Ye Olde Holiday Shoppe

On Saturday December 2nd the holiday season was in full effect with the Page Farm and Home Museum's annual Ye Olde Holiday Shoppe. The event took place from 10 am till 3 pm with 2 levels of vendors selling everything from crafts, pies, ornaments, potatoes and signed books. 

Donated Items from the Fiber Friends Group (Photo by Kari Mullan)

One such vendor was Mary Bird who was selling a few items donated from the Fiber Friends Group that meets at the Page Farm Museum every Friday afternoon, the proceeds would go to the organization, The Friends of Dr. Edith Marion Patch. The organization's goal is to help remember the legacy of Dr. Patch, as the first woman to be hired as a researcher at the University of Maine and the many other major accomplishments she has made in her life. 

The items that were donated included beautifully made hats and gloves in gorgeous colors to help shoppers get ready for the cold weather. The table also had a few books for sale that were written by Dr. Patch during her life, she had written a few children's science books. Bird also was passing out a pamphlet with information about the organization and the women it is named after.  

Bird stated that the Fiber group is a close knit (pun intended) group of people who love various forms of fiber handwork. They accept and encourage all skill levels to come and join them at the Page Farm Museum on Fridays as the group encourages and helps each other through projects and have fun together. 

Knitting and crocheting are two types of fiberwork that require patience and skill to perfect. The tradition of both of these skills has been going on for centuries but the amount of highly skilled individuals have decreased as the pastime has become less popular. However, many people do find joy in these skills and even say it allows them to relax and unwind. 

Knit Hand Work at a Vendors Table (Photo by Kari Mullan)

Historically these skills might have been a necessity but today much of the world's clothing garments are made by machine but that isn't nearly as fun, or as good for the environment as handwork. These skills are perfect examples of slow fashion, they may take you longer but in the end you know that the piece was made to last and made with care. The ever growing fast fashion industry can make some feel like they have to buy buy buy, but sometimes taking your time to really care about a garment can make the outcome so much more rewarding, not only for you but also for the planet.  

The Ye Olde Holiday Shoppe was an amazing event with numerous volunteers and vendors who care about what they do. The shop had handmade goods and authors signing books but most importantly it had a community, more specifically it had a community of people who care. I had multiple conversations with a number of vendors throughout the day and each one made me feel bright and happy. The world can seem so much brighter when you have good people around you. 

Unbuttoning Sustainability Podcast Episode 2:

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/4c612e_9e227d175dab4b9ab1f0f647ca78e89c/720p/mp4/file.mp4