Linsey-woolsey
Encyclopedia
Linsey-woolsey is a coarse twill
or plain-woven
fabric woven
with a linen
warp
and a woollen weft
. Similar fabrics woven with a cotton warp and woollen weft in Colonial America
were also called linsey-woolsey or wincey. The name derives form a combination of linen and woollen. This textile has been known since ancient times; known as Shatnez
in Hebrew, the Torah
and hence Jewish religious law
explicitly forbid wearing it.
woven at Kidderminster
from the 17th century, originally a wool fabric, may have been of linsey-woolsey construction later on.
Linsey-woolsey was an important fabric in the Colonial America due to the relative scarcity of wool
in the colonies. Many sources say it was used for whole-cloth quilt
s, and when parts of the quilt wore out the remains would be cut up and pieced into patchwork quilt
s. Some sources dispute this and say that the material was too rough and would have been used instead for clothing
and occasionally for light blankets
. It was also used as a ground fabric for needlepoint
.
Linsey-woolsey was valued for its warmth, durability, and cheapness, but not for its looks. In her autobiography Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl
Harriet Jacobs
writes, "I have a vivid recollection of the linsey-woolsey dress given to me every winter by Mrs. Flint. How I hated it! It was one of the badges of slavery."
Linsey-woolsey is also sometimes used to refer to 18th century woven coverlet
s or bed
coverings made with a linen warp and woollen weft. The term is sometimes incorrectly applied to glazed textiles.
Linsey-woolsey continues to be woven today in small quantities for historical recreation
and Colonial period decorating uses.
uses the term "wincey" six times in Anne of Green Gables
: "a very ugly dress of yellowish gray wincey".
Compton Mackenzie
creates a minor character called Colonel Lindsay-Woolsey in his 1941 comedy novel The Monarch of the Glen
.
In Patrick Dennis
' 1955 comic novel Auntie Mame
Lindsay Woolsey is Mame Dennis' publisher friend.
In the 1976 film The Outlaw Josey Wales
, Josey's injured sidekick, Jamie (Sam Bottoms
), refers to his father's embarrassing ability to sew ornate designs on his otherwise drab linsey-woolsey shirt.
Twill
Twill is a type of textile weave with a pattern of diagonal parallel ribs . This is done by passing the weft thread over one or more warp threads and then under two or more warp threads and so on, with a "step" or offset between rows to create the characteristic diagonal pattern. Because of this...
or plain-woven
Plain weave
Plain weave is the most basic of three fundamental types of textile weaves . It is strong and hard-wearing, used for fashion and furnishing fabrics....
fabric woven
Weaving
Weaving is a method of fabric production in which two distinct sets of yarns or threads are interlaced at right angles to form a fabric or cloth. The other methods are knitting, lace making and felting. The longitudinal threads are called the warp and the lateral threads are the weft or filling...
with a linen
Linen
Linen is a textile made from the fibers of the flax plant, Linum usitatissimum. Linen is labor-intensive to manufacture, but when it is made into garments, it is valued for its exceptional coolness and freshness in hot weather....
warp
Warp (weaving)
In weaving cloth, the warp is the set of lengthwise yarns that are held in tension on a frame or loom. The yarn that is inserted over-and-under the warp threads is called the weft, woof, or filler. Each individual warp thread in a fabric is called a warp end or end. Warp means "that which is thrown...
and a woollen weft
Weft
In weaving, weft or woof is the yarn which is drawn through the warp yarns to create cloth. In North America, it is sometimes referred to as the "fill" or the "filling yarn"....
. Similar fabrics woven with a cotton warp and woollen weft in Colonial America
Colonial America
The colonial history of the United States covers the history from the start of European settlement and especially the history of the thirteen colonies of Britain until they declared independence in 1776. In the late 16th century, England, France, Spain and the Netherlands launched major...
were also called linsey-woolsey or wincey. The name derives form a combination of linen and woollen. This textile has been known since ancient times; known as Shatnez
Shatnez
Shatnez is the prohibition in Jewish law derived from the Torah that prohibits the wearing of a fabric containing both wool and linen ; this forbidden mixture is referred to in Judaism as shatnez...
in Hebrew, the Torah
Torah
Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five books of the bible—Genesis , Exodus , Leviticus , Numbers and Deuteronomy Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five...
and hence Jewish religious law
Halakha
Halakha — also transliterated Halocho , or Halacha — is the collective body of Jewish law, including biblical law and later talmudic and rabbinic law, as well as customs and traditions.Judaism classically draws no distinction in its laws between religious and ostensibly non-religious life; Jewish...
explicitly forbid wearing it.
History
The coarse fabric called stuffStuff (cloth)
In the context of materials Stuff can refer to any manufactured material. This is illustrated from a quote by Sir Francis Bacon in his 1658 publication New Atlantis:"Wee have also diverse Mechanicall Arts, which you have not; And Stuffes made by them; As Papers, Linnen, Silks, Tissues; dainty Works...
woven at Kidderminster
Kidderminster
Kidderminster is a town, in the Wyre Forest district of Worcestershire, England. It is located approximately seventeen miles south-west of Birmingham city centre and approximately fifteen miles north of Worcester city centre. The 2001 census recorded a population of 55,182 in the town...
from the 17th century, originally a wool fabric, may have been of linsey-woolsey construction later on.
