bing, bang, boom.

Most of my days are filled with 17th century history, fabric, food, and TV but now and then I get to look into other bits of history. Today is one of those days. It is a day of Independence in the US.  1776 was a turning point in history. For months afterwards the Declaration of Independence would be read across the thirteen colonies. Even more note worthy would be the snowball effect it would cause around the world for centuries to come.

Back at home though it would change something in the home. Prior to this even the poorest would buy used ready made clothes but in a move to define the 13 colonies textiles, which were already in the midst of changing, were becoming more and more a home task.  Spinning wheels, looms, swifts, knitting needles and sewing tools appear more and more in inventories of household wills. This is still nothing across the board mind you but it is on the rise even in the cities.

Ideas on fashion would come on little poppets/dolls and in drawings and prints called fashion plates (a form used into the early 20th century).   The housewife or young girl would then spend hours recreating the look. She could by the cloth and trim at the dry goods or general store, in some occasions the house wife would dye and weave the cloth herself.

Through the centuries fiber arts would continue to change with new technologies,  techniques,  ideas and changing of the centuries it would continue to change and will continue to. I wonder how women in the home and fiber arts will change even in the next 20.

Happy Forth of July from the Historic Stitcher!