The old lady actually sputtered at Velma’s words.<strong> “Does it sell?  Does it sell!?  My dear young girl, I am always amazed at how someone so smart can be so silly!  Now look here…”</strong><br/><br/>Velma knew that tone of voice, she’d heard it from her father a thousand times.  It was the lecturing voice that only came with experience and age, and luckily for her, she knew how to deal with it.  With a smile, a somewhat chagrined look, and silence as the elder played themselves out.<br/><br/><strong>“...and in addition to being the best at letting heat escape, it’s also far cheaper too than any of the more expensive silks.  Why do you think that all of those dwarven men and women wear full body outfits of wool all the live long day?  It’s because…”</strong><br/><br/>Velma tuned back out for a moment as she wondered for a moment what her friend Ylene might be doing a few floors above.  Most likely sleeping.  No wool blankets for that sensual ex slave.  She was probably nestled in between silk sheets, her inky black skin deliciously ensconced in… oh… Mrs Warl was wrapping up, time to pay attention.<br/><br/><strong>“....pfft.  Does it sell.  Well, I hope you learned your lesson young woman.  Now what’s all this about a scrap of cloth?”</strong><br/><br/>The older woman, now back to her calm state after having gone on a rant about the miricales of wool, took the scrap from Velma and held it up to the light.  Then she went to the doorway and held it in direct sunlight.  She studied it for a moment or two and then handed it back to Velma.<br/><br/><strong>“Well I can’t tell you much,” </strong>she started as she handed it back.  It seemed like this may have been a dead end as the woman shrugged.  But then she took a breath, sighed and spoke.<br/><br/><strong>“I’d say that it’s elvish blended silk, dyed black originally, but with the fading it’s probably at least two or three years old.  Also the weave is pretty loose, which means that it’s seen a fair amount of washings.  So I’d say probably either three years old, or less if it got a lot of laundering.  Also, since this is a crowfoot satin style weave, I’d say it was a more expensive garment originally.  Something that someone with money would have owned.  Cheaper garments would have just been made with a simple plain or…” </strong>She made a face as if she’d smelt something terrible,<strong> “...gods forgive them, a cheap basket weave.”</strong><br/><br/>The woman actually shuddered visibly.  It was obvious she was passionate about her craft.<strong>“My guess would be that this would be something too nice to give to a slave, or to charity.  But maybe something that might be worn by someone who was trying to look nice, but on the cheap.  Or maybe a very often worn garment that had once been expensive.  I don’t know if that helps you at all?”</strong><br/>