I am always thankful for a snow day. Even though I work part time, having a whole day off feels like a gift. Last week, we had two inches of ice in North Texas. Over the years of working and raising kids, I learned to squeeze in art making in odd moments. Whole days of “freedom” can actually be challenging. I took time to reorganize the wool closet (long over due) and tidy up my home studio.
I finished spinning up the wool I brought back from England, but, I don’t have a plan for it, yet. I did I knit some samples.
I have been measuring a warp for one loom and putting a new warp onto a rigid heddle loom. Since I have two places to work on looms, at home and at work, there is always something demanding my attention. The nice thing about Textile Arts is ideas have plenty of time to percolate as one goes through all the preliminary steps. As a Fiber Arts Hobbyist, I have the luxury of playing around with my materials.
All this liberty has me wondering about our foremothers, the weavers and spinners who provided fabric for the whole human population. In almost any preindustrial archaeological site, whorls and loom weights are plentiful. Wooden tools and woolen threads will disappear over time, but things made of stone can rest in the earth for thousands of years.
It is widely understood that until the industrial revolution, women made time for spinning and weaving around all their other daily chores: gathering and foraging in the Paleolithic era, gardening and cooking in the Iron Age and through the Middle Ages. In Ancient Mediterranean wars, women were more likely to be taken captive, than killed, kept alive to work as slaves in the weaving quarters.
Textile production was (for the most part) work done in the home for home use. But, what about sails for boats? Blankets for hospitals and prisons? Where and how were these made?
In the meantime, I think it is time for another Meet-up (Plop down and Make Something) Day. Let’s meet at the Fiber Arts Living Room at Oil and Cotton on February 19th. Come any time from 12:30 to 4pm.
Bring any UFOs (unfinished object) or current passions. Or, come try out one of the freshly warped looms. Bring a Show & Tell!
Please, reply in the comments if you are coming.
Bring a snack to share!
I dont know if you have seen this article yet, but it ties in with your fiber history.
https://hakaimagazine.com/features/no-wool-no-vikings/