Nadine Sanders, Weaver, Singer, and Waulker

Yes! Nadine came to visit us last Saturday, in good form. She started out with her warping technique using shoestrings, paddle, and a raddle. Very nice and efficient way of warping a loom. I missed this part, but those who attended really liked it! Several bought shoestrings, books, CD's on "how to" including me!

After lunch, we went to the Bellingham Public Library to see her presentation on current Scottish weavers, felters and musicians. A slide show complete with garments to model, and shortbread cookies. I really liked the slide show, because I like the history of our craft so much. The slides she had of the modern day weavers were weaving on 300 year old looms! Good Greif! Very impressive, though!

We FINALLY waulked the wool yardage we wove for this day, in the afternoon. This was the part I was really waiting to do!

Several people gathered around and waulked and sang, and took turns. Of course, we didn't use urine to wet the fabric like in the olden days, but we could have! We even have the sea water near by to rinse the urine out, IF we had used urine. But, we just used plain ole' water. From the tap. You sing, beat the fabric together on the table, push it to the middle, pull it back out, and move it to the left to the next person. You are continually moving the fabric to the next person.

(Of course, the photos are all out of order! The first photo, with the waulkers parading the fabric around, is when the fabric is completed -- ah well, I'm learning about this process too, and perhaps need another lesson!)

The 15.5 inch wide fabric fulled to 12 inches. Wow! It took about 20 - 25 minutes with all the songs, taking turns, and stories Nadine shared.

As I looked around the table, I noticed how happy and enthusiastic the partipants were -- it was really great! I'm really pleased that Nadine came to visit us, share her stories, and we were able to learn and participate in an age old tradition. Soooo cool! Thank YOU, Nadine!