I have been involved in reproduction of ancient textiles since childhood. I learned to spin on my great-grandmother's spinning wheel over 40 years ago, and have always been fascinated by pre-industrial textiles. When in graduate school in the mid-1990's, I worked as a costumed historic interpreter at Sutter's Fort (the first European settlement in the interior of California). I spin, weave, make baskets, do nalbinding, tablet weaving, bobbin lace, kumihimo, and other textile techniques. Besides textiles, I also experiment with flintknapping and make ceramic textile tools (spindle whorls, loom weights, spinning bowls, etc.). I am a professor of Anthropology and Archaeology at a community college. My course load includes a class titled "Ancient Technology", which gives students a brief introduction to the process of experimental archaeology.
