Linsey-Woolsey

Linsey-Woolsey is a fabric with linen threads for the warp and wool for the weft. Originally made in the town of Lindsay in Suffolk, England, it was created as an inexpensive yet durable alternative to an all linen fabric. Garments made from it would not have been particularly comfortable. While doing our research, this article popped up and is a very clever read. There is an additional article on Textiles and Independence in Colonial America. 

Linsey-Woolsey was a popular fabric used in American samplers; interestingly we do not see it used for English or Scottish pieces. Most often dyed green or a lovely blue-green colour, it was dark enough to be a beautiful background for lighter coloured silk thread. The samplers in this group are quite varied from one another, but have many of the traditional patterns and motifs of their period.