29 Mar 02 - 01:40 PM (#678924) Subject: Sewing/Weaving songs From: rea Hallo All! I'm looking for songs about sewing, weaving, or spinning, or songs where it's an activity. I spend a lot of my time sewing (it's my job on campus!) and I was hoping to have something relevant to listen to. Also just curious what's out there. Thanks! rea |
29 Mar 02 - 01:55 PM (#678930) Subject: RE: Sewing/Weaving songs From: KathWestra These come to mind right off the top of my head. I know there's LOTS more...
The Work o' the Weavers |
29 Mar 02 - 02:08 PM (#678935) Subject: Lyr Add: WEAVER'S REVERIE (Bob Coltman) From: catspaw49 But Kath my dear, I'm surprised you missed a real great one by Bob Coltman that Sandy has recorded a time or two, most notably by Barton and Para but my favorite rendition is on The Golden Ring Reunion available at Folk-Legacy. It was written from the diary/writings of an early weaver. Great starter list, but I had to rib you a bit Kathy!!(:<)) WEAVER'S REVERIE (Bob Coltman) Where the weaver stands to work, she can scarcely see the sky The songs of the sparrow can't be heard. The golden sunlight out the dirty window shines; She turns to her weaving without a word.
Slap go the belts against the pulleys; Shuttles fly across the loom. There are hours to go, and they never go so slow As they go in the weaving room. I think on nature as the hungry think on food; Without it, I've solitary grown. But in this restless place, every loom, every face, Tell me, how can I ever be alone? It could be worse; I suppose I might be A dresser sizing the yarn. So hot and so wet and the lint in the air I'm sure that my lungs would come to harm. Chorus Oh, yes, as jobs go, it is a very good job; Few finer for a woman can be found. But this cannot be the end for which womankind was made 'Twixt the cradle and the green, grassy mound. I tire of the noise; there are too few joys. I am drawn to the window and the sky. But "Your looms are going without filling," says a voice, And I run to change my shuttles on the fly. Chorus Spaw |
29 Mar 02 - 02:25 PM (#678943) Subject: RE: Sewing/Weaving songs From: KathWestra And a wonderful song that is, Spaw! Thanks for reminding me. My ribs can take it! And then there's all the many English and Scots versions of the Cambric Shirt ballad where the lover asks his gal to make him a cambric (or linen) shirt "without a stitch of needlework." And the ballads where the guy dies and the surviving lover vows to sew her love a "shroud of the Holland oh so fine..." We're just warming up here. |
29 Mar 02 - 02:34 PM (#678949) Subject: RE: Sewing/Weaving songs From: catspaw49 There's a great tongue twister sewing song in the DT (and other sewing/weaving songs as well) called Susie's Sewing Shirts for Soldiers...click here Lotsa fun just trying to get through it! Spaw |
29 Mar 02 - 02:39 PM (#678954) Subject: RE: Sewing/Weaving songs From: GUEST,Rich_and_Dee Hi, And there's the old Robert Burns' 'Tae the Weavers Gin Yae Go'. Andy M. Stewart goes a nice version of it. Rich |
29 Mar 02 - 02:57 PM (#678958) Subject: RE: Sewing/Weaving songs From: catspaw49 BTw rea, where are you in school at? Spaw |
29 Mar 02 - 03:27 PM (#678980) Subject: RE: Sewing/Weaving songs From: catspaw49 The following are "weaving" songs located in the DigiTrad database that you might want to check out too. DEACON OF THE WEAVERS THE FOUR LOOM WEAVER THE GALLANT WEAVER WEAVE ROOM BLUES THE WEAVER THE WEAVER AND THE FACTORY GIRL WEAVER'S LIFE WEAVING LILT YOU MIGHT EASY KNOW A DOFFER Spaw |
29 Mar 02 - 03:30 PM (#678983) Subject: RE: Sewing/Weaving songs From: NELLIE Jute Mill Song is a good one. Starts, Oh dear me, the mills gang ( go) fast. If you can't find it we have the words and music somewhere, I'll try and find it if you post me back. Jenny |
29 Mar 02 - 05:28 PM (#679052) Subject: RE: Sewing/Weaving songs From: pattyClink The New Doffing Mistress doesn't seem to be in the DT. It's a great singable song about some cloth-finishing girls who get a new boss and don't like her a bit. I know it's in some book called the Irish Woman's Songbook, but probably lots of other places too. |
29 Mar 02 - 05:54 PM (#679069) Subject: RE: Sewing/Weaving songs From: Willa pattyClink you'll find it by searching under Doffin' mistress |
29 Mar 02 - 05:56 PM (#679071) Subject: RE: Sewing/Weaving songs From: Willa Forgot to mention Poverty, poverty, knock. Pete Coe does a great version. |
29 Mar 02 - 06:09 PM (#679076) Subject: RE: Sewing/Weaving songs From: CarolC Believe it or not, "Pop Goes the Weasel" is an actual working song used by spinners as they wind the yarn onto the swift to make skeins. Or so I was told while I was an apprentice weaver many years ago.
