Mail Call: May/June 2011

By Grit Staff
Published on April 18, 2011
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Linda was the only one up to the task of learning to use her grandmother's loom.
Linda was the only one up to the task of learning to use her grandmother's loom.
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Using a rug loom takes some training, but once you get it down, the end result is priceless.
Using a rug loom takes some training, but once you get it down, the end result is priceless.

Mail Call May/June 2011, our letters-to-the-editor department, gives a look into the lives of our readers.

Bessie’s Loom

The article “Grandma’s Loom,” in the March/April issue, certainly hit home in our family, so I would like to let you know about our mom, Bessie Lindsey.

Mom is 97 years old and lives with my husband and me. She wove rag rugs for more than 50 years on an antique Union Model 36 loom. She sold rugs, made them for gifts, and wove them for church groups (the church women prepared the rags for Mom to weave into rugs and then they sold the rugs).

Mom was very particular – she didn’t want any “raw” edges showing in the rugs, so sometimes she resewed the rags the women had prepared. I am enclosing the little write-up she attached to each rug she sold.

Some of her bestsellers were those made from old blue jeans, I suppose because they were so utilitarian and could be used anywhere. It was unbelievable how much “stuff” was always coming her way to be used in rugs. All types of clothing, bedspreads, draperies, curtains, etc. She would take an article of clothing, carefully open every seam so not an inch of material would be wasted, and save every button, zipper, etc., from the clothing. I guess that is why I was never interested, because I don’t have that much patience. She also made beautiful rugs from plastic bread wrappers.

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