IRENE K. WOOD:
An Inventory of Her Papers and Weaving Sample Books at the Minnesota Historical Society
Manuscripts Collection
OVERVIEW
| Creator: | Wood, Irene K., creator. | |
| Title: | Irene K. Wood papers and weaving sample books. | |
| Dates: | 1957-1991 (bulk 1975-1989). | |
| Abstract: | Patterns, sample swatches, biographical information, a scrapbook, and other papers of a Minneapolis weaver, instructor, and Guild member. | |
| Quantity: | 1.25 cubic feet (4 boxes). | |
| Location: | P2424: See Detailed Description section for shelf locations. |
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE
Irene Kellogg Wood was born October 31, 1915 but didn't begin to learn to weave until 1957 after her two children left home to attend a secondary boarding school. Wood joined the Weavers Guild of Minnesota in 1957 and was their president in 1968 when the Guild's school was started. She joined the Midwest Weavers Conference in 1960 and served as their president in 1974 when the conference was held in St. Paul. She was awarded a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1975 from Metropolitan State University. Work on her book of twill patterns for multiple harness looms resulted from her baccalaureate studies.
Wood taught her first class for the Weavers Guild in 1970 at the age of 55 and continued teaching at the Guild's school for another 20 years almost up until her death in 1992. She also conducted numerous workshops and seminars and was instrumental in the 1980 formation of the Minnesota Federation of Weavers Guilds and Fiber Artists Conference. Wood served as a judge for the 1978 Handweavers Guild of America, for the 1984 Minnesota Federation Conference, and for the Minnesota State Fair from 1972-1988. She specialized in floor loom weaving and was especially interested in coverlets.
SCOPE AND CONTENTS
The bulk of the collection are the patterns and sample swatches of Irene K. Wood, a Minneapolis weaver, weaving instructor, textiles judge, and Guild member. The collection includes the original typescript, patterns, and swatches for her book on 16 harness twill patterns ([1973-1976]); patterns and swatches for multiple harness and coverlets classes she taught at the school of the Weavers Guild of Minnesota (1976-1977); and patterns and swatches from" The Sixteens," a group of weavers who exchanged annual project samples with each other (1979-1989).
Also included are biographical information about Wood (1975-1979, 1991); photographs (1975-1990); information about competitions and exhibits (1978-1981); and a scrapbook containing Wood's state fair and conference ribbons (1962-1968), tips for judging (1957 and 1987), photographs (1962-1975), and news clippings about Guild members and activities (1960-1977).
ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION
Availability:
The collection is open for research use.
Preferred Citation:
[Indicate the cited item here]. Irene K. Wood Papers and Weaving Sample Books. Minnesota Historical Society.
See the Chicago Manual of Style for additional examples.
Accession Information:
Accession number: 15,371
Processing Information:
Processed by: Monica Manny Ralston, February 2001
Catalog ID number: 990017369780104294
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
| Box | |||||||||||
| P2424 | 1 | Biographical information, 1975-1979, 1991. | |||||||||
| The Fanciest twills of all : from the weaving notebooks of Fred A. Pennington, [1973-1976]. 72 leaves in 4 folders. | |||||||||||
| Original typescript and sample swatches for Wood's book 16 harness patterns: the fanciest twills of all from the weaving notebooks of Fred A. Pennington. The typescript contains 40 pattern swatches each woven of 20/2 mercerized cotton on two warps resulting in 80 samples showing each pattern as color over black and as color over white. Tie up diagrams for the patterns lie underneath each swatch. | |||||||||||
| Box | |||||||||||
| P2424 | 2 | Photographs, undated and 1975-1990. | |||||||||
| Snapsots showing Wood at work, loom set ups, finished textiles, and the hanging of a wall sculpture by Jim Kreuzberger at the University of Minnesota, Duluth. | |||||||||||
| Competitions and exhibits, 1978-1981. | |||||||||||
| Includes a postcard announcing a 1979 showing of wall hangings by Ken Weaver, a postcard announcing a 1981 exhibit at the North Dakota State University in Fargo, and correspondence and an entry form related to a 1981 competition that selected table linens for the Minnesota governor's residence. | |||||||||||
| Classes: | |||||||||||
| Includes patterns and swatches for classes Wood taught for the Weavers Guild school. | |||||||||||
| Multiple harness swatch classes, 1976-1977. 3 folders. | |||||||||||
| Includes patterns for 5, 8, 12, and 16 harness looms. | |||||||||||
| Coverlets class, 1977. | |||||||||||
| Box | |||||||||||
| P2424 | 3 | Scrapbook, 1957-1987. | |||||||||
| Contains Wood's first through fourth place state fair and weavers conference ribbons (1962-1968), tips on judging (1957 and 1987), photographs depicting loom set ups and finished works (1962-1975), and news clippings about Wood, Guild members, and Guild activities (1960-1977). | |||||||||||
| The Sixteens: | |||||||||||
| Includes 16 harness samples, both patterns and swatches, created and exchanged by a group of weavers who worked on a mutually chosen project each year. The samples include wools, silks, cottons, linens, polyesters, and blends. Samples from 1987 are lace weaves and are the most complete set of work from all 30 members. Also included with the 1987 samples are a membership list and correspondence. | |||||||||||
| 1979-1986. 4 folders | |||||||||||
| Box | |||||||||||
| P2424 | 4 | 1987-1989. 6 folders. | |||||||||
RELATED MATERIALS
CATALOG HEADINGS
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the Minnesota Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using these headings.
- Topics:
- Hand weaving -- Patterns.
- Textile fabrics -- Sample books.
- Twill.
- Coverlets.
- Textile crafts -- Minnesota.
- Persons:
- Pennington, Fred A.
- Organizations:
- Weavers Guild of Minnesota.
- Types of Documents:
- Pattern books.
- Swatches.
- Photographs.
- Occupations:
- Weavers -- Minnesota -- Minneapolis.
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