Material Type

Artifact

Other Name

RAG RUG MAKING MACHINE

Date Range From

1930

Date Range To

1940

Materials

WOOD, STEEL, CLOTH

No. Pieces

38+

Description

DISASSEMBLED PIECES INCLUDE: 1. RIGHT SIDE FRAME. 146.5 X 138 X 11. THIS SIDE HAS LONG BRAKE HANDLE ATTACHED. 2. LEFT SIDE FRAME. SAME AS ABOVE. 3. TIGHTENER. 5.5 X 60 X 8.2. MIDDLE IS PENTAGONAL SHAPED; HAS A SQUARE HOLE THROUGH CENTER. NARROWS AND BECOMES CYLINDRICAL AT ENDS. 4. SEAT. 4.0 X 100.0 X 27.0. HAS HALF CIRCLED SHAPED IMPRESSION ON TOP (WHERE WEAVER WOULD SIT). HAS A NOTCH OUT OF EACH SIDE NEAR FRONT. 5. TOP BACK BEAM. 8.0 X 101.7 X 8.0. 6. SEAT BEAM. 3.8 X 116.0 X 8.4. NOTCHES CUT OUT OF BOTH SIDES AT EACH END, WITH A HOLE IN CENTER OF PIECE THAT REMAINS. 7. RATTLE. 2.6 X 89.8 X 9.1. TWO PARALLEL STRIPS OF WOOD WITH SHORT LENGTHS OF WIRE BETWEEN THEM. ON ONE END STRIPS OF WOOD HAVE A PIECE OF METAL RULER STRETCHING BETWEEN THEM, ON OBVERSE AND REVERSE. ONE PIECE OF WOOD ALSO HAS PENCIL MARKS AT EQUAL INTERVALS ON OBVERSE AND REVERSE. 8. RAG SHUTTLES. MANY STRIPS OF WOOD WITH TEAR DROP SHAPES CUT OUT OF EACH END. THERE ARE ALSO A FEW STRIPS WOOD THAT ARE LONGER AND HAVE NO CUT OUTS. THERE ARE RAGS WRAPPED AROUND MANY OF THE SHUTTLES. SHUTTLES ARE BUNDLED TOGETHER WITH TWINE. 9. BOTTOM BACK BEAM. 8.0 X 116.0 X 9.0. ENDS CUT THE SAME AS SEAT BEAM. 10. FRONT BEAM. 4.0 X 100.5 X 5.8. A NOTCH IS CUT OUT OF ONE SIDE AT EACH END OF BEAM. 11. KNEE BAR. 3.0 X 101.3 X 4.0. ENDS CUT IN DOVETAIL SHAPE. 12. BACK BRAKE RATCHET. 4.0 X 24.0 (D). HAS 10 TEETH, A SQUARE HOLE THROUGH CENTER, AND 4 METAL REINFORCEMENTS. 13. FRONT BRAKE. 6.5 X 47.5 X 46. SMALLER AND MORE TEETH THAN ABOVE. ALSO HAS A SQUARE HOLE IN CENTER. ATTACHED TO ONE SIDE ARE FOUR STRIPS OF WOOD (AROUND CENTER HOLE) EACH WITH A HOLE AT OPPOSITE END. 14. SPARE PART? 1.2 X 35.8 X 8.5. PENTAGONAL SHAPED PIECE OF WOOD WITH TWO SQUARE NOTCHES AND ONE ROUNDED NOTCH CUT OUT OF BOTTOM. 15. SPARE PART? 4.3 X 9.3 X 15. BEAM WITH NOTCHES CUT OUT OF EACH SIDE AT BOTH ENDS. THERE IS A WEDGE OF WOOD STUCK THROUGH REMAINING WOOD AT EACH END. 16. SPARE PARTS? 3 PIECES. 77.5(L). 2 PIECES ARE MADE OF 2 STRIPS OF WOOD ATTACHED BY A NET MADE FROM THIN CORD. 3RD PIECE CONSISTS OF 2 OF THE ABOVE ATTACHED TO A COMMUNAL HINGED STRIP OF WOOD. 17. FRAME. 88.4 X 106.8 X 3.6. TWO HORIZONTAL PLANKS ATTACHED TO TWO VERTICAL STRIPS OF WOOD. VERTICAL PIECES EACH HAVE CORD LOOPED THROUGH A HOLE AT TOP. TOP HORIZONTAL PLANK HAS A HANDLE AND SLIDES ON THE VERTICAL STRIPS. 18. TOP BEAM. 106.0 (L) X . OCTAGONAL AT CENTER, NARROWS AND ROUNDS AT ENDS. SITS WITHIN CORD LOOPS AT TOP OF FRAME (.17) 19. HORIZONTAL WARPING WHEEL. 57.0 X 105.5 X 44.5. 20. PEGS. 12 PIECES. VARIOUS WEDGES INCLUDE: 3 WEDGES FOR FRONT BEATER; 2 BOTTOM RIGHT BASE PEGS; 1 FRONT BRAKE PEG; 1 RIGHT PEG SEAT BEAM; 1 BACK BEAM RIGHT SIDE PEG; 1 SEAT BEAM PEG LEFT SIDE; 1 BACK RIGHT WARP BEAM PEG; 1 LEFT BACK BEAM PEG; AND 1 BACK BOTTOM BEAM LEFT PEG. 21. WOOL COMBS. 2 PIECES. 7.4 X 29.5 X 22.0. WOOD PADDLES CUT FROM ONE PIECE OF WOOD, WITH ONE ROW OF LONG STEEL TEETH. 22. CURRY COMBS. 2 PIECES. 2.0 X 24.0 X 22.5. RECTANGULAR PADDLE WITH WOOD HANDLE ATTACHED, HAVE MANY SHORT WIRE TEETH. 23. WARP THREAD ROLL, ATTACHED TO HARNESS, WIRE TEETH, PULLEYS AND CLOTH BEAM. ALSO INCLUDES PORTION OF FINISHED RUG. 24. BAGS OF CUT AND UNCUT FABRIC. 25. 4 BALLS OF RAG YARN. WHEN ASSEMBLED THERE IS A WIDE PLANK AT FRONT THAT SERVES AS A BENCH SEAT. THERE ARE 2 BEAMS CLOSE TO SEAT, ONE AT KNEE LEVEL IS THE CLOTH BEAM, AND ONE AT CHEST LEVEL IS THE BREAST BEAM. THE FINISHED RUG IS FED ONTO BREAST BEAM AND THEN ROLLED UP ONTO CLOTH BEAM. BREAST BEAM SIMPLY RESTS IN GROOVES ON EACH SIDE OF FRAME. CLOTH BEAM IS ATTACHED TO A TOOTHED WHEEL ON OUTSIDE OF FRAME THAT HAS A WEDGE BRAKE. THERE ARE 2 PULLEY BLOCKS (EACH WITH 2 PULLEYS) THAT ARE SUSPENDED FROM A BEAM AT THE TOP OF LOOM. PULLEYS HOLD THE HARNESS. A BEAM AT THE BACK OF LOOM (BACK BEAM) IS ALSO ATTACHED TO A TOOTHED WHEEL ON ONE SIDE (WHEEL HAS LARGER, BUT FEWER TEETH THAN CLOTH BEAM). BACK BEAM HOLDS THE SPOOL OF WARP MATERIAL (FORMS THE LENGTHWISE THREADS IN THE WOVEN FABRIC). WARP MATERIAL IS WHITE COTTON. THERE IS A LONG BRAKE HANDLE THAT EXTENDS FROM BACK TOOTHED WHEEL TOWARDS FRONT OF LOOM. LOOM HAS A SECTION OF FINISHED RUG ATTACHED TO IT.

