Finding the charm and fun of crafts and trades at Eric Sloane Museum

KENT — Seeking to promote a next generation of trade and crafts people,  Hudson Valley Preservation promoted a Touch a Trade event on Saturday, Oct. 22, hosted by the Eric Sloane Museum and the Connecticut Antique Machinery Association.

The event featured professionals from fields including carpentry, woodworking, masonry, welding, plumbing, electrical wiring and more. Guests were offered the opportunity to get hands-on instruction from experts.

The Eric Sloane Museum hosted crafters who specialize in historical trades, such as the Kent Quilters and Heddle Over Heels.

“I’m working on a little floor loom. These are just some samples that people can sit down and play with, showing different weaving styles,” said Katie Strano of Heddle over Heels in Southbury.

Next door, Connecticut Antique Machinery hosted more modern tradespeople, including Eastern Water Solutions and CrateCrafts Fine Woodworking.

“We do historical architecture element repair and our bread and butter is window sashes,” said Laura Peckar of CrateCrafts in Waterbury as she worked to restore a 19th-century window.

In addition to technical training, the event offered arts and crafts, pumpkin painting and some unique experiences. The lumber slalom course, for example, was a challenge in which two-person teams traversed a slalom course while carrying a 12- foot wood beam.

Hands-on experience was at the heart of the event’s efforts with every booth offering a different tool, machine  or piece of equipment to try. Safety was also a top priority with protective goggles and ear plugs distributed to all who entered. This was the first Touch a Trade event, with the hope for more community outreach in the future.

A potential summer camp and regional maker space for Litchfield County communities are envisioned for the coming years. For more information, go to www.touchatrade.org.

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