Kathleen B Smith is a textile historian who specializes in period handwork.

Textile Reproductions, founded in 1982, is located in Montague, Massachusetts.

Originally operated as a home-based company providing historically accurate materials for reproducing textiles of specific historical periods, it has both changed and remained much the same. For nearly 40 years, we have supplied materials as well as woven, stitched, or embroidered items to a demanding and widely varied cliental, including museum professionals, antique dealers, historical re-enactors, movie makers; as well as both professional & hobbyist needle workers, all of whom trust and depend on our knowledge of textile goods and their historical context.

In 1984, when our first child entered school, we found our skills valued in the community surrounding Waldorf education. We were surprised and pleased to find another group of people who valued, and in some instances required, materials colored with the natural dyes from plants. For nearly 25 years, we annually dyed about 600 yards of felt and 250-450 pounds of knitting yarn for school use. While it would obviously have been much easier to concentrate exclusively on historically based work, there was significant satisfaction in making it possible for thousands of children around the world to learn to make beautiful things with their hands. It remains one of the best things we could have done.

In 1997, we regretfully discontinued nearly every aspect of our retail mail order catalog operations. Expectations of mail order had simply changed and we had not evolved in that direction. Since then we have continued to make finished reproduction textiles, some on a custom basis and others according to our own interest. We still offer a variety of historically accurate materials to museums, dealers, and other tradespeople who reproduce or restore period furnishings. If you have an upcoming project that requires expertise with period techniques and a keen eye for creating historically accurate copies of antique textiles, please don’t hesitate to contact us. If we can’t help you, we may know who can.

In late 2012, we moved to Montague. Our children have grown, although they continue to contribute their flexible problem solving and technology expertise to our family business. Studio space is more compact, but provides a peaceful refuge in which to work. With fewer distractions, the opportunity to study specific areas of textile history with greater focus inspires new work. I am grateful for the small footprint of scholarly pursuits and the fact that creativity itself requires virtually no space at all.

During the past decade, I have continued to study period textiles, use vegetable dyes to create a unique, inspiring palette and both make reproductions myself and teach others to do so. My smaller studio space has lured me in the direction of miniature costume and reproductions — although it is not always true that making small things requires less room! My three grandchildren are regular visitors to my workshop. I share their joy in discovering the miracle of being able to imagine treasure and use our hands to make it. Every day I think of something new I might make — what a gift!