Spinning Frolicks as they were known were held in early America to encourage the home production of yarn. During the
early years of the colony the settlers were kept totally dependent on the mother country for everything, even clothing. Clothing
and sometimes cloth was sent with the other shipment of provisions.
Spinning
still wasn't done all that much in the next 10-20 years of the colony. There were still a lot of textiles coming in from England
as we were the colony and if you remember your history classes "a colony exists for the good of the mother country" which
means we were here to buy their goods.
In 1645 the Great and General Court in
Boston,
noted "Forasmuch as wollen cloth is so usefull a commodity, without which
we cannot so comfortably subsist in these could winters..." requested of the populace that they encourage the propagation
of sheep.
This was one of the several "spinning laws" that were passed during
the 17
th century.
The major increase in home production came in the 1760s when the many taxes were put on the colonies and their
protest was to stop importing many luxury items and making their own. The graduating class of 1768 from Harvard and Yale were
dressed all in "homespun".
Also during this period spinning frolicks became a
popular political statement for women with up to 100 women gathering together to spin, engage in enlightening conversation
and hear a sermon appropriate to the occasion.
A Boston newspaper of 1769 noted,
"The industry and frugality of American Ladies must exalt their character in the Eyes of the World an deserve to show how
greatly they are contributing to bring about the political salvation of a whole Continent."
Our Colonial Spinning Bee
is a re-enactment of these spinning frolicks of the 1760s with a few modern touches. Modern and period spinners will be spinning
for the public and there will be a few vendors with fibers and spinning accessories.
