Summerisle Spinners and Weavers, Inc. consists of a group of volunteers who demonstrate spinning and weaving for the purpose of educating the public. The idea for our organization was born when our current volunteers got together and set up camp at the 1998 Florida Renaissance Festival in Hollywood, Florida. For five weekends eight volunteers camped and lived in the days of King Henry the VIII.
We cooked our meals over an open fire, baked bread in our own brick oven, churned butter, and demonstrated the carding and spinning of wool on the drop spindle and spindle wheel, and the weaving of wool and linen on the inkle loom and four-harness loom.
While not all of our clothing worn at demonstrations is handspun or handwoven, we do insist that volunteers wear clothing appropriate for the period of history in which they are demonstrating. We use fabric and construction methods appropriate for the period.
Summerisle Spinners and Weavers are available for demonstrations for schools and events.
Picture Gallery