Woman's sack and petticoat, 1775-80, French or Swiss, of printed cotton, 1760sA sack and petticoat of cotton, block printed in blue, red and maroon in three different patterns. The sack and visible parts of the petticoat and its decorations are made of one pattern of printed cotton. The sack’s ruched decorations and parts of the petticoat back are made of a second pattern of printed cotton. A third pattern of printed cotton is hidden under the petticoat decorations and was used for the stomacher.
The sack has elbow-length sleeves with ruched cuffs. There are two, double box pleats at the back, pocket openings in the side seams and no waist seam at the front. There is a split stomacher, fastening with hooks and eyes at the centre front. The sack is made of two panels of fabric at the back; each front section is pieced. The bodice and upper part of the skirt is lined with coarse linen and green silk taffeta, the lower skirts with pink and blue changeable (shot) silk taffeta. The fronts and neck of the bodice are edged with pleated robings. The skirt fronts are edged with a wide band of fabric pleated on each outside edge and gathered in the centre. The robings and cuffs are edged with pale yellow silk ribbon.
The petticoat is made of three panels of printed cotton, pieced with coarse linen and the printed cotton of the ruchings at the upper back. The waist is hemmed to form a casing for drawstrings, opening at each side for the pocket openings and at centre back. The petticoat is lined with coarse linen. A deep border of pleated and gathered fabric decorates the front.
The ensemble was probably made in the late 1770s, possibly from a 1760s sack, with new decorations and stomacher added from parts of another garment. It was probably worn for fancy dress in the late 19th century. The sleeves were altered for a large wearer with insertions of 19c printed cotton tape in the front armscyes, and the petticoat was lengthened with an addition of the same ribbon at the front waist. A border of machine-lace was sewn to the back neck and cuff openings.