Yesterday, Tall Pines, our Spinning and Weaving guild held Roc day. Per Wikipedia, "Roc Day, is 7 January, the day after the feast of the Epiphany. It is also known as Saint Distaff's Day, since it was not really a holiday at all. In many European cultural traditions, women resumed their household work after the twelve days of Christmas. The distaff, or rock, used in spinning was the medieval symbol of women's work."
We use it as an excuse to gather together, spin some yarn and talk. Everyone gets to see everyone else's work in progress and a general good time is had by all.
Last year I started some weaving at Roc day. Sad to say, that weaving is still on the loom since it really didn't inspire me and it really doesn't look all that good. I really should remove it and start something else.
This year I dug into our bottomless stash of fiber and found four batts of Shetland lamb's wool that I carded up 5 years ago and earmarked for a shawl project. Yesterday I spun up 1 1/2 spindles of the wool in 15 tpi thickness and just about finished the first batt. Looks like there will be plenty for that shawl if I can just remember what pattern I was going to use. I fully intend to at least get this batch fully spun up before I put away the wheel.