The "weasel" is a little device that makes a snapping or "popping" sound as the swift makes one complete revolution, allowing the spinner to count the revolutions and keep track of how much yarn has been wound on.
The song is sung so that the timeing of the word "pop" coincides with the snapping or popping of the weasel. During my apprenticeship, I did some skein winding using a weasel, and I had the opportunity to sing the song while I was winding. It was actually a lot of fun to see if I could get the timing of the song right. |
29 Mar 02 - 06:43 PM (#679100) Subject: RE: Sewing/Weaving songs From: greg stephens Winsboro Cotton Mill Blues.well thats spinning really but its a great song |
29 Mar 02 - 07:39 PM (#679134) Subject: RE: Sewing/Weaving songs From: Gareth Blicky for Poverty Poverty Knock Gareth |
29 Mar 02 - 08:39 PM (#679160) Subject: RE: Sewing/Weaving songs From: aussiebloke Canadian singer & songwriter Cathy 'the singing quilter' Miller has written, recorded and released a superb CD of sewing/quilting songs, called One Stitch at a Time. More info, track listing, samples etc on her web-site: Click here to go to http://www.nucleus.com/~cmiller/ Here is some info from her site: Cathy has researched many facets of old (and new) quilting traditions in order to write the songs included in this collection. She has had help from quilt historians and avid quilt-makers from North America and Australia. The CD covers a wide range of quilt-lore. The songs: 100 Ways to Hide Your Stash Quilters can be very creative in hiding their fabric collection! Some of the ideas in this song came from a talk that Julie Wallace gave to Darwin Patchworkers and Quilters meeting in 1999. The Extra Chair A song about quilting bees and immortality through quilting. Follow the Stars to Freedom A spiritual about the use of quilts by the Underground Railroad that served as maps to Canada. This song is based on the book "Hidden in Plain View" by Jacqueline L. Tobin and Raymond G. Dobard, which is an interesting exploration of how quilts were possibly used by some slaves in their quest for freedom. It Ain't Finished Yet UFOs (UnFinished Objects) tend to accumulate in quilters' sewing rooms. There is some frustration involved in these lurking projects! Just Look Up A story about an Airing of the Quilts in Hobart, Tasmania. The occasion was the annual Scquilters' (Southern Cross Quilters) Retreat, organized by Cathy Craig. It stopped traffic! Names A wonderful song by Cathy Fink about the world's largest quilt - the AIDS quilt. One Stitch at a Time The Kosovo quilt drive gave 4000 quilts to Kosovar refugees, and a new sense of community to Australian quilters. And Mary-anne Rooney won a bet with her husband that she would get more than 30! Patchwork of Life Flying over the Canadian prairies, the land is always reminiscent of quilt blocks. Rajah Quilt The only known surviving convict ship quilt made by transportees to Australia in 1841. Thanks to Elizabeth Fry, each female prisoner was provided with a bundle of sewing supplies to help in their rehabilitation, and taught how to quilt! They made this quilt on board the Rajah, the ship that took them to Van Diemen's Land. It was discovered in 1989 in a Scottish attic. Of recent interest: in 1996 the Ottawa Valley Quilters Guild created an emulation of the Rajah quilt in Canada and donated it to the Elizabeth Fry Society in honour of their 45th anniversary. It can be viewed in their offices in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. To write this song, I used research by Margaret Rolfe in her book "Australian Quilt Heritage", 1998. Scrap Bag Polka Fun with fabric! And there's an accordion, too! Time Flies Three quilts were made during WWII at Changi Prison in Singapore by civilian internees to get messages to their husbands and sons. See the November 2000 issue of Quilters Newsletter Magazine for an article about these quilts, including photographs. There's a useful book called "Diary of a Girl in Changi" written by Sheila Allen (now Bruhn), with her descriptions of life in Changi Prison. The new edition of the book, ends with a chapter on the quilts, with photographs. I believe this can be ordered from