Sylvia Currie

I think the guild has established a very stable membership. We've gone through some rough and rocky times to be sure, as every organization does. But we seem to always come up on the right side and carry on. And I give the membership in general full credit for that. I mean, they stick through the sticky part and look for the sunshine at a later day.

Sylvia Currie moved to Kingston in 1969 and became a member of Kingston Handloom Weavers and Spinners. She's been an active member for fifty-two years. Prior to coming to Kingston, she was a member of the Oakville Weavers Guild where she met Ted Carson, who later came to Kingston to teach spinning to the members. Currie also purchased a spinning wheel from him and she's been using this for more than fifty years. 

One of Currie's most substantial contributions to the Guild was the introduction of spinning. This resulted in the Guild revising its name from Kingston Handloom Weavers to Kingston Handloom Weavers and Spinners, and the introduction of workshops and activites focused on the craft.

She also worked with Mr. Antanas Tamosaitis, who designed the tapestry commemorating Kingston's Tercentenary that was presented to the City in 1973. 

Currie's interest in spinning led her on a trip to the Arctic. She learned to spin qiviut, which is the fleece of muskox.