Introducing Spinning, 1970-1980
Today, the Guild’s membership is comprised of as many spinners as there are weavers; however, it was only in the 1970s that spinning became part of the Kingston Hand-Loom Weavers’ mandate. Spinning, which involves twisting fibre using a spinning wheel or drop spindle and bringing twisted strands together (plying) to create strong yarn usually used for knitting or weaving, was first introduced to the Hand-Loom Weavers in 1971 when member Sylvia Currie invited Ted Carson, owner of fibre business Handcraft Wools in Streetsville, Ontario, to lead a spinning workshop. Currie recounts her experience learning to spin and organizing Carson’s visit to the Guild:
In 1971, the Guild was officially renamed the Kingston Handloom Weavers and Spinners to reflect the growing number of members who were interested in spinning. Later, in 1976, Dorothy Kirk, who taught the Master Spinners and Nature Dyers courses at Georgian College, also led workshops in Kingston, and spinning quickly became an important part of the organization. Doreen Jeffers, who attended Carson's and Kirk's workshops, was a major proponent of adding spinning to the Guild's mandate and taught spinning for twenty years. She describes how she learned to spin and discusses the formation of the first spinning study group:
In 1973, the Kingston Handloom Weavers and Spinners celebrated its twenty-fifth anniversary, which corresponded with the City of Kingston’s Tercentenary. In preparation for its Tercentenary, the City restored City Hall and members of the Guild created a tapestry for the newly reopened space. Artist Antanas Tamosaitis designed the tapestry, which represented three centuries in the history of Kingston, and created the cartoon. The tapestry is divided into three sections. The Count Frontenac coat of arms appears at the top of the piece, representing the establishment of Fort Frontenac in 1673; the middle panel depicts a Martello Tower, symbolizing the City’s role as a military base; and the last section contains City Hall, the Royal Military College Arch, and Queen’s University’s Grant Hall. Small weaving shuttles form a border around the circumference of the tapestry, serving as the Guild’s signature.
During Kingston’s Tercentenary celebrations, the City presented the Kingston Handloom Weavers and Spinners with a generous gift—a 100-inch loom. The only problem was that, with no permanent studio space, the Guild had nowhere to put it. Sylvia Currie discusses Kingston’s Tercentenary tapestry, the conundrum of the 100-inch loom, and other highlights of the 1970s.