Hello Louise!
That is a fabulous find! Thanks so much for sharing this.
Clay
Louise Bailey wrote:
Dear Lucie & Arachnes,
I meant to post this link a little while ago but forgot. Lucie's query has
prompted me to share an online recent book.
The Needle's Eye
Women and Work in the Age of Revolution
Marla R. Miller
Sheds new light on women's household and artisanal roles in early America
1760-1810.
"In this book, Marla R. Miller illuminates the significance of women's work in the
clothing trades of the early Republic. Drawing on diaries, letters, reminiscences,
ledgers, and material culture, she explores the contours of working women's lives in
rural New England, offering a nuanced view of their varied ranks and roles-skilled and
unskilled, black and white, artisanal and laboring-as producers and consumers, clients
and craftswomen, employers and employees. By plumbing hierarchies of power and skill,
Miller explains how needlework shaped and reflected the circumstances of real women's
lives, at once drawing them together and setting them apart."
http://scholarworks.umass.edu/umpress_tne/
The link points to a page with pdf links for the whole book or individual
chapters. It appears to be a completely free download.
I've been dipping in and out it make an interesting read. She does compare rural
& urban styles.
I've read from various sources that in the mid 19th century the East Midlands
lace trade, particularly Bedfordshire lace was chiefly supported by exports to
America and with and after the American Civil War trade collapsed sending the
industry further into decline. I don't know how much lace would have been
exported during the earlier wars of independence or the various Franco-British
wars. We do know there as smuggling from France to Britain at that time so
perhaps the lace trade continued in one way or another.
Incidently BBC radio have just finished another history series along the lines of "This
Sceptred Isle" on "America Empire of Liberty" - it was broadcast in 3x30 15
minute programmes. It's a history from earliest times right up to date. I mention it because it is
coming out on CD. No doubt it will be repeated on BBC7 at some point.
Kind regards
Louise
In slightly summery Cambridge were the weather is going to turn because there's
a test match to win.
Date: Wed, 19 Aug 2009 23:07:55 -0400 (EDT)
From: [email protected]
Subject: [lace] 1810s vs 1860s
I am trying to figure out what kinds of lace would be extant and available
to American and Canadian women (urban and fairly rich, I guess) to
decorate their clothes (especially coiffes). I have a fairly good grasp of
the clothing styles involved (except for the difference between country
clothes that seems to stay fairly 18th centurish and urban clothes which
follows European fashion fairly quickly. Have others noticed this too?)
This is to help me in producing historically credible re-enactment clothes
for the War of 1812, the American Civil War, and Canadian Confederation
(1867)in Upper Canada. I don't even want to think of the differences
between French and English Canada (Lower and Upper Canada) at that time...
But I'll not refuse any information or hints.
Thank you in advance. Arachneans are truly awesome sources of information.
Any help would be very appreciated.
Lucie DuFresne
Ottawa Canada
-
To unsubscribe send email to [email protected] containing the line:
unsubscribe lace [email protected]. For help, write to
[email protected]
-
To unsubscribe send email to [email protected] containing the line:
unsubscribe lace [email protected]. For help, write to
[email protected]
