GF033i04 CÒMHRADH AIR FIGHEADAIREACHD



Beulaiche: Jonaidh Eàirdsidh Dhòmhnaill Bhig | John Joe MacKenzie



A' bruidhinn air figheadaireachd. Chan fhaca mise ach a bhith 'ga deanamh figheadaireachd le snàth-cotain airson dlùth agus a' snàth-clòimheadh a' dol ann airson uachdar. Dh'fheumte a' snàth-cotain a bhrochanachadh an toiseach. Brochain a dhèanamh air flùr agus a' snàth a ghoil a's a' bhrochan a bha sin. An uair sin, a thioramachadh. Dh'fheumadh 'ad an uair sin a shocaireas air bonnagan 's rachadh an uair sin a' snàth-cotain a bha sin a chur ro 'n uidheam deilbh. Chanadh 'ad fhéin ris gu robh e air a dheilbh, bha sin seachd na h-ochd do bhonnagan do shnàth dol ann am bucaid a bh' air an ùrlar agus sin 'ga chur bho phosta gu posta.



Air a gheobhadh 'ad sin deiseil, rachadh a chur 'na fhigheachan 's rachadh an uair sin, startadh air— tòiseachadh air a chur 's a' bheart-fhighe. Air a gheobhte 's a' bheart-fhighe, bha e ri dhol ro na h-iomallan, 's bha ceithir dhiubh sin ann. 'S dh'fheumte snàithlean a chur ro 'n a h-uile mogal a bha sin. Airson, air a rachadh e air a' sin, rachadh e an uair sin ro 'n t-slinn. 'S e an t-slinn a rud a bha 'fàsgadh an t-snàth-cloimheadh a-staigh a's a' snàth-cotain a bha 'na uachdar. 'S air a chuirte cudtrom air na casachan – na casachan a bh' air a' bheart-fhighe. Air a chuireadh tu cudtrom air a dhà dhiubh, tharraingeadh tu dhà dha na slinnean, dha na h-iomallan sìos, agus bha na dhà eile 'dol suas. Bha sin a' fosgladh an dlùth. Agus, chuirte an uair sin, bha 'n t-iteachan 's a' spàl 's a' snàth-clòimheadh air a chuirte sin roimhe, agus cheapte 's [?] 's glacte air a' cheann eile leis a' làimh eile 's bhuailte astaigh leis an t-slinne. Dh' atharraichte an uair sin na casan air na casachan. Sin an obair mar a rachadh e air n-aghaidh.



TRANSLATION: A CONVERSATION ABOUT WEAVING



… speaking of weaving.  I didn't see anything but the weaving with cotton thread for the warp and wool thread for the weft.  You had to soak the cotton thread first in a brochan (porridge like paste mixture).  Brochan was made with flour (and water?) and the cotton thread was boiled in that.  Then, you had to rest/prop? the cotton thread on bonnagan and then the cotton thread would be put on the warping frame.  They would say then that the thread was air a dheilbh (on the warping frame).  There was seven or eight bonnagan in a bucket on the floor and then the cotton thread would be put from post to post.



When that would be ready, the cotton thread would be put into figheachan (braids of some sort).  Then, they would start to put it on the weaving loom.  Once they got it on the weaving loom, they would have to put it through the harnesses, there was four of them.  Then the cotton thread had to be put through every heddle eye.  Because from there, it would then go through the reed.  It is the reed that would push the wool thread into the cotton thread that was on the warp.



Then, you had to put weight on the treadles that were on the loom.  When you would put weight on two of them, you would pull up two of the harnesses, and pull two of them down.  That would open the warp.



Then, you would put the wool thread in the bobbin and shuttle.  You would throw it and catch it at the other side, and then beat it in with the reed.  Then, the feet would be changed to put weight on the other two treadles.  That's how the work would go ahead.