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The Burroughs Garret

The Burroughs Garret

Handweaver Justin Squizzero challenges modern definitions of progress by creating functional textiles that celebrate the natural world and the dignity of human labor.

The wood creaks under the feet as Justin Squizzero makes his way up the stairs to the garret, the unfinished attic, of the 210 year old farmhouse he shares with his husband Andrew. The temperature outside in their small corner of rural Vermont barely reached 5 degrees as he makes his short commute to the space where he’s dedicated himself to resurrecting a piece of American history through practicing a nearly lost art. Justin reaches the garret, uninsulated from the harsh weather outside, and his breath hangs in the air 40 degree air as he sits down at a loom, one that is potentially a century older than the house, to weave intricately detailed coverlets that have not been made for over 180 years.

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In October of 2015 Justin Squizzero first set foot on the farm built by William Burroughs circa 1810, lived on by generations of just two families, and offered for sale for the first time in a century. The farm sits up in the hills of Newbury, Vermont, a town on the banks of the Connecticut River, one hundred miles north of the Massachusetts border. It was the kind of relic one used to find frequently in the North Country, but like the elm and mountain lion these places have become rarities in recent times, endangered species in their natural habitat. By some luck and quiet determination of a few sporadic caretakers this house survived, despite sitting vacant since 1989.


A weaver by training, trade, and passion since he was around 16 years old, it was fate when Squizzero, now 33, found an entire loom sitting in the garret (unfinished attic) of the house, a final nod that he had found a place that was both special on its own, but even more special to him. It was a perfect fit regardless; Justin grew up the son of historical reenactors and knew the inside and out of living in such an old home, from the lack of insulation and wood furnace and stove to the temperamental water from the stream up the road, water they were lucky to have. However, it still required extensive work to get to this place livable after sitting largely untouched for decades. It’s framework underneath was rotting, the shingles blew off the roof with every gust of wind, sounding blown snow, and layers of now weathered and stained wallpaper hid even more layers beneath.

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  • A Stetson fur felt fedora in Newbury, VT. Credit: Mark Kauzlarich for Stetson

Even now the house is relatively spartan but immensely charming, bright on the outside and homey and historic on the inside. It sticks out from the road as you come down the hill, welcoming, and at night the smoke from the stacks and few lights in the windows are a beacon to weary travelers in the snow. Now filled with three operational looms in addition to the one found in the garret the farm, which was brought back to life by Justin, is also where he weaves fabrics that bring old furniture back to life, serves as the foundation for clothing from hundreds of years ago, and creates the figured coverlets that few can make. With a few sheep, the start of a flock that will someday provide wool for his weaving, a pig, their dogs, and a cat that came with the house (their landlord, he says), they have turned this place into a home. But the largest piece of the puzzle, a rare Jacquard head for a loom, arrived in 2019 and helped Justin resurrect the intricate work for which he’s become known.


In 1804 a Lyon silk weaver named Joseph Marie Jacquard perfected a century of technological development with a device that utilized punch cards to create pictorial designs in woven cloth. A series of vertical hooks inside the cast iron machine “read” these cards and lift certain threads allowing him to create figured patterns that in some cases likely had not come off a loom since 1860. In function, it’s essentially the earliest manufactured computer. Justin’s rare surviving example of a Jacquard loom head dates from the 1860s, likely the oldest operating machine privately owned in North America. It was purchased by Roy Orr, a weaver from Ohio, (who had bought it from a famed weaver in Scotland) and who sold it with the punch cards to create Justin’s first coverlets. The head sits on a loom that is much older, made between 1650 and 1750, and together they are a perfect match.


On this cold February day in Newbury, VT, Justin was starting something special. He took a worn pair of shears off his work bench and slowly cut down the line of fabric taught across the loom. It was the last of the most recent run of coverlets titled “Campbell’s Rose and Stars”. A coverlet like this, big enough for a queen bed, would take around five days of dedicated effort sitting at the sometimes cantankerous and fickle loom, tending to the mechanical intricacies and issues that come up along the way. What came next was the culmination of a year of work. Justin placed the newest cards over the Jacquard head. The holes punched looked like an oversized paper ballot or the instructions for an antique player piano printed on a heavy cardstock, covered in wax to protect them from the mechanical process, and it was hard to see how these would translate to anything as intricate as what would come next. Justin had closely studied images of a pattern not made since 1840, one with few surviving examples, and reconstructed the pattern by hand, a meticulous process. Then he and Andrew worked to punch the cards before lacing them together with thread. Finally, after a year of work, Justin threw the shuttle across the loom for the first time, operating the loom and the head with worn, rough-hewn wood treadles suspended above the worn wood floors and attached by thick twine to the loom. The jarring bang of both the Jacquard head and the old, massive loom became an unhurried, methodical rhythm. Slowly, over the course of a half an hour, the design’s words became readable on the coverlet. It’s a motto that Justin has held dear to his heart and one that he’s excited to start seeing again and again as he weaves.

