Southern Appalachian Digital Collections

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Margaret Whiting to Frances Goodrich

  • wcu_craft_revival-1547.jpg
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Item
  • These two undated letters from Margaret Whiting of Deerfield, Mass., were sent to Frances Goodrich and include instructions for dyeing fiber with indigo. Although the date of these letters is unclear, the reference to Miss Williams suggests the letters were written in the 1920s or 1930s. Goodrich was experimenting with natural dyes as early as 1895 in her work to revive traditional weaving in the western North Carolina region. The exchange of information between New England and North Carolina during the Craft Revival period is significant. Both the letter and instructions give detailed information on how a dye-pot is managed, including how to mix the color, how to handle the fiber, and how to conserve the dye. Also included are transcriptions of the letters and instructions which were completed in the 1990s.
Object
  • These two undated letters from Margaret Whiting of Deerfield, Mass., were sent to Frances Goodrich and include instructions for dyeing fiber with indigo. Although the date of these letters is unclear, the reference to Miss Williams [Isadora Williams] suggests the letters were written in the 1920s or 1930s. Goodrich was experimenting with natural dyes as early as 1895 in her work to revive traditional weaving in the western North Carolina region. The exchange of information between New England and North Carolina during the Craft Revival period is significant. Both the letter and instructions give detailed information on how a dye-pot is managed, including how to mix the color, how to handle the fiber, and how to conserve the dye. Also included are transcriptions of the letters and instructions which were completed in the 1990s.