WOMAN, 93, MAKES RUGS ON 200-YEAR-OLD LOOM

You'd never believe that Kathryn Hollar of New Market is 93 years old. And she also disproves the claim that hard work will kill you because, despite her age, she still turns out rugs every day on her 200-year-old loom.

Watching her operate the treadles on the ancient loom, one wonders just how many authentic pieces of Americana are still in use, preserving a rich tradition of skill and industry.

Her spotless frame home on New Market's main street is mute evidence that her life has been a busy one and the only boast made by her during the conversation was, "I've really worked hard in my time."

To the stranger, Mrs. Hollar looks about 60 years old and although she walks with a slightly unsteady step, she still gingerly climbs to the high seat on the loom to either weave a rug or demonstrate it to a visitor.

Mrs. Hollar was born west of Woodstock where the present Rocco Farm Foods Plant is located. Although she has trouble recalling incidents in her early childhood, she claims that one of the "first things I learned was to operate the loom."

The machine which is constructed of hard pine was a gift from her great-grandmother to her mother who passed it on down to its present owner. It was a bridal present," she explained. "You simply don't get anything of this quality anymore. In fact, there aren't many of any kind left because back when I was a child all of the material for clothing, rugs and other things was woven by hand. I remember when Mama made all of the cloth used in our family and she started from scratch.

"Papa used to shear the sheep and sent the wool to some place in West Virginia where he had it carded, but I can't remember the town," she said, trying to jog her faulty memory. "When it came back, it was in hanks and Mama used to spinit into strips on a spinning wheel. The stuff I am using now comes from Windsor Knit and sometimes it is too thick and heavy to work good."

The spinning operation is rather complicated and requires considerable skill. Mrs. Hollar no only operates the machine with dexterity but she also points with pride to a number of repairs she had made to the ancient machine. Its age is evident in several ways. The treadles are heavily worn and the rollers on which the warp is fed into the machine have been repaired. A number of wire guides that steer the warp have also been replaced, "and I did it all myself," she proudly exclaimed.

And speaking of warp, the twine-like material that binds the strands of cloth together, Mrs. Hollar said, "Bet you can't break it." The material had the consistency of light fishing line but was much stronger. "We used to spin our own warp," she explained, "but now I order this from a place in Ohio. Back when we spun material for dresses and other clothes we used flax. It finished up smoother and
prettier."

Demonstrating the use of the shuttle, an oblong instrument rounded at each end, she wondered out loud, "I wonder how old this thing really is?" She believes it is older than the loom because it is worn from use to a shiny finish. The shuttle is used to pull the strings between the rows of warp before the loom draws it right against the piece of cloth in front of it.

"I remember when there were lots of looms in the Valley, but I guess most of them are gone now. There used to be another loom, known as the patent loom, but it wasn't as good as this one. You couldn't get the quality of cloth from it -- it was too thin."

Mrs. Hollar's weaving is now limited to rugs. "I don't try to spin cloth, but I do have sale for all of the rugs I can weave. I used to average six rugs a day, but now I'm lucky to finish one," she said.

After the death of her husband, Mrs. Hollar went to work for other people at other jobs. "I tell you that I done whatever was necessary to earn money," she said. "In those days you had to make it on your own. There wasn't any government handouts then. "At first I went to work as a cook in a restaurant and later I worked eight years cooking in a boarding house in Washington, D.C., where I cooked for between 40 and 50 boarders," she recalled.

Her husband, John Hollar, has been dead over 50 years and her son and daughter are also deceased. Mrs. Hollar lived for a time with a sister in Mt. Jackson. Since then she has lived in her neat frame house in New Market. She believes that her long life has been due to her keeping busy and she had little patience with those who loaf.

Mrs. Hollar is a member of the New Market Seventh-day Adventist Church. "But I don't get to go anymore. My legs are too wobbly and I'm afraid I'll fall." Her greatest fear is that she will become disabled and have to go into a nursing home. "I want to stay at home until my time comes," she says. "I've visited in them places and while most of them are nice, I still want to stay at home as long as I can."

Next March 28 Mrs. Hollar will be 94 years old and her determination to be independent and self-supporting may make it possible for her to spend may more years doing her favorite job -- operating her loom.
--NVD Wed 5 Oct 1977
(Sent by Billy Barber #47223426)