the Australian War Memorial shop in Canberra, ACT, Australia. I also used another book called "Dear Philip" by Freddy Bloom, who kept a diary in the form of letters to her husband, Philip, during her incarceration. She does not mention the quilts, but her story is amazing, and we know that she contributed two blocks to the quilts. The song is written from her perspective. Toss the Cat One of the more unusual bridal quilt traditions. I've recently (Feb. 2002) received a note from my friend Jennifer Richards, about a photograph of this event that was in a book of folk music. One of the girls doing the tossing was Jean Ritchie, a notable name in American Folk Music. The cat landed nearest her in this case, and within the year she had married the photographer, George Pickow. They have just celebrated their 51st wedding anniversary! All but one of these songs were written by Cathy, and are of interest to both quilters and the quilt-challenged. Performances are laced with entertaining stories about specific quilts that intersect with larger historical events, the actual making of quilts, and even quilty urban myths. Cathy is always interested in hearing about quilts and quilt-making, continuing her research and writing on the topic. aussiebloke |
29 Mar 02 - 08:48 PM (#679168) Subject: RE: Sewing/Weaving songs From: aussiebloke Not entirely about sewing... A stitch in time aussiebloke |
30 Mar 02 - 08:39 AM (#679418) Subject: RE: Sewing/Weaving songs From: masato sakurai Weavers & Spinners Music - Working Songs - Links, with ~Masato |
30 Mar 02 - 08:40 AM (#679419) Subject: RE: Sewing/Weaving songs From: masato sakurai ...with "some music clips of traditional weaving & spinning songs." |
30 Mar 02 - 08:46 AM (#679421) Subject: RE: Sewing/Weaving songs From: GUEST,jaze Judy Collins wrote a song about her sister, a weaver. Not sure but it might be called Holly Ann. |
30 Mar 02 - 09:05 AM (#679425) Subject: RE: Sewing/Weaving songs From: masato sakurai Yes, it is. Weaver Song (Holly Ann) (Words and Music by Judy Collins) ~Masato |
30 Mar 02 - 09:28 AM (#679434) Subject: RE: Sewing/Weaving songs From: rea spaw - i 'm in college in NY state. Vassar, to be precise. rea |
30 Mar 02 - 09:53 AM (#679439) Subject: RE: Sewing/Weaving songs From: Hollowfox There was a thread on this a year or two ago, but I have to go to Pittsburgh right now, so I haven't got time to scrounge it up right now. I put information about a couple of casettes devoted to the subject on it. If somebody doesn't get a blue clicky on it before I get back, I'll see what I can do. |
30 Mar 02 - 10:21 AM (#679450) Subject: RE: Sewing/Weaving songs From: Nigel Parsons CarolC : the meaning of "Pop goes the weasel" may also refer to cockney rhyming slang. See Here |
30 Mar 02 - 10:29 AM (#679453) Subject: RE: Sewing/Weaving songs From: Nigel Parsons One song I don't see mentioned above, and that I can't find in the DT includes the lines: "Rings the wheel, spins the wheel, while the foot's stirring" and "Eileen I surely hear somebody crying 'tis the sound, mother dear, of the Autumn winds dying" I would be interested to a pointer to where this can be found. |
30 Mar 02 - 11:04 AM (#679468) Subject: RE: Sewing/Weaving songs From: Big Mick Wonderful discussion on WEAVE AND MEND in this thread. If it doesn't come to the right spot, go to my post on 17Sep99 at 9:43 AM. I loved that thread. All the best, Mick |
30 Mar 02 - 11:44 AM (#679493) Subject: RE: Sewing/Weaving songs From: NELLIE Nigel, those lines are part of a song called The Spinning Wheel Song, Irish Traditional, if you cannot find it pm me and I will let you have the lyrics . Jenny |
30 Mar 02 - 11:59 AM (#679505) Subject: RE: Sewing/Weaving songs From: masato sakurai SPINNING WHEEL in the DT. Nana Mouskouri sang it too. ~Masato |
30 Mar 02 - 01:35 PM (#679559) Subject: RE: Sewing/Weaving songs From: GUEST,mgarvey@pacifier.com broadening the theme a bit.. Cotton Jenny by Gordon Lightfoot (a great song) Cotton Mill Girls Willie my Weavero (Tom Paxton) Weaving and Quilting by Linda Allen Weave me a Rainbow..PP&M Lambing to the Wool..Judy Small Aragon Mill Si Kahn
