‘n Weefstoel wat wat vir meer as 25 jaar in ‘n stoorkamer in Strand gestaan en stof opgaar het, is deur Arran Bastable van Barrydale Hand Weavers gered.
Arran het as deel van die koop ooreenkoms die vorige eienaar belowe dat hy die eerste serp wat die weefstoel vervaardig aan haar sal oorhandig en Cecily Laing was behoorlik in haar noppies toe die News62 span dit verlede week by haar aftree-oord afgelewer het.
“Hierdie is so spesiaal vir my, baie dankie Arran. Dit is op die heel laaste weefstoel wat ek gehou het gemaak en ek is so bly dat daar nog iemand is wat hierdie bedryf ondersteun,” vertel Cecily.
Toe sy die pakkie oopmaak het sy gesien dat daar ‘n ekstra bederf in die form van ‘n sjaal was – en alles is natuurlik met dieselfde liefde en kwaliteit waarvoor Barrydale Hand Weavers bekend is, vervaardig.
Cecily het vertel hoe sy in die laat 70s ‘n weefskool in Paarl gehad het en dat sy selfs ‘n paartjie wat fondsinsameling vir die De La Bat Skool vir Dowes fondsinsameling gedoen het, opgelei het.
Al haar weefstoele is volgens ‘n Nederlandse patroon deur haar man Kobus vervaardig en die weefklasse wat Cecily aangebied het, het gehelp om vir hul dogter se studies te help betaal.
Toe Kobus in die vroeë 90s afgetree het, het hulle die stuk of ses weefstoele wat sy gehad het verkoop en slegs die een wat vandag sy nuwe huis in Barrydale gevind het, het saam met die Laing gesin Strand toe getrek.
“Nadat Kobus verlede jaar oorlede is het ek in ‘n kleiner plekkie ingetrek en ek moes toe van die geliefde weefstoel ontstlae raak.”
Cecily vertel hoe sy vir Arran gekontak het en hy die weefstoel wat deur Kobus gebou is met graagte by haar kom haal het.
“Ek wou regtig nie iets (geld) vir die weefstoel gehad het nie. Ek was net bly dat iemand dit wel sal gebruik, maar Arran het daarop aangedring dat hy dit nie sal kan neem sonder om daarvoor te betaal nie. Die man het ‘n hart van goud.”
Arran en sy vrou Kate het bietjie meer as ‘n jaar gelede Barrydale Hand Weavers gekoop en die besigheid het sedertdien van krag tot krag gegroei.
Die rede waarom die Skotsman weefstoele opkoop het grootliks met sy langtermyn plan vir sy besigheid te doen. Sy missie is om so veel moontlik werksgeleenthede by Barrydale Hand Weavers te skep en om dit reg te kry sal hy heel moontlik nog verskeie weefstoele uit die stof moet red.
Bastable breathes new life into forgotten loom
A loom that had been gathering dust in storage for more than 25 years was recently rescued by Arran Bastable of Barrydale Hand Weavers.
Arran traveled to Strand to collect this special item and there he promised the previous owner that, as part of the purchase agreement, the first scarf the loom manufactures would be hers.
Quite understandably Cecily Laing was very happy when the News62 team delivered the gift to her at retirement home last week.
“This is so special to me, thank you so much Arran. It was made on the very last loom I kept and I’m so glad there’s someone who is keeping this industry alive,” Cecily said.
When she opened the package, she saw that there was an extra treat in the form of a shawl – and everything was, of course, made with that same love and quality that Barrydale Hand Weavers put into every product they manufacture.
Cecily explained that she had a weaving school in Paarl in the late 70s and that she even trained a couple who did a lot of fundraising for the De La Bat School for the Deaf on Worcester.
All her looms were made by her husband Kobus according to a Dutch pattern and the weaving classes Cecily conducted, helped to pay for their daughter’s tuition.
When Kobus retired in the early 90s, they sold most of the looms she had and only the one that is in Barrydale today joined the Laing family when they relocated to Strand.
“After Kobus passed away last year, I moved into a smaller place and then I had to get rid of the beloved loom.”
Cecily tells how she contacted Arran who gladly came to fetch the loom.
“I really did not want anything (money) for the loom. I was just glad that someone would use it, but Arran insisted that he would not take it without paying for it. He has a heart of gold. “
Arran and his wife Kate purchased Barrydale Hand Weavers a little over a year ago and the business has since grown from strength to strength.
The reason why the Scotsman buys looms has largely to do with his long-term plan for his business. His mission is to create as many jobs as possible at Barrydale Hand Weavers and to accomplish that he is likely to save several more looms from dusty graves.
