AMERICAN TEXTILE TRADITIONS Circa

COLONIAL AMERICA   Used for utilitarian and decorative purposes.  Most supplies were imported.  Supplies became short after  Why?   Used for utilitarian and decorative purposes.  Most supplies were imported.  Supplies became short after  Why?

TYPES OF CLOTH  Bays, says, lustrings, perpetuanas, fearnaughts, cherryderries.  Most of these don’t exist anymore.  Names indicated where they were made, width, color, and finish.  Calicoes, chintzes, flannels, broadcloths.  Fabrics were status symbols.  Bays, says, lustrings, perpetuanas, fearnaughts, cherryderries.  Most of these don’t exist anymore.  Names indicated where they were made, width, color, and finish.  Calicoes, chintzes, flannels, broadcloths.  Fabrics were status symbols.

PRODUCTION  Fibers  Celluloid: hemp, flax, cotton, nettle.  Protein: wool, silk, hair.  Spun and Woven  Dyed with natural materials.  Fibers  Celluloid: hemp, flax, cotton, nettle.  Protein: wool, silk, hair.  Spun and Woven  Dyed with natural materials.

19TH CENTURY AMERICAN TEXTILES ( )  Textile manufacturing begins around  Cotton becomes king.  Birth of man made fibers.  Textile manufacturing begins around  Cotton becomes king.  Birth of man made fibers.

NAMES TO KNOW  Samuel Slater  “Father of American Manufacturing”  Hannah Wilkinson  Invented cotton sewing thread.  Eli Whitney  “Father of mass production”  Invented cotton gin.  Samuel Slater  “Father of American Manufacturing”  Hannah Wilkinson  Invented cotton sewing thread.  Eli Whitney  “Father of mass production”  Invented cotton gin.

TEXTILE MILLS  Revolutionized the century  But…  Girls worked 13 hours a day/ 16 days a week.  Earned $1.80-$3.15 a week.  “Poor girls when they can toil no longer go home to die. Average working life of girls is only 3 years. Few of them ever marry: fewer still ever return to their native lands with their reputations unimpaired.

OTHER NOTED MANUFACTURERS  Religious groups  Moravians, mormons, shakers, etc.  Desired to be self sufficient.  Prison Inmates  Men wove fabric.  Women spun yarn.  Religious groups  Moravians, mormons, shakers, etc.  Desired to be self sufficient.  Prison Inmates  Men wove fabric.  Women spun yarn.

PRODUCTION  Colonial era fabrics still produced, but fiber content changes.  Fiber consumption increases.  New inventions:  Sewing machine, mid 1800s  Man made fibers  Rayon, 1884  Acetate, 1914  Jacquard loom, 1820  More textiles printed than dyed  Colonial era fabrics still produced, but fiber content changes.  Fiber consumption increases.  New inventions:  Sewing machine, mid 1800s  Man made fibers  Rayon, 1884  Acetate, 1914  Jacquard loom, 1820  More textiles printed than dyed

COMPARE AND CONTRAST

QUILTING IN AMERICA  Quilting begins in ancient China and Egypt, but with the arrival of the English and Dutch in America, quilting takes on a whole new life.  Quilt: cloth sandwich with a decorated top, a filler in the middle, and a back.  Early American quilts were solely utilitarian.  Quilts used to commemorate major life events and to raise awareness/money for national events like the Civil War.  Quilting begins in ancient China and Egypt, but with the arrival of the English and Dutch in America, quilting takes on a whole new life.  Quilt: cloth sandwich with a decorated top, a filler in the middle, and a back.  Early American quilts were solely utilitarian.  Quilts used to commemorate major life events and to raise awareness/money for national events like the Civil War.

QUILTING BECOMES A FAD  By the end of the 19th century, women were eager to make simple, organic quilts used as decorative throws. Magazines of the time encouraged makes to produce “crazies”, and the fad became known as “crazy quilting”.

MODERN QUILTING  Evolved from “crazy” quilting.  Called “art” quilting.

BERTHA STENGE  Art quilter who adapted her designs from events and locales around her.

ANY QUESTIONS?