Textiles and the Triplett Sisters

Williamsburg, Virginia was founded in 1632 and in 1698 was designated as the capital of the English Colony. It received a royal charter in 1722 and was the center of political activity before and during the revolution with George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Patrick Henry debating many of the important topics of the day such as taxes and inalienable rights to name a few. Colonial Williamsburg as we know it now was the idea of Reverend William Archer Rutherfoord Goodwin a rector of the historic Bruton Parish Church in Williamsburg. He began raising funds for the restoration of the church in 1907, and later in 1924 approached John D. Rockefeller Jr. with the idea of restoring other parts of the town. Rockefeller agreed and thus began a series of coded telegrams with Goodwin acting as Rockefeller’s...

There have been many inquiries about how I do historical research. I use multiple methods in my research, so I have always been hesitant to explain. Primarily because it would take too long, or it would be difficult to explain that many times you end up in a rabbit hole. I frequently enjoy the rabbit hole, as it leads to the most unusual and interesting discoveries…not necessarily useful, but fun. A colleague of mine, Barb Eikmeier designed a fabric line called Waddington Road, which immediately sparked recognition. The fabric is named for the road where her Grandmother’s house was located, and she wanted the fabric line to give you a warm feeling like you were “going to Grandma’s house.” Because of other research, I immediately recognized the name as related to a town in England. Barb’s...

Beach blanket, Mezzaro or a Palampore? Mezzaro (mezzari/mezzara from the Arabic word “to cover”) are sometimes confused with palampores because of the similarities. In the 16th century the spice trade brought palampores and other textiles from India to the Genoa port and no surprise the block printed textiles were an instant success. The palampores were used for curtains, wall hangings, and yes…beach towels and blankets. The Genoans in the Polcevera valley began printing their own versions of the palampores about the 1690s. The Polcevera River was vital in the production of the mezzaro and the textiles could be seen in various stages of production drying on the riverbanks. Some of the intricate designs used as many as 80 different wood blocks to create the pictorial scene in the center. The mezzaro (still available for purchase today...

The Ephesian philosopher Heraclitus phrase, “only constant in life is change” is used frequently to explain the changes in 2020. For me it is the words of Bob Dylan that fits this year’s cataclysmic events, “you better start swimming or sink like a stone, for the times they are a-changing.” The Triplett Sisters are very fond of water and are doing our best to swim through these changing waters. Without the interaction with you through our programs at the guilds, we continue to morph our business and will retool as needed. Here are some of our recent changes. First, we are offering specially selected fabric in our Etsy shop and on our website. The Dutch Heritage fabric is an example of fabric not readily available in the US, which we are importing. We also have multiple...

The “stay-at-home” orders have officially ceased in many countries as well as all 50 states in the US. Which seems like a good time to mark an end to something horrible by celebrating what quilt art was accomplished. I want to call on everyone who is willing to share what quilts were created during the quarantine. A quilting friend of mine had made 7 quilt tops, as well as quilted and bound 2 quilts, a wall hanging and a table runner. She has also cut out a new quilt with 48 blocks and started an applique block for another quilt. She probably has both of those projects done too, as well as 3 others because that was the tally 2 weeks ago. What have you accomplished during the quarantine? It can be that you completed a...