Fiber Femmes - Rock Day

Rock Day

Article by Sandra Bennet

Traditionally, Rock Day is a holiday going back to an old British custom of

spinners returning to work after the Christmas holidays. Originally known as

St. Distaff's Day it has roots to medieval times. Spinners would return to

their spinning work after the twelve days of Christmas and if they didn't,

they were teased by ploughmen. Men would, as a prank, set flax on fire and

the spinners would throw water on the men. Fun, games and food were a part

of earlier St. Distaff Day's and are now a regular part of Rock Day.

Fiber guilds now celebrate Rock Day at their first meeting of the year,

generally in January. Members and guests are encouraged to bring

fiber projects, spinning, weaving, felting, crocheting, knitting, etc. as

well as finished projects to show and tell. Vendors set up displays to tempt

folks into buying fleeces, roving, yarns, lotions, potions and soaps,

wheels, tools and a host of other goodies.

Some guild members bring their drum carders and everyone donates a bit of

fiber to the stash. Wool, mohair, angora, dyed, natural, blended,

Angelina...doesn't matter, it's all added to the carder and blended

together. The result is a mix that can either be shared between the

contributors or given to one person to spin, another person to knit, weave,

crochet or felt into a garment or piece of artwork to be auctioned off. The

proceeds can either go into the guild's coffers or be donated to a shelter or

to sending a member to SOAR.

Games include blind testing with people attempting to discern different

fibers (specific sheep breeds, silk, tencil, mohair, angora, etc.) or hidden

word games such as finding the various sheep breeds or fiber terms. Spinning

the longest yarn on a drop spindle or the most yarn on a wheel in two

minutes are often part of the fun. Musical wheels is also fun...everyone

sets up their wheel and everyone gets a chance to spin for 5 minutes before

time is called and folks move to the next wheel. It's a great way to try

your hand at different wheels.

A "white elephant" exchange is also fun. People gift wrap their unwanted

stash in one, or more, bags. You get to take home as many gift bags as you

bring. Draw numbers, one per gift bag, and continue until all bags are gone.

Generally, the guild provides small prizes for the winners of each game. If

the guild hasn't the funds to do so, perhaps members could donate one prize

each...it needn't be large, a small gift will do. Perhaps a sheep mug from

the local "Big Lots" or stencils from Michaels. Imaginations can go wild

with the prizes.

Everyone brings a dish to share and the guild, usually, provides beverages

and paper goods. The good thing about Rock Day is no matter how small or

large the guild is, there's something for everyone. It's a time to gather

together, have fun, reflect on the past year and anticipate the new one.

It's about doing what Guilds do best...have Fibery Fun!

Tell us what you think!

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Sandra is Shepherdess and Farmer at Thistle Cove Farm in the beautiful Appalachian Mountains of southwest VA. She raises and breeds rare, hypoallergenic American Curly horses, Shetland, Romney, Merino and cross bred sheep. Appalachian Wool Works where Happy Sheep Make Beautiful Wool is Thistle Cove Farm's own line of specialty blended yarns and handcrafted woolens.

Sandra teaches in the areas of Agri-Tourism, -Education, -Tainment, -Culture and Rural Tourism Development. Her most popular workshops include How To Increase Farm Income and helps others increase farm income using non-traditional methods. For more information about farm products or her teaching schedule, please contact her at Thistle Cove Farm or thistlecovefarm.gmail or 276-988-4121. Sandra blogs at Thistle Cove Farm and is co-editor of Fiber Femmes.