Roadcloth was the name given to cloth imported from tailors working in large city centers. Most Roadcloth was imported from Europe. Roadcloth was not unknown in the early days, but the wearing of such clothing was restricted to weddings and special holiday occasions. The ordinary clothing of the people being made from what was called 'homespun'. The wool was carded, dyed, and spun.
Spinning Wool
Someone that spun wool was called a spinner. A length of carded wool was attached to the spindle of the spinning wheel. The wheel was twirled drawing the wool out into yarn. The spinner stopping now and then to examine the thread. After the spinner had a spindle full of yarn it was wound on the reel into skeins, making a click every time a knot is wound on. After enough knots had been wound on to make a skein, they were tied together and hung up. Four skeins of fourteen knots each was considered a good day's work.
The yarn was colored previous to weaving. A special tub was sometimes kept for this purpose. The dyes used were most of them homemade. Indigo was used for dying blue, amber for red, butternut husks or sumach blossoms for brown, onion skins,wood, or golden rod for yellow, and beech tree bark for drab.
Spinning flax
For spinning flax, a smaller wheel was used than for spinning wool. It was kept in motion by a treadle worked by the foot. The operator sat down while spinning. A bunch of flax was fastened on to a forked stick, called a distaff, at the front end of the wheel. The white flax was pulled off the distaff and attached to the spindle by the spinner, It was lengthened out into linen thread, which was tied into bundles called 'hanks'.
Sewing
The wool would be woven by someone who had a loom and pulled to prevent it from shrinking. A tailor, when he could be had, was engaged to come to the house to mend and make up clothing for the whole family. If the community did not have a tailor the homespun would have to be made by whoever had the talent to sew clothing. Stockings were knit for the family by the light of candlelight when there was time.
