Homespun Fabric

wonderful repair

This fabric appears to be the same as this panel in the book. The description is the book is as follows.

Plaid blanket, woven in twill of single-ply homespun woolen, home-dyed. Early nineteenth century. Cranberry red, two shades of blue and brown. Panel is 81 by 37 inches, fringed at one end, with a 3/8-inch hem at the other end.

Photo is of one panel of three in the collection. Two panels show evidence of having been sewn together for a blanket, with the 3-inch blocks of plaid matching well. At a later period 4-inch hems were turned at one end; the other end remains fringed. The blanket was possibly used for a bed or door hanging.

The third panel is of particular interest for the evidence of a 3/4-inch casing, sewn with cotton twist, formed at the top fold of what appears to have been a valance of approximately 8 inches. Both bottom edges and folded valance edge have a 3/8-inch turned hem, as do the other two panels. Possibly this third panel was used as part of a bed hangings. There is no fading such as might have resulted from its hanging at a window. Photographs courtesy Merrimac Valley Textile Museum.

Handwoven Textiles of Early New England, The Legacy of a Rual People • 1640-1880 by Nancy Dick Bogdonoff.

Chapter topics: The Handweaving Era, Materials and Tools of Weaving, Table Linens, Bedding, Window Curtains, Furniture Accessories, Rugs and Carpeting.

This fabric and book are available for purchase. 

Photos by Jan Riser.