Beadwrangler Special Feature
September 20, 1997

	Ileana Somerson's Weave World
	September 1997

Handwoven
Piecework

Handwoven

The Sept/Oct '97 Handwoven starts with five great articles on rag rugs. Barbara Kent Stafford writes of "The Mrs. Irene Brown Rugs." The author wove nine rugs from the strips Mrs. Brown, now confined to a nursing home, had cut.

Next, our friend Johanna Erickson explains how "Nantucket Hit-and-Miss Rag Rugs" take their inspiration from the practice of using several strands of cotton cloth strips together for beautiful effects. Johanna also shows how to join strips together to make larger rugs.

There's a wonderful article on "Twentieth-Century Rug Looms for the Handweaver," adapted from The Rag Rug Handbook by Janet Meany and Paula Pfaff with additional information from Theresa Trebon of "Historic Looms of America." This is great for history buffs.

The "Wool Rag Rug" by Nedra Granquist and the "Shaker Twisted-Weft Rug by Margaret Shaw are simply illustrated, and complete weaving instructions are given for both. These are excellent additions to your rag rug notebook.

Sharon Alderman updates an old concept in "Honeycomb: Hello, Again." Four amazing fabrics are shown, complete with instructions, and they make a fascinating study.

Bobbie Irwin then gives us "Twelve Tips for Efficient Warping." No matter how long you've been weaving, you should read this article. Number 6, for example, tells us "Don't hold onto the warp as you wind it on the back beam." I feel that holding it can make the weaving uneven. Number 11 is especially important, too.

The Flying Carpet article highlights "Miguel Andrango," a man who carries on the tradition of weaving on a backstrap loom in the Andean highlands of northern Ecuador. The author, Cheryl Musch, a museum consultant and weaver, lived in Ecuador for a year.

The Designing Women section starts with Allison Dennis' "Convertible Scarf-Vest." Although the style is not for me, I must admire the fabric. Then Helen Saunders, in "Cords and Piping for Handwoven Clothing," shows how to finish a garment with cords and corded piping made from the weaving yarns to give it a custom look. Next comes "The Designer Clothing of Teresa Kennard," who gives us a "Waulked Wool Cape," an elegant evening ensemble, and a lovely silk fabric for pants and vest.

The Holiday Ideas section offers Manuela Kaulitz' "Fell-Woven Cross-Stitch." Yes, you can cross-stitch while you are weaving the fabric, and you can do it under tension.

Other Holiday Ideas are Maj-Britt Mobrand's plain-weave "Holiday Table Runner" and a "Peppermint Tufts Throw," by Sarah Fortin.

There are many other reasons to read this issue, which is complete with letters, book reviews, news, events, Trick of the Trade, product news and more. One bit of news concerns a scarf exchange in which you can take part and have input in the British Guilds Biennial.

P.S. Make sure to catch the five corrections on page 72.

Piecework

The Sept/Oct '97 Piecework has wonderful articles on Story Book Quilts, Smocking, Mittens and Socks, and Clare Embroidery, but the one that will interest members of the Pinellas Weavers' Guild is "Teaching Kids Kumihimo." Linda Kelso runs the "Kidz Weaving Class" at Loyola Park, Chicago, and teaches the children many braids, including Kumihimo. Using a square of cardboard or fiberboard, one can follow the numbers and make several braids.

A "Place To Come To" highlights the Bethnal Green Museum of Childhood in London. Sounds like a good day's outing if you're lucky enough to be visiting England. There is also an article on the Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer in Grand Island, Nebraska. Definitely a must-see.

In "Knitting in the Amanas," Susan Strawn Bailey tells of the knitting that was taught in Amana, Iowa, to little boys and girls from the last half of the Nineteenth Century until 1932. A pattern is given for "Safe Return Mittens."

Next, one can learn where Beatrix Potter got her inspiration for The Tailor of Cloucester. "Where the Tailor Got His Clothes," by Deborah Pulliam, goes on to show many of the articles of clothing made at the turn of the century, as well as the drawings of the mice involved.

Galer Britton Barnes' grandmother inspired her interest in "Threads of Clare Embroidery." This fascinating study of Clare Embroidery is followed by an illustrated section on techniques.

The Treasures from the Attic pages are devoted to "A 1930's Baby's Day Gown." Allyne Holland came upon this beautiful article quite by coincidence, and tells her story charmingly. She then proceeds to give instructions in smocking.

Naida T. Patterson has written a lovely article on "The Story Book Quilts of Marion Cheever Whiteside Newton," a watercolor artist in the 20's and 30's. She started illustrating children's stories in 1940, and went on to do such books as Little Women. This story is followed by "Jungle Book Banner to Make," which gives all the steps in making the banner. Another Story Book Quiltmaker, Faith Ringgold, whose book, Tar Beach, received more than twenty awards, is shown as well.

In "Lucy Jane's Letters Home," Deborah L. Youngs learns about the clothing, social life, recreation and working in the mill from a forebear living and writing in 1846 and 1847.

Her great-great-grandfather's sister worked in the Harrisville woolen mills in New Hampshire. Now known as Harrisville Designs, the mill still exists. Its history has been documented over the years.

Jude Daurelle, a descendant of several Utah pioneers, has written "Baby Socks and Two Utah Pioneers," a wrenching tale of some of the families that went west a century ago and the hardships they encountered. Remembering the dainty knitted pair of baby socks decorated with pink and green tulips which whe had seen in the Museum of the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers in Salt Lake City, she encountered a niece of the Dame family member who had made them. The instructions for these exquisite socks made from handspun singles are printed here. This is fitting for a section called "Patterns from the Past."

Theresa M. Reilly provides an interesting account of "Chinese Tigers." These protectors of children were very important, and tiger clothing was made for the children for many years.

This issue of Piecework is full of historical stuff I didn't know existed. The articles are edifying and instructional, as well as fun to read.

It makes one aware of the way the "Craft & History, Hand in Hand" theme is carried out.