The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-29
RUSKIN'SSPINNINGS SCHOOL
The Writer'S Way Of Helping I'm
employed Weavers.
The Cottage Wheels and Looms Of n
Quaint English village That Pros
duce Handmade Linen Almost
IndcstructibIe and Fabulous In
Price - Prixed by Royalty Itself.

Mr.. Ruskin's death has sent my
few years ago. during which made Rus
kin pilgrimage, writes an admirer of the
author. In oxford. Chelsea. and Sheffield
l saw all that was accessible of the great
teachers work in schools and museums,
but there were other shrines in Lancashire
and Westmoreland, and toward them I
next turned my steps.
In those counties the ancient cottage in
dustries of spinning and weaving fax by
hand had long passed away. when Mr.. Rus
kin conceived the idea of reviving them in
his own neighborhood to give work and
the means of support to poor old men and
women who were sitting by their fresides
in enforced idleness, their occupation taken
from them by the mills. With the help OF
friends inspired by zeal, the enterprise
was carried out so successfully that where
only linen for underwear and household
use had been planned the product turned
out treasure for artistic neeGfework. and
was priced by royalty itself.
In due time Ambleside was reached and
the region of the handmade linen was
close by. for the spinning school. | knew.
was Id Z dIleF St.
and dedicated to him, standing half way
between Mr.. Ruskins home. in Coniston.
and Wadsworths. in Rydal. Now. if Mr..
Ruskin had taken such an interest and
given so much personal attention to the
scheme that the product of the cottage
wheels and looms was called by his name,
that was sufficient inducement for me 70
determine to see the Langdale linen and to
go home the proud possessor OF some Rus
kin sheets.
/ found st. Martins School just as it had
been described, "a quaint place exactly
fulfilling Horace's injunction, Near the
house let there be a spring Of water. and
a wood close by The date. 1892. was On
the front of the cottage. We found that
We had thirty five minutes for our stay
there.
A woman scrubbing the floor rose at
once. pulled down her sleeves. and then
looked the real lady that she was. She
saw the urgency of our case and quick,
gentle. and obliging. lost not moment in
waiting on us. She showed the linen.
seven or eight kinds in the piece. and then
the cmbroideries-from small cushion COW
ers and table mats. through tray cloths.
covers for stands. tables, and bureaus and
drapcry for pictures, up to bedspreads and
portieres. The prices of many were high
up in the pounds, but not too high for the
work upon them. and. the main thing.
they found ready sale at these prices among
the summer visitors.
Much of the work was done in the Lon
don schools OF embroidery under the pa
tronage of the Princess Louise, but the
linen was the product OF the cottage
wheels and looms, and was OF different
shades Of grey or ecru, from the natural
color OF the fax through various degrees
of bleaching down to almost white.
In the fireplace was jar OF wild flowers.
cak leaves and red cornell berries and on the
walls a photograph of Mr.. Ruskin and
certificate from his own hand OF the purity
ness 10 have 1t called the Ruskin linen
A framed autograph also Of Mr.. Ruskin
over the mantelpiece-a large sheet OF
paper closely covered with writing, but
in a hand so rapid and contracted that it
would have taken long to puzzle it out;
il was about the dignity and happiness
coming from the venerable arts of spin
ming and weaving.
The very photograph of Giotto's "Weav-
ing which had been the only guide for
repairing and putting together the old
loom brought out OF its fifty years, decay
and oblivion in a Viendal cellar, was on
the wall. and four pictures in row OF
Penelope and other spinners and weavers
of history and poetry-Longfellow' Pris-
ella. one OF them. There was carved oak
furniture black with age and very pre-
cious, and samples of the work of the pres
emit time, for wood carving is another re-
vived cottage art; and for a finishing en-