As I sit here at 5am, listening to the thunder roar and watching the sky light up this song came to mind...enjoy
...AND
I remember where I was when this took place...do you?! (and don't tell me if you weren't born yet, you'll just make me feel old)
Keep On Knittin & Spinnin
Showing posts with label History. Show all posts
Showing posts with label History. Show all posts
Monday, July 20, 2009
Saturday, February 21, 2009
History Lesson
Tuesday's Day Off afforded us another chance to visit The Palisades...and you ask what the heck are they?! Let's step back a few Centuries to the time when our ancestors braved settling this area.
I promise to make it brief, I just wanted to share another part of our excursion. Now, Hubby and I have canoed this part of the New River...it's beautiful and quite amazing to think what took place here in 1755.
Have you heard of Mary Draper Ingles? No...not Laura (Ingles) sister, they were in Minnesota.
Living in this part of Virginia was a very dangerous time for the pioneers & frontiersmen. The Shawnee would raid, kidnap & kill. For Mary to endure all the events of the kidnapping, only to return home was truly an amazing feat in itself. She trekked along these Palisades barefoot, scantily clothed and starving. She was quite an amazing woman!
If you are interested I have 2 books to suggest:
Follow the River by Alexander Thom (a fictional account but very accurate) and
Trans-Allegheny Pioneers by John P. Hale The book cover shows the path the Indians took her from her cabin and the path in which she returned home -(an excellent account of her story and others settlers of the area)
Hope you enjoyed this enough to read more about her!
Keep on Knittin' & Spinnin'!!
Friday, February 20, 2009
Misc....
Could it be that Spring is upon us? The weather has turned cold again with some wintry participation but check out my garden~~
My crocus, daylilies, daffodils, freesia and columbine are all coming up! The trees are even budding out!
Hubby did bring me some beautiful tulips for Valentines Day~~
I wished I'd had a video camera to show you all the shearing while we were on the farm, it was quite fasinating...so I found a short video on YouTube to share~~
Thanks for all the great comments on my reproduction sewing, I do miss it at times. With my huge collection of period pictures and reproduction clothes I only have but one question...
Is it real...or reproduction?
Hope you all have a GREAT weekend. Do you have anything special planned?
Keep on Knittin' & Spinnin'!!
Happy Half Birthday Rudy...he's 6 months old today!
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
My Past-Our Past
Growing up a tom-boy taught me a lot of things...I WON'T be told I "CAN'T" do something, I'll try it at least once which is how I knocked out my front tooth (bicycle), mangled up my right hand (dirt bike) and found a way to take care of my family as a single mom (sewing machine)!
Oh..I've been a "jack-of-all-trades" in my lifetime, some were not so smart -- receptionist/secretary (smart), doughnut maker (semi-smart), worked in a yarn shop (not so smart...no paycheck by the end of the week), built race cars (smart), auto body (smart), worked in a fabric store (again, not so smart), lettered vehicles (pre-vinyl decal days...smart) and a seamstress (very smart)!!
Though at the time I didn't want to do it, I can't thank my Mom enough for sending me to those sewing classes when I was 10...Oh, Granny had a needle and thread in my hand much younger but I was never allowed to use her sewing machine till later.
I started out making bridesmaid dresses (even a few wedding dresses) but this was all too monotonous for me...7 dresses just alike -- ugh! Then the opportunity came to do some sewing for (now closed) Virginia's Explore Park, that lead to sewing for 100's of Civil War reenactors...literally! I had dresses shipped all over the US, as far West as California! It too got a little like making bridesmaid dresses...I made nearly 100 Confederate soldier jackets called "Depot Jackets" and well over 50 battleshirts (reading these two links will probably bore you to tears, but just in case you were curious). But there was something a little more intriguing about this type of sewing, I researched each request, visited as many museums as possible and learned the various sewing techniques used during the time period. This is also how I met my wonderful Hubby!
Clients would send me a "period" picture with any changes or requests and I would make a reproductions to their specifications. This was fun!! My clothes have been in several movies...one notable one is Gods & Generals...I was even on set a several times (I stood beside Stephen Lang in my 19th Century best)...now you won't find my name in the credits, you see we reenactors are often used as "unpaid extras" at various events. But I have made uniforms for several units and individuals who were some of these "extras" -- my BIL & nephew were paid extras in a couple movies in which they were completely clothed by "moi"!
Sometimes I miss it, but carpal tunnel began showing up with all the handwork that this type of work required, I prefer to be able to feel my fingers later...and a big chicken when it comes to surgery.
I hope this slideshow works, I found an old disc the other day that contained my old files. Here is a small sampling of my hard work ~
I am quite proud of this time in my life. As you can see my fiber addiction goes way back!
Keep on Knittin' - Spinnin' and Sewin'!!
Oh..I've been a "jack-of-all-trades" in my lifetime, some were not so smart -- receptionist/secretary (smart), doughnut maker (semi-smart), worked in a yarn shop (not so smart...no paycheck by the end of the week), built race cars (smart), auto body (smart), worked in a fabric store (again, not so smart), lettered vehicles (pre-vinyl decal days...smart) and a seamstress (very smart)!!
Though at the time I didn't want to do it, I can't thank my Mom enough for sending me to those sewing classes when I was 10...Oh, Granny had a needle and thread in my hand much younger but I was never allowed to use her sewing machine till later.
I started out making bridesmaid dresses (even a few wedding dresses) but this was all too monotonous for me...7 dresses just alike -- ugh! Then the opportunity came to do some sewing for (now closed) Virginia's Explore Park, that lead to sewing for 100's of Civil War reenactors...literally! I had dresses shipped all over the US, as far West as California! It too got a little like making bridesmaid dresses...I made nearly 100 Confederate soldier jackets called "Depot Jackets" and well over 50 battleshirts (reading these two links will probably bore you to tears, but just in case you were curious). But there was something a little more intriguing about this type of sewing, I researched each request, visited as many museums as possible and learned the various sewing techniques used during the time period. This is also how I met my wonderful Hubby!
Clients would send me a "period" picture with any changes or requests and I would make a reproductions to their specifications. This was fun!! My clothes have been in several movies...one notable one is Gods & Generals...I was even on set a several times (I stood beside Stephen Lang in my 19th Century best)...now you won't find my name in the credits, you see we reenactors are often used as "unpaid extras" at various events. But I have made uniforms for several units and individuals who were some of these "extras" -- my BIL & nephew were paid extras in a couple movies in which they were completely clothed by "moi"!
Sometimes I miss it, but carpal tunnel began showing up with all the handwork that this type of work required, I prefer to be able to feel my fingers later...and a big chicken when it comes to surgery.
I hope this slideshow works, I found an old disc the other day that contained my old files. Here is a small sampling of my hard work ~
I am quite proud of this time in my life. As you can see my fiber addiction goes way back!
Keep on Knittin' - Spinnin' and Sewin'!!
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