History isn’t just written on the pages of books or spoken aloud from scripts meticulously fact-checked. It’s recorded in the work of the hands.

St. Augustine Textile Arts Guild members live up to the mission defined by its founders in 1995: Maurine Boles, textile historian; Nancy Garrard, a spinner and weaver, and Irene Toreula, a weaver. The mission is to preserve the textile arts and crafts from St. Augustine’s founding in 1565 through Statehood in 1845, and to encourage interest in the historic and contemporary arts.

Members are spinners who turn fibers into yarns and threads for weaving, knitting and decorative arts; crafters who embellish hand-made garments tapestries and linens with beading or embroidery, crochet, knit, quilt, or felt, create jewelry, and children’s soft-knit toys. 

Textile arts have been part of St. Augustine’s culture since the city was founded. The Textile Arts Guild was formed in 1995 to perpetuate the textile arts of the past for the future.

The members of the group are interested in all kinds of fiber arts, both colonial and contemporary. Among their skillsets and talents are weaving, spinning, lace and paper making, knitting, crocheting, embroidery, felting, needle punching, basketry and more.

Weekly studios, monthly meetings and special demonstration events throughout the year keep members engaged.