Two of Four: Weaving

Weaving

During the start of the forming of the United States the colonists relied heavily on the trade from Britain to provide them with clothes and cloth. When trade from Britain was restricted they began to need to learn to weave and eventually it became a profession and many people did it for pleasure and to provide their family and friends with clothing. They made recipes for dyes which interestingly enough were all safe to drink since they were made from all natural ingredients. Weaving was mainly done in groups in a large weaving house or a factory. Although this production started with a need for clothes it became many people’s leisure activity which was helpful since obviously they needed clothing since there was no trade. Most people made clothing using a loom and they learned how to use a loom through the apprentice-master system. This is where someone who knows how to weave or do another trade teaches a small child or a group of children. Weavers had to know how to use a loom, how to prepare it, and how to maintain it. Apprentices would go and watch a weaver work day in and day out. It was a way of learning a profession immediately instead of going to school and deciding what you wanted to do with your life.Weaving for important for colonists on many levels. First off, the trade with England being cut off forced them to be more independent and from this many people found something that they loved doing and it became a loved profession and a loved hobby.