Casgliadau Arlein

Small woollen mat (one of a pair). Made by Richard Tucker Lewis during his retirement. He suffered from athritis in his hands. Handmade from unravelled woollen fabric and spun wool and cotton of varying thickness and colours. These have been clumped together and knotted onto a cotton woven backing giving a thick shaggy pile to the mat. The border is mainly a dark navy colour with repeated rectangular border working into the centre.

The mat's backing has been pieced together from three pieces of fabric: the larger of the three sections consists of white brushed cotton, possibly and old sheet (2/2 twill), while the two smaller sections are of a light blue cotton. This is an unbalanced tabby weave: a white and a blue singles yarn (Z-spun) have been used together (probably as weft) and thinner, white singles yarns are used in the other weaving direction.