The Little Loomhouse in Louisville Kentucky

Several weeks ago I visited Louisville Kentucky. I had to go there for a work meeting. Because I work in tourism a lot of our meeting time is spent attending other tourism attractions. I was so excited when I heard we were going to the Little Loomhouse.

If you missed my recent posts about Louisville you can check them out here: A few days in Louisville Kentucky and Visiting Churchill Downs

The Little Loomhouse is a nonprofit, community based, fiber arts education center and historic site. This site offers both tours and weaving lessons and a fiber and spinning tour. The site is actually home to three cabins and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

This entire place came to be because of a woman named Lou Tate. Lou Tate was a master weaver and she invented the Table Loom also known as the Little Loom. This loom makes it possible to teach weaving anywhere because you can take the loom just about anywhere.

Lou Tate was born In Bowling Green Kentucky. Her interest in weaving began when she received five generations of weaving patterns from an elderly weaver, Nan Owen.

In the 1940’s, Tate started an experimental weaving group. This weaving business led her to her first love, teaching.

The Lou Tate Foundation took over the property in 1979 shortly after Tate’s death. A grant from the City of Louisville in 1983 enabled much needed restoration for the cabin, Tophouse.

For more information and facts about this fantastic place visit the website www.littleloomhouse.org

Our group arrived at the Little Loomhouse on a rainy morning. We were taken there by bus. We had to walk up a very steep hill to get to the cabin at the top, Top House, where we would have a weaving lesson. I was beyond excited.

We walked into the cabin and even though it was fairly small it was packed with tables and tabletop looms, beautiful bolts of thread and finished works that would take your breath away. We were told to pick a loom and have a seat. A lot of our crew looked around nervously like this was not their “cup of tea”. Although in the end I think everyone enjoyed it.

Our guide gave us a quick lesson and we were soon on our way to making a mug rug. I could quickly see how the rhythmic movements could be so soothing and relaxing.

My finished piece.
We also went to one of the other cabins. A lot of spinning wheels and looms were on display. This was more of a museum with so much history.
And of course I just had to have one of the hand woven bags that were for sale.

I think their mission statement sums up everything Lou Tate would have wanted The Little Loomhouse to be:

We are a Louisville, Kentucky Landmark and on the National Register of Historic Places. Our mission is to continue the legacy of founder Lou Tate, by educating students of all ages about the history of weaving and textile arts through diverse programs, residencies, and community partnerships and ensuring the preservation of our landmark cabins. The Foundation serves students of all ages and cultures who want to learn about the history and practice of weaving, textile, fiber, and folk arts. 

I hope you enjoyed this visit to the Little Loomhouse in Louisville Kentucky.

Always remember

Love your day your way!!!

Hello Monday

Hello and happy Memorial Day. How was your week and weekend? Hopefully it was a nice long one for you. I am so humbled and awe stricken to think of the men and women who have served our country and gave everything in doing so. Let us never forget the reason we observe Memorial Day.

Have you ever had a week that felt like it was a month long? Well that is how work was for me last week. It seems like all I did was come home, eat some dinner and go to bed.

On Wednesday we noticed a dog running around the yard. We saw it on our blink security camera. We thought he belonged to someone visiting one of the neighbors. We kept seeing him and then when Mark came home on Wednesday he, turns out it was a she, followed his truck down the driveway and proceeded to make herself at home. She looked half starved. My husband said that was just the hound in her. We weren’t sure how she would do with the cats so we put the outside kitties in the garage.

She came right up on my deck while we were gone. Sorry for the bad pic it was from the blink camera.

The dog, I named her Sally, and was already figuring out which day I could get her to the vet, did not have a tag on her collar. She was big and goofy and so sweet. We gave her some food and water. During the night it rained and I was so worried about her. By morning she had gone back home. Turns out some people were camping down the lake and she was just wandering around. I was a little disappointed and a little relieved. Although I would never let my babies wander like this alone.

On Friday, I again went with some friends to Iron Works Grill on the river. They do karaoke every Friday night. It is so much fun. Plus the views are spectacular. Aren’t those mountains beautiful?

A couple of weekends ago I went to an estate sale. The people having the sale had actually had it for a couple of weekends so they were ready to get rid of some things. Well everything actually. This is what I got:

This blue Buddha for $2.00. I think it will go great in one of our bathrooms.
I cannot pass up a nice cake stand. And this one doubles as a bowl $2.00

Look at this purse. It is a little worn and I am going to redo the lining. I love it. It reminds me of the purses my mama carried when I was a little girl. I may try a little diluted bleach water to whiten it back up. $2.00.

