Southwest-sentinel. [volume] (Silver City, N.M.) 1883-189?, 1892-07-26
WEAVING WAS ANART
NJ THE DAYS or HomEsPUN WON
EN- USED TO WORK HARD.

featured All Their own Cloth.
In the days OF ~homespun four ounces
Of lint, cotton Of a half pound Of lock
wool was a days stint in spinning,
though a clever spinner could easily do
twice as much. Wool was often colored
before spinning-dyed black or red, then
carded with white. The resultant
thread steel or rcd mixed, was wonder.
fully soft and harmonious In color.
Old silk carefully raveled, then carded
with white wool or cotton, made the silk
mixed that was such n fay0rite Tor the
long stockings worn with knee breeches,
as well as for homcspun gowns. They
were woven in checks. stripes and cloud
ings. Ono Of the prettiest was dice
cloth-a kind Of basket weave-of alter
nate white and black or gray threads,
thirteen to the group. It was trouble
some 10 weave-a thread too many made
n balk In the pattern. Children and
servants had simple checks In blue or
copperae and white. Linseys for winter
wear were gorgeous IN green and scar
let and black and blue.
pyeing was part Of the homo work, as
well as weaving and spinning. From
walnut bulls, bark and root came TWEEN
~ shades Of brown. Green walnuts and
sumach berries gave a beautiful fast
black that did not stain tho wearer
Hickory bark or peach leaves gave a
glowing yellow; vamp maple, a black
ish purple; sugar maple, a light leather
tint, and oak bark, set with copperas, a
handsome grayish color. In fact, a
skilled dyer could get twenty colors
from the woods and fields.
Except for fanncls, carpets and
blankets the warp was usually Of faxor
cotton. A very pretty carpet had half
the warp Of coarse wool doubled-a
strand Of green and one Of brown. In
weaving when the wool came upper
most a very coarse wool thread was shot
In. When the cotton came up a very
fine thread caught and held it almost in
visibly. Beaten up thick the effect was
that Of q messy, clOuded Turkey fabric.
Other carpets were woven in stripes or
plain, like webbing, the wooden wool
threads passing over aud under the cot
ton warp two ut a time.
Size was estimated by the number of
threads that, laid side by side, made
cloth the regulation yard wide. The
coarsest was 400. From that it went up
and up with hardly a limit except that
Of the spinners' skin and patience. There
was scarcely anything they couldn't
weave On the looms--iersey and serge,
and cotton and linsey, house linen, bed
linen, blankets and co~unterpanes. The
Counterpart was homespun high water
mark. Wooden ones had usually the
figure in colors skipped up on a white
or blue ground. Those of cotton were
left white and bleached till they dazzled
the eyes. OF some easy patterns a
clever woman could weave eight yards
in a day.
OF honeycomb, huckaback and dia-
mond draper three yards vas a good
days work, Fancy patterns were more
tedious. The crow Of skill and 'ience
was knotted cloth. The weave was per.
fectly plain, but nc intervals Of an inch
a by soft cord was woven in aul pulled
up in fttle knots all along its length.
Over tho body Of the cloth they formed
regular diamonds. For the center they
made an elaborate arabesque design.
Down one side Of the spread the maker
generally drew them mp TO shape lei
initials, with either the date of making
in roman letters or her husbands name
opposite, 10 balance her OWN.
There was room, and to spare. Bed,
in those days stood four feet from the
floor. Counterpanes We're three yard,
by four without the fringe, which wai
either woye with dates and initials il
the deep open heading or knitted il
open lozenge pattern 10 which deep tas
sells were attached. It fell over a val
ance, also hOmespun, and was eithel
fringed or edged with melted points a
the bottom.
Weaving was not the sum Of house
wifery in that era. The good dame.
knew IS much Of embroidery as tbei.
favored Observation-Disclosures One o.
them has left behind her a monumental
piece Of work, in which can be found n,
less than nineteen different stitches
many of them among the rarest an,
most difficult known.
The netting needle and stirrup filled
up many a DAY. The bed was the pirc,
de resistance in furnishing then. IL wa.
a tall four poster, and, besides counter
pane and valance, had netted curtain.
and Melted points, edging the long pill
low and bolster cases. Window cur
tains were Melted. too, besides edging
and fringes for all kinds Of househol,
articles. In particular the toilets
that fell over the high square bureau
had often a Melted fan half a yard deel
around them. In addition, a RIFLES
purses and ichus were Melted. The lat
ter were called dress haudkerchiefs an,
folded high about the throat over IN.
low cut gowns. On them the nette'
lavished her choicest art.
Sometimes the mesh was as fine al
most as bobbinet. Melted capes werl
high in favor, but ;he square with Ions
ends WAS accounted better for younl
women Sometimes they had fringe Of
tassels about the edge, or even a ruff
Of the net with a big pattern run in
The hnnds0mest finish was embroidery
For that tho net was tackled smOotl
over cloth. the figures were wrough
through both, then the under fabric
were cut away, leaving something
closely approaching old rose point.
The ON who ~practiced these art
made tatting. knit lace, stockings, init
tens, tufted gloves, oyershoes, comfort
era, carriers, galluses and many thing
besides. Before their works follow
them IL might DO well If omc collector
should gather mp aud keep safe for latel
generations a representative array OF
lhe homespunm mas erpiecea.-New York
Sun.
THE AGE or PAPER.