Shepherd, Artist, Spinner and Weaver; Peggy Taylor Puts Historic Processes into Practice
Article and Photos By Mandy Gerth
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It is no over exaggeration to say Peggy Taylor is living out one of my homesteading dreams. Peggy tends a flock of sheep. When the sheep are sheared; the wool is cleaned and carded. Peggy spins this wool creating beautiful handspun yarns. Some of these are dyed and some are left in their natural colors. Peggy weaves this beautiful, fine wool into shawls and rugs.
In Peggy’s words:
“As a weaver, I create cloth that celebrates the tradition of domestic fabrics of the early period in Colonial America. My ancestors were weavers in England and then in Pennsylvania, and the love of spinning, dyeing and weaving cloth is a tradition I enjoy preserving. I am committed to maintaining the integrity of early American textile drafts, patterns, and weave structures by using materials, tools and processes of that period. It is my goal to create heirlooms that will extend the family thread to future generations.”
Grab a cup of tea and cozy into a comfy seat to learn about Peggy’s journey providing wool, woolen goods, and sharing the art of spinning, dyeing, and weaving with our community.
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| The flock, with their thick woolen coats, are cozy and warm at pasture even on a brisk winter day. Sage, a two-year old Shetland ewe, wears a jacket not for warmth but to keep her coat clean. |
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Forty-One-South: Peggy, I’m so interested to hear how you got started keeping sheep. Have you always had an interest in fiber?
Peggy: When I was small, my Dad brought home a little orphan lamb from a neighboring farm, probably because I was always fascinated by sheep. Later we had sheep in 4-H, and as an adult I’ve raised sheep of various breeds. Right now my flock is Shetland, for their hardiness, natural colors, and very fine soft wool.
I grew up with grandmothers who made quilts, and my mother sewed a lot for us, making dresses, quilts and drapes for the house. My maternal grandmother taught me to knit when I was around eight and then after college I bought an antique barn loom so I could weave. In the 70’s I learned spinning from Marilyn Kluger, of Newburgh. She was very encouraging and I treasure her book, The Joy of Spinning.
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| Peggy spinning wool from her own sheep on her Ashford traditional spinning wheel. |
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Forty-One-South: In addition to your wool goods, you have so much to offer in preserving the tradition of the ‘processes’. You have had a career as an art teacher. And you currently demonstrate spinning when you sell your wool goods at the Vincennes farmer’s market and area festivals. What role does demonstrating and teaching the art of spinning, dying, and weaving play for you?
Peggy: First of all, it’s a lot of fun! And I enjoy sharing the fiber arts and crafts of bygone days with new generations. There’s a lot of interest in getting back to more authentic, direct resources, whether it’s spinning and knitting or gardening; people are interested.
Once when I was demonstrating spinning at an outdoor museum, a little boy about five years old was watching intently. Since most people are unfamiliar with the process, I usually explain how the wheel works and about the wool fleece from my sheep. So I asked the little guy, “Honey, would you like me to tell you how this works?” to which he replied, “No, I see, your foot pushes the pedal, and it turns that (the wheel axle) and it makes that (the bobbin) spin around it and makes the yarn.” That’s a future engineer or Nobel Prize winner right there. I wish I’d taken down his name; he’ll make a difference in this world.
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| The flock. |
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Forty-One-South: For those of us interested in learning to spin, dye, or weave, where is a good place to get started?
Peggy: Well, I teach spinning and weaving classes here at my studio/cabin, or people can check with their local yarn shop for classes. Here in Vincennes we have Atkinson Farm Yarns (http://www.atkinsonfarmyarns.com/) which is a delightful shop offering great classes and wonderful yarns and patterns.
Those who come to my classes range from those who have learned to knit, or would like to, and the natural progression follows with wanting to learn to spin or weave.
Others see my yarns and hand-woven textiles at fairs or demos, and are interested in learning to dye yarn, spin, or to make felt, and all seem to appreciate the fact that they can participate in the entire process – sheep to finished goods, by learning here.
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| Rose, the Shetland sheep dog, has run around the sheep fence at Peggy Taylor’s three acre farmstead enough times to leave a well worn trench around her flock. |
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Forty-One-South: Can you tell us about your collection of spinning wheels and weaving looms?
Peggy: The wheels include a couple of Ashfords, an antique Czech traveling wheel, and a Canadian production wheel. I have LeClerc and Glimakra four-harness floor looms, and my Dad made a Swedish style loom out of poplar wood, which is being used by a friend and fellow shepherd right now. On these looms I can weave cotton cloth, wool rugs, scarves, and blankets, in plain or tabby weave, or in a variety of patterns controlled by the threading and treadling.
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| Weaving a rug from cotton rags on a four harness Le Clerk |
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Forty-One-South: In addition to the flock of sheep, you have quite a few animals on your farm. Can you share a bit about your homestead with us?
Peggy: This farm was my great grandparents’ and it’s where my grandmother and her sisters grew up. They farmed 20 acres, which in early 1900 was enough to keep a family.
The house and 3 acres were sold after Grandma’s death, and we bought it and restored the house in 2008. Plans call for a bigger garden this spring, and setting out some blueberry and raspberry starts. It’s very special to me to live here, lots of childhood memories with this place; we hope to preserve it for another generation to come.
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| Peggy’s selection of goods offers something for everyone: A colorful collection of yarns, raw and carded wools, and heirloom gifts. They range in variety from hand-knit baby hats to hand-woven shawls. |
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Peggy, thank you so much for your time here and for sharing a bit of your life on the farm and your work with fibers.
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| Learn more about the artist, her process, and her flock at www.loomhall.com |
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Inquire to tour the farm by emailing the artist directly at taylorbp@tds.net.
or by visiting her website www.loomhall.com
Meet the artist at:
Arts in Harmony
May 5-6, 2012
New Harmony, IN
http://www.newharmony.biz/index.php
Vincennes Rendezvous
Revolutionary War Reenactments
Labor Day Weekend
May 26 – 27, 2012
http://www.spiritofvincennes.org/rendezvous/index.htm
Kuntsfest
Sep 15-16, 2012
New Harmony, IN
http://www.usi.edu/hnh/kunstfest.php
Vincennes farmer’s market
Peggy frequents the Vincennes farmer’s market as a vendor selling wool, yarns, and woven textiles as well as fresh eggs.
Saturdays 8:00am-1:00pm
Corner of 2nd and Busseron Streets
Vincennes, IN
Christmas Country Marketplace
Linton, IN
November 17
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