Crafting a Fibre Scene in Cape Breton: the Tools, Technologies, and Motivations of the Unspun Heroes Janice Esther Tulk

Document generated on 09/26/2021 6:10 a.m. Material Culture Review Revue de la culture matérielle Crafting a Fibre Scene in Cape Breton: The Tools, Technologies, and Motivations of the Unspun Heroes Janice Esther Tulk Volume 87, 2018 Article abstract In the 21st century, spinning, knitting, and weaving are largely thought of as URI: https://id.erudit.org/iderudit/1070680ar hobbies, pastimes, or small business activities. Despite the availability of DOI: https://doi.org/10.7202/1070680ar mass-produced wool and fibre products, homespun and handmade products have seen a resurgence in popularity, partly because practitioner communities See table of contents have developed. This article provides an ethnography of one such group, the Unspun Heroes in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. Following a brief history of the group, the individually- and communally-owned tools and technology utilized Publisher(s) within the Unspun Heroes is described. The forces that shape fibre artists’ access to tools and other resources of their craft in Cape Breton are identified, Cape Breton University Press elucidating how strategies of shared, repurposed, and DIY tools enable fibre artists to sustainably engage in their craft. The motivations of members of the ISSN group are then considered, demonstrating how economic diversification strategies in Cape Breton have facilitated fibre arts, but are seldom the driving 1718-1259 (print) force for engagement in fibre arts and the Unspun Heroes group. In conclusion, 1927-9264 (digital) the concept of “scene” is applied to the people, places, technologies, and connections described in this ethnography of the Unspun Heroes as a way of Explore this journal understanding the complex web of interactions and activities that plays out within and around the fluid membership of the group. This exploration demonstrates the innovative and entrepreneurial ethos of fibre artists in rural Cite this article Canada. Tulk, J. (2018). Crafting a Fibre Scene in Cape Breton: The Tools, Technologies, and Motivations of the Unspun Heroes. Material Culture Review / Revue de la culture matérielle, 87, 1–19. https://doi.org/10.7202/1070680ar All Rights Reserved ©, 2020 Janice Esther Tulk This document is protected by copyright law. Use of the services of Érudit (including reproduction) is subject to its terms and conditions, which can be viewed online. https://apropos.erudit.org/en/users/policy-on-use/ This article is disseminated and preserved by Érudit. Érudit is a non-profit inter-university consortium of the Université de Montréal, Université Laval, and the Université du Québec à Montréal. Its mission is to promote and disseminate research. https://www.erudit.org/en/ Article Article JANICE ESTHER TULK Crafting a Fibre Scene in Cape Breton: The Tools, Technologies, and Motivations of the Unspun Heroes Abstract In the 21st century, spinning, knitting, and weaving shared, repurposed, and DIY tools enable fibre artists are largely thought of as hobbies, pastimes, or small to sustainably engage in their craft. The motivations business activities. Despite the availability of of members of the group are then considered, mass-produced wool and fibre products, homespun demonstrating how economic diversification and handmade products have seen a resurgence in strategies in Cape Breton have facilitated fibre arts, popularity, partly because practitioner communities but are seldom the driving force for engagement have developed. This article provides an ethnography in fibre arts and the Unspun Heroes group. In of one such group, the Unspun Heroes in Cape Breton, conclusion, the concept of “scene” is applied to the Nova Scotia. Following a brief history of the group, people, places, technologies, and connections described the individually- and communally-owned tools and in this ethnography of the Unspun Heroes as a way technology utilized within the Unspun Heroes is of understanding the complex web of interactions described. The forces that shape fibre artists’ access and activities that plays out within and around to tools and other resources of their craft in Cape the fluid membership of the group. This exploration Breton are identified, elucidating how strategies of demonstrates the innovative and entrepreneurial ethos of fibre artists in rural Canada. Revue de la culture matérielle 87 (printemps 2018) 1 In the 21st century, spinning, knitting, and practices, thereby contextualizing current and weaving are commonly conceived of in the modern methods within the broader literature Western world as hobbies, pastimes, or niche of fibre arts and material culture (see Burnham business activities or cottage industries1 as a 1950, 1972, 1981; Mackley 1967; MacLeod and result of increased access to low-cost, mass- MacInnes 2014). produced textiles and yarn. Like many traditional One key objective of this article is to practices, fibre activities that were once necessary document the Unspun Heroes group and their for survival have become recreational pursuits processes for the future, thereby contributing (see, for example, Proeller 1996). Despite this, to