sarkar, Ajoy K.; Tortora, Phyllis G.; Johnson, Ingrid (2021-11-04). The Fairchild Books Dictionary of Textiles. Bloomsbury Publishing USA. p. 173. ISBN 978-1-5013-6508-9.
  2. ^ An Illustrated Dictionary Of Art. p. 134.
  3. ^ a b Chaucer, Geoffrey (1892). Chaucer, the Prologue, the Knightes Tale the Nonne Preestes Tale from the Canterbury Tales. At the Clarendon Press. p. 155.
  4. ^ McClellan, Elisabeth (1906). Historic dress 1607 to 1800. Robarts - University of Toronto. London : J. Lane. p. 386.
  5. ^ Mack, Maynard (1956). World Masterpieces. Norton. p. 724.
  6. ^ Davis), Mrs Aria (Eliza (1906). Costume: Fanciful, Historical, and Theatrical. Macmillan and Company, limited. p. 108.
  7. ^ Chaucer, Geoffrey (1892). Chaucer, the Prologue, the Knightes Tale the Nonne Preestes Tale from the Canterbury Tales. At the Clarendon Press. p. 14.