That’s right, folks, Josh tried his calloused working man’s hands at quilting. I was so proud. Contrary to popular belief, sewing is not just a woman’s job. Knowing how to sew in a survival situation could save your life. Don’t believe me? Just ask Bear Grylls of Man vs. Wild.
Westville Village in Lumpkin, Georgia is a blast! Josh’s Aunt Julie came to visit on Saturday and so we packed our lunches and took off to explore Westville. Having grown up in Virginia, I was used to visiting Williamsburg and Jamestown which give the illusion that early settlers were all living in large towns. Not so. Westville is frozen in time as an 1850’s Southern American country village. Volunteers from the area arrive in plain clothes to show everything from making cane syrup to handcrafts like spinning yarn.
We kept waiting to feel that we had awoken on a different planet as many people around us appeared to feel but Julie, Josh, and I felt completely at home around all of the traditional furnishing and crafts. More than anything, we felt like asking if we could just pack up our chickens and move in. Particularly alluring was this sweet baby:
All of my life, I have dreamed of having a loom. I used to wrap yarn around chair legs and pretend that I was weaving rag rugs or even fine linen. Eventually, I made a simple cardboard weaving frame and went to town but there are many ways to make them. Perhaps my fascination with weaving was an early indicator that I would lean toward the simple and sustainable living.
What craft first caught your fancy?
Julie at Elisharose - I often feel more like I’m in a time warp around modern things than old time things. I think I was born in the wrong century. But did they have air conditioning in the 1800’s?
I have a friend who weaves. Wonderful elderly woman. She can do anything: sew, knit, crochet, etc, etc. She once said to me that if she had started weaving earlier in life, she would not have messed with a lot of other things. She loves weaving and does beautiful work.
Michele - I’ve been pretty focus on painting lately but I love textile art. Weaving, tapestry, cross stitch, crochet; I like them all. Mostly because I suck at them.
Dirkey - Nice! Sounds like fun.
Well I jumped into the whole soap making thing this week. Didn’t make the Tallow soap yet, made some nice Castille soap (with Palm and Shea). You definitely inspired me on there. Planning on doing two more soap making adventures another Castille and a Tallow soap and give away soap trio’s for Christmas.
warren - I have been fooling with beekeeping, stained glass and glass blowing. They all feel old-timey to me which is part of their allure. I don’t know whether Josh liked the sewing but I just started monkeying with knitting and have had some good fun with that. I am not sure I am ready to be fully domesticated, but I like to mess around with lots of old-time endeavours.
When the Past Knocks… : Razor Family Farms - […] more about our trip to Westville Village in A Quiltin’ Man and check out homesteaders cattle in Irish Dexters: 4 Door Sedan Bovine. What’s up with all […]
ellyn - It takes a big man to step up and attempt quilting. Kudos to him.
When I was a kid my grandmother had one of the spinning wheels (Is that the name of it? I can’t remember.) That image brought back memories for me.
CrossView - Ok, you’re making me think it’s time to go back to Westville for another visit! =P
My retired Marine taught our daughter how to sew! LOL!
ValarieLea - We have a place like that here. Its “Constitution Hall Village” I think. Anyway right about now it gets transformed into “Santa’s Village” Its a really cool place.
Ann - First craft? Wow. Do you remember “god’s eyes” made from yarn? I think that was it…
RazorFamilyFarms.com - I love God’s Eyes, Ann! Great craft — a classic. Did anyone else hang them on their Christmas trees?
Blessings!
Lacy
CC - hats off to him!! I would never give that a try!
annwatson - I am a Pennsylvania dutch girl (well, over 65 yrs now!) and a retired teacher men in this area quilted in the winter months. There is a quilt in my family with identifying initials on the patches and several husbands and even the hired man made a patch and helped quilt.
My son sews and even asked for a sewing machine for a birthday gift.
Ann
Kath - My parents use to make rugs on a loom. My mom still has it and is looking to get rid of it. Wanna make a run to South Dakota?
Dawn - I did macrame as a kid. I was a child of the 70s.
Amy - My hubby is learning to quilt. He’s starting with piecing, thought. Doing a block of the month project and so far he’s enjoying it. One day, I plan to learn to process raw fleece all the way to spinning my own yarn. One day….