Once upon a time in the kingdom of Pi, Marni, one of the ladies of Pi had an opportunity to go on a prolonged excursion with various and sundry siblings. So as not to be bereft of fiber activities, Lady of Pi Marni started a triangular shawl following a pattern from Fiber Trends which did feature all southwestern motifs including rabbits, corn stalks, mountains, butterflies etc., using yarn she had solar dyed with that misbegotten beverage mix known to all the children of the kingdom as Kool Aid. By using a mixture of Tamarind and Jamaican punch, Lady of Pi Marni had created solar dyed wool which was healthy adobe brick reddish brown and a perfect color for the pattern.
For the first part of the excursion Lady of Pi Marni, with shawl in hand, and growing slowly, traveled with her sister (future Lady of Pi) Luli who did yearn to become an industrial archeologist and own a woolen mill to a conference for the Society for the Preservation of Old Mills (www.spoom.org ) in Maryland. Said conference was attended by many mill owners and future mill owners. So many were the mill owners at this conference that Lady of Pi Marni was made to feel quite inadequate every time she met new people and was greeted with” well, so tell us about your mill?”
In between times, Marni and her sister Luli did experiment with surveying a mill race, finding and walking part of the Mason Dixon Line, and did attend many fascinating talks and discussions about old mills, their preservation, restoration and exploitation. They, with all the other conference attendees did also tour many old grist mills, both restored and non-functional and saw many examples of engineering ingenuity and historic workmanship, not to mention the purchase of roasted corn meal and many informational books and materials on mills in general.
On one day of the conference, while visiting a museum of farming equipment and demonstration of old steam driven farming equipment, Marni and Luli did encounter a group of shepherds who collectively called themselves SHEpherds Potpourri,(www.angelfire.com/md3/cedarwood ) a collective of shepherd friends, spinners, artisans and crafters who had united to present Alpaca, Mohair, Angora, Romney, Shetland, Dorset, Border Leicester, Australian Bon, Ryeland and Cotswold fiber. Here Marni and Luli did purchase much lovely Dorset roving and Blue Faced Leicester fleeces along with a selection of fine handmade soaps and lotions.
On the final day of the conference, Marni and Luli did visit with the Maine 21st artillery unit doing re-enactment at Union Mills, 15 miles south of Gettysburg and had much interesting conversation with the ladies of the regiment regarding their clothing and the manufacturing there of. The speaker of the evening did mention the fact that during the Civil War, before and after the battle of Gettysburg, various groups of both Yankee and Confederate soldiers visited the homestead,” gathered provender and hired a local youth to show them over the next hill.”
Since Marni had come with a list of local spinners and fiberists, she and Luli decided that in the following week, they should “go forth, gather provender” in the form of fiber and supplies, and find” a local spinner to show them, over the next hill” to the next fiber site.
Nothing loath, Marni called Lady Elaine, sage and wise leader of the Ladies of Pi in the kingdom and was immediately connected to Susan Withnell who did live in Westminster. A meeting time at Susan’s house was set up. Upon arrival at Susan’s house and meeting with Elaine, and after meeting and examining all of Susan’s bunnies, the whole group went out the farm where Susan kept her sheep. Upon arrival, the sheep were gathered and everyone had the opportunity to examine each and every sheep and fleece. Susan worked her dog to gather the sheep and separate certain lambs and sheep out for examination and was aided by the children of the farm.
Before departing, the dog was allowed to leap into the water tank to cool off and many were the excellent photo opportunities offered during the entire visit to the farm.
The visit to the farm was followed by supper and an evening of spinning and frivolity during which Elaine much admired the bone and wood bobbins that Marni was spinning on and immediately decided that she needed a “boner” too. Much hilarity ensued, and was added to as various fiber samples were pulled out of their bags, sniffed, fondled, and admired. Both Marni and Luli received gifts of satin angora fiber from Elaine and angora Leicester blend from Susan and much praise and gratitude ensued. Plans were made for Elaine to show Marni and Luli “over the hill” to the Manning’s on the next day so that they could gather more provender.
The Manning’s
The following morning Marni and Luli, after breakfasting with Susan and Elaine, did take Elaine up on her promise to show them over the next hill to a hitherto unknown (at least to Marni and Luli) source of spinning, weaving and knitting provender known as the Manning’s Studio in East Berlin, PA. (www.the-mannings.com ) Both Marni and Luli were amazed and awed as they ventured into room after room of fiber, some randomly displayed in shelves and bins, others ranged in colors of the spectrum around the edges of the room.
They did observe the full room of looms all being occupied and used by a class of weavers while in another room they did much admire the many wheels, swifts, and niddy noddies.
Luli did consult with her twin sister Lovisa, a weaver of much skill residing in California, regarding the purchase of fiber and equipment while Marni lost herself in the contemplation of much prepared roving of many colors and types. Finally when both had procured much provender and made arrangements for the shipment and delivery there of, they exited the store and said goodbye to Lady Elaine.
Having parted amicably with many promises of further visit between kingdoms, and correspondence, Marni and Luli did consult their maps and journey forth in the direction of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania where Judy Benner, another Lady of Pi did reside who knew of a spinning mill and other places to gather more provender.
Upon arrival in Bethlehem and making contact with Judy, Luli and Marni did meet with her in a shop called Twisted Yarns, located on the main street of downtown Bethlehem. After perusing the shop, it was decided that they must all journey forth to Nazareth to visit the Kraemer spinning mill. Although unable to tour the mill, it being Tuesday and the tours only being on Wednesday, a good time was had by all in the mill shop where again ,much provender was obtained, to the point of some polite disagreement between Luli and Judy over who would get which ball of trekking yarn. Judy, upon hearing of Marni and Luli’s further plans and expeditions did express a bit of envy that she could not accompany them further. Marni did offer to take the toe up sock that Judy was working on and take it with her for adventures and sights to be seen in absentia for Judy. Judy did agree and quickly transferred her sock to a spare set of double point needles that Marni did have in her portable, take it everywhere you go, tool kit. Marni did also remove her shawl in progress and present it to the sock so that all could be acquainted
After a pleasant a fruitful visit, Marni and Luli did part ways with Judy and departed with shawl and sock in tow for many further adventures to be chronicled further anon.
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