Fiber Arts – Page 21 – Dutch Hollow Acres

February 25, 2011February 25, 2011

FAF: The First US Alpaca Industry

Welcome back to FAF. I hope you have your learning caps on because I’ve been digging into the research again.

This time I wasn’t sure what I was looking for but ended up getting all angry at today’s alpaca industry. Long story short? Why is it in the late 1800’s there was a perfectly sustainable alpaca fiber industry in the US without a single alpaca on American soil, yet today there are all these co-ops, registries, organizations and still we’re not getting paid for our fiber raised right here in America? ARGH. Ok rant done.

If you’ve read my post about Abraham Lincoln you’ll know that alpaca was his favorite textile but what happened to that thriving industry? As it turns out around 1865 alpaca fiber was brought to the US and there was a very demanding market for 12 years. 2 alpaca mills were even established in Massachusetts, one in Holyoke and the other in Lawrence and specialized in linings, yarn, and dressed goods.

During its heyday, there was more demand for alpaca than there was availability and in 1875 the first alpacas were brought to the US and resided in the Alleghany Mountains in Maryland. Unfortunately, as soon as the alpacas got here the demand for their fiber fell. I guess the trends of the day changed and consumers were after luster deprived fabrics, yuck.

The small herds of alpacas in Maryland were not doing very well either. The lush grasses and atmospheric conditions were thought to be the culprit. If I had $ to bet I’d say it was the M-worm that took its toll on the flock. The high elevations of the Rockies was thought to be the only place where alpacas would ever survive in the country.

At the time of the writing of the article (1883) there wasn’t a single alpaca living from the 1875 import. Thankfully, in 1883 another interest by consumers for alpaca was re-awakening and experiments blending alpaca with silk were showing to be favorable. The author made assumptions that with renewed interest and new favorable locations in Wyoming and Nevada that alpacas would be prominent in America and would rival that of the merino sheep industry.

Well I guess we both know that the US now days is known neither for its thriving alpaca fiber industry nor is it the world leader for merino sheep. *sigh*

Other than bookworming I’ve been happily working away doing fibery things. Unfortunately I’m not using alpaca in my projects?! Why? Because it takes between 8-14 months for my fiber to get back from the mill! It’s been so long that I don’t even remember what day let alone month I sent my fiber to the mill. (Seriously rant over I promise)

I have been working on a baby blanket for a friend of mine and my sock yarn shawl for another. I also picked up some beautifully green yarn on sale at Joann’s. Ok I know, its Joann’s but I had a 10% off my entire order coupon and the yarn was on clearance too.

What have you been up to? Be sure to check out these other Fiber Folks.

Encyclopaedia Britannica 1888

February 23, 2011February 22, 2011

WIP – Sock Yarn Shawl Con’t

This weekend we were surprised with a snow storm. Weatherman said “dusting to an inch” instead we got what I’m guessing was 6in. Hard to really tell since the sustained winds were 25-30mph with gusts over 60mph. Ugh

Oh well, crappy weather means time for fiber.

Here’s progress I’ve been making on my sock yarn shawl. From tip to tip it’s about 2 feet.

Have you been working on a project?

February 18, 2011February 25, 2011

Fiber Arts Friday: 1st Textile Patent

If you happen to follow me on Twitter or Facebook you’ll know that I usually toss out a “today in history” blurb. I was inspired by one of these for today’s FAF post.

Monday might have been Valentine’s Day but it is also another exciting day in US fiber history. In 1974 the first US Textile Patent went to James Davenport of Philadelphia. His first mechanical invention was used for carding and spinning wool followed closely on February 24^th for another patent for weaving and beating sail duck.

I found an advertisement for the invention and was floored by the use of boys for the labor. Obviously this was way before labor laws.

The following was from h-net.org

Advertisement in Massachusetts Mercury, Aug. 24, 1798, in William R. Bagnall, Textile Industries of the United States, I (Cambridge, Mass., 1893), 225.

James Davenport received the first patent issued in the United States for his spinning machinery in Philadelphia (1794). He set up his machinery for spinning and weaving by water power at the Globe Mills, Philadelphia. The labor was chiefly performed by boys, one of whom was able to spin 292,000 feet of flax or hempen thread in a day of ten hours.

Spinning by Machinery

Into Thread and Twine

James Davenport proposes to sell or erect his Machine for spinning Hemp, Flax and Tow; he will complete it, and let it to work, and instruct any person inclined to purchase. These who have seen the machine at work will allow that the subjoined statement is strictly correct.

Thread. Two boys and one man can spin from 20 to 60 lb. per day; according to the fineness, regular and even.

Twine, Seine, or Sewing. This Machine will double twist, and finish from 50 to 60 lbs. per day, with 3 boys from 10 to 12 years old, which for regularity and excellence cannot be surpassed by the twisting by hand of the best workmen.

Any person willing to treat for the purchase of this invaluable invention, may hear the terms by applying to J. Davenport, at John Baker’s Hotel, Water-street.

Wanted, A Partner, who will find it advantageous.

While reading away on Mr. Davenport I couldn’t help but notice how his inventions on spinning and carding wool helped our struggling young nation. Because England was taxing the begeezus out of the colonies the Americans revolted as we all know. During this time England practically cut off textile imports and the Americans boycotted anything from England anyway making Davenports textile inventions quite the news in its day.

That was until the greatest textile related patent on March,14^th 1794.
Any guesses as to what it was?

Let’s make it fun… For anyone who comments below with the correct answer I’ll put your name in a drawing for a surprise handmade goody. Drawing will be held on Saturday 2-19-2011

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Naturally the ultimate question is what have I been up to this FAF? Well things have settled down finally and I’ve been hard at work on my shawl which has turned into a shawlette since I ran out of yarn (drat!). I wasn’t happy with any of the patterns I found so I ended up winging it. Thankfully I wrote everything down so I’ll eventually have the pattern posted sometime next week.

Here’s a photo of the shawlette finished yet un blocked.

New on my needles now a funky sock yarn shawl. Being sock yarn I expect I’ll be at this one quite a while even with #6 needles.

Check out the folks below for more for fiber goodies.

February 16, 2011

WIP Wednesday

Here’s random things I have on needles at work. As you can see I love starting projects and then they sit. Since these are my “work” projects they sit at my desk begging to be picked up on breaks or over lunch. I seriously don’t even know what I’m attempting on any of them. I think 2 are the startings of a shawl and no clue what the last one is.

Got something on your fiber to do list? Check out others at http://tamisamis.blogspot.com/2011/02/work-in-progress-wednesday-28.html

February 11, 2011

Fiber Arts Friday – TGIFF

TIGIFF! Thank Goodness It’s Fiber Friday

I’m more excited that it’s Friday than anything else. It has been a long and stressful week. This week I was running solo and I’m so thankful to have M.back. Juggling farm chores, house chores, manly chores, puppy chores, cat chores, hay bales, plowing, shoveling, coal stove maintenance, oh yeah and then there’s the day job as well as being OnCall for the day job. I’m beat!

I hardly got anything done for my fiber fun this week. I present to you the very beginning of the green/gold shawl. Question: does anyone know a tip for getting the twist out of new set of circular needles? The darn thing keeps curling on itself and its driving me nutty.

On a unrelated note I joined a gym. I’ve crested over the 200lb making me now 40lbs over the weight I was happiest at. So, I’m testing a gym out for the next month. I’ve never gone before so it is all new to me. My goal: Make an honest attempt to go every day for 1 hour. So far, I’ve only missed 1 day this week due to that darn OnCall phone. Argh. I wonder how the gym would like it if I’m using a computer and chatting away on the phone while using the treadmill?