IN12 – The First Shawl

Stitchers: Margaret Muir, Carla Corneli, Paula McKeown, Narinda Kaur Sing & Lesley King – Paisley

Imported Indian shawls were in high demand but were expensive. It was far cheaper to imitate the original patterns on locally woven cloth, and it became a largescale industry in Scotland. The distinctive teardrop buta pattern took the name of Paisley where it was produced in vast quantities. The town produced its first shawl in 1808, and by 1850 employed 7,000 weavers as the trade boomed. Initially made on handlooms, the complex pattern made the shawls time-consuming to make. By 1880 Jacquard looms where brought into Paisley which could mechanise the process, but by then changing fashions were resulting in declining demand.

IN12 Breabadairean Phàislig
Bha iarrtas mòr ann airson sèilichean Ìnnseanach air an in-mhalairt ach bha iad glè dhaor. Bha e fada nas saoire na pàtranan tùsail a leantainn air aodach dèante gu h-ionadail, agus thàinig sin gu bhith na ghnìomhachas aig ìre mhòr ann an Alba. Ghabh am pàtran sònraichte buta an t-ainm Pàislig far an robh meudan mòra dheth ga dhèanamh. Chaidh a’ chiad seàla a dhèanamh sa bhaile ann an 1808, agus ann an 1850 bha 7,000 breabadair air am fastadh agus a’ mhalairt a’ tighinn gu h-àirde. An toiseach bhathar gan dèanamh air beairtean làimhe, bha am pàtran toinnte a’ cosg mòran ùine ann an dèanamh nan sèilichean. Ann an 1880 thàinig na beairtean Jacquard a-steach do Phàislig, a’ ciallachadh gum faodadh am pròiseas innleachadh, ach aig an àm bha fasan ag atharrachadh agus an t-iarrtas a’ dol sìos.