A fond farewell to my friend, Stephenie Gaustad. February 11, 2025, Stephenie joined her long time partner, friend, and husband Alden Amos, and the fiber world wept. Stephenie was a spinner, weaver, teacher, author, illustrator, dyer, mother, grandmother, and friend. We met at the founding meeting of Del Oro Spinners and Weavers Guild 40 years ago. Over the years, Stephenie taught me how to spin. She created huge multicolored bats on “Jaws” for the students in my classroom as they learned to felt. We wove seagrass handcrafted stools. I learned new weaving techniques. Stephenie delighted in sharing her creations for her grandchildren. She loved working with her son, Jan, as he designed an electric spinner. There seemed to be no end to her enthusiasm for fiber arts and life. Her books, including the one she illustrated with Alden, and articles, are well worn on the shelf.
As I sit at my spinning wheel practicing her tips, tricks, and lessons, a voice from the beyond, a spinning wheel craftsman, calls out, “Oil….Oil!” What a pair they were.
Stephenie will be missed, but most of all, we will remember her passion for fiber arts, her endless desire to share that with others, her kindness, and her grace.
Kathleen McPherson