Roberta McKinney describes changes in the demographic of the Guild and increased interest in spinning.

Roberta McKinney describes changes in the demographic of the Guild and increased interest in spinning.

June 22, 2021

© Kingston Handloom Weavers and Spinners

Shaelagh Cull

Roberta McKinney

Tett Centre for Creativity and Learning

Not a lot of young people. Probably more, you know, families that were getting up and they had a little more time and perhaps a little more money that they could use and and they joined the guild and became great members. I think there's been more young people probably over the last 10 years or so and that's very nice to see. There were also more weavers at that point than there were spinners. Now I think that's reversed. So then people buying a spinning wheel isn't nearly as expensive as a weaving loom and I think people are taking up spinning. It's a very therapeutic thing. You can sit there and spin away. It's a very social thing as well, because you can talk to people while you're working, whereas weaving often takes a little more concentration and you can't always talk to somebody when you're trying to thread a loom and do it right. But I, those are the two things that I've noticed. I think there are more young people involved now and more people taking to spinning. Nothing wrong with it. It's just the way things happen.