Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Four Women and a Man with Warped

Anyone who has followed my log has read about
Lorna Margaret (Colwell) Allen.  She is the author of “Thursday Child”and has donated the loom and accessories to the Saanich Historical Artifacts Society. Well we got the loom from the attic and had a good look at it.
Oh dear. It need a lot of TLC. It had rotten cords, a busted shaft, no hoImageImageImageImageoks for the treadles, of course no manual.
Catherine Mick
Then we got some terrific help from  Member’s of the Victoria Hand Weavers and \Spinners in the was of Catherine Mick and Della Wilkins and Glen and Judy Moores from Deep Cove Spinners and weaver.
Over the last couple of weeks, we have scrubbed, repaired, and got a starting a warp on the the loom.. Soon I was looking  around the museum to see what else could fit into our display.
I found a 70 year old ironing board, made by a fellow for his wife, An iron, that you build a little fire in it and it gas a chimney. There is a  dressed dummy with an 1800 taffeta gown
.
Then I found a prefect 1850 Bell Sewing Machine made in 1850 in Montreal. A  galvanized tun, that would do for washing fleece in the old days, Some awesome posters from the BC Museum and a woven chair,
A couple of comfortable chairs, for the knitters who may be there, two spinning wheels, wool winders, swifts, It grows and grows.
It is exciting to see the domestic arts being celebrated.
Out big opening will be at the 15th of September where we are hopeful that
Lorna Margaret (Colwell) Allen will be there to cut the ribbon.
We  have a couple of rug hook frames, so we need some tools and it would be great to get a quilting frame in the “Loft ” also. That is for the future.







Saturday, August 18, 2012

Passion Pit

Do you remembered the good old days . The places that worried parents, intrigued teen, and entertained families on The Thursday night $2 a car road.
Kids in PJ’s a cooler with drinks, home popped corn and sandwiches were out regular fare as well as a blanket so the kids could sit outside.
Every once in awhile some poor fellow would rest his foot on the brake pedal and a medley of car horns would chastise the offender.
The last time I had been to an outdoor Drive-in was in 1982.
My friend Rosie had just finished painting her house, I had changed the fuel pump on my arrow, so we decided we deserved a treat so we loaded up our kids and hit the drive in.
In the interim before my childhood and mom, they had changed the little speaker boxes that went in your windows, to a little gadget that fit on your build in antenna on your window and delivered the sound over your own car radio’s.
Last night Saanich Historical Artifacts Society, played host to a Drive-in movie.

The evening started early at 5:30 with the VIME train rides, hamburger and hot dogs, popcorn and pop.put on by the Lions club and well as members of SHAF.
John Walls, who owns a fire truck at Heritage Acres, was on hand for any fire hazard in the tinder dry field, and I had my First Aid Kit, Fortunately neither of us were called on for our assistance.
At first we were a bit tense and a few families drifted in, then after supper, groups arrived that kept the train rides visit.
On group that were terrific was the Tour de Rocke ( Cops for Cancer) W
When offered a train ride, they refused preferential treatment and waited patiently in line with the other patrons.
While they were riding in relative comfort, I told them to remember this experience when going up Port Alberni Hill.

By the time the movie started, it would have been hard to get another car in the field sideways. Everyone seemed to have a great time, we made a bit of money for the running and operation of Saanich Historical Artifacts Society, and we exhausted the volunteers. Thanks to all who came out. It was a perfect night that brought back wonderful memories.
After visiting with other volunteers, I went back to my station and continued doing some needle felting for my show tomorrow at Fibrations.
The movie was the classic ET. and oddly many people had not seen in. It had slipped between generations.
The absolute icing on the cake for me was when folks were leaving, just like in the olden days, when everyone tries to sneak out before the general exodus of cars, I saw a cute little cream and pink Nash Metropolitan.