Ladies' Fancy

"Ladis[sic] Fancy" by Jacob Biesecker (1825)

    I've been a member of Complex Weavers for quite a while, and for the past couple of years I've been a member of the Early Weaving Books and Manuscripts (EWBM) study group. The purpose of a study group is pretty simple: the entire group focuses on weaving revolving around one aspect of weaving. In the case of the EWBM group, it's drafts and weaves that predate 1926. That covers a lot of territory, as there have been drawdowns and drafts for nearly 500 years, and cloth itself goes back a lot further. The group has a newsletter that comes out periodically, and for an extra amount (and a commitment to participate), members can join a "samples exchange," and get actual samples of the fabric other members are weaving.

   I like this group for several reasons. I get to spend time researching weaves I would already research because I'm interested in historical weaving. There are a lot of fairly high-level weavers that belong to it, so the samples are unusual, interesting fabrics. And, I have actual, touchable samples of cloth. However, I owe samples.

   I have no good excuse for not weaving the samples beside the usual: I was busy. I forgot. I got sidetracked researching an obscure weave structure. No matter--those samples are due, and I've pressed my luck by delaying until the end of March to send off my samples for 2022. However, no more procrastinating!

"Ladies Fancy," in 10/2 cotton, on the loom.

   My 2022 samples are a 12-shaft twill from the pattern book of Jacob Biesecker, a weaver in Cashtown, Pennsylvania in 1825. (The pattern book is in the collection of the Winterthur Museum and Library.) Why this particular draft? Well, I chose a pattern book at random, and flipped through it until I found something I could weave fast. It's an interesting twill--not a "proper" 12-shaft point twill, but not quite elaborate enough to be considered a "proper" gebrochene. 

   This time last week, I started beaming 6 yards of 10/2 unmercerized cotton from Georgia Yarn Company. This stuff is luxe--soft, nice twist, and just enough wax to make it really manageable. 607 ends later, and I had a beamed warp. After a day or two of running errands and taking care of other tasks in my overly busy life, I disassembled the front of Bertie and started threading heddles. I haven't finished dressing a loom that fast in a long time--less than 9 hours later, the warp was threaded, sleyed, tied on, tensioned, and the header woven. I even managed to weave the first sixty picks of the samples!

   I had hoped to weave off the entire warp in a single day (something else I haven't done in a long time) but I simply can't weave that fast, or that long, any more. I did manage at least two yards each day, along with everything else I needed to do (including spending 90 minutes down at the office this morning) and cut the cloth off the loom this afternoon.

   All in all, I think it looks pretty good. The brick-colored weft (also from Georgia Yarn Company) really makes the design pop, and the floats are small enough that the fabric will wear well. It feels like it has a nice hand--a bit too thin for kitchen towels, but perfect for napkins or a tablecloth. I should have about 4 3/4 yards once it comes out of the dryer, so there's not only plenty for samples, but for some napkins for the drawer.

   Now, what am I going to weave for my 2023 samples?