Comments on: Waylaka

By: Lynn in Tucson

Lynn in Tucson — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 04:17:13 +0000

Abby, that's fabulous and fascinating. Thank you for taking the time to share your story as well as your talents.

By: Margaret

Margaret — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 02:39:36 +0000

Thank you so much for this story. How wonderful to have had all that knowledge and tradition available, not as criticism but as a means to be better at what you do. I'm a very new spinner and right now I would rather have critique than compliments on my efforts, so I can learn.

By: Carol

Carol — Thu, 12 Apr 2007 11:57:21 +0000

An excellent story, and beautifully expressed. Thank you.

By: Gladys Strong

Gladys Strong — Fri, 16 Feb 2007 18:08:52 +0000

What a great story. As part of the older generation I have only been spinning/weaving since the last 30 years.Oh, to have had teachers like yours as a child.
But every day there are still new "what if I do this instead of following the written path" to explore and new fibers that technology has given us. Spinning keeps the mind and fingers active.
Keep up your good work. And thanks for sharing.

By: Joni

Joni — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 01:57:29 +0000

Thank you so much for sharing your story, Abby! You've given me something to think about.

By: littlebird

littlebird — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 20:12:35 +0000

Hello, I just have to say I love your article. I surfed over from the spinning list and didn't expect to find something that would be so moving to me. I've always felt drawn to the part of the world you grew up in. Thank you so much for sharing and for the term waylaka. It is nice to have a word for that feeling! I notice you don't seem to have anything about weaving on your site. I'd love to see you find some way of sharing some of that wisdom that feels right to you.

By: goatldi

goatldi — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 22:06:13 +0000

Very interesting. I want to know where you find the time to write such an informative post.

By: Teri Pittman

Teri Pittman — Mon, 29 Jan 2007 18:45:05 +0000

And this is a sad thing in our culture, that our mothers must work outside the home and we lose the lessons that our own culture could teach us. Young girls were once taught how to cook and keep house. It isn't that many generations ago that they also learned spinning and weaving too. I wonder what it would be like to have grown up in a Shetland island community, where people knit for a living. Or to be able to herd my goats and spend the day knitting or spinning as I watch over them. Thanks for sharing this.

By: Ellen

Ellen — Mon, 29 Jan 2007 13:24:44 +0000

This was fascinating. I also think you should submit to Spin Off. I noticed myself in your shocking use of handspun as "just yarn" . I think this comes from spinning for years, and the realization that you can always make more. I know handweavers who can't bear to cut up their fabric, which is kind of the same thing. It's fabric. Cut it already.

By: Ruth Schooley

Ruth Schooley — Sun, 28 Jan 2007 21:25:50 +0000

Abby, I'm blogging about this, and our off-list conversations, at http://twistedspinster.net . (with your prior permission, of course!) Correct me on a fine point - is Quechua Mayan or Aztec?

Ruth