First, the wool had to be shorn, gathered, and cleaned. This was generally an indoor winter activity while no other work could be done in the barn or fields.
Sheep to Shawl, Part 1: Processing the Wool
In this multi-episode presentation, Candiss Cowan discusses the value of fabric in Colonial America. In the North, clothing was made out of "homespun" wool and the quality of the fabric was based on the breed of sheep.
More Posts
Witches in Ridgefield?
November 4, 2025
Throughout the mid-to-late 1600’s, Connecticut carried out its own inquisitions to root out the devil, pre-dating the famous Salem Witch Trials.
Battle of Ridgefield Archaeology Project Blog Entry #2: The Fourth Engagement
September 18, 2025
A pewter uniform button uncovered alongside musket balls offers rare material proof of a Revolutionary skirmish, linking Ridgefield’s landscape with soldiers who fought there nearly 250 years ago.
Scott House Journal, September 2025
September 17, 2025
This edition of the Scott House Journal features Clarence “Korky” Korker and the photographs of Ridgefield he captured, now being digitized by the Ridgefield Historical Society.
Historical Society’s Collections Manager Retires
September 16, 2025
Betsy Reid, collections manager at the Ridgefield Historical Society, retires leaving a legacy of knowledge that is literally the foundation of our organization’s work.