Episode 23: Alaskan Weaving

This episode, WeaveCast goes to Alaska! Come with me behind the scenes to meet the muskox at the Large Animal Research Facility in Fairbanks. Sandy Garbowski, muskox wrangler, tells us about these fascinating animals and how their Qiviut is harvested and processed. We visit A Weaver's Yarn, a weaving store in Fairbanks, Alaska. Then Della Chaney, a weaver of the Tlingit and Haida nations, shares her people’s traditions of weaving ceremonial hats and robes. Finally, we end up the episode, and 2007, with some weaving resolutions for the new year.

Resources (mentioned during the show)

• Peter Collingwood's Rug-Weaving Books as PDF Files (scroll down halfway)


• Heritage Spinning and Weaving


• Large Animal Research Station (LARS)


• Online Qiviut Store at LARS


• Oomingmak Musk Ox Producers' Co-operative


• Arctic Lace: Knitting Projects and Stories Inspired by Alaska's Native Knitters


• A Weaver’s Yarn


• Alaska Native Heritage Center


• Sealaska Heritage Institute


• Delia's Winning Hat in Juried Show


• The Basketry Studio (sells cedar bark)


• Cheryl Samuel’s Home Page


• More Alaskan Artist Audio: Raven’s Tail, Chilkat, and Basket Weaving

Musical Guests

• "Aurora Borealis" by Technetium™


• "Alaska Song" by The Buffali

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