"The Ruralite" (Sylva, N.C.) for October 8, 1935, ran this article titled “Indian Festival May Be Held in Tourist Season” about the Cherokee Indian Fair in Cherokee, North Carolina, noting that “[i]t was announced on the closing day of the...
"This undated photograph is of a standing bear carved by Amanda Crowe. A member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee, Amanda Crowe (1928-2004) is known for figurative wood sculptures; she was particularly known for her expressive bears. Her animal...
A fan-shaped handbag was made by Frances Nicholson of Jackson County, N.C. in the 1940s. The handbag was made from natural cornhusks is finished with a scalloped edge and a pair of handles.
Western Carolina University Mountain Heritage Center;
A flax break such as this one is used to break the stems of flax plants so that the strands of fiber can be removed for spinning. The top boards are raised so that the plant stems lie in between top and bottom. When the boards are lowered, they...
A flax spinning wheel is generally smaller then a wool spinning wheel. This 1800s-era example was done as a model. It has an attached distaff (coming out toward the camera). The spinner would sit to the right, facing left as he/she spun, working...
A loom shuttle carries the weft fiber for a weaver. The warp is strung on to a loom from the back to where the weaver sits in front. A weaver needs at least one shuttle, and may use several, for different colors or for different threads. Most...
A loom shuttle such as this carries the weft fiber for a weaver. The warp is strung on to a loom from the back to where the weaver sits in front. A weaver needs at least one shuttle, and may use several, for different colors or for different...
A loom stretcher, also called a temple or tenter hooks, was used to keep an even tension on the selvages. Sharp ends would fasten into the weaving on either side of the loom as the stretcher was opened to its full width. The creator of this...
A member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, Virgil Crowe is known for realistically detailed woodcarvings. He studied woodcarving with Amanda Crowe during high school and, later, began to carve animal forms. He uses local animals as models,...
A note from Frances Goodrich reads "Piece of old coverlet. Woven by Robert Dickson in [North] of Ireland. Gift of Mrs. R. D. Bedinger, his granddaughter." The heirloom traveled from one country to another, where it was treasured for its age and...
A reed such as this fits into the beater on a loom and keeps the warp evenly spaced. This determines the thread count or ends per inch (EPI). It is moved toward the weaver to pack the weft thread into place. These reeds used string to establish...
A shuttle carries the weft fiber for a weaver across the warp. The warp is strung on to a loom from the back to where the weaver sits in front. A weaver needs at least one shuttle, and may use several, for different colors or for different...
A shuttle carries the weft fiber for a weaver. The warp is strung on to a loom from the back to where the weaver sits in front. A weaver needs at least one shuttle, and may use several, for different colors or for different threads. The two...
A shuttle carries the weft fiber for a weaver. The warp is strung on to a loom from the back to where the weaver sits in front. A weaver needs at least one shuttle, and may use several, for different colors or for different threads. These open...
A shuttle carries the weft fiber for a weaver. The warp is strung on to a loom from the back to where the weaver sits in front. A weaver needs at least one shuttle, and may use several, for different colors or for different weight of threads. ...
A simple Patch pattern is the design name of this black and white image. The back of this photograph is marked: ""No.5, Doors and Windows, Floyd Co., Ga." In "The Book of Handwoven Coverlets", published in 1912 by Eliza Calvert Hall (1856-1935),...
A squirrel cage swift, or barrel swift, holds a skein of yarn while it is wound into a ball. The two cages adjust for variously sized skeins. In this very old example, dating to the 1800s, one base has broken off, and the upper cage is off track...
A stretcher, also known as a temple or tenter hooks, was used to keep an even tension on the selvages. Sharp ends would fasten into the weaving on either side of the loom as the stretcher was opened. This stretcher has a pin in the side that can...
A. Ben Hall was one of the early Brasstown Carvers. He is shown here demonstrating woodcarving while carving instructor, Murrial G. Martin, also known as Murray Martin, looks on. This photograph was taken by an unknown photographer at the 1950...
