Denise McKenzie tells us about weaving her first hat

Photo courtesy of Denise McKenzie

My cap is still hoping to dance.  My intent was to weave a cap for myself, but it’s only 6 1/2-6 3/4.  There are more caps in my future as long as I’m able. There is a little bit of pressure as there are so few cap makers.

Choosing to weave a cap brings up a whole host of emotions: fear, anxiety, wonder, awe, excitement, hope, and gratitude, to name a few.  You sit there with your gathered materials (that took you to places you never imagined), and your thoughts (that mostly get in the way),  and you try to be right-minded and focused. You know every choice of stick, root, fern, and grass will soon take on a collective shared spirit and there’s a point when it’s not about your choices at all.  She starts dictating the way it will all go and I respect that.

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Denise McKenzie (Tolowa, Yurok) is a traditional basket weaver, regalia maker and knitter. She lives in Northern California.