I just couldn’t pass those things up. I know my husband rolls his eyes when I drag pieces into the house but I always find use for them eventually.

The pollen here has been crazy. So many people are having sinus and allergy problems, fortunately I am not. My poor husband has allergies and this time of year for him is really hard. We have also had a lot of rain. It seems like it has rained almost every day for a couple of weeks. I guess that helps the pollen a little.

The roads near my house were almost flooded this morning.

I leave you with the best thing I have received in a long time. A friend from work found out I like to sew and that I had a sewing machine. He told me that his mother or grandmother had an old tackle box that was full of sewing supplies. He asked if I would like to have it. He said he had no use for it. I told him I would love to have it. He brought it in today. It was full of all kinds of goodies. Threads, bobbins, needles, buttons, sewing machine tools, pins etc etc. I was in heaven. I offered to pay him for it but he said giving it to someone that could use it was enough. I was really touched.

Look at all of this!!!!!

I have been knitting like crazy with every spare minute. I worked on a shawl and almost have it finished. I guess you could say it is more of a wrap. I made another one exactly like it last year but it was my first one and I wasn’t too happy with the way it turned out. Hopefully I will have it finished and blocked by the end of the week. I also started another pair of socks. Pink.

That’s it for me tonight.

Always remember

Love your day your way!

Visiting Churchill Downs

A few weeks ago the Kentucky Derby celebrated its 150th anniversary race. The Kentucky Derby is a horse race held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States, almost always on the first Saturday in May. I have never been to the race, but two weeks ago I had the opportunity to visit Churchill Downs with an attraction group that our company is a part of. Churchill Downs is where the Kentucky Derby takes place.

One of the perks of my job is getting to visit other tourism attractions. When we do, we get to meet with a lot of their front line people. It is a great way to share information and experience the different ways in which different places do things. If you missed my post about spending a few days in Louisville Kentucky check it out here

The Kentucky Derby was held on May 4th of this year. As I mentioned this was the 150th anniversary of this very special race. I hadn’t really thought much about the race but now that I have been to the track I would love to see an actual race.

Our group got into town on Sunday May 5th. There was still lots of decorations and festivities going on but most were starting to die down by Sunday afternoon. Tuesday May 7th was our day to explore several places and get a behind the scenes tour. Churchill Downs was first on the agenda.

We arrived at Churchill Downs and went through a gate leading us to one of the training areas. We were met by an older gentlemen who told us that, first of all we weren’t supposed to get in the way, so we didn’t. Second, watch out for the horses and respect the trainers and our surroundings, we did. We felt so fortunate to have this opportunity I think we would have walked on our hands if he had told us to. Of course I knew we weren’t going to be able to see any of the thoroughbreds. What we were able to see was some of the up and coming future hopefuls of the Kentucky Derby maybe 2025, 2026, 2027.

Even though we arrived by 9:00 AM the stables were already hopping. Our guide, who was amazing, told us that the trainers arrive around 5:00 AM to start working the horses. They work them for hours and then do a 45 minute to 1 hour cool-down. Most of the trainers live onsite for several months out of each year.

When I closed my eyes I could almost hear the thundering of the hooves and the cheering of the crowd. These horses are trained for this moment, it can be an awesome, exciting and heart breaking moment for many.

Watching one of the trainers walk his horse. Beautiful!!

The Kentucky Derby winner for this year was Mystic Dan. He won by a nose!! He barely beat out Sierra Leone and Forever Young. This is the 26th time that the Kentucky Derby has been decided by the length of a neck or less. The Kentucky Derby is commonly referred to as the “most exciting two minutes in sports’ because that’s normally how long it lasts. It is 1& 1/4 miles long or 2,200 yards. Mystic Dan came out of stall number 3.

We were able to stand in the stalls. It was very exciting thinking about Mystic Dan being there just 48 hours or so before and getting ready to run the race of a life time.

Of course I had to stand in the stall where Mystic Dan stood it was very exciting!!!!

We also visited the Derby Museum. I learned so much about the Derby. Check out their website http://www.derbymuseum.org

Some of the information in the Museum:

We were also able to watch a clip of the derby. I have to tell you that our tour guide was the most amazing man. He truly loved horses. He told us that when he was a young boy he would come to the stables early in the morning and watch the horses being led through their daily training routines. He would muck out the stalls or do whatever he could just to be around them. He said that when he came to the Derby he liked to stay behind the scenes and watch the horses come out. He said he had only sat in the stands one time.

What an exciting visit. I never thought much about the Derby but now I think I would like to go and experience the race. Maybe I should add that to my bucket list.

Always remember

Love your day your way!!!!!