Old School Wool and Weaving Center - The Journey

Old School Wool and Weaving Center - The Journey Featuring 18th & 19th century weaving looms & spinning wheels as well as related tools, along with 19 and 20th century sewing machines.
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Using locally sourced wool & flax to produce home textiles & clothing with traditional techniques, traditions & tools.

This week at the weaving center, I made good progress on the first of the two linsey‑woolsey fabrics I hope to finish be...
09/03/2026

This week at the weaving center, I made good progress on the first of the two linsey‑woolsey fabrics I hope to finish before moving downstairs for the winter season. The ongoing work of rearranging the building continues as I shape the upstairs into a space dedicated to studying and re‑creating historic cloth. Preparations for the upcoming class with Rabbit Goody are underway as well.

It’s been one of those weeks where everything I touched seemed determined to test my patience. I’m reminding myself to stay grateful for the time, space, and equipment I have — and to see frustration as part of the learning curve. If that’s true, then I’m certainly in “advanced learning mode” right now.

Last night’s storms were something else entirely. Brutal winds, a tornado warning, and lightning striking closer than I’ve ever experienced. It left me wondering how the wild and domestic animals manage such nights, especially those out on pasture with no shelter.

Much‑needed work on the Grange building is being planned and will likely stretch into next year. And after saying goodbye to several sheep, the flock seems to be holding steady for the moment. Illness, age, and unforeseen conditions have reduced their numbers, and I don’t plan to replace them. After two decades of raising sheep — and at one time, a flock of rams — it’s bittersweet to step back. But my energy is better spent focusing on spinning and weaving, and letting others grow the wool. Financially, buying fleece has always made more sense anyway.

As I look around the weaving center, I can see that downsizing will eventually be necessary, and I’m beginning to imagine how that process might unfold.

For now, my role as “student” will be set aside while I devote myself fully to the work of re‑creating historic cloth as it was made in the early 19th century. This will include travel to examine original textiles and meet with those who curate them, all in the hope of deepening my understanding — and applying that knowledge from soil to shuttle.

That’s the state of things at the moment. More to come as it unfolds. Kathryn

Page from the receipt book of weaver, Silas Burton, showing a draft for 5 shaft diaper .

09/03/2026

Registration for the September 26 class with Rabbit Goody, will be closing on September 7.
To reserve a spot, send me a message.

It's been an evolving of sorts Certainly, it's a journey.Decades in the making, with me setting out to accomplish sharin...
08/31/2026

It's been an evolving of sorts Certainly, it's a journey.

Decades in the making, with me setting out to accomplish sharing my love of and use of centuries old looms and spinning wheels.

And finally,at long last, realizing where I'm supposed to be.

My final goal is to spend what days I have left discovering 200 year old cloth, made locally and recreating it the same way, with the same tools, techniques, and traditions. As closely as possible.
Sigh. It's great to be home.

A quiet shift has been happening at the Old School Wool and Waving Center, and it’s time to name it. The building is bec...
08/30/2026

A quiet shift has been happening at the Old School Wool and Waving Center, and it’s time to name it. The building is becoming a working domestic textile heritage center — a place where cloth is made the way it once was, from soil to stitch.

This fall and winter, the downstairs will serve as the working floor for flax, wool, spinning, loom dressing, and cloth production. The upstairs will rest as our heritage archive until spring.

Soil → Fiber → Yarn → Cloth → Garment → History

The Heritage Cloth Makers Guild continues year‑round, and in warmer months we’ll reopen the upstairs for study days, demonstrations, and small‑group learning.

More updates as the Center settles into its winter rhythm.

This week at Old School Wool and Weaving Center.Time moves on with lightening speed, the older I get. This week began an...
08/20/2026

This week at Old School Wool and Weaving Center.

Time moves on with lightening speed, the older I get.

This week began another warp of 100% linen for a second Linsey-Woolsey.

The continuation of the first LW is coming along nicely. There is about 5 yards to be woven off yet
The close up of the weave - it's a cotton warp and 2/20 wool weft.

The newest addition to the spinning wheel herd, this Canadian Tilt-Tension production wheel was found on a curb in Connecticutt after a weekend, town wide yard sale. Apparently, nobody recognized it's worth. Sad, and typical of historic textile tools. Happily, it now lives here, thanks to the efforts of a dear friend who thought I'd like it!

Cotton dish towel warp next up for beaming on.

