San Bernardino County Museum visitors will enjoy hands-on learning about textiles at “Sheep to Shawl: Creating Textiles” on Saturday, May 30 between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. at the County Museum in Redlands. The program is based on the museum’s current special exhibit, “Spider Woman’s Legacy: Navajo Rugs and Textiles,” and this exhibit and all program activities are included with paid museum admission.
Textiles are based on fibers, whether fleece, fur, hair, or plant. During Sheep to Shawl, visitors will be able to see raw materials processed into fibers, spun into yarn, dyed, and woven into cloth. Hands-on opportunities to touch fleeces, dye, spin, design, and weave will be offered along with demonstrations by skilled artisans from the Western Textile Center Association. Visitors can walk through the museum’s ethnobotany and native plant gardens to see sources of plant fibers used by Native Americans. Activities are suitable for all ages.
“Participating in Sheep to Shawl activities will be fun for everyone,” said Jolene Redvale, the museum’s curator of education. “They will also give visitors a new way to look at the wonderful Navajo rugs we have on exhibit, both in terms of technique and design. Did you ever stop to think about why Navajo rugs never have circular elements? After you create your own weaving pattern, you’ll understand why!”
Sheep to Shawl, Spider Woman’s Legacy, and the County Museum’s other exciting events and exhibits reflect the effort by the Board of Supervisors to achieve the Countywide Vision by celebrating arts, culture, and education in the county, creating quality of life for residents and visitors. Sheep to Shawl and Spider Woman’s Legacy are supported in part by the San Bernardino County Museum Association.
The San Bernardino County Museum is at 2024 Orange Tree Lane, at the California Street exit from Interstate 10 in Redlands. The museum is open Tuesdays through Sundays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. General admission is $10 (adult), $8 (military or senior), $7 (student), and $5 (children ages 5 to 12). Children under five and Museum Association members are admitted free. Parking is free. For more information, visit www.sbcountymuseum.org. The museum is accessible to persons with disabilities.