Existing comment:
A Bergen County Weaver
The nineteenth-century weaving trade highlighted New Jersey's role as a textile center
Nathanial Young was constantly on the move. From house to house he went, sharing with the women of northern New Jersey homes a well-worn book containing illustrations of birds, roosters, garlands, and other designs. All of these motifs, Young promised, could be transformed into a beautiful woven bedcover for the affordable price of ten dollars. He had many takers.
Nathanial Young built a career out of one the most time-consuming responsibilities held by New Jersey women. By hiring a professional weaver, the owner of this coverlet succeeded in freeing up part of her workday for other activities. Young made the coverlet with a Jacquard loom. Named for its French inventor, the Jacquard loom enabled weavers to create complex coverlets from patterns that were coded into punched cards and "read" by the loom. Before Jacquard, woven coverlets were decorated with simple geometric shapes. After Jacquard, coverlets became complicated creations incorporating decorative patterns, animal motifs, and even the names of the weaver and client |