# Song of the Fiber Arts:Weaving, Spinning, etc.



## rabbitgeek (Mar 22, 2008)

I would like to start a thread about Songs of the Fiber Artists

I invite people to post any Weaving Song, Spinning Song, Dying Dong, Shearing Song, anything related to fiber arts. Poetry would also be welcome.

We had a post from 2011 with links to songs:
Steeleye Span - Weaver and the Factory Maid (via youtube)
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Do7epBepl8U[/ame]

Filipino folk song - Shawl Weaver Song, Here is a song I was taught in elementary school in late 1960s, Los Angeles Calif when I was 10 or 11 years old. It was printed in the district textbook for music so it was taught to everybody in the city.

http://filipinofolksongsatbp.blogspot.com/2011/10/cashmere-folk-song-shawl-weavers-song.html


You can hear the melody at the website.

Shawl Weaver's Song
Cashmere Folk Song
by Seymour Barnard
Tempo: Allegretto

Deftly, deftly, nimble fingers,
Weave gold and azure strands.
Hasten, hasten, he who lingers.
Fly, firm and facile hands.

Weave for mother's shoulder
Shawls gay with glint of gold;
For her when bent and older,
Warm wool against the cold.

Although I remember the second verse was something like

Weave for the lady's shoulders
Shawls gay with glints of gold
When winter winds grow colder
Warm wool against the cold.

Anyway, that's the name of that tune.

The original thread was.
http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/country-homemaking/fiber-arts/425479-when-i-weaver.html

And be sure to add your posts here, not there!

Thank you!
Have a joyful day!
Franco Rios
Sacramento


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

The only one I know is about the weaver, not the weaving.

As I was weaving upon my loom
_something something- a bird was singing on an ivory branch
and the song she wang was the jug of punch.
Then it goes on to the Jug of Punch.


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## Kasota (Nov 25, 2013)

Across the far meadow bathed in mist
My flock lay down their rest to take
Ewes with lambs in the springtime green
Such a gentle picture they did make

I left them in that meadow green
To tend to chores of the day
There were eggs to gather and wood to bring in
And horses that wanted their hay

But My heart stopped when the silence broke
And I heard the dogs give sound
A wolf pack in the early hours
had brought a lamb to ground

I am too slow! I am too slow!
The path is long and twisting
But I must reach the meadow green
Where I heard a battle raging

Scattered and shattered the flock did run
Except for the lamb brought down
There in the misty meadow green
How I feared what would be found

Brave Raven in a flash of black
Charged in like thunder crashing
Kate, Rock and Bear, not far behind
Raced in with canines flashing

One wolf had hold of my dear sweet lamb
she cried out in fear and pain
The pack had circled to carry her off
Until Raven charged in again

Heart pounding and gasping I found them 
There in the misty green meadow
Blood spattered and tattered Raven stood
And a lamb lay in her shadow

Gashes were torn in her rugged face
Blood poured down her side
Raven licked the still-breathing lamb
It lifted it's head and cried

I called to the flock Come in! Come in!
My voice I knew they would follow
I carried the lamb in my shaking arms
Across the misty green meadow

The years might have clouded her eyesight
But she stood brave and true til the end
Now she rests in the misty green meadow
Fare thee well, Raven, my friend


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## Lythrum (Dec 19, 2005)

My favorite fiber related song is called Ged a Sheol Mi Air M' Aineol by Julie Fowlis. It is a traditional Gaelic waulking song, that was sung by the ladies as they worked the tweed cloth in mills and homes. Walking (Gaelic is waulking), fulling or tucking was when they would beat the tweed to soften it up. They started out slow as they were working the heavy cloth and then picked up speed. This particular song is about an ocean voyage and the English lyrics can be found here. 

Ged a Sheol Mi Air M' Aineol

I can't figure out why my You Tube linky things never work, /sigh.


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## rabbitgeek (Mar 22, 2008)

Lythrum, my youtube links only work half the time.
Nice video!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCpCQumN9xE

Doesn't look like it went that time either.


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## freelove (Jun 17, 2005)

*Huswifery*


*Huswifery*



By Edward Taylor 1642&#8211;1729 Edward Taylor 
Make me, O Lord, thy Spining Wheele compleate. 
Thy Holy Worde my Distaff make for mee. 
Make mine Affections thy Swift Flyers neate 
And make my Soule thy holy Spoole to bee. 
My Conversation make to be thy Reele 
And reele the yarn thereon spun of thy Wheele. 

Make me thy Loome then, knit therein this Twine: 
And make thy Holy Spirit, Lord, winde quills: 
Then weave the Web thyselfe. The yarn is fine. 
Thine Ordinances make my Fulling Mills. 
Then dy the same in Heavenly Colours Choice, 
All pinkt with Varnisht Flowers of Paradise. 

Then cloath therewith mine Understanding, Will, 
Affections, Judgment, Conscience, Memory 
My Words, and Actions, that their shine may fill 
My wayes with glory and thee glorify. 
Then mine apparell shall display before yee 
That I am Cloathd in Holy robes for glory.


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## freelove (Jun 17, 2005)

Siu'il A Ru'in by Clannad

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUT6H2m00Rs[/ame]


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## rabbitgeek (Mar 22, 2008)

Thank you for those contributions Freelove. I enjoyed. I laughed. I cried. 

Have a joyful day!


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## Pigeon Lady (Apr 4, 2004)

Hi Rabbitgeek!

A few more for you.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bypYcBGV-M"]ARAGON MILL[/ame]


[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6WcKkijYGI"]A Maid Going to Comber[/ame]

It's the second song starting around the 6.00 minute mark, however, the first song is very haunting in and of itself and well worth listening to the whole thing )

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Blw5_H9aw-U"]POVERTY KNOCK[/ame]

I'm from Lancashire. My gran started working as a spinner in the mill at 12 years old. " half time" ( school in the am, mill in the afternoon) In researching the family tree it's amazing to find that on my mom's side they are all listed on the marriage and birth transcripts as either spinner or handloom weaver way back to the 1700's!


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## dixiemaiden (Oct 31, 2007)

This is a fun song about weavers. 


[ame="http://http//www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOJgIHqxUrw"]http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOJgIHqxUrw[/ame]


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## Pigeon Lady (Apr 4, 2004)

Not a song but this guy, Fred Dibnah was one of our local celebrities and a real character! He started out as a steeplejack working on the mill chimneys. Here he is climbing a three hundred foot chimney with no safety harness!

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3R3-YwDZrzg[/ame]


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