Friday, August 9, 2013

Colonel Palmer House-Crystal Lake-Continues Sunday Series

The 2013 Summer Sunday Series at Colonel Palmer House continues on Sunday, August 11, 1-4 pm with “Weaving a Tale: Coverlets, Quilts, and the Art of Storytelling”. This FREE program takes place on the grounds of the beautiful historic Colonel Palmer house, 660 East Terra Cotta Ave (Route 176) in Crystal Lake. Summer Sunday programs are free and open to people of all ages.
Summer Sunday visitors will discover the history of jacquard coverlets woven here in Illinois from the 1840’s to the 1860’s. Loom woven jacquard coverlets began to appear in Illinois in the 1840’s as skilled weavers from the east moved west to acquire property. In many of the eastern states coverlet weaving had become competitive; Illinois offered an opportunity for the weaver’s to establish a new frontier of clients.
Predating the popularity of quilts, coverlets introduced color and design to bed coverings. The patterns and motifs used by weavers often followed folk traditions of Western Europe or the Eastern United States, particularly Germanic motifs. Weavers purchased or fabricated their loom structures and then added the Jacquard attachment developed by Joseph Jacquard of France in about 1800. This attachment allowed the weaver better accuracy and less time spent at the loom. With the rise of factories in the 1860’s, weavers of jacquard coverlets were edged out of the market. Factories could produce goods faster and at lower costs. Illinois would be the farthest west that weavers of jacquard coverlets were to go.
Coverlets are just one of the featured events for the final Summer Sunday, “Weaving a Tale: Coverlets, Quilts, and the Art of Storytelling.” Families will enjoy storytelling, weaving demonstrations, a quilt exhibit, and children’s craft.  During the Summer Sunday Series, Colonel Palmer House will be open to visitors.
For further information contact Mary Ott at (815) 477-5873, or via email palmerhouse@crystallakeparks.org.

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