Introduction
When the organization formed in Kingston, Ontario, Canada in 1948, the Kingston Hand-weavers Club (as it was then called) was dedicated solely to teaching weaving. As the Guild developed and grew, its mandate expanded to promote interest and education in weaving, spinning, dyeing, felting, and other fibre related activities in the Eastern Ontario region from its studio at the Tett Centre for Creativity and Learning. Starting with 37 participants in 1948, the Kingston Handloom Weavers and Spinners now has over 80 members, bringing together fibre artists with decades of experience and those just beginning their fibre journeys.
During the 2020/2021 COVID-19 global pandemic, the community took on new meaning as members of the Guild connected in new ways. Twenty fibre artists were interviewed for this project and their stories capture the perspectives of experienced and beginner members of the group. Collectively, their personal histories memorialize the Kingston Handloom Weavers and Spinners' past and record its present.
We are grateful to the members of the Kingston Handloom Weavers and Spinners who shared their stories with us and to the City of Kingston for providing funding for this project through the City of Kingston Heritage Fund.
