Library 87: Peacham Library
Weavers do it in the shed.
LIbrary 87! The Peacham Library was the 87th stop on my quest to read, write, and knit in as many of Vermont’s public libraries as I can during my sabbatical.
I read: Gather, by Kenneth Cadow, Chapters 16-20
I wrote: Notes on this library
I knit: A test knit of the Lindal Sweater by Ona Woldten
“Weavers do it in the shed.”
This is written on a pin stuck to the neck of a frog you can check out from the Peacham library and take on your travels. Sort of like Flat Stanley, but a frog that has a “Weavers do it in the shed” pin on it.
I was planning to visit Peacham on Thursday to join their knit night, but going today was a lucky mistake. Nan & Nan (and Nan’s dog Lola) arrived and told us Thursday knitting group is cancelled until winter. This was news to Susan, the organizer of knitting group.
Susan organizes many programs, including a 40-years-and-running Friday coffee hour where townies gather to catch up. This must be why librarians always know what’s going on. That, and Master’s Degrees in Information Science.
Susan gave us a tour (if I go too long without a library tour I feel sad) where we met a stuffed chicken, an art gallery, and a wool tapestry-mural that was collectively felted by Peacham residents, including the blacksmith (Peacham has a blacksmith). We also spotted a Nancy Pearl action figure that reads: “When an age of darkness comes, a hero must rise!” We are in so much need of rising these days. Have we reached an age of darkness?
Peacham also has a thriving weaving community. A weaver, Jane Woodhouse of Brigid’s Farm walked into the library with a bag of naturally dyed yarn for the upcoming art and craft auction. Jane showed us the Spring 2024 cover of Spin Off Magazine with her hand dyed yarn on the cover, and casually mentioned that she runs the Vermont Sheep and Wool Festival. This is my favorite day in a Vermont year. Jane kindly put me in touch with some knitters at the Tunbridge library. I’m intersted in organizing a “knit-in” at the library the morning of the festival (more on that soon).
I learned about Jane’s farm’s namesake “Bridgid,” the patron saint of blacksmithing and livestock. According to a Wikipedia and Jane, Brigid is associated with a pagan festival of lambing called Imbolc. I want to live in a community with a celebrated a lambing festival.
Dozens of people passed through the door while we were there, which seemed like a lot for a Tuesday in a town with 732 people. Like many places I have had the pleasure of visiting this year, the library is the heart of the town.
