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Weaving A Meaningful Life
There is something almost mythical about the weaving process: it is found in all cultures, with distinct traditions and practices, but the basic process is the same- take raw materials and turn them into something both beautiful and functional. In some ways this can be a metaphor for life and community: separate threads are brought together to form a complex whole- lives and narratives, memories and histories, and ultimately their transformation into a unified "story". The final product belies the weight of tradition and artistry and embodies the profoundly human endeavour of creating an object that is at once utilitarian and expresses something of the maker's soul.
Pamela Sistrunk of Wild Yarns is a busy person with many talents which include knitting, weaving and textiles. She has recently returned to the Hills after a couple of years in Victoria, and after renovating her lovely home in Parkerville, has set up shop and is preparing for Open Studios once more.
Having been a knitter from the age of 6, it wasn't until a decade ago that Pamela stepped into the world of weaving. She discovered a joy of weaving and spinning and has an avid interest in designing and creating garments directly from the animal to the spinning wheel and then to the weaving loom.
She often takes the raw fleece, spins it, then washes it before weaving or knitting it into a textile that has both strength and heart. Pamela is also interested in Saori (a kind of Japanese weaving) which fosters individual creativity, embraces flaws, (and makes fabric that a machine cannot) continuing the work of generations of weavers before her, and also likes to add different and unusual materials to her loom.
Pamela finds the process to be very "Zen"- she can think, or not, letting herself sink into a rhythm, weaving her story as she goes.
Pamela Sistrunk gives a nod to tradition and culture through naming some of her ranges Viking or Hippy, or when creating a tribute to Anzac Heroes and Angels with woven designs for The National Anzac centre in Albany. The Viking throws (or shawls) are absolutely divine, with lustrous threads and a soft luxurious feel. For a process which was first about function, weaving has definitely become an expressive art form.
I can't help but think that Pamela's love of music, especially playing the piano, is very closely allied to her love of weaving- individual threads/notes coming together to create something beautiful and unique, a personal story to be shared with others.
Pamela likes to design garments that are unusual, employing different types of yarns so that they have a soft feel to them, with interesting visual textures. She also likes to source local yarn and fleece from all over Australia where possible and strives to support ethical bespoke artisan produced textiles.
As a textile artisan, Pamela feels it is important to pass on the traditions of weaving and spinning and Wild Yarns has become the vehicle which provides this through meaningful and sustainable work and the preservation of crafts which can be handed down, generation to generation. She is also interested in opening up her studio to teaching others, and I am definitely looking forward to being part of the weaving tradition in the future.
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