“Agriculture & Manufactures are the Foundation of our Independence”



“I have always been inspired by New England’s past, by a rough-hewn beauty and reserved aesthetic, by a love of tradition and a sense of place.”
— Justin Squizzero

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Home on the Range

Home on the Range

For Brett and Leah, being born to life on the range is a commitment to the generations of ranching families that came before them. A commitment they are happy to fulfill.

Photography by Marisa Anderson

“There are many wonderful places in the world, but one of my favorite places is on the back of my horse.”

-Rolf Kopfle

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Brett Williams is a 25 year old bareback rider. He started on his first bucking horse at 16 and grew up riding steers.

He later rode in the amateur and pro circuits across Canada and the United States.

Currently while on hiatus due to covid, he’s been enjoying the time at home working with his horses and cows.

Raising cows goes all the way back to his great grandfather. The passion for livestock and agriculture has always been a big part of his life. Even when life has taken Brett in different directions, he always finds his way back to the ranch.

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Leah Campbell grew up on the back of a horse. Her mother and grandmother were huge influences in her passion for horses. Her grandmother handed down their family brand “Quarter Circle Lazy Left M L” and she looks forward to growing her own heard with this brand on their hip.

She finds herself following in their footsteps riding in the mountains with friends and family often, just as they did- checking cows in the forestry before she was born.

Her passion for rodeo and working with young horses started when she was a young teen and currently competes on the armature pro-circuits working towards running Pro. After high school Leah received her Equine Sports Therapy certification and now work at a Equine Veterinarian Clinic that specializes is performance horses.

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Vermont Winter Edit

Vermont Winter Edit

Our winter edit takes place in idyllic Vermont with scenes of mountains blanketed by freshly-fallen snow, canvas tent camping, hiking, and enjoying the winter landscapes.

“In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks.”

John Muir

Winter essentials. Understated favorites born from functionality and built to outlast.

Shop Stetson gloves and beanies here.

Jackets, ponchos, and sweatshirts — layer up and get ready when cool weather hits.

Get cozy in this southwest style blanket coat. Made with a warm woolen blend and featuring a detachable fur collar.

Wardrobe mainstays for years to come, our coats and jackets feature classic Western-styling and are made from premium materials.

Buffalo plaid shirt jacket. A cold-weather classic that features a forestry-inspired buffalo check pattern, drop shoulders, and button-flap front pockets.

Rugged boots with Western detailing, built to Stetson’s exacting standard of quality and designed for a life of adventure.

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Stetson Chukka Boot. Built for the trail, river, or an adventure in town.

We’ve been outfitting men who venture into cold, weather-worn territories since 1865 — this is quality you can rely on.

Built tough with high-quality leather, this classic leather jacket is warm, rugged, and durable, and features a standing collar with snap closure, welt hand pockets, and is fully lined.

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Functional outerwear you can rely on year-round.

The Stetson Graphic Pullover Hooded Sweatshirt is made of a blend of cotton for comfort and polyester for strength. Rib-knit cuffs and hem, a drawcord-adjustable hood and a kangaroo handwarmer for extra warmth. Perfect for everyday workwear.

We have a soft spot for a good sweatshirt, and it doesn’t get much better than this.

Made from a soft-but-dependable cotton blend,  this  sweatshirt will only get better with time.

For coverage during cold weather months. Shop the Trapper Hat.

Photography: Maaike Bernstrom

Models: Cameron James | Heather Dorn

Location: Bent Apple Farm

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A Celebration: The Bones of J.R. Jones

A Celebration: The Bones of J.R. Jones

Over the course of three full-length albums and two EPs, Jonathon Robert Linaberry — the songwriter, storyteller, visual artist, and one-man band behind The Bones of J.R. Jones — has woven his own tapestry of American roots music.

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Photographer Peter Crosby met with Jonathan in Upstate New York to record an exclusive video for his single, “Bad Moves.”

