Fiber - fabric (or the lack of), and being taxed on their own wool, (along with the other unfriendly policies that England imposed), was part of what brought the colonies to war.
I probably should have stopped my spinning and taken notes - I'm so A.D.D. that all I have to do is see a bird on a branch outside and I lose my train of thought and anything that went in one ear, escaped out the other without being noticed or remembered. BUT, I have ordered Ms. MacKenzies' new book, "The Intentional Spinner" from Interweave Press. So maybe after I read it, I'll give you all a book report...
It was wonderful to have our friend Donna from Sedro Woolley come and join our merry group.
Judith also told some stories of her childhood in British Columbia - learning to spin the fluffy wool of the coastal Salish sheep from the First Nations spinners who prepare the yarn for their famous Cowichan sweaters by rubbing it on their leg - collect a little yarn, knit a little, go back to "spinning" - She gave us some samples of this lofty wool to try - it didn't work for me - but some were able to get a respectable yarn by doing this method. I realized that the yarn used in a locally crocheted shawl that The Shepherd gave me for Christmas a couple of years ago was probably made by this same way. I had never been able to figure out how they got such a thick yarn with a spinning wheel - that's one mystery solved.
3 comments:
I sure wish I had been able to attend! :( I will be looking forward to your book report! I have a couple of Cowichan sweaters, they are my favorite winterwear. I had no idea that is how they spun their wool! Thank you for the history lesson, I will appreciate the workmanship in their sweaters that much more!
That would have been one I wish I lived close enough to attend. You better watch yourself, Tina...you just might become addicted to fibers! ROFLMAO!!!
Tina, how neat. I would love to have been at that meeting. What a wonderful learning opportunity.
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