Oxford Historical Society Hosts Spring Fiber Fest

From Oxford Historical Society: The Oxford Historical Society will hold a Spring Fiber Fest on Saturday, April 22, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Sunday, April 23, from noon to 4 p.m. The festival will feature wool preparation, including shearing, spinning, weaving and felting demonstrations. The event at the Twitchell-Rowland Homestead at 60 Towner Lane will be free to the public.

There will be a variety of demonstrators to show the varied preparation and use of natural fibers. Ron East, Alpacaboose.com, will demonstrate sheep shearing Saturday at 11:30 a.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m. . Rose and Jennifer East will demonstrate their fiber skills with the spinning wheel, the drop spindle and a triangular loom.

Visitors may see the Twitchell-Rowland Homestead’s great or walking wheel demonstrated for the first time by Fiona Fine.

Fiona Fine will return again to demonstrate spinning on the Great Wheel. Michael Green of Oxford built a reproduction tape loom for the Oxford Historical Society which Jodie Bishel of the Derby Historical Society will demonstrate during the Fiber Fest.

The barn frame loom, restored by Leslie Alexander of Oxford, Christine Wilkinson of Southbury and Jan Galloway of Newtown, from Oxford’s Jensen Farm, will also be featured in the event. Holly Pryor will display the peg looms she makes.

Volunteers will work at needle felting, peg loom weaving, the art and craft of coloring fibers with natural dyes, and other traditional crafts.

Many of the volunteer demonstrators will offer their hand-made crafts for sale. Visitors may buy yarns and woven, knit, crocheted and felted items.

The event will feature the Society's rigid heddle “Cricket” looms, enabling guests to try hand weaving. The portable looms were purchased through support from the Valley Community Foundation, Oxford Quarry Walk, the Oxford Lions Club, the Seymour-Oxford Rotary Club and the Newtown Savings Bank. The portable looms are used to present weaving demonstrations and workshops at the Homestead and for community groups, Scouts and other interested organizations.

Admission to the event for both children and adults is free. Tours of the historic house will also be given. The Oxford LIONS Club will provide refreshments on Saturday. More information may be obtained at www.oxford-historical-society.org or by calling (203) 910-4574.

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