Our visit to New Harmony included watching many old crafts demonstrated.
My favorite was the Hat Lady! She explained the entire process of turning fibers into felt into a hat. Fascinating and a great deal of hard work!
A few of her hats
The brushing tool to work the felt with.
Outside of her tent was an artist who was making a clay statue of....the Hat Lady! He did an excellent job of catching her likeness.
The lady who showed how to make soap was also extremely interesting.
The finished soaps.
The kettle and molds
This wonderful old washboard that is at least a 100 years old. It is so soft and smooth it feels like marble.
We watched the Tin Smith complete a piece for a lantern. He was showing a young boy how to do it and letting him help.
The unveiling of the finished piece.
I also love seeing people who can do the marvelous art of paper cutting called "Scherenschnitte". These were wonderful to look at! Another woman was cutting silhouettes of people.
Wooden basket making
Making twine....they let the young girl crank it once the ropes were in place.
I just like this photo :-)
Marbleized paper making
His brushes
And.....a cow. One of several that little kids were climbing around on. Very good-natured beasts!
Making Kettle Corn for a sweet ending to the day.
My favorite was the Hat Lady! She explained the entire process of turning fibers into felt into a hat. Fascinating and a great deal of hard work!
A few of her hats
The brushing tool to work the felt with.
Outside of her tent was an artist who was making a clay statue of....the Hat Lady! He did an excellent job of catching her likeness.
The lady who showed how to make soap was also extremely interesting.
The finished soaps.
The kettle and molds
This wonderful old washboard that is at least a 100 years old. It is so soft and smooth it feels like marble.
We watched the Tin Smith complete a piece for a lantern. He was showing a young boy how to do it and letting him help.
The unveiling of the finished piece.
I also love seeing people who can do the marvelous art of paper cutting called "Scherenschnitte". These were wonderful to look at! Another woman was cutting silhouettes of people.
Wooden basket making
Making twine....they let the young girl crank it once the ropes were in place.
I just like this photo :-)
Marbleized paper making
His brushes
And.....a cow. One of several that little kids were climbing around on. Very good-natured beasts!
Making Kettle Corn for a sweet ending to the day.Impossible to do justice to the stuff you see at a fair like this, but we had a good time!
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21 comments:
This is a place I could spend a week in Mary. I love watching and learning how things are made. These people are the most fantastic craftsmen and women. Fascinating!!
Joan: It was pretty interesting. They will be doing something like this again in the fall when they have the Kunstfest.
Looks like you had a wonderful day! I love seeing all the old time stuff demostrated...
Mary, this is wonderful!! I like to go this things like this, but we hardly ever have anything like that around here. Very interesting!
Hi Mary, I enjoyed this post immensely. What a very interesting series of photographs and a great tour you took us on. Thank you!
All very interesting,but the soap making brought back memories of years gone by.My Mom used to get together with nieghborhood ladies for a day of soap making.Of course she never used molds,just put the stuff in pans and later cut it in squares.This was excellent in the laundry.Thanks for the memories.
Blessings,Ruth
Watching craftsman make beautiful and interesting things the old fshioned way is absolutely fascinating. I could watch them all day. Thanks for the great pictures.
I love your piccies Mary always so interesting XXX Don
...that was fun and interesting. I really liked the soap making party. Looks like you had a great time too.
Mary: Some amazingly talented people, that Hat Lady statue was special.
I felt like I spent a fun day with you Mary!! That statue was a great likeness to the hat lady! And did the lady making soaps use lye?? I've been looking for recipes to make my own soap but would prefer to do it without lye and was just curious if that is what she used.
Shelley: My husband heard more of the soap lady than I did...I was looking at someone else. He says she uses lye, but it is not wood lye but something that her family in Scotland sends to her that is different. That is why the soap she makes is so white.
This post is great, really enjoyed it. Would have enjoyed the day there.
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Ruth: Mike's grandmother made soap the same way you are talking about. This lady poured it into pans also and cut it into chunks later, as shown on the table. She has a website, if you look up No Sweat Soap on google.
Wow---what a neat place!!!! New Harmony is somewhere I'd LOVE to go. It's also such an education for kids/teens.
The Hat Lady sounds like a real character. All of those people have so much talent. WOW!!! Thanks for sharing.
I'm extremely busy now--getting ready to leave on vacation on Sat. morning. If I don't comment as much, please forgive me.
Hugs,
Betsy
Oh Mary, I love craft shows. There is so much to learn. I could have lived back in that time easily. We bought a rope making machine many years ago at a craft show, and we have not used it in years and don't remember how to now. How bad is that? I didn't come with any instructions. We used to make dog leashes.
I'd like to know how to make soap too.
Thanks for the great tour.
B.
Truly impressive display of talent here ... including the crafters and photographer! Love this glimpse into living history. I would have definitely hung around with the soapmaker and asked questions.
Very fun day. I'd love to watch that hat lady at work. I do love hats. My Mom was a real hat person and wore them right up until she went into the home. Everyone in town called her "the hat lady".
How wonderful! I love crafts shows, especially those where the artists are actually demonstrating their work.
That looks like a place I'd LOVE to visit. You captured it well!
I'm really enjoying catching up...great photos by the way.
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