Evening star., 1938-02-08

good materials For a time the ex-
port of cloth from the Colonies was
forbidden, as the need was 50 great.
The need of the growing new country
was sufficient to keep the industry
flourishing. AS the South produced
cotton and the West wool, great
industry was born. The story of its
rise and destruction in one locality
only to flourish in another is too
long to go into here, but the story
OF the weaving of cloth for warmth
and the decoration of cloth as
satisfaction of craving for beauty
is of interest to every household today.
AS we became used to buying at
a moments notice. any kind of quail
ity of woven goods in the shops we
were very quick to forget the long
struggle of the spinning and weaving
of our gyandmothers. In the last
10 years when in many communities
there has not been any money with
which to buy at the stores, there
has come a new interest in hand
weaving. because women know that
they must produce warm clothing for
their families. whether there is money
or not. One account I heard the
other day was told by young woman
who has seen new industry come
to life in five years.
You may have seen this last month
w. P. A. exhibit at the National
Museum. Everything shown there
was the work of women who found
that they had ability in their own
two hands that would keep them and
their families in case of need)
X X x
IN A SMALL mining community in
Missouri where there had been no
work for many months, families were
freezing in unheated houses with
their only covering tattered gunny
sacks. One young woman who knew
something must be done-and quick
ly-aSked for discarded sheep skin
that she had seen thrown away after
a sheep was slaughtered. She took
this to the home Of one of the desti-
tute families and instructed the moth
er there how to shear the wool and
wash 1t, as she had seen her grand
mother prepare it. It was then pulled
and used between two layers of cot
ton cloth for comfort. In the next
few days they found farmers who
could not sell their wool, ready to do
nate other skins. and before the winter
was over 200 bed coverings we're made
by the women in this small commun-
ity. One day one of the women said
she had spinning wheel in her at
tic. Another young woman said her
grandmother could weave, and from
this has grown a warehouse work.
room. where women spend all the
hours they can spare from their faMi-
lies. They are weaving brushed wool
blankets from wool furnished by the
county and sponsored by w. r. A.,
which are used in all the county in
stltutions. From a down and out"
community, has come a new enterprise
which has given material comfort,
creative work and hope for the future,
to a large number of families. This
is only one branch of a new interest
in textile design and manufacture
that has grown from an actual need.
to revival of the half remembered
arts of hundred years ago.
Though none of us would wish to
make every bit of cloth that We use,
there is no doubt that We are no long
er satisfied with factory-made prod
ucts only, and that the soft brushed
wool blankets, hand blocked linen,
woven towels and embroideries that
are made by hand, will hold an i'm
portant place in every household.
Let us hope that standards Of work.
manship will be set up, which will
demand certain requirements of work.
manship and material, but will at the
same time give free rein to creative
ability. Also that a marketing plan
will be worked out so that you and
may purchase these things without
having to go to the place they are
made. When this is accomplished,
this new industry will be on a firm
and lasting basis. feather in the cap
OF the organization sponsoring the
work and permanent satisfaction to
the women who have started it.