Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-07-23
WEAVING WAS AN ART.

In the days OF nomeSpun Tour ounces
Of lint, cotton or half pound of lock
wool was a days stint In spinning,
though a clever spinner could easily do
twice "a much. Wool was often colored
before spinning-dyed black or red, then
carded with white. The resultant
thread, steel or red 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 favorite for the
long stockings worn with knee breeches,
as well as for homespun gowns. They
were woven in checks, stripes and cloud
ings. One 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 to weave--a thread too many made
balk in the pattern. Children and
servants had simple checks in blue or
copperas and white. Linseys for winter
wear were gorgeous in green and scar
let and black and blue.
Dyeing was part OF the homo work, as
we'll as weaving and spinning. From
walnut hulls, bark and root came TWEEN.
ty shades Of brown. Green walnuts and
sumach berries gave beautiful fast
black that did not stain the wearer.
Hickory bark or peach leaves gave q
glowing yellow; swamp maple, black
ish purple; sugar maple, light leather
tint, and oak bark, set with copperas, q
handsome grayish color. In fact, .
skilled dyer could get twenty colors
from the woods and fields.
Except for fannels, carpets and
blankets the warp was usually Of fax or
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 q very coarse wool thread was shot
in. When the cotton came up very
fne thread caught and held Il 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 and under the cot
ton warp two ut 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 limit except that
of the spinners' skill and patience There
was scarcely anything they couldn't
weave on the looms-jersey and serge,
and cotton and linsey. house linen, bed
linen. blankets and counterpancs. The
counterpane was homespun high water
mark. Woolen ones had usually the
figure In oolors skipped mp on white
or blus 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
Ia day.
OF honeycomb. huckaback and dia-
nnond draper three yards was q good
days work. Fancy patterns were more
tedious. The crown Of skin snd patience
Was knotted cloth The weave wss per-
fectly plain. but at intervals Of an inch
= big soft cord was woven In aud pailed
mp in little knots all along It's length.
Over the body a. the cloth they formed
regular diamonds. FIR the center they
made an elaborate arabe@lne design.
Down one side Of The spreaa the maker
generally drew them MP 10 shapa her
initials. with sither The date Of making
In roman letters or her husbands name
opps~tts. ca balance her ewn
There wa room. ssssi IA spare BIDS
IN tho~~ dsys ssa~sd four feet from the
eecs. Connterpsnes we're shroe yards
ny f1nS witaput the frsase. which wss
either weven ~ith daf~s snd initials IN
Che deep otsn heading es Knitted ia
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