From Fleece to Cloth — Shearing, Spinning, and Weaving

Spinning—twisting a fiber such as wool into thread or yarn—and weaving that thread or yarn to create cloth is an art and a craft dating back thousands of years. On April 30 from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Durand-Hedden visitors will be given the opportunity to explore this tradition and witness how cloth is made, from shearing sheep to spinning thread to weaving into cloth.

• Watch a shearer collect fleece from two woolly visitors from Kafka Farms
• See members of the Essex County Spinners Guild demonstrate that the craft of hand spinning is alive and well in the 21^st
• Watch weaving students and their teacher from Columbia High School’s craft program show the basics of how thread is woven into cloth
• Participate as these CHS students lead young visitors in a weaving activity
• View Durand-Hedden’s frame loom, spinning wheels, and other apparatus – once commonplace in the 18^th and 19^th centuries

The event is free. Donations are appreciated.