Star Work Coverlets
German linen weavers who immigrated to Pennsylvania took linen patterns that they originally used to weave Hin und Wieder Arbeit (back and forth work)[1] and enlarged the patterns to create their handwoven coverlets. The Pennsylvania German weavers discovered they could design patterns with units of multiple threads to create blocks instead of using only one thread to create a point in the pattern.[2] They took the star and diamond style of pattern and used it for weaving coverlets.[3]
The Pennsylvania German weavers would have referred to drafts for this weave structure as "half double" cloth in their early handwritten manuscripts, because the cloth required one warp and two wefts.[4] The cotton warp is interwove with the tabby weft to create a plain weave cloth, while the pattern weft floats under and over the plain cloth to create the pattern. Half double is a general term used for float work type of coverlets. To be more specific, for this type of coverlet, contemporary weaver use the term "star work"[5] to describe the weave structure, since most of the patterns are created with the star motifs.
[1] Patricia Hilts, "Seventeenth and Eighteenth Century Twills: The German Linen Tradition," ARS TEXTRINA 3 (May 1985): 141.
[2] Patricia Hilts, "Roses and Snowballs: The Development of Block Patterns in the German Linen-Weaving Traditions," ARS TEXTRINA 5 (June 1986): 172.
[3] Hilts, (May 1985) 149.
[4] Tandy and Charles Hersh explain the term half-double in their treatise on Rural Pennsylvania German Weaving 1833 - 1857 and the Christian Frey and Henry Small, Jr. Pattern Books (2001) 42.
[5] Judith Gordon discusses the various terms used to describe this weave structure in American Star Work Coverlets. New York: Design Books (1995) 11.
The Pennsylvania German weavers would have referred to drafts for this weave structure as "half double" cloth in their early handwritten manuscripts, because the cloth required one warp and two wefts.[4] The cotton warp is interwove with the tabby weft to create a plain weave cloth, while the pattern weft floats under and over the plain cloth to create the pattern. Half double is a general term used for float work type of coverlets. To be more specific, for this type of coverlet, contemporary weaver use the term "star work"[5] to describe the weave structure, since most of the patterns are created with the star motifs.
[1] Patricia Hilts, "Seventeenth and Eighteenth Century Twills: The German Linen Tradition," ARS TEXTRINA 3 (May 1985): 141.
[2] Patricia Hilts, "Roses and Snowballs: The Development of Block Patterns in the German Linen-Weaving Traditions," ARS TEXTRINA 5 (June 1986): 172.
[3] Hilts, (May 1985) 149.
[4] Tandy and Charles Hersh explain the term half-double in their treatise on Rural Pennsylvania German Weaving 1833 - 1857 and the Christian Frey and Henry Small, Jr. Pattern Books (2001) 42.
[5] Judith Gordon discusses the various terms used to describe this weave structure in American Star Work Coverlets. New York: Design Books (1995) 11.
Star Work Coverlets Woven with the Odd Tied Threading System
Star Work Coverlets Woven with the Modified Opposite Threading System
Star Work Coverlets with the Modified Opposites Tied Threading System