In the event of an apocalypse, members of the Sunshine Coast Spinners and Weavers Guild anticipate a radical boost in their popularity.
“When you think about it, when everything is gone, we’re going to be the ones that clothe you and make the sails for the vessels that go out on the water,” said guild president Kim Fenton. “We’re the ones you’ll want to have around. Not the I.T. guys, they’ll be no help for warmth.”
Fenton and a dozen other spinners gathered at the Sechelt Library on Jan. 6 for a public demonstration of their craft. The gathering was organized in honour of a little-known holiday: Distaff Day. A distaff is a tool used to hold unspun fibres while twisting raw wool into yarn. In the Middle Ages the distaff became symbolic of spinning and weaving work traditionally performed by women.
The Sunshine Coast guild has been in existence for more than 30 years, with a current membership of 73 multigenerational spinners and weavers.
“We have all walks of life and ages,” said Fenton. The group welcomes members from across the spectrum of fibre arts, and maintains speciality weaving circles and knitting groups. Twice a month, members gather for a “spin-in.” Participants arrive carrying a variety of spinning devices, according to personal preference: the antediluvian drop spindle (and its Turkish variant), portable wheels with foot treadles, and battery-powered e-spinners.
The guild has become a mainstay of the Repair Café held regularly at the Sechelt Library. “We’re showing people how to repair clothes,” said Fenton, “how to knit and how to repair clothing. So it’s really quite fun.”
Members are not hidebound by the craft’s long history of spinning sheep wool. During the four-hour Distaff Day demonstration, spinners patiently fashioned yarn from dog hair, rabbit fur and muskox coats.
In 2024, a pilot project with School District 46 will involve guild members offering instruction to students in knitting, crocheting and spinning. “We’re working with a couple of teachers to do some outreach,” explained guild member Janice Talbott. “That way it’s not up to the teachers to have to figure out how to do something to teach. They can just bring somebody in who knows how to do it, and they just facilitate.”
Talbott plans a variety of activities inspired by the guild’s own workshops, including opportunities to use cutting-edge digital technology. 3D printers have become a popular way for spinners to design and produce custom drop spindles.
“Once you spark that interest, there’s a whole community they can become part of,” said Fenton, “and you’ll get younger, newer ideas. Because let’s face it: some of this stuff is very old, which is great, but it can be done with new approaches and new ideas.”
Guild members plan two major shows this year, at the Artisan Fair in Sechelt’s Hackett Park and during the Art Crawl.
“The excellence that we’ve been able to foster through the guild is something that makes me really proud,” added Fenton, “and that there is such a high standard of items that are sold with guild approval.”
The Sunshine Coast Spinners and Weavers Guild maintains an active web presence at scswg.wordpress.com.
