Retired Baylor Professor Spins Yarns and Weaves Life Lessons at Homestead Fiber Crafts

Artisans and farmers protecting and preserving the heritage of the American West pass on their knowledge and experience through shopping experiences, instructional classes, and weekend festivals hosting thousands to their charming village in Central Texas.

Candlemaking and other craft seminars, agricultural exhibits, and music activities are on display each day at Homestead Craft Village and featured at Homestead Heritage's 37th Annual Homestead Fair, open from November 29 through Dec. 1, followed by two weekends of the Homestead Holiday Market, December 7 and 14.

WACO, Texas, Oct. 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- In the Homestead Fiber Crafts shop, weavers, spinners, and knitters of all ages carry on the age-old tradition of creating yarn, cloth, clothes, and household items for home and family. Watching Kay Toombs' hands move in graceful rhythm with the wheel and loom, one might assume she has spent her entire life as a fiber artist. The retired professor says her life prepared her well to enter this vocation at age 72.

"I love teaching others, and helping them learn and master new skills," said Kay. "One of my older students told me that she was unsure of herself at first, but seeing me spin and weave, she thought, 'If she can do it, ANYONE can!'"

Kay – also known as Dr. Kay Toombs, Associate Professor Emeritus, Baylor University and S. Kay Toombs, the name found on the many award-winning books and research works she's published – finds great purpose in her work. Working in a reconstructed 1830's barn surrounded by colorful yarns, fabrics, and finished goods, Kay sees more than beautiful merchandise. Creating physical fabric also creates the social fabric of the community.

"Handcrafted fabrics, especially those spun and woven traditionally, are not just about aesthetics but durability and sustainability," said Kay. "This approach echoes back to times when garments were made to last, reflecting a culture of utility and conservation."

Kay's life and academic career gave her a deep understanding of the human condition. Born in England in 1943, she spent the first year of her life sleeping in an air raid shelter and grew up in the aftermath of war. Diagnosed with multiple sclerosis at 29 years old, she delivered her university lectures from a power chair and now crafts fabrics using spinning wheels and looms adapted so they can be operated using only her hands. At Homestead Heritage, she found a community built on the principles she cherishes: nonviolence, simplicity, and wholeness.

"There is true community here, and true peace," said Kay. "I grew up in England and had a career in academia, which both have rigid class structures. Here, everyone works together, young and old, sharing their gifts with one another."

Kay and other artisans invite guests to participate in classes available year-round, Monday through Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Homestead Craft Village located north of Waco, a few minutes off the interstate or to make plans to visit the 37th Annual Homestead Fair Nov. 29 – Dec. 1, Dec. 6-7 and Dec. 13-14, 2024.

About Homestead Heritage

Homestead Heritage at Brazos de Dios is a Christian church in Central Texas that embraces traditional ways of work and worship. The church community, which hosts more than 200,000 visitors per year, operates a 510-acre farm on the Brazos River and includes the Homestead Craft Village and Café Homestead.

Dozens of artisans, small business owners, and farmers work daily to protect and preserve the heritage of the American West and pass on their knowledge and experience through shopping experiences, instructional classes, and weekend festivals hosting thousands to their charming village in Central Texas.

Visit https://www.homesteadheritage.com/the-shops/ to learn more, shop or plan your trip, and https://www.homesteadfair.com/ for information about Homestead Heritage's 37th Annual Homestead Fair, open from November 29 through Dec. 1, followed by two weekends of the Homestead Holiday Market, December 7 and 14.

Watch Kay at work at Homestead Fiber Crafts at Homestead Heritage.

Visit these social channels to learn more about Homestead Heritage. FACEBOOK, YOUTUBE, X/TWITTER, INSTAGRAM, TIKTOK

Media Contact:
Homestead Heritage
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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/homesteadheritagewaco

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X/Twitter: https://x.com/HomesteadWacoTX

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/homesteadheritage/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@homesteadheritage

Direct Link to video of Kay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiXE9t6upM8

Homestead Craft Village: https://www.homesteadheritage.com/the-shops/

Homestead Fair: https://www.homesteadfair.com/

SOURCE Homestead Heritage