Category: News

2019 Hands-On Textile Forum Lead Us to Some Interesting Places

This year’s Forum was a hands-on, up close and personal look at textile technology in transition. The group followed the changes in hand and powered technology as it brought factory spinning and weaving in competition with hand process. We took a closer look at the ingrain carpet patent head and the hand jacquard head to begin the conversation about carpet and coverlet weavers of the 19th century. And from this we have forged ahead with plans for 2020. When I began the Textile History Forum in 1998, I did it with the hope that we could present both academic papers and spend time in historic collections to examine textiles and textile tools. 2020 will give us that opportunity and more. Hyde Hall, a Regency great house located inside Glimmerglass State Park, Springfield NY, will be our home base. The vast collection of coverlets and textile tools including spinning wheels, looms, reeds, and small tools at the storage facility of the Farmers’ Museum in Cooperstown will be our laboratory. Pre-Forum visits may include Thistle Hill Weavers production mill, a workshop on dating and identifying textiles and a visit to the New York State Museum storage facility in Rotterdam, NY. Panel discussions are being planned for the Forum: what should we do with our private collections? Primary research methods for non-academics, and cataloguing personal collections will be among the sessions. We are now seeking papers for publication in the 2020 Proceedings on all topics of research relating to textiles, dyes, tools, and process.Mark your calendars, get your thinking caps on, submit your proposals and join us for a Textile History Forum 2020, to be held on July 31 – August 2, 2020. Contact us for more information and registration.

Textile History Forum 2019 – Final Schedule

Marshfield School of Weaving and Kate Smith’s Eaton Hill Textile Works Saturday, July 27 – Sunday, July 28 The Mechanization and Powering of Textile Production 1700 to 1860. This July, explore transitional textile technology with us. How did innovation create tools, and machines that allowed for the powered production of textiles that ultimately changed the way we wear and use cloth? The forum will be both discussion and hands-on demonstration of some of those processes and equipment that changed fiber preparation, weaving and cloth finishing. Unlike other forums, this will be an intensive two days in which participants will learn and discuss some of the technology that allowed the development of ingrain carpet production, coverlet production, the production of napped and sheared cloth, the cheap production of cotton fabrics for the poorer classes and the interplay in rural America between the fancy weaver, the clothier and the local production of fiber. Some equipment will be set up for hands-on opportunities for participants. The registration fee of $225 includes all sessions and lunch on both days, as well as the optional visit to the Vermont Historical Society on Friday afternoon.  If you have already registered but want to join the Friday Tour, please Contact us to confirm. Saturday morning session Saturday afternoon session one: Saturday afternoon session two: Sunday morning session Sunday afternoon session one: Sunday afternoon session two:

Winter Weaving Classes

Weaving Fabric for Clothing Saturday, February 2 – Sunday, February 3 Students will explore the process of choosing yarns, densities and weave structures that are suitable for weaving fabric for fine garments. Each student will choose yarns and patterns to create a series of samples during the workshop. The samples will allow students to choose a pattern, color way, and sett for their clothing fabric and create a plan based on their woven samples that will allow them to weave garment fabric at home.  This workshop is designed for students who have some weaving experience and want to explore making fabric for clothing.  Class cost is $150.00 per student. Class is limited to 5 students. All materials and lunches are included in the fee. Introduction to Pattern Hand Weaving for Beginners Friday, March 8 – Sunday March 10 Weave a luxurious lightweight scarf in silk, bamboo, and alpaca – no experience necessary! This is a beginning weaving class that will teach you from start to finish how to set up a warp, wind, beam, thread, sley, weave and finish a beautiful scarf of your own. The class is limited to 5 students. Class hours are Friday at 1pm-4:30pm, Saturday 9am-4:30pm and Sunday 9am-4:30pm. Cost is $225.00 with all materials, equipment and lunches included.

Come to Our Holiday Open House!

Saturday, December 1st & Sunday, December 2nd With a special event on Saturday, December 1, from 4:30-5pm: Meet fashion designer Gary Graham . Our Show Room will be open from 9am to 5:30pm both Saturday and Sunday, and then weekdays through the holiday season. See our antique looms run, enjoy special gifts made from our fabric and learn about the trade of weaving. Come join us for mill tours, gift shopping and refreshments!

We are looking to hire a mill worker/textile support staff

Job Description: Mill worker/textile support staff. Hours: Monday thru Thursday 9am to 5pm (or 8:30 to 4:30), Friday until 12:30 or 1pm. 35-hour work week Entry level position must have sewing skills.  Starting pay is $12.00 Two-month probation period. Benefits: Thistle Hill offers a greater amount of flexibility with personal time and daily schedule than most businesses. Family is important, sick children or family members need care. We understand short, unexpected occurrences. However, we are looking for a person who can make a commitment to a weekly schedule year-round. Individual should have the following skills: Sewing by machine and hand We will teach: Individual must be able: Please review our web site www.thistlehillweavers.com. Email resume to rabbitgoodythw@gmail.com. Call 518 284 2729.

Notes on This Year’s Textile History Forum

The Textile History Forum was an amazing event.  This year’s Forum surpassed our greatest expectations. I know that that sounds very cliche but there are no better ways to express how grateful we feel for the time well spent. Seventy five people, all with an interest in textiles came together to network with each other; sharing knowledge, good food and a waulking of woolen cloth in a joyously beautiful Vermont setting. And from this we have forged ahead with plans for the future. When I began the Textile History Forum in 1998, I did it with the hope that we could present academic papers in a relaxed and sharing way. It has always been the goal to have the Proceedings published and available the day of the Forum and that each Textile History Forum would include diverse current research in all aspects of Textile History. Now it’s time to expand on the Forum’s mission to include academic papers one year, and hands-on textile technology sessions on alternate years. 2019 July 26th, 27th and 28th Textile Technology: Coverlets. Carpets and Weavers’ Drafts The evaluation forms indicated that folks would love a truly hands-on set of sessions next July and to that end we are planning on a Forum of activity without formal papers. Textile technology is a very broad field and we are planning to have sessions that involve demonstrations and hands-on workshops on several aspects of weaving and spinning technology. We are putting out a call for presenters who are involved with any aspect of textile technology and who want to share their knowledge in a hands-on session. One of the sessions will be on figuring technology for coverlets. I have an ingrain carpet head and Kate has a hand Grosse Jacquard head that we can use to explore the development of figuring technology side by side with our extensive collections of coverlets. 19th century spinning technology, especially the development of patent heads and multiple spindle equipment will also be a part of the Forum’s technology sessions next July. Proceedings of the Textile History Forum For Sale The Proceedings are available for those who didn’t attend or for anyone who would like additional copies. $35.00 includes mailing fees. Lastly, the Forum has a domain of its own now. TextileHistoryForum.com. It still gets you to the Thistle Hill Weavers website, but more directly I hope. Please plan on joining the fun next July and pass it on. We look forward to seeing you then.

Schedule for the 2018 Textile History Forum

Here is the schedule of events for the 2018 Textile History Forum on Friday, July 27, Saturday, July 28 and Sunday, July 29, 2018, Please note that some of the events have limited sizes and the overall Forum attendance is capped at 75 people. If you wish to register and pay through our online store, you may do so here.If you wish to register online and then pay via check, credit card or Paypal, you may do so here.