Posts

I Want to Tell You About My Friend

/in , /by

I don’t want to tell you that Stephenie Gaustad was a great spinner. Everyone knows that. 

I don’t want to say she was a talented and generous fiber artist. If you have ever taken a class with her or read one of her books or articles, you already know that too.   

I want to tell you about how warm her hugs were and how she never let go first. I want you to know how funny she was, how her eyes twinkled when she smiled, how she followed her heart in all things, and how she loved getting in good trouble. I want to tell you about the Stephenie I knew and how much I loved her.

Read more

Book Review: Japanese Paper Yarn by Andra F. Stanton

/in /by

Released just before the holiday season, Japanese Paper Yarn: Using Washi and Kami-ito to Knit, Crochet, Weave, and More by Andra F. Stanton is a engaging read for papermakers and handspinners alike.

Read more

Placemaking

/in , /by

Mni Sota Makoce rests on unseated Dakota and Anishinaabe people’s land and recognizes eleven federal tribes within its borders. I am currently residing near Wakpá Tháŋka (the Mississippi River), just a few miles upriver from Bdoté, the place where the Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers join. I am joyful to be living in this land with three natural watersheds, where farming and shepherding are a piece of our robust state economy.

Read more

Southern California Fibershed: An Unexpected Place

/in , , /by

Southern California might seem like an unexpected place to produce spinning and weaving fiber, but people have been processing plant and animal materials here for thousands of years. San Diego is in the territory of the Kumeyaay people, who have lived here since time immemorial. The Kumeyaay processed milkweed, dogbane, agave, yucca, bark, and rabbit skins into garments, cordage, netting, and other items.

Read more

A Wool Lover’s Visit to the North of England

/in , , , /by

The trip I went on in May with Rowan Tree Travel to southwestern England was so wonderful that I had to go again on a similar trip in northern England at the end of September.

Read more

How to make a 2,000 year old slipper (part 1)

/in /by

Today Christina Pappas returns to the blog to walk us through the process of replicating a 2000-year-old slipper!   Today we are going to focus on getting to know the slippers for this project. (Have a look at my post from last week to learn more about my replication project.) Footwear from 2,000 years ago […]

Read more

Following in the steps of a 2,000 year old spinner

/in /by

We’re so happy to have Christina Pappas back on the blog today, to take us on a journey back in time as she tries to walk in the footsteps of some ancient textile producers. In my last post, I talked a little about how archaeologists use objects to learn about the distant past: “You look at […]

Read more

HansenCrafts introduces a whimsical history of spinning – REVOLUTION!

/in /by

We are so happy to have the owners of HansenCrafts visit us today, along with Andrea Love who created a prety amazing project for them recently. We’ll let them tell you the story! We, (Kevin and Beth – HansenCrafts owners) were talking about the history of spinning, and how tiny the present epoch is in […]

Read more