Ma Ingall's New Shawl

Caroline Ingall's doll models a Galway shawl for Thanksgiving. See holds berries and
 stands with a pumpkin in the snow.

       Many immigrants to America during the mid to late 1800s wore Galway shawls to keep warm. In fact, it was an ordinary part of their costumery dress. I made this Galway shawl using an old remnant of woven wool. I frayed all of it's edges and then sewed a tiny, tight seam just above the fringe to keep it from fraying any further up.

       The term Galway shawl usually refers to a specific type of heavy weight shawl that was worn by Irish women during the colder seasons. It became popular during the late nineteenth century and was still being worn up until the 1950s by a few older, more traditional Irish women. Throughout Ireland, not just in Galway, women traditionally wore various types of lightweight shawls that were hand knit, crocheted, or woven; and would have been solid colored, plaid, print, or paisley. Lightweight shawls, worn directly over the blouse and tied or tucked in at the waist, were worn in all seasons both indoors and out. The Galway shawl was a winter-weight outer garment worn over the lightweight shawl. Read more...

• The Galway shawl makes a comeback thanks to Galway designer...
• The Galway shawl through the Clonbrock lens

Woven wool remnant of orange and grey colors, frayed for our Ma Ingall's Doll.

Our Caroline Ingalls doll wears a Galway grey plaid shawl
 just in time for the first snow of the season.