Feather uses-bedding and pillows

[Kathy]

FEATHER BEDDING

by Jenny Kelso Drawing by Jana Low Interview by Jenny Kelso and Gina Hilton

In the early days all the bedding used in Ozark homes from the wooden bedstead to the fancy intricate quilt or comforter on top was homemade. Growing ducks and picking feathers was only the beginning in providing comfortable sleeping for the family. The women then made pillows and beds from the feathers. They made the sheets and pillow cases and made the firmer straw foundation for the feather beds for every member of the family.

Once the feathers are picked and aired well, making the pillow is fairly easy. For one pillow you need about thirty inches of eight ounce feather ticking which usually comes in blue and white stripe patterns. An average measurement for the finished pillow is 18 inches by 30 inches, but pillows are made various sizes according to personal preference. Some like small pillows loosely stuffed and others like large firm ones......

Instructions for making various bedding items:
thelibrary.springfield.missouri.org/lochist/periodicals/bittersweet/sp74c.htm

[bobclark]

when I was 7yrs old my grand father decided to take down the old farm house built in 1857,two yrs after my family came here. I have many wonderfull memorys of that time ,but one that stands out now ,thanks to you posting this,is the memory of the feather mattres that was in the attic.

It was very soft and fuffy but you would bottom out quickly. and then there were the pin feathers that would work their way out threw the ticking and poke you.

I dont know what happened to the mattres but we still have some of the old pillows. I use two of them on my bed to this day.my mother says they have to be atleast 60 yrs old and could be alot older

[Kathy]

When I was young, I remember my mother saving bags of duck down and small feathers for pillows.

When I got bored early in the morning before anyone was up, I'd pull the pin feathers out of the ticking on the pillows!!

My mother used an old kirby vacuum cleaner to 'clean' the feather pillows each spring. I'm not sure how it worked but she'd open one end of the pillow case and use the vac to suck them out and instead of the feathers going into a vacuum cleaner bag-she had a new pillow ticking for them to fly into. I think the funniest memory is the day one of the tickings came loose and there were feathers everywhere in the living room. ;D

[dlangland]

I am probably lucky to not have live during those early days, for I am allergic to down. In fact, I have a terrible time when I stay at people's house, for so many people are fond of their feather pillows, I have to request a regular one or I get sick. Deb