These past two evenings my wife and I do our annual sitting at the Community Building at the county fair watching over the building. While we sit we can¹t be idle. So we bring projects. Sunday afternoon I brought my bobbin lace. I brought my big bolster with a tape lace project that is half done. I am most known for my tatting in my area. So I would get the usual comments of ³Is that tatting??² then I go into my usual dialog explaining what I am doing and how it works. Not too many kids stopped by to ask questions. Mostly adults asking questions. Last night I decided to bring my spinning wheel and work out my ongoing roving. This time the adults just watched me or just passed by with a glance. I concluded they either knew what I was doing and didn¹t ask questions or decided to just pass by. The kids(of all ages) however came right up to me asking me all types of questions about my wheel, they liked to handle the wool. I don¹t know if it is the apparatus that I am working with(ie. Pillow and bobbins, or massive wheel that looks like a machine) or could it be the project that I am working on, or the tedium of the task. Most adults say about my bobbin lace, ³that is too tedious, I could never do that² or ³you have to have good eyesight to do that². Kids don¹t say that. No convictions. But when I am at my wheel, I am just sitting in a relaxed position a good distance from the machine. Less stressful looking??? Less inhibiting?? Not that I am stressed or inhibited by all means when working my bobbin lace. I find both lacemaking and spinning relaxing. Sometimes to the point of almost falling asleep LOL! Spinning I assume is most recognizable in most areas and bobbin lace is not. And the "machine" you work on can also play a role in that. Most adults know what a spinning wheel is, but I find that kids may not if not exposed to that part of life history. Harder is it to find the familiarity in bobbin lace and its tools. I get the same wonder from passer-bys but the clientelle is different.
Tonight is our last night for bringing our projects to work on while we sit at the building demonstrating. I plan on bringing my bobbin lace and see if I can finish that project. Doubt it, but I will see what more questions are asked and from whom and what will happen ;) -- Mark, aka Tatman website: http://www.tat-man.net blog: http://tat-man.net/blog Magic Thread Shop: http://www.tat-man.net/tatterville/tatshop/tatshop.html email: tat...@tat-man.net Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/tatmantats - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachnemodera...@yahoo.com
