Clever Magazine, Vol. 7, #2 "Allow me to Demonstrate " (www.clevermag.com)

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Allow Me to Demonstrate

by Helen von Ammon

It is a widely held perception that spinning is an ancient, arcane craft, usually performed by wide-bottomed ladies wearing thick stockings and Birkenstocks.

I volunteered to demonstrate spinning in Tallahassee, Florida, sponsored by a local museum at a 'farm days' event. They suggested I wear a long, red gingham skirt and blouse which I eschewed. I could better bring my craft into present time by wearing a thigh-high black leather skirt, matching tights, high heels and lots of gold necklaces. But I went along with their silly costume, holding my ground against the poke bonnet.

It was out of the question to tote my Alden Amos wheel from San Francisco to Tallahassee, so I brought along a brass contemporary supported spindle. It was not an ancient farm tool, but it spun beautiful grey wool from my Angora rabbit, BunBun.

My clothing was irrelevant. I could not have gotten more attention had I been stark nekkid.

Children clustered 'round, mouths agape, shy or aggressive. Husbands watched without being coaxed by the Little Woman. A macho man, busting out of his jeans, T-shirt hardly making it over his belly, was about to give birth to twin 6-packs. Fascinated, he tried to figure out how all that fluff became "string."

Almost everyone asked, "Do you kill the rabbit?" I gave the children postcards of BunBun and said, "Do you think I could kill such a beautiful animal....?"

An unattached male, tall under a wide-brimmed hat innocent of all cleaning solvents, appeared to have just finished rail splitting. He watched silently, intently, asked if he could try the spindle. It had taken me an hour to become proficient on this spindle. I smirked inwardly and let him have a go at it. A couple of trial spins then he produced beautiful yarn at once. Now MY mouth was agape. He explained that he enjoyed making drop spindles from exotic wood. He had never seen a metal spindle with a ball bearing.

Well, shoot, I don't look good in short leather skirts anyway.