About

Hello and Welcome!

My name is Irene Waggener, and this is my corner of the digital world. Here, you will find my blog (Stories from the Road), my knitting and spinning supplies shop (Supplies from the Road), and my business/organization recommendations based on personal interactions with those listed (Connections).

I enjoy researching and writing about knitting traditions around the world. My work draws on participant observation, interviews, and historical, linguistic, and archaeological evidence to situate the craft within the broader themes of economy, society, and politics. My book, Keepers of the Sheep: Knitting in Morocco’s High Atlas and Beyond, which was written in collaboration with shepherds from Morocco’s High Atlas, is available here. However, you will find a variety of stories on my blog as knitting isn’t the only thing that makes me tick!

Why 106 Meters from the Road?

I began this website as a personal blog when I was living in Niamey, Niger. The title comes from the street address of my home at the time. In Niamey, building addresses are determined by distance to a main road. Since my home was 106 meters from Mali Bero Boulevard, one of Niamey’s main arteries, I decided to name my blog 106 Meters from the Road in honor of the place where I began writing as a way to explore and interact with my surroundings. You can read my work from Niger here. While in Niger, I focused a lot on food and also maintained a separate food blog: A Moveable Kitchen

Disclaimer: The views expressed on this website, or any of my blogs, do not represent any government, organization, or individual other than myself.