and expanding upon the existing literature homespun wool and handmade fibre products devoted to the history of fibre arts and crafts have seen a resurgence in popularity. Increasingly, in Cape Breton. Celtic Threads: A Journey in environmental awareness movements emphasize Cape Breton Crafts by MacLeod and MacInnes the use of natural fibres over synthetic and the (2014) is a central text that delves into processes, importance of buying local, while economic patterns, and people continuing and energizing development and diversification strategies in fibre practices on the island. Though primarily economically depressed areas focus strategic concerned with weaving, the authors address initiatives on small business development in the related fibre arts, such as spinning, and profile culture and craft sectors. Within this context, several other practitioner groups on the island. groups of practitioners who carry and share the The present study of the Unspun Heroes helps to knowledge required to produce homespun and construct a more complete understanding of fibre handmade products, and possess a passion for arts practices in this region, while also examining those processes, have developed. The Unspun more deeply the motivations of practitioners Heroes is one such group located in Sydney, Cape who form and participate in fibre arts groups in Breton Island, Nova Scotia; they meet on a weekly the 21st century. Importantly, the present eth- basis to engage in their chosen fibre activities and nography also demonstrates the innovative and share their knowledge. In addition to exchanging entrepreneurial ethos of fibre artists in relation to information and techniques, the Unspun Heroes their creative pursuits in rural Canada. also collectively own a number of tools used to process fibre.2 Influenced by material culture, occupational The Unspun Heroes folklore, and oral history studies, and based on The Unspun Heroes group had its genesis in interviews, participant-observation, and autoeth- the 2000s through both formal classes at the nographic reflection, the present inquiry into Cape Breton Centre for Craft and Design and the tools and technologies of local fibre artists informal individual and small group instruction. serves as an entry point into understanding the Under the tutelage of Chris Thomson, a spinner individual motivations of fibre artists and broader who moved to Cape Breton in the early 1990s, a group dynamics. It begins with the history of the number of local women and one man learned to Unspun Heroes before describing the individually spin fibre or advanced their existing skills. When and communally owned tools and technologies Chris decided to stop teaching formally, her utilized within the Unspun Heroes group. It then students still wanted to get together and spin in identifies the forces that shape fibre artists’ access a group setting, so they began rotating between to tools and other resources of their craft in Cape their homes on a monthly basis. Thus, the group Breton, elucidating how strategies of shared, organically emerged and grew over time. For repurposed, and DIY tools enable fibre artists to these gatherings, they transported their spinning sustainably engage in their craft. The motivations wheels, sometimes negotiating who would spin of members of the group are also considered, and who would knit instead due to space limita- demonstrating how economic diversification tions. Members of the group became connected to strategies in Cape Breton have facilitated fibre the broader spinning community in the Atlantic arts, but are seldom the driving force for engage- Provinces via the Maritime Spinners Retreat, ment in fibre arts and the Unspun Heroes group. an annual event established in 2000 that rotates Throughout, connections are drawn to historical 2 Material Culture Review 87 (Spring 2018) Fig. 1 between sites in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Unspun Heroes logo and Prince Edward Island. designed by Kristy Read. Contributed by In 2008, the Cape Breton spinners hosted the Annamarie Hatcher. Maritime Spinners Retreat at the Gaelic College of Celtic Arts and Crafts in St. Ann’s Bay, Cape Breton Island. During the preparation for that event, members discussed the need for a name for their group. Member Sidney Reid suggested Unspun Heroes (a play on the expression unsung hero). The name, along with a logo designed by graphic artist Kristy Read, was adopted by the group and printed on reusable tote bags filled with fibre-related paraphernalia prepared for the retreat (see Fig. 1). Thus, the organization of this to hold spinning gatherings in a laboratory on event served as a catalyst for the formalization of campus. Around 2014, weekly knitting events the group to some degree. were established in conjunction with The Bobbin Around the same time, an Unspun Heroes Tree, a downtown fibre shop owned by Unspun Yahoo! Group was established to enable com- Hero member, Janet Dawson. Members of the munication between members and coordinate Unspun Heroes began alternating on a weekly their monthly gatherings via an online forum and basis between The Bobbin Tree and a local cof- mailing list.

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