Textiles in Newfoundland and a Tool from Peter Collingwood

Woven by Susan Abrams, a baby blanket, pattern taken from Ann Dixon's book, The Handweavers Directory, Huck Variation, p166, 4 harness pattern.

Recently  Ciobhan, a fellow teacher, started talking to me about the Colony of Avalon, in Ferryland, Newfoundland and the archaelogical work that was going on there. "In 1621 George Calvert who later became the First Lord Baltimore, sent Captain Edward Wynne and a group of West Country and Welsh settlers to Ferryland, Newfoundland, Canada to establish a permanent settlement based on the lucrative in-shore cod fishery (Figure 1). Lord Baltimore first visited his colony in the summer of 1627 and returned with his family and entourage of some 40 in 1628. Calvert left within a year of his arrival. Calvert did, however, leave the management of the growing colony in the hands of an overseer. Sir David Kirke was granted the Island of Newfoundland in 1637 and took control of the colony in 1638, ousting Calvert’s deputy (Pope 1998: 63-99). Documents and archaeological remains indicate that Kirke and his family profited from the rich fishery. The Dutch attacked the colony in 1673. The colony recovered from this attack but after the French captured and burned the site in 1696, activity ceased until the early 1700s (Gaulton and Tuck, 2003: 187-224). The archaeological site at Ferryland has yielded through the artifact and architectural remains evidence to support historical accounts. Textile remains provide evidence that some of the colonists owned high-fashion costume which was later re-used for the purpose of hygiene in a privy."

 

 Conrad Dueck's first project, a table runner, taken from a pattern in the revered Handweavers Pattern Book by Marguerite Davison.

"Dr. Cathy Mathias works as a conservator and a historic cultural consultant. She obtained her PhD in Art History from Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario where her research focused on the textile collection from a 17th- century archaeology site, in Ferryland, Newfoundland. She is currently working on a collection of early “ready-mades” from a Basque whaling site in Red Bay, Labrador. Abstract Textile remains, dating to the 17th century, uncovered in a privy from Ferryland, Newfoundland are described. These fragments were used for hygiene purposes supporting the notion that this feature was one of the earliest flush toilets in North America. The moist anaerobic environment allowed for good silk and wool preservation. Tablet-woven bands, silk satin and silk damask are among the objects from the privy which represent high status. A significant portion of the textile finds are “New Draperies” or finely woven cloth. Twill and tabby woven wool fragments were also used and found in the privy. Dye analysis revealed a range of dyestuffs being used from reds to yellows to purple." If you would like to know about this site and the research they are doing you can go to the Victoria County Historical Society site: http://www.victoriacountyhistoricalsociety.ca/pdf/newsletters/Vol%2013%20-%20Winter%202012.pdf.

Shibori silk scarf by Mimma Draga

We've been continuing our experiments with Shibori, constantly fascinated and enchanted by the myraid patterning one can create so simply and effortlessly at times. Other patterns can be more time consuming to create, such as the the last shibori photo by Mimma Draga, in which she painstakingly stitched seemingly endless rows to create a bark pattern. Recently I discovered this Shibori website that you may want to check out: http://shibori.org/

Shibori dyed silk scarves by Laura de Vrij.

The photograph does this technique no justice as Mimma's results were very three dimensional and the blue is not quite coming through here.

A while ago I featured  a story about this tool that remained a mystery as to its use. Christine Shipley brought it to our attention when we were participating in the kasuri workshop.  We knew that a Mrs. A. H Crichton from Pickering received this tool in the mail from Peter Collingwood. Christine has since learned the this tool was featured in the book The Art of Weaving by Else Regensteiner. The caption for a drawing of the tool reads: Wire loop for pulling up corduroy pile, designed by Peter Collingwood. In this book, Else describes in detail how Peter Collingwood used this tool to create the pile effect in weaving.