BlogJust got this from Jennifer at Sycamore Shoals and wanted to give our readers the heads up! This is a phenomenal way to make history come alive and a fascinating display!
The Overmountain Weavers Guild
at
Sycamore Shoals State Historic Area
presents the annual
Fibers Show and Sale!
Saturday, March 13, 2010 from 10 am – 4 pm
Again this Year! Fleece to Shawl Demonstration
Knitting and Crocheting Contests with prizes
Weaving, Spinning Demonstrations
”Sit and Knit”-Come and Share/Learn-bring your knitting!
This event gives residents of the area an opportunity to view and learn about styles of
historical and modern weaving with an opportunity to purchase handspun yarn and
hand-woven and handcrafted goods. This year there will also be a fleece to shawl
demonstration featuring members and some new friends of the guild that would like to
experience what it takes to produce a piece of clothing the old fashioned way.
The “First Frontier” women of East Tennessee created fabric from wool sheared from
their own animals and plant materials gathered from their area. They spun the yarn
and wove the cloth for their garments and linens. It is not necessary for the members
of the Overmountain Weavers Guild to make their own cloth, but they do have the
skill necessary to make superb items from spun cotton, wool and linen, from
placemats, napkins, rugs, and other utilitarian items to handsome shawls, scarves,
skirts, shirts, and other wearables; items that are today being featured in upscale
boutiques across the country.
There will also be demonstrations of a variety of handcrafts, such as spinning,
weaving, and knitting during the day in an effort to educate the public and to
showcase and preserve the historical techniques used in these fine crafts. The event
will be from 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m., with an ongoing fleece to shawl demonstration.
Again this year, admission is free.
The Overmountain Weavers Guild was established in 1972 to teach, stimulate, and
furnish information to promote the growth and development of hand weaving,
spinning, dyeing, felting, basketry and other related fiber arts. Members use their
knowledge to help others to learn and/or improve their skills. The Guild meets at
Exchange Place, a National Historic Registry restored farm and community that was a
vital area of King’s Port from 1826-1850. The buildings there are either the original
farm buildings, period buildings from local sites, or period recreations. The farm has
ongoing activities and maintains a small number of animals for educational purposes.
Overmountain Weavers Guild supports Exchange Place by participating annually in
the Spring Garden Festival, Fun Fest Activities, the Fall Folk Arts Festival, and
Christmas in the Country; all held at the farm. Members also volunteer their time and
abilities to demonstrate and teach fiber arts, along with acting as tour guides for
Exchange Place on weekends during the month of August. The Guild also
participates in various other events in the area.
The Overmountain Weavers Guild meets at Exchange Place on the third Wednesday
of every month. Meetings begin at 10:00, usually with a program on a technique or
event presented by a member, before an informal business meeting. “Boot Camp” is
held on the first Saturday of each month from 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. and gives
members opportunities to work together on problems they may be having. It is an
informal venue and gives members a chance to discuss subjects relating to fiber arts
and mutual interests. Instruction for members new to weaving is also available during
“Boot Camp” with practice loom time available.
In addition, the Guild sponsors workshops featuring leading fiber artists. Included as
past instructors are Donna L. Sullivan, Anita Luvera Mayer, Virginia West and Peter
Collingwood. The guild maintains a library of books, videos, looms, and equipment
that members may check out for their personal use. Many of the publications in the
library came from the personal library of Persis Grayson, a local individual who was a
founder of the Overmountain Weavers Guild, helped establish the Handweavers’
Guild of America, and contributed to the Southern Highlands Craft Guild.
If you would be interested in joining us at a meeting or for “Boot Camp,” visitors are
always welcome. More information, along with many photographs of our group and
events, can be seen on our web site www.omwg.net. Should you need more
information about Overmountain Weavers Guild, or directions to Exchange Place,
please contact
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
or by telephone at 423-323-5385.
For information on the annual Overmountain Weavers Guild Fibers Show and Sale at
Sycamore Shoal State Historic Area, please call the Elizabethton park at
423-543-5808 , or email
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Sycamore Shoals State Historic Area
1651 W. Elk Avenue
Elizabethton, TN 37643
www.tnstateparks.com/SycamoreShoals/
Attached: A selection of photographs from the 2009 event, for your use.
Please call me or email, if you have questions about the images. I can
send additional if you would like - many of you can not receive large
attachments of photographs.
We thank you for your continued support,
Sincerely, Jennifer
2010 is shaping up to be another year of great travel deals according to 
LivingHistorySites.com will be headed to Charleston, SC for an extraordinary Living History Trip in spring of 2010! 
Living History Sites has joined the fight to stop a casino from building near the Gettysburg Battlefield. We fought hard a few years ago, joining many local Gettysburg area groups and Battlefield Preservation, to get the word out about the proposed casino. We helped rally living historians, reenactors and homeschoolers against casino attempts. 
ng! 
Casino foes gird for battle
