I've always been interested in how spinners and weavers of Colonial America made their clothing.
Since I have spun all types of fibers and know how long it takes to spin just one bobbin of any fiber--I'm completely overwhelmed thinking about their daily tasks and how they accomplished clothing their family as well as keeping food on the table!
The above quilt is an example of at least one textile that survived the test of time.
According to family tradition, the quilt is made of pieces of shirts worn by boys in the Lowrie/Knox family, several of whom died in the Confederate Army. The cloth, according to the family story, was homespun and dyed with walnuts and china berries.
Some of these textiles use 'linsey-woolsey', which means there is a linen warp and wool weft--all hand spun. In later years, especially in the South, it would be a cotton warp. Now, stop, think--how long would you take to spin and weave fabric for your family?!
check out Linsey-woolsey and Civil War Quilts
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