Linsey-woolsey was an important fabric in the Colonial America due to the relative scarcity of wool
Wool
Wool is the textile fiber obtained from sheep and certain other animals, including cashmere from goats, mohair from goats, qiviut from muskoxen, vicuña, alpaca, camel from animals in the camel family, and angora from rabbits....
in the colonies. Many sources say it was used for whole-cloth quilt
Quilt
A quilt is a type of bed cover, traditionally composed of three layers of fiber: a woven cloth top, a layer of batting or wadding and a woven back, combined using the technique of quilting. “Quilting” refers to the technique of joining at least two fabric layers by stitches or ties...
s, and when parts of the quilt wore out the remains would be cut up and pieced into patchwork quilt
Patchwork quilt
A patchwork quilt is a quilt in which the top layer consists of pieces of fabric sewn together to form a design. The quilting design does not necessarily follow the patchwork design, and the design of the quilting may play off the patchwork design....
s. Some sources dispute this and say that the material was too rough and would have been used instead for clothing
Clothing
Clothing refers to any covering for the human body that is worn. The wearing of clothing is exclusively a human characteristic and is a feature of nearly all human societies...
and occasionally for light blankets
Blankets
Blankets may refer to:* Blankets , a graphic novel by Craig Thompson.* Blankets , an accompaniment to aforementioned novel from Tracker, an American indie rock act* Plural of Blanket...
. It was also used as a ground fabric for needlepoint
Needlepoint
Needlepoint is a form of counted thread embroidery in which yarn is stitched through a stiff open weave canvas. Most needlepoint designs completely cover the canvas...
.
Linsey-woolsey was valued for its warmth, durability, and cheapness, but not for its looks. In her autobiography Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl
Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl
Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl is a book that was published in 1861 by Harriet Jacobs, using the pen name "Linda Brent". While on one level it chronicles the experiences of Harriet Jacobs as a slave, and the various humiliations she had to endure in that unhappy state, it also deals with...
Harriet Jacobs
Harriet Ann Jacobs
Harriet Ann Jacobs was an American writer, who escaped from slavery and became an abolitionist speaker and reformer...
writes, "I have a vivid recollection of the linsey-woolsey dress given to me every winter by Mrs. Flint. How I hated it! It was one of the badges of slavery."
Linsey-woolsey is also sometimes used to refer to 18th century woven coverlet
Woven coverlet
A woven coverlet or coverlid is a type of bed covering with a woven design in colored wool yarn on a background of natural linen or cotton. Coverlets were woven in almost every community in the United States from the colonial era until the late 19th century.-History:Coverlets of 18th century...
s or bed
Bed
A bed is a large piece of furniture used as a place to sleep, relax, or engage in sexual relations.Most modern beds consist of a mattress on a bed frame, with the mattress resting either on a solid base, often wooden slats, or a sprung base...
coverings made with a linen warp and woollen weft. The term is sometimes incorrectly applied to glazed textiles.
Linsey-woolsey continues to be woven today in small quantities for historical recreation
Living history
Living history is an activity that incorporates historical tools, activities and dress into an interactive presentation that seeks to give observers and participants a sense of stepping back in time. Although it does not necessarily seek to reenact a specific event in history, living history is...
and Colonial period decorating uses.
Cultural references
Lucy Maud MontgomeryLucy Maud Montgomery
Lucy Maud Montgomery OBE , called "Maud" by family and friends and publicly known as L.M. Montgomery, was a Canadian author best known for a series of novels beginning with Anne of Green Gables, published in 1908. Anne of Green Gables was an immediate success...
uses the term "wincey" six times in Anne of Green Gables
Anne of Green Gables
Anne of Green Gables is a bestselling novel by Canadian author Lucy Maud Montgomery published in 1908. Set in 1878, it was written as fiction for readers of all ages, but in recent decades has been considered a children's book...
: "a very ugly dress of yellowish gray wincey".
Compton Mackenzie
Compton Mackenzie
Sir Compton Mackenzie, OBE was a writer and a Scottish nationalist.-Background:Compton Mackenzie was born in West Hartlepool, England, into a theatrical family of Mackenzies, but many of whose members used Compton as their stage surname, starting with his grandfather Henry Compton, a well-known...
creates a minor character called Colonel Lindsay-Woolsey in his 1941 comedy novel The Monarch of the Glen
The Monarch of the Glen (novel)
The Monarch of the Glen is a Scottish comic farce novel written by English-born Scottish author Compton Mackenzie and published in 1941. It depicts the life in the fictional Scottish castle of Glenbogle....
.
In Patrick Dennis
Patrick Dennis
Patrick Dennis was an American author. His novel Auntie Mame: An Irreverent Escapade was one of the bestselling American books of the 20th century. In chronological vignettes "Patrick" recalls his adventures growing up under the wing of his madcap aunt, Mame Dennis...
' 1955 comic novel Auntie Mame
Auntie Mame
Auntie Mame is a 1955 novel by Patrick Dennis that chronicles the madcap adventures of a boy, Patrick, growing up as the ward of his deceased father's eccentric sister, Mame Dennis. The book is a work of fiction inspired by the author's eccentric aunt, Marion Tanner, whose life and outlook in many...
Lindsay Woolsey is Mame Dennis' publisher friend.
In the 1976 film The Outlaw Josey Wales
The Outlaw Josey Wales
The Outlaw Josey Wales is a 1976 American revisionist Western film set during and after the end of the American Civil War. It was directed by and starred Clint Eastwood , with Chief Dan George, Sondra Locke, Sam Bottoms, and Geraldine Keams.The film was adapted by Sonia Chernus and Philip Kaufman...
, Josey's injured sidekick, Jamie (Sam Bottoms
Sam Bottoms
Samuel John "Sam" Bottoms was an American actor and producer.-Personal life:Bottoms was born in Santa Barbara, California, the third son of James "Bud" Bottoms and Betty , both of whom survive him...
), refers to his father's embarrassing ability to sew ornate designs on his otherwise drab linsey-woolsey shirt.