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| Version | User | Scope of changes |
|---|---|---|
| Apr 19 2007, 1:16 PM EDT (current) | jsonderg | |
| Apr 19 2007, 1:14 PM EDT | jsonderg | 220 words added |
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Simply defined, “homespun” refers to textiles made of natural fibers—usually linen or wool—which were grown, carded, spun, dyed, and then woven at home, in contrast to fabrics made in large commercial mills.
Early American settlers, who arrived with only the barest necessities, had to provide for their own needs. Nearly every family grew flax for producing linen textiles. The production of homespun cloth was accomplished in a variety of ways. In some cases, women performed the entire chain of tasks themselves, from carding their sheep’s wool or retting the flax to sewing the finished garments. In other communities, parts of the job may have been assigned to village specialists, itinerant weavers, or slaves.
However it was produced, homespun has a distinctly different look and feel from store-bought cloth. Collectors have discovered that vintage homespun is the perfect complement to any domestic setting involving country Americana.
The ability to distinguish American homespun from imported handwoven cloth is a knack collectors acquire through experience. Items with tiny hems that are a medium to fine weave are usually American. Coarsely woven pieces are probably French.
Homespun was colored with natural vegetable dyes, creating soft shades of indigo, butternut, and bittersweet. Greens were hard to produce, and tones varied greatly. Reds were the most difficult to produce, so red homespun items are the rarest.
Early American settlers, who arrived with only the barest necessities, had to provide for their own needs. Nearly every family grew flax for producing linen textiles. The production of homespun cloth was accomplished in a variety of ways. In some cases, women performed the entire chain of tasks themselves, from carding their sheep’s wool or retting the flax to sewing the finished garments. In other communities, parts of the job may have been assigned to village specialists, itinerant weavers, or slaves.
However it was produced, homespun has a distinctly different look and feel from store-bought cloth. Collectors have discovered that vintage homespun is the perfect complement to any domestic setting involving country Americana.
The ability to distinguish American homespun from imported handwoven cloth is a knack collectors acquire through experience. Items with tiny hems that are a medium to fine weave are usually American. Coarsely woven pieces are probably French.
Homespun was colored with natural vegetable dyes, creating soft shades of indigo, butternut, and bittersweet. Greens were hard to produce, and tones varied greatly. Reds were the most difficult to produce, so red homespun items are the rarest.
