Past Issues

THE NORTHWEST PENNSYLVANIA SPINNERS AND WEAVERS GUILD

Hub Editor: Taryn Barnett at   acornyrat@aol.com

Saturday, January 3, 2008, from 10:00 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Calendar of Events

January 3rd - NPSWG Program Meeting at Christ Church 10:00a.m.to-2:00p.m.

January 20th - NPSWG Tuesday Spinning at Christ Church 10:00a.m.to 2:00p.m.

February 7th - NPSWG Business/Program Meeting at Christ Church 10:00a.m.to-2:00p.m

Febuary 17th - NPSWG Tuesday Spinning at Christ Church 10:00a.m.to 2:00p.m. 

Minutes of the December 2008 NPSWG Meeting

Old Business. The minutes of the October meeting were approved. Bonnie Orr could not attend, so Bonnie Crytzer gave an abbreviated version of the Treasurer’s Report: checking balance $377.12 (with $132 more awaiting deposit); savings balance $3633.31, of which about half is designated for the Helen McCartney Scholarship Fund. Bonnie reminded us that dues are due for 2009 ($20 per family). Finally, she announced that Ruth Walker-Daniels now has email (!!!).

 President Karen Fry gave an update on our meeting place. Roz Macken had researched other possibilities and determined that $500 was a very good deal for what we have at Christ Church. Because of the time pressure involved, Karen held an emergency business meeting at the November off-month program meeting, and those present decided to pay the church $500 for another year of meetings. They also approved the purchase of two LeClerc looms to add to the Guild equipment. Karen also announced that Audrey Powell is missing some fleece from Dye Day – anyone who ended up with extra/wrong fleece, please contact her. 

Barb Lodge asked people to volunteer to bring cookies to next year’s meetings.

 New Business. Barb showed a story in the Erie paper about Guild member Susan Helm’s antiques shop in Edinboro – there is a nice photo of Susan in the article. She also praised the exhibit of African textiles (“Kanga and Kitenge: Cloth and Culture in East Africa”) currently showing at the Erie Art Museum. The museum has purchased the textiles for its collection – they will be on display through April 9.

 Barb also described several of the fiber-related conferences that are held throughout the year and urged people to consider attending. The Handweavers’ Guild of America (http://www.weavespindye.org/) has a national gathering every other year – it’s expensive, but in alternate years there are regional events that are more affordable. The Mid-Atlantic Fiber Association conference (http://www.mafafiber.org/conference.html) is July 31-Aug. 2, 2009, and features classes by top-notch instructors. Closer to home, the Eastern Great Lakes Fiber Conference is smaller, which allows for an intimate atmosphere and intensive work with the instructors, and it’s also more affordable than the larger conferences. This year, Eastern Great Lakes will be held Oct. 9 – 12 in Chautauqua, NY. Ann Sheffield added that the Pittsburgh Knit and Crochet Festival (http://www.pghknitandcrochet.com/) is coming up on Feb. 14-15 – it has been moved to Mars (off I-79 north of Pittsburgh) and so is reasonably close this year.

 Barb passed along from Sigrid Piroch some ideas for charity knitting. The seamen’s scarf project that Ilene Elliston knitted for was mentioned as possibility. Ilene was a long-time Guild member who died earlier this year, and we could honor her by carrying on the tradition. Ann will try to find out more about the project, and Bonnie will talk to Ilene’s family about it. Barb added that, as a Guild, we have in the past donated to Heifer International during the holidays. We voted to sponsor a sheep this year for $120. At Lorraine Dallas’ request, Barb noted that activities would be going on at all the shops “@ The Bank,” including at Lorraine’s new location there. Barb also mentioned that the biennial Trees of Christmas display was still going on at the Baldwin-Reynolds house.

 Mathilda Murphy made a plea, seconded by Sharon Hoban, for the Guild to do more weaving-related activities. Sharon suggested a public exhibit or sale of our work to promote the guild and let people know about us. Joanna McDermot suggested that our next major workshop be a weaving class. She described a class some years ago that was aimed at brand-new weavers but also valuable for more experienced folks.

 Vicki Ferster solicited ideas for the next Guild challenge project. Among the ideas mentioned were:

 -        a Danish shawl (as featured in Spin-Off)
-         name-draft weaving
-         socks
-         sweaters
-         using a technique you’ve never used before
-         using only materials already in your stash
-         a Guild blanket or coverlet

Bonnie Crytzer will compile the ideas for a vote – please send additional challenge project ideas to her.

Show and Tell. Roz Macken showed a top-down sweater she had made herself from grease wool through finished project. She also showed her chastely-dyed T-shirt and her shibori cloth from our indigo Dye Day. Ann Sheffield showed a cattle horn that she had put in an indigo vat at Dye Day as an experiment – it came out deep blue. Taryn Barnett showed a Border Leicester capelet and two mobius scarves, made with her handspun yarn using Cat Bordi’s method. Karen Fry described how she has been using corks to make handles for felting needles – this allows disabled people to use them safely and effectively. Mathilda Murphy showed woven Christmas ornaments – she makes a new design on a different theme every year.

2009 Dues are now due

NPSWG dues for 2009 are now due and must be received by April 25th in order to get your name in the 2009 Guild Directory.  You may also include a donation to the guild with your dues check, if you wish. 

To renew your NPSWG membership, please send a check for $20, payable to NPSWG, to: Sharon Hoban, 314 N. Washington Street, Titusville, PA 16354.

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