Subjects

TEXTILEWORKING T&E

Historical Association

DOMESTIC

History

DONOR'S MOTHER, FLORENCE PATERA, BOUGHT MACHINE FROM A DOUKHABOR FAMILY IN THE LATE 1930S FROM COWLEY, ALBERTA. AT THE TIME FLORENCE WAS A RESIDENT OF LUNDBRECK, AB. MACHINE WAS USED SOLELY FOR THE PURPOSE OF MAKING RUGS FOR THE FAMILY. DONOR'S MOTHER WAS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT NOT WASTING GOOD MATERIALS, SO SHE PURCHASED THE MACHINE TO MAKE RUGS OUT OF ALL THE USED CLOTHES WHICH WERE NO LONGER USABLE. SHE PROVIDED RUGS FOR ALL HER FAMILY, AND THEY WERE ALSO PLACED ALL OVER THE FLOORS IN EVERY ROOM OF THE HOUSE DONOR'S FAMILY LIVED IN (A CPR HOUSE, WHICH WAS COLD AND DRAFTY ACCORDING TO THE DONOR). EVENTUALLY, FLORENCE GAVE THE LOOM TO HER MOTHER, FANNY PATAPOFF OF COALDALE. FANNY MOVED TO LIVE WITH HER SISTER, ROSE IN 1971. ROSE UTILIZED THE MACHINE IN LETHBRIDGE FOR FIVE YEARS AFTER IT CAME INTO HER POSSESSION. LOOM WAS STORED IN ROSE'S BASEMENT UP UNTIL THE TIME IT WAS DONATED TO MUSEUM. DONOR'S FATHER'S FAMILY MOVED TO FRANK, ALBERTA FROM CZECHOSLOVAKIA IN 1905. DONOR'S GRANDFATHER WORKED IN THE MINES AND THEN FOR THE CPR. DONOR'S FATHER BEGAN WORKING FOR THE CPR WHEN HE WAS 18 AND WORKED HIS WAY UP UNTIL HE WAS ROADMASTER, WHEN HE RETIRED. DONOR'S MOTHER WAS BORN IN MANITOBA THREE MONTHS AFTER HER MOTHER ARRIVED IN CANADA FROM RUSSIA, IN 1912. THE FAMILY, BEING FARMERS, MOVED TO COALDALE (AROUND 1913/14?) TO WORK ON FARMS AROUND THAT AREA, AND HAVE LIVED THERE EVER SINCE. FLORENCE PATERA PASSED AWAY AROUND 20TH OF DECEMBER 1983. DONOR WAS BORN IN 1941 IN THE OLD GALT HOSPITAL AND HAS LIVED MOST OF HER LIFE IN ALBERTA. SHE REMEMBERS THE MACHINE BEING IN THE HOUSEHOLD FROM THE TIME SHE WAS BORN. SEE PERMANENT FILE FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.

Catalogue Number

P20030034000

Acquisition Date

2004-01

Collection

Museum

Less detail