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Three-piece ensemble from Chamberlin’s Handwovens, 1950s
The Washington Training Center for the Blind was started in 1939 and one of their key programs involved weaving. Students were trained to weave fabrics and then were employed through the center. An affiliated nonprofit called Handcrest distributed and sold goods, but other businesses sourced fabrics and employed craftspeople through the training center. One such was Chamberlin’s Handwovens which opened at 9th and Pine in 1955. It was owned by Edward and Helen Chamberlin and was the first retail store in Seattle devoted entirely to handwoven garments. This ensemble has a label which reads “Chamberlin’s Seattle Handwovens, Designed by Broback.” Ida M. Broback was a designer and instructor that worked at the Washington Training Center for the Blind.
ID Number: 2022.40.1
Date: Circa 1950
Creator(s):
Chamberlin's Handwovens, Manufacturer
Physical Description: 1 Ensemble; fabric; Skirt: 26 in.H x 39 in.W, Jacket: 18 in.H x 18 in.W
Credit: MOHAI, 2022.40.1