"knitting "cotton warp" quilts"

"knitting "cotton warp" quilts"

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"knitting "cotton warp" quilts" Posted by mitch on Apr-07-00 at 12:34 PM (EST)
In the book "Anne of Green Gables", in the second paragraph of the whole book, Mrs. Rachel Lynde is knitting "cotton warp" quilts. Does anyone know what they are? If they really are knitted, does anyone know how?
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Table of Contents

knitting "cotton warp&quo..., MaureenM, Apr-07-00, (1)

Cotton warp quilts, Joan, Apr-07-00, (2)

linsey-woolsey, Roxanna, Apr-08-00, (3)

Messages in this discussion

1 . "knitting "cotton warp" quilts"
Posted by MaureenM on Apr-07-00 at 01:39 PM (EST)

I'm going to go out on a limb here:
1) perhaps the term "quilt" in this case is a general term for a bedcovering,
2) warp is the term for the threads that are placed lenghtwise on a weaving loom before one starts weaving. (the thread that weaves under and over the warp is called the woof),
3)cotton warp then would be warp made of cotton,
(I don't know about the properties of cotton warp but I would expect that it is available in long lengths, it is very strong as it is intended to be held under tension, it could be that it was either readily available or very inexpensive and therefore useful for hand work.)
This all said what I would see would be knitted counterpanes made of very strong or durable cotton.
As for a character in a novel who is knitting cotton warp quilts, this tells me that the character is has an admirable skill, she does not idle but is always working to make both useful and beautiful objects for her home (i.e. for others enjoyment and use as well as to beautify her environment). If I knew more about the cost of cotton warp I might also have some idea about whether the novelist is portraying this character as one who makes do with what she has or who is able to make something beautiful and useful out of something very inexpensive that even the poorest person could afford or who on the otherhand is wealthy enough to afford the finest materials. I don't know enough about cotton warp to know if either is the case.

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2 . "Cotton warp quilts"
Posted by Joan on Apr-07-00 at 06:20 PM (EST)

Your message got me to thinking about it, so I typed in 'cotton warp quilts' on my search and found out the following. Earliest fabrics used in American quilts was Linsey-Woolsey. This consisted of linen, or sometimes cotton, warp and wool weft. The name of the fabric came from a village in Saussex(now Sussex) England (which is incidentally the county next to the one I grew up in, but am now in the USA). Flax was one of the largest crops in Colonial America, Linsey-Woolsey bedcovers were generally whole cloth quilts. As they wore out, usuable sections were salvaged and pieced into other quilts. Just thought this was interesting. If you type in the same 'cotton warp quilts' there are a lot more links to follow.

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3 . "linsey-woolsey"
Posted by Roxanna on Apr-08-00 at 09:51 AM (EST)

Dear Hearts,
As well as knitting, I also weave, and I have specialized in weaving fabric for historic re-enactors. Before Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin to pick the seeds out of the fluff, cotton warp would have been very expensive because it would have been terrifically labor intensive. But I believe that "Anne of Green Gables" was set in the mid or late 19th century, well into the industrial revolution and the availability of inexpensive, machine cleaned and spun cotton. Knitting a counterpane in cotton warp would be the equivalent of knitting a bedspread in heavy crochet cotton today. A considerable investment in time and money. A comfortable middle class sort of thing to be doing. Poor folks would have had to make do with quilts pieced from scraps and rags. Rich folks would have counterpanes of heavy imported laces, or silk velvets and brocades.
As for linsey-woolsey, it is a very expensive fabric nowdays because linen is still labor intensive to produce, and labor is far more expensive than it was in our pioneer foremother's time. Linsey-woolsey was the fabric of choice for poor people because the linen made it hard-wearing, and the wool made it warm. And. although linen burns just like straw when it comes near fire, wool is self extinguishing, so mixing the two makes a fabric that is safe to wear when cooking over an open flame or huddling near a fireplace to get warm. The more you wear linen, the softer it gets, and a well worn linsey - woolsey shirt is as soft as a happy kitten.
There. That's more than you ever wanted to know.

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1 . "knitting "cotton warp" quilts" Posted by MaureenM on Apr-07-00 at 01:39 PM (EST)
I'm going to go out on a limb here: 1) perhaps the term "quilt" in this case is a general term for a bedcovering, 2) warp is the term for the threads that are placed lenghtwise on a weaving loom before one starts weaving. (the thread that weaves under and over the warp is called the woof), 3)cotton warp then would be warp made of cotton, (I don't know about the properties of cotton warp but I would expect that it is available in long lengths, it is very strong as it is intended to be held under tension, it could be that it was either readily available or very inexpensive and therefore useful for hand work.) This all said what I would see would be knitted counterpanes made of very strong or durable cotton. As for a character in a novel who is knitting cotton warp quilts, this tells me that the character is has an admirable skill, she does not idle but is always working to make both useful and beautiful objects for her home (i.e. for others enjoyment and use as well as to beautify her environment). If I knew more about the cost of cotton warp I might also have some idea about whether the novelist is portraying this character as one who makes do with what she has or who is able to make something beautiful and useful out of something very inexpensive that even the poorest person could afford or who on the otherhand is wealthy enough to afford the finest materials. I don't know enough about cotton warp to know if either is the case.
	[REMOVE] [SEND EMAIL] [TOP]

2 . "Cotton warp quilts" Posted by Joan on Apr-07-00 at 06:20 PM (EST)
Your message got me to thinking about it, so I typed in 'cotton warp quilts' on my search and found out the following. Earliest fabrics used in American quilts was Linsey-Woolsey. This consisted of linen, or sometimes cotton, warp and wool weft. The name of the fabric came from a village in Saussex(now Sussex) England (which is incidentally the county next to the one I grew up in, but am now in the USA). Flax was one of the largest crops in Colonial America, Linsey-Woolsey bedcovers were generally whole cloth quilts. As they wore out, usuable sections were salvaged and pieced into other quilts. Just thought this was interesting. If you type in the same 'cotton warp quilts' there are a lot more links to follow.
	[REMOVE] [SEND EMAIL] [TOP]

3 . "linsey-woolsey" Posted by Roxanna on Apr-08-00 at 09:51 AM (EST)
Dear Hearts, As well as knitting, I also weave, and I have specialized in weaving fabric for historic re-enactors. Before Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin to pick the seeds out of the fluff, cotton warp would have been very expensive because it would have been terrifically labor intensive. But I believe that "Anne of Green Gables" was set in the mid or late 19th century, well into the industrial revolution and the availability of inexpensive, machine cleaned and spun cotton. Knitting a counterpane in cotton warp would be the equivalent of knitting a bedspread in heavy crochet cotton today. A considerable investment in time and money. A comfortable middle class sort of thing to be doing. Poor folks would have had to make do with quilts pieced from scraps and rags. Rich folks would have counterpanes of heavy imported laces, or silk velvets and brocades. As for linsey-woolsey, it is a very expensive fabric nowdays because linen is still labor intensive to produce, and labor is far more expensive than it was in our pioneer foremother's time. Linsey-woolsey was the fabric of choice for poor people because the linen made it hard-wearing, and the wool made it warm. And. although linen burns just like straw when it comes near fire, wool is self extinguishing, so mixing the two makes a fabric that is safe to wear when cooking over an open flame or huddling near a fireplace to get warm. The more you wear linen, the softer it gets, and a well worn linsey - woolsey shirt is as soft as a happy kitten. There. That's more than you ever wanted to know.
	[REMOVE] [SEND EMAIL] [TOP]

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