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#67149 - 04/23/02 09:06 PM Diaper
wwh Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 01/18/01
Posts: 13858
Not unusual, but to me interesting:

Diaper:
1) Surface ornament of repeated straight-sided geometrical shapes, lozenge, triangle, etc.
(Martindale, Andrew. Gothic Art, 268)

2) All-over decoration of surfaces with small pattern such as flowers in squares, lozenges, etc. Carved
examples characteristic of the 13th and 14th centuries; in the 15th century used for painted ornament.
Perhpas derived from patterned cloth from Ypres in Belgium (Dyaper, i.e. D'Ypres).
(Wood, Margaret. The English Medieval House, 411)


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#67150 - 04/24/02 07:48 AM Re: Diaper
Wordwind Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 09/30/01
Posts: 6296
Loc: Piedmont Region of Virginia, U...
Well, this is news to me, Bill. Think I'll go looking for some pictures of these diapers. Thanks for this very interesting etymology!

WW


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#67151 - 04/24/02 08:14 AM Re: Diaper
of troy Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 10/17/00
Posts: 5400
Loc: rego park
as a person who is old enough to remember cloth diapers.. i remember they weren't-- they were Diaper cloth -- used to wrap up a babies behind!

diaper cloth could be purchased by the yard, cut and hemmed, and used, but by the late 1950's most women were buying ready made "diaper cloths" Fabric already cut to size, and hemmed. they made diapers out of the these diaper cloths!

diaper cloth is a textured weave, (birds eye was one popular weave, waffle another--my mother preferred birds eye) of soft cotton. I am sure there were other textures as well. the name is total consistant with the 1st defination.. (and the bit in red)

Birds eye weave seemed to be a series of nesting boxes.. it was squares, created by the cross threads.. not really circle or any roundness.



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