Woven napkins, African-American theme

Woven napkins, African-American theme

Handicraft -- Appalachian Region, Southern
Handloom industry -- Appalachian Region, Southern
Hand weaving -- Appalachian Region, Southern
Textile crafts -- Appalachian Region, Southern
Spinning Wheel (Firm : Asheville, N.C.)

These hand woven lunch napkins were produced between 1925 and 1942 by an unidentified weaver for sale through the Spinning Wheel shop in Asheville, N.C. The items are decorated with rural African American figures using a laid in technique called "picture-weave." The design was placed behind the warp, while colored threads were laid-in as the weaving progressed. The figures were extracted from larger picture of a farm scene. Luncheon napkins sold for about $1.00 and were popular with tourists. In 1925, Clementine Douglas opened the Spinning Wheel, a weaving studio and retail shop selling a range of local crafts. Douglas taught the weavers and served as lead designer.

Douglas, Clementine

Southern Highland Craft Guild

Hunter Library Digital Collections, Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC 28723

1925/1942

Permission granted by WCU Hunter Library

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artifact

SHCG_PermCol_1999_48_1-5

Buncombe County (N.C.)