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White cotton stays for a very young child, knitted in three pieces and sewn together at diagonal side seams. Breast gussets--as if made as a miniature versoin of an adult pair of stays--set into front as increases knitted in moss stitch. Small knitted straps are attached at back and front shoulders. The back closed with buttons (now removed) attached to five small tabs of twill weave tape sewn to proper left, with matching worked buttonholes in back of proper right.
stays (corsets)
cotton (textile)
knitting (process)
Garment, Foundation
Corset
Stay
Stay
These tiny stays are nearly identical to a cutting diagram for child's stays in the Workwoman's Guide of 1838, which also contains instructions for a pair of knitted child's stays, where they advised the maker to follow a paper pattern for stays when knitting, as each child and each knitter's stitches were unique.
Unknown
6 (H) (inches)
Gift of Mrs. Henry E. Johnson
1925.539
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