I sit in a circle of women in a cozy cottage on Nantucket, the sound of the ocean in the background. We have flown, driven, ridden the bus, taken the ferry to get here for a writing retreat. We are physically present in the room and our spirits are still arriving. Our retreat leader Jena […]
Towels, cakes and writing
I cut the red thread after sewing the cloth label onto the towel and exhale. I hold the towel up, fold it in thirds lengthwise, then in half and place on the stack with the other towels. The last label, the last towel. This collection of towels is now finished. I take a moment to […]
The uncommon magic of a handwoven kitchen towel: What I long to tell you
I was at a craft fair recently and over the course of three days, I heard several women comment, I’d wear that as a scarf, as they fingered a kitchen towel. I’ve heard this and similar comments frequently over the years. Even after all this time, I struggle to respond, feeling like it’s not okay […]
Can a tea towel reduce the crime rate?
In the 1990s the crime rate in New York City fell suddenly. Violent crime decreased in cities across the country as the crack trade declined, the economy recovered and the population aged. But these facts don’t explain why it fell so dramatically in NYC where the population was actually getting younger and the poorest neighborhoods […]
In praise of slow weaving
People often ask me how long it takes to weave a towel. The short answer is: I don’t know. I don’t weave one towel from start to finish and then weave the next one. It takes a long time to set up the loom, so I make a warp as long as possible, which with […]
