Silk thread for sale in Talat Sao market, Vientiane, Laos Silk thread for sale in Talat Sao market, Vientiane, Laos. June 2009. Photo by Adam Jones adamjones.freeservers.com via Wikimedia Commons
These gorgeous threads make me dream of the day I’ll know how to use the hand-made loom I scored for free through craigslist from my local fibers shop. I have a degree in Women’s Studies but have now been given the opportunity to pursue a second Bachelor’s – this time in Fiber Arts and Sculpture with a minor in Creative Non-Fiction. I recognize my tremendous privilege in pursuing this, but this privilege came with becoming disabled and unable to work. Colors, textures, fibers of every kind, wood and metal all set my brain to working on some piece of art, be it painting, felting, trying to learn how to knit, sculpting crude shapes from wood, metal and hardware, writing, or many other art forms. Thank you for this beautiful photo. It entices my imagination for my own work, as well as the work and life of the thread artist who put [her?] work into each skein. I have so many queries about this thread-maker and others who do the same or similar work. One of my greatest concerns is: I buy locally produced and dyed (or I dye it myself) wool from farmers who treat their sheep and/or alpacas very humanely and kindly. Is that also true of the people who produced this thread or would I be engaged in their oppression if I were to purchase such thread? I am very concerned about taking part in the despotism and maltreatment of anyone, but particularly women. And if I wasn’t to buy the thread because of mistreatment of the workers (if that is the case), is there some way I could aid in better treatment, increased wages and safer work environments? Argh! My brain spins out of control in so many directions from a simple photo. Reply