Browns
Browns
were the most common coloration for quilts during the last half of the 19th
century. It was an easy color to achieve with both natural and synthetic dyes
and was fashionable for clothing. Sometimes the brown fabrics in the Civil War
era quilts we see today were originally other fugitive shades that have turned
brownish due to washing and light fading.
Various
browns were popular home dyes and were often used for yarns that were woven
into plaids. Many of the Log Cabin
quilts made in the years after the War have numerous browns prints and plaids.
Historic
background Between 1820 and
1860, American society experienced major changes as it added industry and
technology sectors to its traditional agriculture base. The economy was
expanding but unstable. A period of business downturns (1837-1843) was followed
by dramatic spurts of economic prosperity from the mid 1840s through the 1850s.
In the early 1840s wood was still the main source of this country’s fuel. The
discovery of vast coalfields in Pennsylvania
coupled with the high price of wood caused a shift to coal as a major
source of power. Steam engines and heating stoves alike poured our fumes and
soot that clouded the skies. Air pollution came from factories, refineries and
private homes.
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