SERENDIPITY

First of all....don't you just love that word?  Serendipity...finding good things accidentally.

Ginny, who belongs to the Clinch Valley Handweavers Guild, brought me a box of Guild books and items that she had stored at her house for me to take care of.  We keep the Guild Library at the Appalachian Arts Craft Center where the Tuesday Weavers meet.  I just transferred the box from her car to my car, but this book caught my eye.  Ginny told me that one of the Guild members would need to keep this one at their house, since it is now out of print and worth a lot of money.  I thought I would take it into the house and take a look before I went to the Center on Tuesday.  OH MY!!!!  This book is a treasure!

  Sadye Tune Wilson and Doris Finch Kennedy conducted and directed a 5 year study of the early handwoven textiles in Tennessee.  The book was copyrighted in 1983, and contains beautiful color, as well as black & white pictures of coverlets from all over the state.  It also includes information and stories behind the person that wove the coverlet, if known.

  So, imagine my surprise when I got to page 178, and the house in the picture jumps out at me!  I know that house.....I took a picture of that house this spring when my brother, sister and I went up to Grainger County about my parents' farm.  Then, I started reading the text.  It was the Helton home place in Grainger County....YES!!!  It was my great-aunt Stella's house!  She was Esther's daughter, and married Robert (Bob) Helton.  Aunt Stella died in 1969 at 80 years old.  Uncle Bob died in 1972....and since they had no children, his nephews inherited the property, and sold it at auction.  The book mentions that a loom, spinning wheel and "counterpanes" were sold at that auction.  I don't remember seeing her loom...but we usually ran around outside when we went to visit them.  I do remember the beautiful "hall tree bench" that sat right inside the front door.  It was a work of art...solid oak!

  So, now I have another piece of the puzzle.  It looks like that Aunt Stella carried on the weaving tradition after she married.  She even used the loom at the house, as well as spinning her own thread.  The book mentioned that the wheel was a flax wheel, which goes along with what my Grandmother told me about the family planting and spinning flax.  The coverlet shown on that page was woven by Frances Hammer Helton...that could have been Uncle Bob's mother....I'll have to research that.  But, I wonder how many coverlets Aunt Stella wove?
  I enjoy looking at and studying my coverlet...I keep trying to figure out if this pattern has a name.  The first chapter of the book is about the structure of coverlets, and they even have a "motif classification system."  While I'm recovering from my tumble, I may try to study this system and graph the pattern.
  The book is very heavy, so this might be a challenge.  I have regained some use of my left arm, but I can only lift my arm about waist high.  I'll be starting therapy in 2 weeks, but I don't want the muscles to get too out of shape.  I'm even doing some of the Tai Chi movements I learned....I can see a little improvement every day! 
  So....my accident may lead to a delightful discovery.....time to research the motif and graph the pattern of my coverlet.  And, I can weave a little if I stand at the loom.  I've got a few projects that need to be finished before the holidays. 
       Yes, a little serendipity!!!!  (And, I'll gladly keep this book at my house for safe-keeping!!!)
LouAnn