Civilian Saddle Blanket

[Mrs Paul L Muller]

Re: Civilian Saddle Blanket

Historically, most bast fibers (flax, hemp, milkweed stalks) were spun wet or damp using water, I don't think they would have deviated by using lard for SM. Flax and hemp softens & stretches the more it is used, I'm hoping the same for the SM.

I'll think about using thread during the weaving. I don't know if I could find 100% brown cotton thread locally (most are 100% polyester or a poly-cotton).

I should use what I have to make Paul a belt or strap and see if I need to adjust my spinning.

[Spinster]

Re: Civilian Saddle Blanket

How wonderful!

I wish the original thread had caught my eye, as I could have saved some steps in the learning curve,, having been involved in Dawn's original process from the point her first test mats from her own moss were done.

First, to all wishing to buy such work-- these are truely a labor of love--the time in them does not lend itself to economic viability.

My original blanket fragment is twined. As the twining process does not put as much stress on the web as loom weaving, it also does not require a core thread. In the three samples I have reviewed, I found no core cotton or linen thread--though I must admit to not being able to wrap my head around the idea of going without one at the time. In the long run, I also think the age and brittleness of 40 year old mechicanically ginned moss affected the need for a core thread in Dawn's process. Her own retted moss did not require one.

I do this work fully masked, outdoors. Like many things, the effect is cumulative--my lungs are already damaged from years hovering a period dyepot or hand processing fiber. Brown Lung was a harsh reality for the southern millworker throughout the 19th and 20th centuries

Use of one of the high volume jumbo flyer plastic production wheels proved helpful in the process, just to keep from water damaging a more expensive wooden wheel.

Wear of the warp in the reed is problematic, and strong attention must be paid to sett. Some of this work may have to be achieved with a weighted hand beater. Again, twining rather than loom woven avoids this problem with the obvious exponential increase in labor.

In order to do any volume on this work, the purchased ginned moss was a necessity., even with Dawn's ready access to moss. One bale of commercially ginned moss just barely fit inside a mini-van. That volume was more than Dawn had retted out in the previous year. Obviously, she was physically limited in her ability to do that task--she is quadriplegic with some limited function in her arms, and used a power assist for treadle lifting.

Other work has been done on tied coiled household mattressing from moss and they are quite comfortable. Again, due to the economic feasibility, we tend to hold this work close to the vest because it cannot command the price it needs to.

You may have some luck in obtaining ginned moss by searching in the old car restoration hobby. Prior to the mid-1950's, moss was the preferred upholstery stuffing in cars and cheap furniture, as it's price was substantially lower than the more long wearing horsehair.


All the best on reinventing a process that once emLoyed thousands of poor whites and blacks in the Deep South. I've has the opportunity to interview some of the old 'moss gatherers' and gained insight into the working lives of these people. It's a story that should not be lost.

[Mrs Paul L Muller]

Re: Civilian Saddle Blanket

Thank you so much for this information! As I mentioned in one of my posts, I thought the sample looked twined rather than woven. Would you please tell me the wpi (wrap per inch) weight of the 'yarn', the wpi (warps per inch) & epi (ends per inch) for the warp & weft from your original? I'd like to make this piece as original as possible. I'm spinning on an Ashford Traveler with the jumbo bobbin. The fiber is only damp.

Although twining takes much longer, I'm comfortable with the process. It is good to know that fresh retted & spun SM won't need a core .... I suck at core spinning! :)

I'd love to hear your stories from the moss gatherers.

Please check in with this thread often, I may have other questions!

Thank you again, so very much!

[Philip cav]

Re: Civilian Saddle Blanket

Morning Cyndi, I just thought of two another sources that might be helpful. The Tampa Bay Historical Muesum and what about the Seminole tribe? There might be a few members of the tribe in Flordia still weaving SM. Just a thought. ;)

[Spinster]

Re: Civilian Saddle Blanket

Cyndi you are most welcome.

Living in two places, I'm continually scattered. I don't plan to be back to my historic house for 6-8 weeks. And that's where my original piece is stored.

The breed of the moss and the time since retting affects the amount of water needed in spinning, as it does with all bast fibers. I'd suggest a good coat of wax to protect your wheel from long term damage, and you may find your Ashford more oil hungry than normal.

