helping traditional skills flourish in our modern world
Local artisan and author, Peggy Hart joins us on March 14th at 7:30PM to celebrate her book, Wool: Unraveling an American Story of Artisans and Innovation.
In this beautiful book, our dear friend and neighbor Peggy Hart tells wool’s colorful and surprisingly epic tale. She shows how it has impacted millions of lives–from immigrants, slaves, and Native Americans to farmers and advertisers. Learn little-known but fascinating facts about US society’s changing relationship to wool–for example, how huge flocks of sheep were driven to the California gold fields to feed hungry miners, and why sheep grazed on the White House lawn during World War I. This is a story of technological and social change, marketing forces, and our choices as consumers. Wool is a must-read for anyone who has knitted (or worn!) socks, woven a piece of cloth, or curled up with a warm wool blanket.
“Wool’s colorful and epic tale has impacted millions of lives, including artisans, inventors, immigrants, merchants, mill owners, millworkers, slaves, and Native Americans, to farmers and advertisers. A story of technological and social change, marketing forces, and our choices as consumers, Wool is a must-read for anyone who has knitted (or worn!) socks, woven a piece of cloth, or curled up with a warm wool blanket.”
“Wool by Peggy Hart draws on the author’s deep professional experience in the wool industry to explore its rise, fall, and resurgence in America. From the birth of this nation to present day, Hart traces the sheep, fabrics, and trends
“This is an approachable general history–you can learn about agriculture, social issues, economics, industry, and fashion. It explores the impact mechanization (and convenience) had on America’s Wool industry. While this is an introductory volume, an extensive reference and bibliography directs you to more information
“This is an enjoyable read and the archival photographs provide additional delight.”
Peggy Hart is a textile designer, production weaver, and teacher with experience in designing, producing, and marketing hundreds of blankets annually including custom blankets for sheep and alpaca farmers using their own yarn. The woolen mills of New England are gone, but inside her barn in rural Massachusetts there lurks a complete 1940’s weave shop. Old industrial looms live their second life weaving cotton and wool blankets. Each loom is a ton and a half of greasy gears, wheels, and pulleys; mechanical innovation that made complex patterns possible. Hart has a deep interest in the history of weaving and wool in America.
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