Roc Day
Roc Day is the gathering of spinners that occurs the day following Epiphany.
The legend has it that after fortnight, women, who had put up their wheels and looms for the holiday baking and chores, returned to weaving and spinning. But the men wouldn’t return to their farm duties until the following Monday. In between these times, the men would harass the women (figures, nothing has changed), so the women wouldn’t get much done, but merrymaking resulted.
Roc is the old German word for the distaff used in spinning to hold the flax or wool fiber (Jean Franklin, Spin Web).
Technically, Roc Day is January 7, the day after Epiphany. However, we celebrate the Gulf Coast States Roc Day on the first Saturday after the New Year holiday. Our “reason” for the get-together is to spin, knit, or use some other portable fiber technique. But we visit, invite vendors so we can shop, show off our pieces, catch up on the year's events, have a leisurely lunch, and enjoy a grand time!
Roc Day 2009 will be held in New Orleans, LA