Nancy Bowman explains how the fibre arts connect to culture and language and discusses how she learned to spin.

Nancy Bowman explains how the fibre arts connect to culture and language and discusses how she learned to spin.

June 21, 2021

© Kingston Handloom Weavers and Spinners

Shaelagh Cull

Nancy Bowman

Tett Centre for Creativity and Learning

It is interesting, I mean, I look at Kingston, which isn't really my home community, it's not where I live, it's not really a community that I'm familiar with. So I've come to know Kingston because of the Guild, because of the Tett. So I mean, I see the importance of having the Guild to be able to contribute to the culture, and Kingston to be a resource to other cultural organizations in Kingston, to children, young adults, adults, whenever they're ready to learn more about fiber, and particularly now it's come kind of come back around, people are paying more attention to the clothing that they wear, and where do those fibers come from and the source. So you know, our role, and we've taken that on, wholeheartedly. So that's something that we're excited to be able to talk to people about, you know, Can you tell the story about every fiber that you're wearing? And do you know where it came from? So there is that within Kingston itself. And then, I mean, I've been involved, you know, there are networks of Guilds and fiber organizations across the US and across Canada. And really, it's a small world. You know, I've taken some workshops from people who have written books, but they're just as happy to sit down and spend and talk about spinning, and you can learn so much. Again, it's that passing along, this skill, the knowledge, the value. What does that mean? What's the family story that goes with this particular culture? Whether it's a blanket that's woven that's given, whether it's a vest, or you know, you belong in the family, because you get the sweater, right? It's just so tied up in the stories, the lives, the language. That's another thing, to teach somebody who doesn't speak the same language. It's not a problem. It wasn't spinning, but at the library in Brockville, I taught a woman who was visiting from India, she wanted, she was here for this summer, she wanted to learn to knit. She couldn't speak English at all, but the language of yarn and needles, and by the time she left, at the end of the summer, she had a sock on her needles. And I thought, I just hope somebody in India can help return that heel. I have done the same thing with spinning with, even with young children, fewer words, just the actions and what it feels like. So it's, I don't know, I don't know how to describe it. It's life. I learned to knit when I was four years old before I went to school, and have knit continuously since then. I mean, it just naturally was a launching pad to other fiber related activities in terms of very simple weaving, not weaving on a loom, but hand weaving, hand frame looms, that sort of thing. I did some dyeing, through my teaching, I worked at an outdoor education center. And so I was known as 'Lady Dye' spelled D-Y-E, but it was at the time of [Princess] Diana. And so we used plant materials, natural materials, it was an outdoor education setting, and they had sheep, so we had access to the fleece. And we would find plant materials and do some dyeing. And then we would card the fleece. And I must have taught them to spin, although I don't remember knowing how to spin at that time. But we made things with that fiber and did some basketry as well. So it's just been a world that I've felt very comfortable to explore. I don't feel I'm an expert. So that's my background. But after I joined the Guild, and I joined the Guild, specifically, because I wanted to learn to spin, I had tried and a few other ways, it took me a while I think to learn to spin, I think I was overthinking things. But anyway, and then just because of the workshops that the Guild offers, and because other Guild members bring such a variety of other fiber arts, and I'm curious, I like to explore. So that's usually where I start. I mean, there are times when I want to be very, very particular and very, you know, true to the traditional form of something. But mostly I like to explore. When I joined the Guild, I took spinning and then I early on took the introduction to weaving. And I soon discovered that I really wanted to focus on the spinning. I couldn't seem to handle both at once. And so spinning has really been at the forefront and I've been through the Guild workshops, but also I've taken courses with other people in Ontario and through the Halliburton, not the certification course at Halliburton, but they do offer an interest program and I've been there for four summers, waiting to do another summer there. It's a week long exploration. Within the spinning, I guess what I've really enjoyed is learning about the different breeds, particularly of sheep. I mean also exploring different fibers, angora, mohair, alpaca, but there's such a range of fleece fleece breeds and the natural colors. That's my primary focus. And then weaving is just kind of on that side at times, but realizing sometimes what I've spun, I could weave with it and so that's where I am as I go, you know, from the summer into the fall. That's something I want to explore a lot more.