PUDDLEWACKY

Daily A~Musing #7:  Flannel

You’re probably thinking, 
“Cloth? Really?  
This is a 
happified
                               thing?”

Okay, granted, if you’re from warm climates, today's entry may mean precisely SQUAT to you.

However, if you’ve ever endured Nor-easters, Lake-Effect snow or just the average bone-chilling winters of the colder climes, you probably cracked a little smile when you saw the title.  (You might never admit it…but you did.  I know…I SAW you do it.  Hah!) 

Mmmm…flannel....  

 Flannel Factoid #1:  Flannel initially came from carded/worsted wool.

These days it’s made from wool, cotton and synthetic fibres.  Flannel is used in clothing, bed sheets, sleepwear and diapers. Flannel was originally made as a heavy, comfortable, soft and slightly napped wool cloth. The thing that kills me about this is that flannel trousers were traditionally worn in warm weather which totally contradicts my cold, northern weather bit about flannel.

Flannel Factoid #2:  Although the origin of the word is uncertain, it has been suggested that flannel has Celtic origins (goddess bless the Welsh). 

The word flannel may be derived from the Welsh word “gwalnen”, meaning woolen cloth.  The Celtic tribes were always big on their sheepies, so I'm gonna vote for flannel as a primarily Celtic invention.  

Flannel Factoid #3:  Flannel bears contradictory connotations of a person’s status.

Flannel was a fad fabric of the 1920’s era. In the 1920’s, it was the casual attire of well-off college students-but was definitely not appropos for swanky affairs.  

Now it tends to be associated with lumberjacks, farmers and other “blue-collar” type professions.

Dude.  I grew up in Maine which is riddled with people who have Scottish/Irish/Welsh heritage.  That and the shivery cold here makes flannel the greatest textile invention next to Gore-Tex. In rural Maine, flannel (particularly PLAID flannel) is a bonified wardrobe staple.  Flannel sheets and  jammies are also absolute necessities in the winter (well, they are in MY house, anyway). 

I think I love flannel so much because it feels all snuggly and cuddly.  Putting on flannel jammies and crawling between warm, flannel sheets makes me feel like I’m completely ensconced in some giant hug by someone who loves me and thinks I’m pretty special.  J