Oral Histories from the Kingston Handloom Weavers and Spinners
The Kingston Handloom Weavers and Spinners has been a hub for the fibre arts since 1948. The Threads of History oral history project was inspired by a desire to preserve the rich history of the Guild to to promote the connection between its members, current and past.
The History of the Kingston Handloom Weavers and Spinners
Doreen Jeffers, Sylvia Currie, Susi Reinink, Beth Abbot, Jackie Sylvester, and Bethany Garner describe some of the major changes in the Guild since the 1960s, such as the introduction of spinning, and the move to the Tett Centre and it renovations, and Susi Reinink and Johanna Amos discuss the future direction of the Guild.
In the Community
Nancy Bowman, Elaine Horemans, Esther Grav, Roberta McKinney, and Sylvia Currie discuss their participation in events such as Sheep to Shawl, Doors Open, First Capital Day, and the Annual Show & Sale, and the Guild's influence on the local Kingston community.
Education
Susi Reinink and Bethany Garner discuss fibre arts education, and Roberta McKinney, Rosie Hyde, Barbara Heins, Norma Rosier, Elaine Horemans, and Esther Grav discuss workshops and conferences.
Friendships Forged in Fibre
Barbara Heins, Elaine Horemans, Nancy Carr, Ruth Macleod, Christine English, and Nancy Bowman discuss the integral social role of the Guild and the important friendships they have formed. With the recent COVID-19 pandemic disrupting usual operations, the Guild has adapted to keep its community safely connected. Elaine Horemans, Laurie Allan-Ungeitis, and Jackie Sylvester describe how the Guild came together.
Members
Twenty members of the Kingston Handloom Weavers and Spinners were interviewed as part of the Threads of History project. They include current and past participants in the Guild, and range from members with sixty years of experience in the fibre arts to those just beginning their fibre journey.
Listen to Their Stories
- Beth Abbott
- Laurie Allan-Ungeitis
- Johanna Amos
- Nancy Bowman
- Nancy Carr
- Sylvia Currie
- Christine English
- Bethany Garner
- Esther Grav
- Barbara Heins
- Elaine Horemans
- Rosie Hyde
- Doreen Jeffers
- Roberta McKinney
- Michael Longford
- Ruth Macleod
- Susi Reinink
- Norma Rosier
- Jackie Sylvester
- Carole Wycliffe