Steam and Crafts Weekend August 14, 2010

On the weekend of the 14th & 15th August 2010 the Museum of East Anglian Life in Stowmarket will be holding its fourth annual Steam & Traditional Crafts Weekend.

Throughout the weekend craftspeople from around East Anglia will be demonstrating a variety of crafts and techniques with the chance for visitors to ‘have a go’ wherever possible. Within the museum’s reconstructed historic buildings will be spinning, coopering, printing and more. Come and try your hand at knitting or crochet, learn about the importance of patchwork or needlework samplers, or just reminisce with us about your memories of these activities in the past.

Alongside, the Museum will be running its annual Steam Engine Driver Training Event. This involves locally owned steam traction engines in action around the site, each with a couple of students learning the basics of engine ownership, maintenance and use from the engine owners. As part of our 2010 event we are attempting to have more engines at work, using a chaff cutter, sawbench, corn mill, thrashing drum, etc.

This is the 8th year that the course has run at the Museum and it continues to be as popular as ever. Over 100 students have enjoyed the opportunity so far, with many coming back year on year to enjoy the experience of working with these incredible machines.

The event also includes a selection of Commercial Vehicles and Vintage Tractors owned by enthusiasts from the area. These will be displayed and demonstrated on site, with a short road run through the town centre on the Sunday.

Museum director Tony Butler says, “In a world of increasing conformity and mechanisation it is vital that traditional crafts and skills are preserved. Traditional ways of working provide links with the past which are becoming increasingly distant and events such as this provide a chance to pass skills and knowledge on for the future."

Visitors to the museum will be able to talk to the craftspeople and steam engine owners whilst they demonstrate their crafts and engines. There will even be a chance to make your own poster on the museums original 1870 Colombia printing press.

The Museum of East Anglian Life is open late March to October, Mon-Sat 10-5, Sun 11-5.

For more details contact the Museum on 01449 612229