A Woman's Work is Never Done.

Someone actually said that to me, about me this weekend.

That's because they saw me on Sunday afternoon, in the exact same spot, doing the exact same thing as Sat, spinning yarn.

I really had a marvelous weekend. I got to spin for seven hours (with occasional breaks of course, mostly for shopping!) on Sat and for five hours on Sunday. I got an amazing amount of yarn made too. Details on that will be later, since what I spun all weekend is for the frog hair exchange, and I have not finished skeining and figuring out everything.

I had the fun of re-enacting a spinner in a historic home both days. I did a sort of colonial outfit, the 'mop cap' was the highlight, everyone loved it, and I of course hated how I looked in it. My husband couldn't look at me without giggling :) I spun on my Ashford traditional, and took my Haldane, which looked right at home in the parlor, even if it had been made in 1972.

The house was built in 1787, and was the founder of this town's home. It is a modest (by our standards) but large by the days standards, two story, two rooms up and two rooms down. Later two more rooms were added, seperate but attached to the house. Those were used as extra rooms for guests, when the Inn he owned across the street was full.

The house is made of bricks, created on site by slaves. The wide wood floors are still in very good shape. The house is still owned by the heirs, but is used only as a historical site. No kitchen, there was an outside kitchen with cooking fireplace behind the house. No bath of course, although I heard in later years water was piped into the house from the Ohio river (right near by) for plumbing. A later relative of the original owner was the town's postmaster, and there were slots in the one door, where everyone dropped off their mail.

I was kept company by 'Jenny Lind' She sang every hour, as in the history of the house, the real Jenny Lind did stop there and sing from the steps of the house. And amazing piece of historical trivia about Jenny Lind (the Swedish nightengale) is that PT Barnum supposedly paid her an astounding 187,000 dollars to tour the US and sing for 18 months. There was other information, quite interesting, shared with the listeners. Good thing too, because after the sixth time through 'My Old Kentucky Home' I was only half listening. And yes, she supposedly really did sing that song, at this house, in 1852 or thereabouts.

Meanwhile, I kept my wheel humming all the time. On Sat I spun all of the shetland locks I had washed, and half filled two bobbins with those. I had to stay awhile longer so I carded some of the shetland that was not in locks, and spun that on my Haldane.

On Sunday I spun Cormo locks that I had washed. I had less time to spin on Sunday, so I filled a one bobbin half full and the other one almost half full. I need to do a little more on that at home, so I can ply that yarn.

I answered many questions, and gave out my card to a potential new spinner, if she needs help.

On one of my 'shopping' excursions, I went to visit the weaver. She was at the opposite end of the 'town' from me :( We had a nice chat (I think she will be joining our Tues spinning group if she can find the time) and I bought a lovely little bag to put on my spinning wheel. I also found the neatest pair of scissors, that look very old fashion, black wide holes like circles, and tiny thread snipping scissors. I love them.

I found the colonial clothes to be quite comfortable, although found out several things. 1) When getting in a car to drive, be sure ALL of your skirt is inside before you shut the door 2) Woman that had to lift up a skirt to go up stairs, could only carry something in one hand 3) long skirts get in the way of the treadle foot, and I could not spin a drop spindle and wear a shawl. 4) NO ONE could look good in a 'mop cap'.

CW