In the bathtub there always was a small crocheted bag about the size of a bar of soap. It had lots of pretty spaces left in the crocheting. Inside were all the leftover pieces of soap that were too small to use. It worked perfectly just like a new bar of soap. Waste Not Want Not. If you were washing your hair there was a nicely enbroidered linen cape that fitted over your shoulders and upper back. You wore this in order to keep dry while shampooing and drying long hair. Everyone had long hair unless they were "fast" and not to be considered ladies, Incase most of your hair had fallen out you put on your little cap. About the size of an Yamika. I have two. One is scalloped and decorated with red embroidery. The other is all white (to match your hair?) and has bits of lace on it. Not an anitique but a left over corset, The kind that lace up the back, still languishes in a botton drawer. The sheets are finished with tating almost a lost art by now. On the dresser top is my hair reciever. I looks like a pretty china tea cup only there is a lid and the lid has a large hole in it. This is the place to stuff the hair that falls out in your comb or hairbrush. If you have a new baby, I have just the thing a mini alarm clock that rings every four hours so that the infant is fed on schedule. So I am perfectly equipped to deal with life 150 years ago.
-Louise
