Canadiana Accents

Sandy was one of those folks who were born a hundred years too late. As a child, she loved to read about “pioneer” life. She would imagine herself in a country kitchen with a wood cook stove, a big garden and a pantry overflowing with good things to nourish her family. Being raised a “city kid”; she never imagined that most of those dreams would come true. In her early readings she came across the saying, “Use it up, Wear it out, Make it do or do Without”. When she was a child, the term recycling hadn’t been invented yet but that little saying was the start of her trying to make something else out of an item before it was thrown away for good. Consequently, her four little ones had many patches on their clothes. She would then stretch those patched clothes to make quilts and crocheted rag rugs. When they moved to the farm in Turtle Valley in the early ‘70’s, a friend gave her an Indian Head wool spinner that she attached to her treadle sewing machine. The neighbors had sheep so she could get some wool and in short order, she was making toques, tube sox etc. to keep her family warm. Then she bought some sheep of her own and thought she was in heaven. Of course, she was the only one to have heavenly thoughts about it. If you ask her kids they will roll their eyes and act like she chained them to the floor to help her process the wool for spinning and groan because they had to wear one more stupid turtle neck sweater. Another neighbor made her a big floor loom out of Turtle Valley birch trees. She started buying good quality wool and corduroy clothes to cut up for her rugs. As her interest in Folk Arts developed, she saw that rugs could be made from more than just rags. The rugs made from hand spun wool were both cozy and luxurious. Great for putting next to the bed to keep your toes warm in the morning or as a very comfortable hearth rug. Sandy makes her rugs with thoughts of love and peace for the home that they will go to. She knows that handcrafted rugs and beautiful items made from hand spun wool are a continuing legacy of ingenuity and folk art and add a sense of history and permanence in these “throw away” times.