Ontario Handweavers & Spinners

Ontario Handweavers & Spinners

The Ontario Handweavers & Spinners (OHS) is a non-profit organization based in Ontario, Canada that helps individuals interested in the fiber crafts to communicate and develop their skills, including weaving, spinning and dying, basket makers, braiders, tablet weavers and paper makers. The OHS communicates to its members through a quarterly newsletter, Fibre Focus, provides educational programs in spinning and weaving, provides scholarships and organizes several seminars or conferences each year.

The organization was founded in 1956 at a time when there was increasing interest in reviving traditional craft skills. By 1998 the organization had grown to over 1,000 members, in over 70 guilds within six autonomous regions in Ontario. The OHS is affiliated with the Ontario Crafts Council. Many individuals prominent in the fiber arts have graduated from OHS courses or have been associated with the OHS over the years.