An Old Mill - A Labor of Love

I have written about the Yadkin Valley Fiber Room before.  The recent tapestry show of Tapestry Weaver's South just completed it's run there.  Dear hubs and I traveled to Elkin Friday to pick up my tapestries  and do some Christmas shopping.  Leslie surprised us with a sneak peek of the new location, the old Chatham Mills facility.

The Chatham Manufacturing Company was started in 1877 along the Elkin River in Surry County North Carolina.   What started as a grist mill for corn, then a carding mill for wool became the largest textile mill in the United States.  It employed 3,500 people in the 1970s.

It is impossible to overstate the importance of this mill to the people and history of Elkin.  The mill employed workers from Surry, Allegheny, Wilkes and Yadkin counties.  They were known for the Chatham Blanket, first produced in 1893.

Many a soldier serving overseas in World Wars I and II were warmed and comforted by these blankets.  

The North Carolina Textile Encyclopedia  states that between 1975 and 1985, more than 800 mills closed nationwide, and employment in North Carolina's textile mills fell from an all-time high of 293,600 in 1973 to 211,300 in 1986. The North Carolina Department of Labor estimated only 27, 500 people were employed in textiles in the state in 2017.  Many former textile mills have been transformed into other uses unrelated to fiber or sit in ruin.  

Thankfully the Chatham Mill has a champion in Leslie Fesperman and her colleagues.   The mill will have new life as a fiber center.  A place for appreciating all the history it represents as well as the future it promises for fiber artists.  It is not hard to share Leslie's passion and vision for this place as a destination fiber center for people from all over the country.

Preston,  Leslie and Fiona check out the future weaving classroom.   Reeds anyone?  These are just a few from the mill.  Leslie is being very cautious about culling any equipment.   There are wonderful treasures here.  There will be a textile museum on site to preserve them along with a fully equipped dye studio and individual studios.

The center is having a huge yarn sale on December 6th and 7th.  Check it out here.  Thank you Leslie for the tour and for doing such important work!

Taking a test drive and losing my pajamas...

Dear hubs and I headed to Arrowmont for a week of classes.  I have long wanted to share the craft school experience with him.  I picked this week at Arrowmont as there was a bowl turning class for him.

The instructor,  Rudy Lopez lead twelve woodturners in creating bowls of all different shapes and sizes.  I took a Doll Making class with Nicole HaveKost.

Test driving a new craft as we do.  It was an adventure.

An incredible array of dolls were created using paper clay.  I used a hacksaw, sandpaper and got covered in clay and paint.  I am not sure tremulous hands and superglue are the best combo, more about that later.

Meet Splinter, a woodturner addicted to coke and Lucy the most disagreeable knitter ever!  These were fully completed after I got home.  There was an unfortunate incident while I was supergluing Lucy's hair on her head.  I was wearing my favorite pajamas as I worked last Sunday morning.  

I inadvertently glued my pants to my leg.  When I grabbed the pajama leg to pull it away I ripped the leg off below the knee.

There are no pictures, I need to preserve a little dignity.   My foray into doll making has sent me running back to the tapestry loom and away from the hazards of doll making. 

No worries Arrowmont, I still love you.  Although, doll making is not my cup of tea the class was great fun.  Also I think exploring new materials and art techniques have spurred my tapestry muse.