Textiles | Our land serves as an outdoor classroom for our educational programs, research, agricultural and conservation projects.

Introduction to Spinning class

January 16, 2013 by Meg Leave a Comment

Sylvia DeMar will lead individuals in a beginning spinning class. Using a drop spindle, participants will be taught to spin prepared wool into yarn. Each student will be given a complete drop spindle kit.

Please plan to bring a bag lunch.

Following the class, at 1pm, the Stitch ‘n Time textile club will hold an all-spinning afternoon meeting. Class attendees are encouraged to stay and practice with the club. Light refreshments will be included in the club time.

About the Instructor

Sylvia DeMar completed a B.A. in Fine Arts, with an emphasis in Art History and Education from the University of Maryland. She has been spinning for over 25 years and began teaching people how to spin in 1998.

Sylvia’s areas of knowledge includes: spinning a wide range of fibers on a variety of spindles and wheels; maintenance and repair of a wide range of spinning wheels; textile production in historic context for a wide range of eras; natural dye use on wool and plant fibers; and fiber preparation and characteristics of textile fibers including wool, llama, alpaca, silk, flax, and synthetic fibers.

She also develops and leads hands-on textile presentations and workshops throughout the Mid-Atlantic region at public and private schools, scout groups, museums, and festivals.

Filed Under: Events, Workshops and Classes Tagged With: spindle, spinning, Stitch n Time, textiles, wool

Sewing Up Another Year: Reflections of Sheep, Wool, and Textiles

January 3, 2013 by Anjela Leave a Comment

by Tricia Hardin, Public Events and Interpretation Coordinator

Year after year, as the temperature out of doors slowly rises, the Hog Island Sheep here at the National Colonial Farm receive a parting of the fleeces, or a simple shearing. What becomes of all that short stapled, springy, tangled, dirty, messy wool? During the 18th century, the Colonists would only be too glad to process it into warm articles of clothing. Or, to have yarn to trade with neighbors or townspeople for needed objects. But in the 21st Century, what becomes of this Heritage Breed wool? To answer this question, the Accokeek Foundation began the Stitch ’n Time Textile Club, which is now entering its fourth year. This is a volunteer-based club for those people interested in preserving textile skills. In 2009, the club’s idea sprung to life with several volunteers ready to give the idea of total wool processing a whirl.

Looking back over last year’s accomplishments of the club members, the one I am most proud of is the completion of our long-term club project–a patchwork afghan, which was auctioned off and sold during the annual Winter’s Eve event in December. The amount of work required for that project was quite astounding. The afghan has 49 squares (7” x 9”) in a variety of knitting stitches. Yarn spun from 7 different Hog Island Sheep was used in the afghan. (Ishmael, Thomas, Dorothy, Inky, Yankee, Doodle and Bob.) The wool processing includes: skirting (the fleeces), teasing, washing, picking, carding, dyeing, spinning, plying and finally knitting. Then, once the squares were knitted, they had to be blocked (shaped) and then sewn together. Finally, a border was knitted to finish the project. Numerous volunteers carded the wool. We had 5 spinners and 6 knitters from the club. It took 2 years to complete this project. Along with work on the club project, many knitted items (caps, mittens, sweaters, toys and skeins of yarn) were produced and sold in the Visitor Center’s gift shop. We also have added to the interpretive clothing supply for the National Colonial Farm education programming. (New hats, mittens, shirts, shifts, bedgowns and stockings.) One volunteer helped the National Colonial Farm’s interpretive program by sewing much needed period clothing for the summer’s museum theater interns – 2 beautiful men’s waistcoats.

The success of the Stitch ’n Time Club is due solely to the work of dedicated volunteers with a special thanks to those individuals who contributed their time and talents in 2012: Barbara M., Evelyn W., Christine F., Joanna V., Sylvia D., Jeanne S., Marion S., Laura L., Deb F., and Linda R.

Join us this year as the Stitch ’n Time Textile Club meets monthly on the second Saturday from 1 to 4 pm in the Education Center. I look forward to another productive year of wool processing, spinning, knitting, sewing and sharing of textile techniques. The club is open to anyone interested in textile arts, novice or skilled artisan.

Wishing everyone a Happy New Year!

–Tricia

Filed Under: Blog, Featured Blog, History and Culture Tagged With: heritage breed, knitting, National Colonial Farm, Sheep, Stitch n Time, textiles, Volunteers, wool

October Stitch ‘n Time

December 14, 2012 by Casey Leave a Comment

Stitch ‘n Time is a volunteer-based textiles club where members enjoy learning about the cultivation of fleece, dyeing of wool, and colonial textiles. Club members join Foundation staff and other textile artists to use wool from the farm’s heritage breed sheep to card, spin, and knit. The club meets monthly on the 2nd Saturday, and is open to novice and expert spinners and knitters, as well as those handy with a sewing needle or sewing machine to make costumes for our interpreters.

This meeting will take place on the National Colonial Farm site, as part of the Fall Farm Frolic. We will be working on felting a blanket, dyeing wool, spinning, and knitting.