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“Bad Moves” is the latest single from The Bones of J.R. Jones forthcoming record, “A Celebration.”

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Few places have left J.R. feeling as inspired as the American Southwest, an area whose desert panoramas and infinite horizons inspired the songs on his newest release, A Celebration. Written during trips to Tucson, Bisbee, Joshua Tree, and other desert destinations, the six-song EP is everything its title promises: a celebration of the thrill of getting lost in something new, whether it’s a landscape, a sound, a perspective, or all of the above.

Much like artist, the new Pure Stratoliner is a classic style for the modern world. With only a handful in production, the Pure Stratoliner is built from fur felt for unbeatable softness and resilience.

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Homesteading with Shele Jeanne Jessee

Homesteading with Shele Jeanne Jessee

Hide tanner, maker, horsewoman. Just a few ways to begin to describe Shele. She lives her life rooted in tradition on the Central Coast of California, on Salinan-Chumash territory. Follow her here.

Photography by Ben Christensen

Shele Jeanne Jessee grew up on a 1200-acre ranch in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in Northern California. She comes from a long line of homesteaders and makers. From a young age, she was taught the importance of connection to the land by raising her animals for meat, hunting with the men in her family, and riding horses.  Shele has always loved to learn and make with her hands, a value of western tradition.

“I have a deep devotion for raw materials, that are sourced sustainably. All of my hides are sourced in California and are considered a by-product of the meat industry.”

Currently living on the Central Coast of California, on Salinan-Chumash territory Shele continues to live a life connected to the land. With a background in permaculture design, horse training, primitive skills and homesteading, she keeps busy and considers work as a meditation and part of her service.

“All of the hides that I offer are considered a waste product. Any deerskin products are either from deer that have been hunted or are unwanted. All of the sheep, goatskins and buffalo hides are a product of the meat industry and are most often thrown away. I believe we have the right to choose what we eat and I believe in using the WHOLE animal.”


She tans hides the old way: with her own two hands, no chemicals, and time. I refer to this method as traditional. Using brain tanning methods, a type of fat and wood smoke-alchemy occurs, rendering a beautifully preserved hide to be used for a lifetime. 

“Hide tanning is one of my favorite practices, I am grateful that this is the way I get to spend my time, and I have been deeply steeped in the tradition for the last 10 yrs. I crave a good story, and everything I offer has one to tell.”


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Keeping Tradition Alive with the Harris Sisters

Keeping Tradition Alive with the Harris Sisters

The Harris sisters are a trio creating traditional Native American beadwork in their hometown of Pendleton, OR.

Photography by Sean Carr

Harris Sisters Co was founded by sisters Katie, Anna, and Mary in Pendleton, OR. The sisters are from the Nez Perce, Cayuse, Umatilla, and Karuk tribes and specialize in traditional beadwork.

A brief history of beadwork

Native American beadwork, like quill work before it, is a decorative art form. Utilitarian goods such as clothing, dwellings, horse gear, and utensils were at one time ornamented with quillwork and beadwork. Over time, the older ways of life have disappeared. Even though clothing and dwelling styles have changed, and the original needs for horse gear and certain utensils have vanished, decorative beadwork continues to flourish.

Today, beadwork has come to symbolize the Native American heritage.

Reference: https://www.kshs.org/kansapedia/native-american-beadwork/17880

HSC was started by the sisters wanting to create plateau beadwork while keeping their style as traditional as possible.

An updated classic, this button-front shirt dress features single point flap pockets and a deep back yoke for western appeal. Made with a supersoft blend for all-day comfort that doesn’t make sacrifices in style.

Katie creates beaded buckskin dresses, purses, horse regalia, beaded belts, beaded bracelets & earrings.
 
Anna has started tooling leather as an artistic outlet and a love for the western lifestyle growing up in Pendleton, home of the Pendleton Round-Up. She crossed paths with her now mentor Pedro Pedrini, and has continued to develop her skill in leathercraft recently finishing a set of fully tooled tapaderos. Even in her tooling style, she creates the traditional plateau flowers through her leather.

The youngest sister, Mary, is a sewer and beadworker.

Visit their work here.

A classic addition to any wardrobe, these Pixie boots are a fitting companion for anyone with a strong appreciation for objects that are made well and get better with age.


From staples to statement pieces, our Women’s clothing is inspired by the West and designed for the adventurous.

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