At least one original I viewed that purported to be moss, was in my opinion, hemp. I recommended that some threads be sent to a textile engineer for review, but have not heard anything from it.

[GrumpyDave]

Re: Civilian Saddle Blanket

My gosh. There is so much I don't know.

[Spinster]

Re: Civilian Saddle Blanket

Isn't that funny Dave?

A feller of my acquaintance, after recently following two other conversations of mine, in yet another time gobbling electronic hellhole, has recently quieryed 'I did not understand a word you said. What should I know?'

As always, the answer is, 'it depends' -on whether you are farm grown or city grown, whether in the east or on the frontier, whether a Nativist or a recent immigrant, and where from, whether muddling along with grandmother in charge of production, or a forward young man in the midst of the Industrial Revolution and enamoured of water power....,and on and on.

While some of these terms are modern spinning technical shorthand, other issues have not changed from the period language. But there is constantly something to be learned or relearned. As long a time as I've spent up to my armpits in indigo, Boyd told something recently that I did not know. And once I explore the ramifications, it will change one of my long standing historical talks.

[Mrs Paul L Muller]

Re: Civilian Saddle Blanket

Terre,
I'm willing to wait for further information before warping my frame loom. I'm enjoying being able to work on carding & spinning outside during this 'cool' week of high 80s temps. We're supposed to get back into the high 90s-100s next week and won't be working with the SM during that time (it will be time to get back into the garden where it is partially shaded in the mornings).

I edited post #93 to correct terminology. I'd like to know the WPI Wraps-Per-Inch of the yarn, the WPI Warps-Per-Inch of the warp & EPI Ends-Per-Inch of the weft from the original. Currently, I'm carding enough SM to spin 3-4 bobbins of bulky yarn (about 40 yards each), skeining, washing it using my own cold process soap, rinsing, then letting it air dry.

The Traveler wheel is notorious for being an oil hog. It gets an oiling & tightening up before each bobbin. It is my most rugged wheel and has received many a coat of wax (and lanolin as I have spun many a bobbins of 'clean but not stripped of lanolin' locks on it). She does have stains, but they only add to its character! Three of my other wheels are quite old (between late 1700s - late 1800s). One is an Irish saxony style, one is a Lithuanian saxony and the other a great wheel with accelerator head. My 'youngest' wheel is a Kromski Sonata with a WooLee winder that is my every day wheel. The Traveler was my first wheel (thank you sweet husband!) and is now used with the jumbo flyer/bobbin as my plying wheel.

But there is constantly something to be learned or relearned.

Which is why I love this medium so much!! Even though I've been spindling since 1998 and wheel spinning since 2002, I still consider myself just a beginner. I know a lot about the fiber arts, but realize there is far more that I do NOT know about the fiber arts!

[Mrs Paul L Muller]

Re: Civilian Saddle Blanket

First:

Thank you all for extending your prayers and condolences of the passing of my Daddy. It touched my heart.

I've been contacted by the editor of Spin-Off magazine (a spinning mag). She wants to include my adventures of Spanish Moss spinning and weaving in the Winter 2013 issue. I'm hoping this will give you good folks some resources for the SM blankets!

[Philip cav]

Re: Civilian Saddle Blanket

Congratulations Cyndi, I am glad to hear that.

[Mrs Paul L Muller]

Re: Civilian Saddle Blanket

Thought I'd give all y'all an update.

Last night I warped my loom with black mercerized cotton and wove a carbine sling. I plan on making a couple more and having Paul take them for COI next week so you can see them in person.

For those of you who are not going, here is a preview:

[Doughboy]

Re: Civilian Saddle Blanket

Great exercise and they look nice. We have been going around about SM carbine slings. Seems there is no actual evidence that they were ever used or issued. Would love to find out different though as a friend has one and is now terrified to use it!

[Mrs Paul L Muller]

Re: Civilian Saddle Blanket

I got the idea from perusing Ken Knopp's web page. I was looking for a smaller item to weave before starting on the saddle pad.

[Doughboy]

Re: Civilian Saddle Blanket

Very cool. Now we need someone to step up with some documentation! Please!?

[Mrs Paul L Muller]

Re: Civilian Saddle Blanket

On Ken's website (url noted in previous post), he writes

Pattern copied from an original in a private collection