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Martha and Pam are proud that their daughters are following in their footsteps. Emolyn’s mother, Martha Owen, gets a twinkle in her eye as she describes her daughter as a second-generation knitter/designer. Her father David is quick to point out that his mother was also an accomplished knitter, although she never got over the fact that Martha knit all those beautiful pieces without patterns!
Emolyn recently returned from studying at a Folk School in Denmark and then the Penland School of Crafts here in North Carolina. “The Danish students started calling me ‘Grandma’ because I was knitting all the time,” observed Emolyn. “But pretty soon they were begging me to make them their own custom hats and scarves.” And then students at Penland wanted some of her work. “I’m designing a knit dress for a Penland friend now right now and really enjoying it.”
Becky’s mother, Pam Howard, was thrilled when Becky started weaving seriously. Becky grew up in a house with many looms. It seems like there was always an extra loom that had a warp on it for Becky to try out. But, it was not till she took a weaving course from her mother, Pam that she really got the fiber bug. Becky explains, “it is an advantage to have a Mom who already weaves and can teach me a trade that I can use. Taking an idea and making it into cloth is wonderful.” Becky’s father, Ron is hoping that Becky will move some of her mother’s looms out of the house!
Martha and Pam both commented that each child learned about fiber as children, but it was not until they went off to school that the girls realized what information treasures they had right at home. All of their friends commented on what they were wearing, hand-knitted or hand-woven scarves, sweaters, hats and vests. It seems that in the past eight or nine years there has been a resurgence to those handmade articles. “”It is great to make sure that a craft lives on and Martha and Pam are happy their daughters will be keeping it alive!
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