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30 Mar 02 - 01:45 PM (#679568) Subject: RE: Sewing/Weaving songs From: catspaw49 Folks, some of us are giving links to lyrics and/or the lyrics themselves and in this kind of thread that is very useful. Try to link or post the lyrics to some of the songs you mention. Aragon Mill for instance is in the DT here....Aragon Mill. Spaw |
30 Mar 02 - 07:24 PM (#679764) Subject: RE: Sewing/Weaving songs From: Hollowfox Other than refreshing the thread, I'm not sure how to get the information to today's screen. The thread was called "Quilting Songs", and it ran from 16 April 2000 to 13 May 2000. |
30 Mar 02 - 08:11 PM (#679795) Subject: RE: Sewing/Weaving songs From: Genie I was gonna mention Linda Allen's "Weaving and Quilting," but mgarvey beat me to it. PP& M have a song called "Weave Me The Sunshine" [which is in Rise Up Singing]. Do they also have one called "Weave Me a Rainbow? Mary Chapin Carpenter sings a song about "my mother and her mother, the weavers of the cloth." I'm not sure what the title is. How about that little cotton-fabric bug "The Boll Weave-ill? Genie |
30 Mar 02 - 08:22 PM (#679802) Subject: RE: Sewing/Weaving songs From: Banjer The thread Hollowfox referred to above can be found here: click here In this thread there are also clickies to other threads of the same genre. |
30 Mar 02 - 08:56 PM (#679822) Subject: RE: Sewing/Weaving songs From: Genie How about "The Foggy, Foggy Dew?" Genie |
30 Mar 02 - 09:21 PM (#679833) Subject: RE: Lyric/Chords Add: Caught In The Web From: Genie This song isn't literally about weaving or spinning cloth, but it seems relevant to the theme. It was written for a Unitarian church service in which the minister's sermon title was "Caught In The Interdependent Web." Caught In The Web words and music by R. Jeanene Pratt © 1997 Caught in the web, the intricate web, Weaver and woven in life's flow and ebb, Spinning and spun, body and soul, Interconnected, each strand is a part of the whole. Caught in the web, the wonderful web, Weaver and woven in life's flow and ebb. Tomorrow the world will reap what we've sown; Each pebble cast in the water sends ripples to places unknown. [ |
30 Mar 02 - 09:25 PM (#679836) Subject: RE: Sewing/Weaving songs From: Genie Something REALLY STRANGE happened in that last post. Oh, wait... I know what I did wrong. Let's try it again: This song isn't literally about weaving or spinning cloth, but it seems relevant to the theme. It was written for a Unitarian church service in which the minister's sermon title was "Caught In The Interdependent Web." Caught In The Web G D7 G D7 G G D7 G D7 G I HOPE those chords stay in the right places when I copy and paste this! Those are the basic lyrics. The song is meant to be a choir piece, with countermelodies and counterpoint, so there are variations in the arrangement. Sorry I can't post a MIDI yet. [I found my Band-In-A-Box, though, so as soon as I learn how to use it, I'll be able to post MIDIS when I post lyrics.] |
30 Mar 02 - 09:38 PM (#679844) Subject: RE: Sewing/Weaving songs From: Genie C Bm D7 G Bm Em Tomorrow the world will reap what we've sown; C Am D D7 G - C - G Each pebble cast in the water sends ripples to places unknown. That's how the chords are supposed to fit in the last two lines. |
31 Mar 02 - 02:33 PM (#680253) Subject: RE: Sewing/Weaving songs From: kytrad (Jean Ritchie) When I was young, we used to dance, "Weaving" at the John C. Campbell Folk School (Brasstown, NC) where I used to go every summer. It's a singing-folkdance from Denmark, I believe, and the dancers imitate the main parts of the weaving process. A beautiful dance, and a favorite of all of us young'uns. Here's the first verse:
Then weave we so willing,
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06 Apr 02 - 03:55 PM (#684628) Subject: RE: Sewing/Weaving songs From: Hollowfox I just ran across a review for a CD-and-Booklet that might be useful. "The Fabrics of Fairy Tale" Two CD's, published by Barefoot Books, $19.95 ISBN 1-84148-407-5 "Tanya Batt brings together her favorite stories anout fabrics and shows how storytelling is a magical weaving process. CDs can be played on a CD player or viewed on a PC." -from the School Library Journal, August 2001, page 114. |