Elementary School Demo Days

We had a great 2 days at a local Elementary school this week. Monday and Tuesday we had close to 250 students come through our Weaving room and our Spinning room, 1 class at a time. We had children from PreK-5th grade. Each class was split between the two rooms and we had on average 20 minutes to show our craft and let the kids have some hands on experience. Set up day was on Friday the week before. Shannon headed up the planning and the set up day. The Weaving room consisted of 6 table looms, 1 floor loom, 1 rigid heddle loom and an Inkle loom. There was displayed various woven items and a tapestry loom. The staff for the weaving room was Liz #2, Susan #2,Phyllis, Kris, Liz #1, Barbara and Susan #1 who spent one day in the Spinning room and I day in the Weaving room. Most of the pictures were taken without the children present to protect their identity.

In the Spinning room which is right next door to the Weaving room, we had a display area of handspun and hand knitted and woven items. There was also a couple of distaves 1 with wool and the other with flax. The staff for the Spinning room included Tina, Samantha,Jenny,Karin, John Paul and Susan #1. I (Tina) did a really quick intro to spinning and then the kids were divided up to go to the different staff memebers. I was on the great wheel where I had the kids turn the wheel while I managed drafting out about 36 inches of yarn which we then plied back on itself to make them a little bracelette. There was one staff member showing the kids how to handcard and several pairs of handcards to let the kids give it a try and 2 staff members on drop spindles. When time was almost up for the group I would show the kids the items that I had made. Towards the end of the day on the second day, as I held up a particulary warm shawl that I made last year from handspun, one of the kids wanted to feel what it would feel like as a blanket. I tossed it on him and of course the blanket had to make the rounds of several kids. Then it was time for them to line up to go.

At the end of the second day we packed up and took most of the items to the craft center to distrubute next Tuesday, but the 6 table looms we have left behind for the Art teacher to use for the next few weeks in her class time. Once we get the looms back we will "finish" the woven fabric so that the art teacher can use it in a display. Meanwhile, on Tuesday, back at the Weaving Center, after lunch there was "Show and Tell". Mark had a placemat and Bonnie came and showed a top she had made with the fabric she had woven a couple of months ago.

That is all I have for you today friends, Until next week, this is Tina, for all!

Welcome Back to Some Old Friends

The first one we can welcome back is Carol of course! She has been gone 6 weeks, more or less, but she had a great visit with her Sister in Canada! They are already making plans for next year! She and Marie were catching up!

I got to the Center late today and was busy from the get go, so it was lunch time before I took many pictures.

So how about we start with Show and Tell this week, cause there is a lot of it! Charlotte was with us today for a little while and she brought in somes Huck Lace towels she had woven at home. Ruth brought in the towels she had finished off of Bonnies loom. (We miss you Bonnie, come by for a visit!!!!)

Welcome back to Irene who was with us today, and she brought in some lovely boundweave pieces that she has been doing on a rigid heddle loom. She wants to try it on a loom with shafts. Phyllis brought in the finihed scarf that she took off of the loom last week. I learned today that she had also dyed the warp and weft for this project.

Patty had a lot to show us today! She made pincushions for all of our looms out of some fabric from Sharons stash! She brought in a towel that looks so soft and also 2 more twisted poncho thingys.

Last but not least Shannon brought in a baby blanket that she wove for her grandaughter. We all thought that her version is much better than the version photographed in the book!

I did manage to get a couple of photos of weavers at the looms but very few. I saw Joycelyn weaving at her Christmas towel project and Barbara weaving on a loom for next weeks hands on demo at the elememntary school.

Speaking of the hands on demo, next weeks post will feature that 2 day event. We spent some time today finishing up the last minute things that needed to happen. Marie and Karin were winding some cool wool yarn that was in pieces of 18-20 inches, they are knotting the pieces together and winding them in balls of various sizes. I snuck in a picture of the scarf project that Karin is weaving on her loom.

The last old friend we saw today was JP! He is back from his travels, he had a wonderful time but is glad to be home! I didn't manage to take a picture of JP today, but I found one in my Photos from last year, and it pretty much sums it up!

We missed all three of you and we are glad you are back! Until next time this is Tina, for all