Celtic Threads: A Journey In Cape Breton Crafts
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by Daniel MacInnes & Eveline MacLeod
Cape Breton University Press, Sydney, Nova Scotia, 2014
180 pp., illus., $24.95 paperback
Eveline MacLeod and Daniel W MacInnes’s Celtic Threads takes readers on a journey into the colourful world of weaving in Cape Breton. The “part-memoir, part-history” delves into the craft’s past, tracing its evolution from Scotland to Nova Scotia while mapping out MacLeod’s lifelong connection to the art and her community.
Working with MacInnes, a sociology professor of Maritime history, culture, and identity at St. Francis Xavier University, MacLeod situates her wealth of knowledge about weaving methods, patterns, and individuals in Cape Breton within the craft’s larger history. Explanations of particular types of fabrics, styles, and works are situated in broader stories. For instance, in the book’s first chapter, readers are treated to a detailed account of pioneer life in Cape Breton that touches on the community’s origins, economy, and religious practices.
The authors’ accessible prose and familiar tone are complemented by photographs of key members of the Cape Breton weaving community and of their woven creations. The combination of communal stories, beautiful images, and historical background will fascinate readers interested in Maritime arts and crafts.
— Joanne DeCosse (Read bio)
Joanne DeCosse is Canada's History Society's Interim Community Engagement Coordinator.