The " winter " loom" in the basement ( where there is heat during the cold months.

The charka ( suitcase ) spinning wheel and some of my cotton stash.

Flax in the process of becoming linen threads for the loom.

Some wool dyed this week which unfortunately, ended up on the ground and attracted every bit of debris it possibly could.

And most precious - three bags full of roving, back from the mill, of my Finnsheep girl's fleeces. This year. seeing the loss of many of my old girls, I'm pleased to have this fine wool to work with. Each year becomes just a bit harder to harvest usable fleece, so this is a real gift. No telling how long I'll keep receiving it.

How is your week going?

A friendly reminder - Saturday, September 26, 2026 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. ...
08/17/2026

A friendly reminder - Saturday, September 26, 2026
9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Lunch provided
Registration Closes September 7, 2026

Interpreting Historic Weaver's Drafts
A Hands On Class with Rabbit Goody
How do we know what families were weaving in their homes, or what professional weavers were producing in their trade shops?
Much of that knowledge survives in the shorthand “recipes” we call weavers’ drafts—notes passed down through families, fragments tucked into drawers, manuscripts published in the 18th and 19th centuries, and later collections gathered by textile historians. These drafts tell part of the story, but not all. To truly understand them, we must bring our knowledge of early American cloth making, surviving textiles, and the lived practices of both home and shop weavers.
In this short, hands‑on class, we will look closely at drafts recorded by family weavers as well as those written by trained professional weavers. Together, we’ll rewrite several drafts into modern notation and discuss the yarns and structures needed to reproduce these historic fabrics with accuracy and intention.

Four spots available - $125 per person - lunch included.

Cover of weaver Silas Burton's draft book

This year, I decided to deep dive into researching locally made home woven textiles from the 18th and 19th centuries.Whi...
08/12/2026

This year, I decided to deep dive into researching locally made home woven textiles from the 18th and 19th centuries.
While I know some information,documentation of the source of said information has become a priority.

On a trip to a local museum recently, hoping to flesh out more details on the Homer Textile Collection, I accidentally happened on more cloth swatches, same area, same time frame, different business.

The discoveries continue, and I am very grateful for those who understood the importance of saving these swatches.

Shown here are both simple hand woven and more complex mill woven, professional weavers, cloth.


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Every now and again, a peg will fall out of a warp beam. It's not an issue, but sometimes there is cloth of a sort wrapp...
08/12/2026

Every now and again, a peg will fall out of a warp beam. It's not an issue, but sometimes there is cloth of a sort wrapped around this peg helping to wedge it in.
It's always fun to examine such an ancient piece of cloth.
This piece is really dry and crumbling, but it looks like a feed sack, possibly. Under the microscope, it definitely looks like plant material. H**p?




These last few weeks have been remarkable at the Grange weaving center. The first linsey - woolsey warp is in full swing...
08/04/2026

These last few weeks have been remarkable at the Grange weaving center.
The first linsey - woolsey warp is in full swing and I am on to the next- this one will have a linen warp and wool weft.

I have the indigo dye bath going, am spinning some warp for a blanket and enjoying a deep dive into historical research on weavers, weaving, mills and more, each week as I visit one of two alternating museums for hands on research of textiles as well as records.

The time has come to harvest the flax planted last spring and begin the drying process, saving seeds and retting over the next few weeks.

I have had ongoing struggles with the sheep and recently said good- bye to two more. As a shepherd, I am responsible for their quality of life, they have no one else, and I take it very seriously. These girls were born here, and each will die here when their time comes, but it takes a bit of my heart each time. It's the price we pay though I wish it weren't so.

I've enjoyed several visitors who came by to see the work in progress and discuss the reasons for preserving the tools, traditions, and techniques of the 18th and 19th century.
I am always pleased to see others developing their interests in this area, and hold fast to the hope that after I'm gone , along with all my friends who also protect the historic ways of weaving, there will be others as passionate as I am, who will carry the knowledge foreward.

The beginning of Linsey-Woolsey. 30EPICotton warp.....Lunatic Fringe - American Maid 2/20Wool weft .... Jaggerspun -Main...
07/28/2026

The beginning of Linsey-Woolsey.

30EPI
Cotton warp.....Lunatic Fringe - American Maid 2/20
Wool weft .... Jaggerspun -Maine Line 2/20

25"wide
12 dent reed threaded : 2-3

5 yards

Address

130 County Road 13A
South Otselic, NY
13155

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